The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I found this post on another forum, and I thought it was put well. I've seen some brand bashing here on this site, especially with the newer offering over the past few years and I've always felt this way about it. Everyone is untitled to their own opinions of course, but there is a certain respect issue that i feel is lacking. So again, the following is not my words, and it's about another brand. I just want everyone who wants to read it and take what you will from it. Apologies in advance if I'm breaking any rules, but I feel this is a necessary point. Thanks!

"It has been years since I acquired my Fly-Back. The company was under old management and my watch was not sold in the United States. All that changed when Nataf became President and CEO in 2001. Styling on our beloved watches changed shortly thereafter.



So here we are in 2007. The new styles have been around and newer styles are emerging. Some styles, such as that of my beloved FB, have not been made for years and are barely available as slightly used. The dislike of the current styles has been much discussed, and with much voice I might add.



Now, I understand that new members arrive all the time. Some may really like the new styling and some may not. So I would like to ask those that do not to kind of keep your opinions low key. Your comments have already been discussed before. I would like to keep the forum open to new members, and if they take a look and see that their choices are being slapped down, they will not contribute. As much as I would like to continue discussing the older styles, that discussion, much like the negative discussion of the current styling, has been done before and attracts fewer comments each time.



I would remind you that under that dial lies the same movements we all love. Perhaps over time, the models will change again. We may be pleasantly surprised or further dismayed. But I ask to consider what you are saying for those members who are the owners of new Zeniths."



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Very true and good post. Thanks for sharing.

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

Afraid I disagree, if there can be no discussion other than fan boy praise for the brand it's going to become a very boring and quiet forum, I think there is already a lack of discussion and most people commented on how nice it was that there was a debate about new models recently announced.

I have no problem with someone not likeing any of my watches, like everything else you can't please everyone. There are lots of watches I'd like to own and lots I wouldn't, goes the same for cars and almost all commodities and if mine is on someone's no list I have no problem at all with that. .

As far as I'm concerned almost any watch discussion is good and healthy for the forum. A policy of silence unless you like it will have the same effect as negative comments anyway, if a post about a watch has few replies you can assume people don't like it?!

At the end of the day it is a watch, and only a watch we shouldn't get too sensitive about people opinions, perhaps with the exception of the design team!!!

I would love to get everyone's take, I just found the way to describe what I've been feeling since the start of my membership here. I'm not a man of many words so it's hard for me to get my opinion across at times. I'm not a scholar, that's for damn sure! Take it or leave it, it's just how I feel. I'd really love to get everyone's opinion on this.


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you might want to consider the text you quoted comes from a time when Mr. Nataf came very, very close to leading Zenith into the abyss.

maybe talk to the jewellers that are still desperately trying to unload some of the horrible pieces of these years.

I've never hear unkind words here about a member's watch, no matter if some like it or not, but do you expect silence or standing ovations when another sad new design is launched ?

I shudder when I think about some of the 2013 launches, 2014 was a lot better, let's hope 2015 continues in the right direction of (some, at least) respect for the brand DNA.

Look Fred, I'm not looking to start a war here, I know we are all passionate. I am just stating how I feel from what I've seen on the Breitling Source since I've been a member. The brand will never be what it was 40+ years ago and new members are joining every week. A simple search of any new model will unearth a ton of negative comments about the pieces and where the brand in general is heading, and I just feel it's become out of hand. It's ok to state your feelings about a piece or why or why not you may or may like it, but I've seen more brand bashing on this forum specifically for the Breitling brand than on any other forum. I feel there is just no need for it and it really needs to be said. If no one else will. You can take it or leave it it's just how I feel.


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I agree some of the posts have been too much, expecting a new watch from Breitling because of some minor problem or delay in fixing but equally some of the criticism appears well founded, with numerous failures of the B50 etc and as for feedback on some of the designs, this should be read by Breitling, it's free 'voice if the customer' feedback that most companies should take on board and usually spend money obtaining.

As the owner of several Breitlings I want Breitling to have and maintain the best reputation possible but I wouldn't want Breitling to become another 'Apple' where you can't say a negative thing about any of its products to its fanboys.

These are very expensive, luxury items where a huge premium is being paid for what it's main purpose can largely be done by many other manufacturers much cheaper (and others more expensive). In paying that premium you should expect excellent customer service as a minimum at the very least and if Breitling fail to do so it shouldn't be hidden in my view.

