The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I winded the watch, then when I went to set the date, it would click but the number would just stay on the same date. So I went to change the time and went past the 12 so the date would jump then it finally did. So i went to change the date and it finally worked. Has anyone had this type of problem before? Should I be worried about this? Will this be a big problem in the future? Thanks for any info....

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Breitling Super Avenger (Black Dial) - SOLD
Breitling Super Avenger (Black Steel)
Breitling Super Avenger (White Dial) - FOR SALE
Breitling Chronomat (White Dial)

When and where was the watch purchased?

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I got it from authenticwatches so it don't have warrenty. Never had a problem before. Got it earlyer this year.

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Breitling Super Avenger (Black Dial) - SOLD
Breitling Super Avenger (Black Steel)
Breitling Super Avenger (White Dial) - FOR SALE
Breitling Chronomat (White Dial)

No, I don't have a similar experience. My guess is that the best answer would come from Watchmakeress or someone else with the profession. You might want to send her a PM, you'll probably get a quicker reply that way.

(Or, of course, you can try seeing your ADs watchmaker and let him explain what causes the problem and how to handle it.)

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Collection: http://s540.photobucket.com/albums/gg32 ... mview=grid

Did you try and change the date when the indicated time was between 8pm and 3am?

It sounds almost like a few broken teeth on the date mechanism, but as others have said watchmakeress is our expert.

gips30,
I just purchased the Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel a few hours ago and made the same mistake as you of trying to set the date between 8 p.m and 3 a.m. The date began to change and then stopped and there was a clicking sound as I kept trying to change the date. So I pulled the crown to Position 3 and moved the hands till the time was outside that range of 8 p.m to 3 a.m and I was successfully able to change the date manually by pushing the crown back to Position 2 and turning it. My watch seems to work fine, nut I guess I wont know for sure until the next date change if I damaged the date wheel. I think the watch has some kind of protection mechanism that prevents the crown from forcing the date to change, hence the clicking sounds as the crown turns and nothing happens. *QUESTION* Have you had any further problems with your watch or is it working fine?
-davidjewels

That's wishful thinking I'm afraid.

I think you probably heard the teeth slipping as the date change works was only partially engaged.

I agree with you that it might be wishful thinking. However, the watch seems to be working fine and keeping in mind the 8pm to 3am danger zone for avoiding date changes, I advanced the hands to a safe zone of 6 'O' Clock and did several manual date changes with no problems. This was just a test. Then I advanced the time to just before 12 midnigt and the date window changed automatically with no problem. Finally I set the correct time and waited all day and night till the watch reached just before midnight on it's own and the date changed normally without a problem.
I would like to point out one thing. I'm sure that there are many others like myself that buy sophisticated timepieces , but are not aware of the danger posed to the date gears and mechanisms between 8pm and 3am. I mean how many people really know this? But I'm also sure that to mane this mistake of changing the date between those danger hours does NOT mean a sure death sentence for the date wheel or mechanism. Otherwise I'm sure that we would hear about a lot more cases of broken watches due to this reason. In my case the watch in question is the Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel, which has a Caliber 13 movement.
I'm hoping that you can shed some more light on this for me.
**QUESTION**. If the watch is working fine and the date changes normally, does it mean I'm good to go and my watch is fine?

In terms of who knows about it - well, to be honest, anyone who reads the manual!!

It's not a certain death - in your case as I said, it sounds like the teeth were slipping - that's a good thing, if they hadn't slipped they would have broken. 90+% of date change problems are caused by users, but the problem doesn't happen all the time. Most people will feel the resistance and stop, but if you force past the resistance then it's a gamble. You may get away with it, you may not. Just like Breitling may fix it under warranty, and they may not.

There is also no guarantee that the problem won't show symptoms some time later. If only one tooth is broken on the date change wheel then the problem won't show itself until the next time that tooth is lined up with the running train to power the change.

As Roff says, this info is clearly stated in every manual. Also, any sales agent worth their salary should point this out when handing over the watch to a new owner. This is admittedly a weak point on automatic watches, and one that will bite alot of people in the butt.

I know about the rule, and have still made the mistake myself when not paying attention. In my case, I was lucky and didn't see any unusual behaviour as a result. Hopefully you will be as lucky.

