The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I just thought I'd post my experience with my old B2 in case it was of any use to anyone.

My B2 decided to just stop on me one day, I was miffed anyways, because I had no money (not enough to send it in to Breitling) i took it to a couple of jewelers/watch repairers. They said they wouldn't touch it and I'd have to send it off to Breitling. They refused to even crack it open for me so that I could take a look ( this made me even more miffed
I had already tried to open the back but the vice kept on slipping and marking the back
so I invested in a no. 11 back opener, a cheap case holder and a set of indian screwdrivers (about £25).
After searching the web and this forum, I sussed out that the movement was an ETA, there was a flash movie on their site that showed how to dismantle the base movement and re assemble it.
There was a load of small black bits on the inside of the case and movement, so I used a small screwdriver with a bit of blue tack on it to 'dab' up all the bits, but it still wouldn't run.
In for a penny...... I then took off the self winding assembly with the three screws, this allowed access to more of the cogs, and suddenly after removing more of this black particles off one of the fastest moving cogs, she came back to life
She ran fine, i put her back together, and then as I went to set the time, the crown popped off I was not a happy bunny.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, the black particles were basically rust where the stem had corroded just inside where the stem goes into the case! (this was due to the fact that I found this watch when snorkeling, the sea water had only ever damadged the stem! [not stainless steel])
I now purchased a 60p stem extension it was a tap 9 thread (and a pair of tweezers to handle those small screws, the clamps that hold the movement in the case, and the small plugs and rods that operate the stopwatch bit)
Anyway heres a couple of pics that show the stem before and after I put the extension in. -
before-

after-



The B2 is now back on my arm, keeping imaculate time and this was the first time I ever ventured into watch repair..... I'm now just really happy again

Wow!


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SHARKMAN

Very impressive! Congratulations!!!

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"A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure."

Nice going indeed! But I'll be lying if I say there wasn't at least an element of more luck than judgement there! But since it all worked out fine you are to be congratulated for having the balls and steady enough hand to get her running again.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

That is the ultimate McGyver story. Well done!