The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Thank you Thomas for Your reply.

I am completely aware of the fact that a mechanical watch can't be as accurate as a quarz watch is. I also know that a quarz is unsurpassable in reliability.
I bought it for one reason: it is the most beautiful watch I've ever seen. Your words are completely right: "beautiful peace of art, a statement of living and culture, that gives You the flair of flying in the sixties"
Today's airplanes are so sophisticated that the only necessity for a wristwatch is to be on time at the crew check in.
And this function I thought I can demand from a 4000€ Watch.

I have to add one important thing: The four weeks I used it, it worked perfectly on time (average +4 sec/day). I never had problems with the winding mechanism, it never stopped to work even if I wore it only a few hours a day. Once I checkt the power reserve: It stopped work after 44 hours! I never had such problems like sticking buttons or stopping work without any input like rotors88 had it.
So please don't get me wrong, the main reason why I wrote is because other people seems to have problems with the navitimer too and i also would like to know if there is a general quality problem with the Kal. 23.

I bought the navitimer at the Vienna International Airport. There is a dealer who offers us a great crew discount. The warranty return I made in Wels/Austria (Uhrmachermeister Hübner). Before the master sent the watch to Breitling, he had opened it and checkt it on his own. He couldn't find anything.

Rainer

Hello Rainer,

Both places are serious and good, I can confirm that. I have to add, that You cannot find a chronograph problem without disassembling the movement (You will not see it by just looking on the movement from the backside). The watch will be at the general agent in Vienna at the moment, there it will be serviced. For me, it sounds like the watch has fallen down somewhere/somewhen, but Mr. Geiger, the head of the Servicedepartment will probably inform You about the cause of the problem. I am selling quite a lot of Navitimers, and have not experienced any particular problems yet, specially on the cal. 23.

I hope You will not have problems with it anymore.

BG
Thomas

I am really happy to read that:



Oh, that's quite interesting; I thought the watch will be sent back to Breitling Switzerland. Happy to hear that it hasn't left the Austrian border. So maybe at least the shipping will be a bit faster.

Do you know what happens if Mr. Geiger assures that the watch has fallen down (it has definitive not)? Is it possible that Breitling refuse the Warranty?

Rainer

When the fall is the definite cause for the damage, that might happen, but for a new watch, they usually cover it by warranty anyways, just to avoid long discussions.

BG
Thomas

That are really good news. I am quite relieved!
One more question I have: I can not find the dealer at the Vienna Airport at the Breitling Retailers page. Do you know why? How were you able to check that this place is serious?

I know the manager (Michael Litschauer) personally, and You have to look under Wien on the second page (The nuance group).

BG
Thomas

Oooops, there is a second page... guess I have to check my eyes

Thank you Thomas for all the valuable information.
I keep you informed about the outcome of warranty!

Rainer

I've got my navitimer back from repair!
It's working fine now!
Unfortunately they haven't provided any information to me concerning the fault.

Here you see my pictures:

http://breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1632

My wife bought me a navitimer for my 50th birthday (black face, white dials, arabic numerals). I have had a Breitling Intruder for 10 years. After 4 days with my Navitimer I reset the time-pulled out the crown, waited till the right moment, pushed it in-and he watch didn't restart. Just froze-dead. Started the stopwatch and it kicked it into life, but every time I tried to reset the time, if the small second-hand was anywhere around 15-20 seconds, the watch stopped. Its at the dealer now so they can take a look. I'm not impressed. As this is an anonymous forum (I mean you don't know my real name so it doesn't look like I'm boasting) I'll disclose that I got the Intruder as a reward from the MD of a national chain of jewellers for arresting a robber who theived a bunch of Tag watches from their store in the UK (i'm not a cop-I just don't like bullies and I came down on him hard as he left the store with his ill gotten loot). I couldn't afford a Breitling in those days, so it was a dream come true to get the Intruder (what an ironic name given the circumstances!). So now I can afford a Breitling, i get a Navitimer-another dream, and it lasts 4 days...that's £750 a day for the privelege... Anyone else had a problem like this?

