The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I had a chat to Breitling UK today about their stance with regards to servicing custom modified models, and the official line is as follows -

As long as the actual movement hasn't be modified, they WILL service a modified watch, but they WILL NOT offer any kind of guarantee for the work. Obviously any customisation will also invalidate any remaining warranty, so any repairs or services at Breitling will be at your own cost. So in other words, you could change the bezel, the dial, PVD/DLC the case etc, and you should still be able to get it serviced by Breitling (minus a guarantee for the work) providing you are happy to pay for it.

Please Note - I do not have this in writing and it's applicable to BUK only, so I'd advise anyone considering any modifications to check with their local Breitling repair centre before commencing any changes.

However, as I'm sure we all know, Breitling WILL DEFINTELY NOT actively assist with modifying any watches - and that includes local Breitling approved repair agents, not just the big regional centres. So any modifications you have in mind will have to be done by a friendly, non-Breitling watchmaker.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Interesting. I'll inquire with BUSA about this.

Thanks for the info, gives me a little more confidence with my project idea.

That's actually not as bad as I thought.

Obviously not something wants to encourage, but at least they'll still do the work.

Maybe you should try it on a junk replica

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Ok,

I just got off the phone with BUSA. Same story. They WILL service the watch but will not at all guarantee it. That's with NOTHING being done to the movement. Just visual like diamond bezel or something along those lines.

But isnt their policy to service it, but they will restore it to its original condition?

Not as far as the UK is concerned.

I know some manufacturers are different, but at the end of the day the watch is your property and if you wanted to drive over it in your car then you could - that's your prerogative. It's not for them to say what you can and can't do with it.

What they COULD do is refuse to service it.... but as I discovered today, Breitling apparently don't take that approach. They merely don't guarantee their work.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

A guy on another forum posted yesterday that he sent in his brushed B1 for service, and it was returned to him in its original, fully polished state. They didnt tell him beforehand, and he was unaware that it was supposed to be polished, so he was just wondering if that was normal.

makes sense though....car dealerships do this so I wouldnt see why watches wouldnt

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Wow! Maybe they thought they were doing him a favour by brushing it! As I say, it'd probably best to specifically check with your local service centre before undertaking any mods, and then if and when you get round to sending the watch in, specifically state that you do not want the finish changed in any way.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

It's good to know that they will work on the watch, but I'm a bit curious on one thing. Hopefully I've misunderstanded, but here's a scenario:

You buy yourself a black SuperOcean. After a while you decide you want some extra attention and find yourself a coral dial and a watchmaker who swaps the dial (apparently, since Breitling service centers won't do it). Then, the first thing you do is to send it to Breitling to get it serviced and all the gaskets tested/exchanged. It comes back to you with a nice bill to pay, but...

Now, if Breitling don't guarantee their work (as I hopefully misunderstood it) you could take the SO to the sea, find out the gaskets aren't as they should be at all and you end up with half the ocean in the Super Ocean. Now you have a ruined watch, a service center that says it's you own fault (despite a dial change has nothing to do with the gaskets, especially as they were replaced later) and still that nice service bill to pay to Breitling.

Please, tell me I'm all wrong.

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aleister, unfortunately I don't think you are wrong.

That's not to say you would be completely without any comeback, it just wouldn't be via a warranty. You would have to be able to prove that the work performed by Breitling was defective, or, as you have put it, that the gaskets were not as they should be. Having just paid for this to be checked by Breitling, as a consumer, you are entitled to assume everything is ok in this regard, irrespective of whether there is a warranty or not.

To put it a different way, they might not guarantee their work, but you can still seek redress if the work is faulty and causes damage to your property. The precise remedy will depend on consumer protection laws in the relevant country.

You would have to take them on and be prepared to gather some evidence to back up your position. Not ideal (and easier for some than others) but I think that would probably be the situation.

Sorry if that sounds like stuffy lawyer-speak, maybe I shouldn't post while I'm at work.

Sounds like a perfect reason NOT to mess about with your Breitlings! I think we should all just leave well alone.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Agreed. Or, if you really do (desperately) want to change your watch - there's no point at all to send it to Breitling for premium money afterwards - let your local watchmaker continue to do the job.

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