The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Took my watch off to go through airport security. Went to put it back on a dropped it on the floor. The glass cracked and popped off. Just stood in disbelief....

Have managed to protect it from any further damage with a watch box from one of the terminal shops.

How long can I expect to be without it while it is repaid and checked? I guess it will need to be sent in and given a full check. It's only 2 months old......

Sorry to hear. Not sure how long you'll need to wait for the repair. Depends on how busy the repair center is. Personally, I never take off my watch at the security checkpoints in airports. I keep the watch on and have never set off the metal detectors...in fact, nowadays, they put you thru full body scan machines and it still doesn't cause any issues. They never ask me to take the watch off either.

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18k Rolex Datejust / Breitling Crosswind Special / Patek SS Nautilus / Bvlgari Diagono Chrono / Bvlgari Scuba / Omega Speedmaster Professional / 60s Omega Constellation

You haven't told us where you are so can only guess at how long the work will take. Warrant work is usually given a priority so 6 weeks or so is a reasonable estimate, but that's going to depend on whether this classes as a warranty repair given the situation, if not likely 10 - 12 weeks.

Won't help you to feel any better but that sounds like a strange one, the crystal popping off.

Delivered it back to the AD I purchased it from and he believes it can be repaired in 2 weeks. I'm located in Norway and was traveling through LHR. The last two occasions they have requested I remove my watch - 'Anything shiny' they claim.

What a bummer, I would have definitely been in shock for a few minutes. Sounds like it will be as good as new in no time though and that is the bottom line. As far as airports go, yes I also have to always remove all metal before going through, includes watches.

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You'll miss 100% of the shots you don't take

Update: Looks like it will cost about $1500 USD to repair (new crystal, metal ring to hold crystal in place and some polishing). Still confident on a 2 week turnaround but dependent on warehouse levels in Stockholm.

I've left my watch on at every security point i have been through over the past few years; LHR included at least 3X. Just have your arms hanging down, the area where your wrist is located does not have detection. A time or two the officer looked at the watch, but very rare.

Interesting, that's the opposite of the advice I've seen, which is to put your watch-wrist in the middle of your body, ie behind your back or in front of your stomach, so that it was furthest away from the magnetic field of the metal detector, that being much higher at the sides than at the centre. Personally I always put my watch in the bag going through x-ray anyway, as the risk there is even smaller (if there's any at all).

I always find it difficult to have my arms hanging down when they are above my head as required by the new scanners!

I always take my watch off but did get wanded once after going through one of the new scanners because my cufflinks set it off when I didn't have time to change out of a suit. If cufflinks set it off then pretty sure a watch will.

By the by, I seem to remember a horror story by someone who was told to put his watch (Patek?) in his shoes which then went through the x-ray, only for the guy the other side to flick the shoes from the conveyor belt, sending the watch ten feet into the air.

That made my stomach turn.

I always keep my watch on. Even with the new scanners I have never been asked to take any watch off. The only thing that has happened was an airport security member lifted the head of my watch to look underneath...

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sco
Breitling Chrono Superocean
Omega Aqua Terra 8500
Rolex Submariner Date Ceramic

I hate taking mine off at the TSA. I heard on the news some lady almost got her Rolex stolen, so I always think about that. I'm flying in a couple days so I'm going to try and leave it on, just alto see what happens. It would be sweet if they don't make me take it off.


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They have never asked me to take my watch off. They tell everyone to remove all shiny objects, but I leave my watch on anyway. One time, the TSA agent asked me to go through the full scanner where you have to lift your arms above your head (these are all used now instead of the plain metal scanners), after he saw my watch, and no issues. I refuse to take it off...go ahead and wave your wand over it or whatever, but last thing I want is someone to swipe the watch off the conveyor while I'm still waiting to get thru the scanner line.

I regularly go thru the new scanners with my watch on and no alarms.

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18k Rolex Datejust / Breitling Crosswind Special / Patek SS Nautilus / Bvlgari Diagono Chrono / Bvlgari Scuba / Omega Speedmaster Professional / 60s Omega Constellation