Its very easy to test, simply pull out the crown to the third position and start advancing the time, and watch the date change over at midnight. Keep doing this through the entire 31 days calendar and see if there are any issues.

Good luck.

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Thanks guys. I did as Markjnk suggested and pulled the crown out to the third position and advanced the time carefully through the entire 31 days and the date changed at midnight every time without any problems. I didn't think of doing this before, so thanks guys for the help. I'm satisfied.
But here's another issue I was wondering if anyone ever checked out. When using the chronograph functions on my Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel, I have noticed that the chronograph hour hands do not line up exactly on the markers that indicate 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and even 12. They are ever so slightly off, but obviously so. For example, if I am timing a race that ends EXACTLY two hours later, the chronograph hour hand will be ever so slightly NOT on the marker that indicates 2. And if I keep the chronograph running it will also be ever so slightly away from the rest of the markers indicating the rest of the hours. It is almost as if the chronograph hour hands are not calibrated properly with the markers on that subdial. Now don't get me wrong. Most events are not EXACTLY one hour or three hours or even EXACTLY eleven hours. Hence the problem is usually not noticed. If one timed a car race for example and the winner came in at two hours and fifteen minutes, you would not notice the chronograph hour hand not being aligned properly over the '2' marker on the subdial, since the 15 minutes over the two hours of the race would naturally place the chronograph hand slightly away from the '2' marker.
I had a similar 'problem' with an Ebel watch years ago and sent it in to them. The watchmaker literally opened the watch and stood there for twelve hours aligning the chronograph hand with each hour marker on the hour subdial till it was completely calibrated. Otherwise what's the point of those markers if they are not exact. I think it is a very minor issue, but when you are paying thousands of dollars for a chronograph billed as the Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel C.O.S.C you are expecting a bit more for your money. One other thing. when i returned the chronograph to it's starting position and the hour needle was back at '12' I noticed that it was slightly away from '12'
It must be noted however, that the chronograph was keeping accurate timing. There was never an issue with that.

If it's off at 12 then presumably that means that when the chrono resets it's not perfectly vertical. If that's the case then it's a simple repositioning of the hands.

Otherwise it has to be something as simple as the play in the drive train which is inevitable in a mechanical watch.

So how would you test to see if only a individual tooth is broke. Go through the 31 dates using quick date or the hour hand? Or is it better to just wait and watch it during normal use.Add another one to the list im afraid, i did the same to my new SA. When i changed the date between 1:00-1:30am the date got stuck between 27 and 28 i think.Turing it didn't change anything. Then 15min later i found it at 28 so it changed by it self. Then i went to 6:00 and using position 2 changed the date to 26 then went to 27 with position 3. Yesterday the date changed 4min before midnight and today 1min before midnight is this normal? Im scared it will just keep on advancing.lol Another thing i noticed is using position 3 to change the date. The date changes at 4min before midnight.

Roffensian, I think you are right that it's a simple re-positioning of the hour hand on the chronograph sub dial. Tell me please, does this really mean that I now have to send the watch in to Breitling and they will open the thing in order to do this? I've heard of stories about how watches that previously had no scratches and were sent in for some minor issue then came back scratched. Arghhhhh. I guess I'll just have to suck it up if I'm so hung up on perfection!!!
Another thing, Roffensian, I also purchased a brand new Breitling Chronomat BO1 from Tourneau in New York City about two weeks ago, and only wore it on the wrist for a total of 10 hours. It keeps perfect time and was off by a total of 2 seconds after 24 hours. The chronograph is also perfect. However here's a problem, maybe a major one. The 'uni-directional rotating bezel' WILL NOT BUDGE IN EITHER DIRECTION NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY!!!!!. Really need your help on this. I'm probably taking it in to the store I bought it in (they have a 1 week return policy- I've had it for 2 weeks). No kidding, I really tried to turn it first clock-wise, and then the other way. Just would not budge even one notch. And this is a BRAND NEW PIECE. Not a scratch anywhere.Am I missing something here?

Lotstar, as far as your watch is concerned, my Breitling Super avenger Blacksteel also changes the date 4 minutes before midnight.

Its possible that the screws on the side of the bezel are too tight. Id take it to the store for them to check (so you dont mess it up). Its a shame too, the B01 has one of the nicest feeling dive bezels ever.

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-RJ