My personal experiences with Breitling UK have been very positive but I've been disappointed with some of what I've read recently if it is true.

This is a forum for enthusiasts in any form, and however they choose to define themselves. As a result the discussions here will reflect the sentiments of that group collectively. If there is more negativity about a particular model release than there is positivity then that reflects the group sentiment. Only time that doesn't happen is when debate is stifled or posts are censored and this forum will not do that.

A few years ago things were a lot more polarized and (perhaps coincidentally) the forum was a lot more active. If I am going to spend my time here then I am going to offer my opinions fully aware that not everyone will agree. If I am not able to express how I feel then, well, what's the point of being here?

For me I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with people expressing their opinions on Breitlings (and watches in general) on here, PROVIDED people always respect each other on a personal level.

Without people's opinions, forums like this die or they become the preserve of sycophantic fan-boys, and personally those sort of places bore me. Opposing opinions generate debate, and as long as it stays civil, then that's a good thing IMO. In my 8 years on this site I would say that 99.9% of the time, any "verbal attacks" on here are directed towards a specific design feature, a watch in general, customer service, etc : very VERY rarely are they personal and it's in those instances that Roff and I (well, mainly Roff as he's here much more than I am these days!) step in as moderators.

And even if an "attack" is against a watch that I own, then frankly do I really care??? At the end of the day it's just a watch ; it's not my family or my girlfriend that someone is berating! I personally couldn't care less if someone doesn't like a watch I own. In fact while I'm interested to know their reasons why, their opinions aren't going to remotely hurt me in any way.

So personally I say keep your opinions coming (on watches that is)! They're the lifeblood of forums like this.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Idk, maybe I've been thinking about this too much. I agree with you all about how can we have healthy spririted debates without opinion, doesn't make sense not to. I guess I just had to state how I felt and you can take it or leave it. I feel better for sure now that I said my piece on the whole thing, to be honest I haven't really seen too much of this lately. More so when I was a new member than now, and it definitely bothered me more then then it does now. If I hadn't said it though, it would have bothered me so I said what I had to now I can move toward.


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I think it's fine to express both positive and negative opinion; we want good, healthy debate or the site will die. However... Matt, do you think you're noticing a kind of "reverse fan boy syndrome" where every new release is panned as a matter of course? I have wondered sometimes if that's the case. But that's an individual concern whereas the site (and each thread) needs to be treated as a whole. I think when you look at the whole site and read each thread in its entirety there is a good balance of opinion. The TransOcean 1915 is a good case in point.

If it helps Matt. If you read a post that sounds unkind, abusive or unthoughtful then keep in mind its just a personality reflection of the Poster. Nothing wrong in that as the occasional outburst is to be human.

The upside is that as humans we are well equipped to sense these things immediately, and we can ignore them if we wish. Which is what I do. So don't worry. You can spot the genuine grievance and the BS simultaneously and assign them to their rightful place. Works for me.

Just a thought.

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Jim

"You have Control".

You know guys I really think I've been thinking about this all wrong from the start. You are all right, as much as I hate to admit it! if you can't say what's on your mind especially on the Internet than what's the point? Nothing but pictures would be a very boring forum indeed. I guess I just had to get another take on it. See it from a different perspective, if you will.


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You're clearly a gent Matt, it's obvious from your posts. I think I understand where you're coming from, and that in general it's just a question of treading that line between saying, for example of an unpopular new watch, "uh, not for me, here's why I think it's ugly / incoherent / a violation of their design heritage" etc etc, which one can do in very robust terms, and "uh, only an idiot / clown would buy this fugly watch", which might make someone who liked or had bought it feel a little, well, sheepish. In fairness I think most of the criticism on here is very much in the former camp, and Breitling are lucky to have such a resource in terms of free and well-informed feedback.

There's a saying in the UK which is useful to bear in mind if one ever feels bruised on global internet forums: "Opinions are like a***holes, everyone's got one".

Glad you can see it from both sides Matt and good on you for being able to say you can now. I think we all agree there is a line that shouldn't be crossed. I think most of the somewhat regulars on here get it right, it's probably some of the newbes that don't understand the forum or just come on with a ready formed opinion /grievance that maybe have given you the opinion of brand bashing?