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Martinjbull

[quote="Alien"]Hello everyone,

As arrow wrote, he needs a reliable watch, I have to point Your attention at one very important point: A mechanical watch can never be as reliable as a quartz watch. The more functions a watch has, the more expensive it is, the more it is prone to defects, imperfections and problems. A Navitimer is a beautiful peace of art, a statement of living and culture, that gives You the flair of flying in the sixties, but never an instrument, that can match the accuracy of Your GPS.

For use in an airliner I would recommend a B1/Airwolf. A Navitimer is for outside of the cockpit only...
BG
Thomas


What about an Emergency ? Can't go better than that if you are in the cockpit. Keep the Navi for those long winter walks in the woods with girls in long woollen kneesocks, grrrrr

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BREITLING EMERGENCY + UTC CORAL DIALS
BREITLING AEROSPACE TITANIUM PROF (SOLD)
ROLEX SUBMARINER BI-COLOR BLUE DIAL
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PANERAI LUMINOR

Yes I understand that-its a very valid point. However my issue is that a Navitimer watch listed for £3000 rrp will of course be more prone to potential issues than some souless quartz cheapie (or an expensive quartz watch)-but to fail after four days, when all you are doing is expecting the second hand to go round is a more than a bit much! I'm not being rude but I didn't buy a Tag becasue i think they are below Breitling level, nor a Rolex (as they are notoriously inaccurate. Disappointing.

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Martinjbull

No, I think are a quite right in expecting your Navi to last a long time. To be perfectly honest, there is no reason why an auto wouldn't last a lifetime if it is looked after, so I can completely understand your frustration at having problems. However, with any semi-mass-produced product there are always going to be occasional QC issues. I know that doesn't give you any particular comfort, but you have obviously just been unlucky. Yes, you will find others who have had similar problems on the net (indeed, there are some guy's who have had problems on here), but unfotunately it's just human nature to shout vociferously about problems. I read somewhere that for every 1 person a satisfied customer tells about a product, a dissatisfied customer will tell 10. Human nature.

Likewise where there are some people who have been unlucky and had problems, there are a huge amount of owners who haven't. Again this isn't any comfort to you, but all I can say is that I hope your watch is sorted and you can start to enjoy it as much as the rest of us enjoy ours.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Hello !
2nd Hand Archie here.....

Look - this is all bs...... It sounds to me that you should do the following....

1) FULL SERVICE from a good watchmaker.... EMAIL ME and I will give you the name of an excellent watchmaker in Brisbane CBD. Chinese guy called Paul..... he does work for Brisbane Vintage Watches..... HE IS EXCELLENT and very very good value...... AU$180 for a navi full service. DO NOT USE HARDY BROS - they use young rookies only and charge big $$$$$

2) Buy a winder..... you guys sound like wimps..... you need to keep a navi full charged to be accurate and working properly...... I have an ORBITA winder..... Langfords in Brisbane has these on clear out sale at the moment...... I paid AU$650- for mine after negotiating strongly...... Personally in my debt recovery business I use my hands and fists alot.... however you air jockeys might need a bit more movement than touching the piece of skirt with the food trolley!

3) Hardy Bros - I don't like them. They are spivs. Did you know that Wallace Bishop is the real owner to Hardy Bros?

4) Hardy Bros was also an agent for Rolex...... They lost the dealership because they used to service rolexes themself without sending to Rolex in Melbourne..... so Rolex said - we wont supply you any more.

5) Hardy Bros was owned by Christopher Skase in the 80s.

So to recap....

1) Get a FULL SERVICE
2) Buy a Winder and use on the MAX rotating bi-directional setting

ALL WILL BE GOOD AFTER THIS!@!

I've had my Navitimer World since September and whilst I don't wear it that often, it sits on a winder all the time. It keeps excellent time and I've had no issues with it at all.

Stef

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same goes for mine

my 40 plus year old 806 Navi keeps perfect time since the service, my Navitimer Datora ater 2 years still gain'losses less than a sec a day, same with my cosmonaute, my fighters is off at service so will see how that runs on its return...

so 3 of my 4 Navis run perfectly

cant complain about quality on the ones i have

the B1 is amazing i think in almost a year its lost less than 1 sec vs my collegaues atomic watch, my 2 utc modules seem good too!!