The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Good morning all,
I recently purchased a Colt Auto that had been sitting in it's box since it's birth in 1999. Y'all recommended that I have it serviced before using it and I have done some research to find someone who can do the job. I have been quoted a price of $299 by "watchrepair.net" located in Boca Raton, FL. Is anyone familiar with this organization and can you provide me with pros and cons. As always, thank you all for your info and courtesies. Bryan

I suspect what everyone has recommended is a Breitling Full Service. Will cost approx $500. Take it to any AD and they will send it off. I would not trust some internet watch jockey with my new Ling.

_________________
Chronomat, Steel/Gold, MOP Dial, 2-tone band (2008)
Super Avenger Black Baton Dial (2009)
Bentley B04 GMT Silver Dial (2013)
Avenger Blacksteel Baton Dial (2014)

Hello everyone, my name is Jeff Herman and I am the owner of WatchRepair.net

Now BoneDoc doesn't need to refer to me as "Some Internet Watch Jockey". I sincerely take great pride in providing quality and affordable Breitling watch repair to my customers and I really enjoy the positive feedback I get from my customers. The most important page on my entire website is the Testimonials page.

These are all real people that found my company online, took the chance after talking with me by phone and sent me they're watch(es) for Overhaul and Repair. In fact, before anyone sends me their watch, I send them a long list of recent customers with phone numbers and email addresses. Don't take the word from some "Internet Watch Jockey" but speak to many previous customers to find our the real deal!

Regarding BoneDoc's claim that everyone should pay $500 + and wait 8 weeks, to send their watch directly to Breitling is not the only option. We charge $349 for a complete overhaul. All of our work is performed by a Certified CW-21 WatchMaker (visit AWCI.com to learn more about the CW21 Certification Program)

Lastly, this is all good fun and I would generally agree with BoneDoc's advice: There are a lot of "Internet Watch Jockeys" in the world. WatchRepair . net is not one of them. We offer quality, professional service at affordable prices.

Jeff Herman
President,
WatchRepair . net, LLC

_________________
A mechanical watch registers 86,400 seconds every day throughout the year - year after year. Accordingly, the balance wheel rim of your watch travels the equivalent of 14,000 miles over a three year period!

Jeff Herman
WatchRepair.net , LLC

So Jeff,

If I sent you a watch for service then would it be returned with new Breitling OEM hands? If I needed a new main or balance spring would they also be Breitling sourced? Would I receive the 'return to new' polishing that Breitling provides?

Not suggesting anything - just genuinely curious.

Roff.

cant wait to see this reply watching intenetly at my screen for hours!!!

_________________

First, let me repsond to your questions regarding Breitling OEM hands: Yes, if your watch required a new set of hands, they would definitely be Breilting OEM. We would only change the hands if there was an issue with the previous set of hands. We do not normally change a perfectly good set of hands. This would not be included in our $349 overhaul price.

Regarding your watch requiring a new main spring, since most of the movements currently being used by Breitling are ETA movements, yes we would use the same exact parts currently used.

Lastly, regarding your question about "the 'return to new' polishing that Breitling provides", the answer is YES. Instead of asking me, I challenge you or anyone else to PM me for a list of previous customers that you are welcome to contact directly and ask them if their watches looked as close to new as possible.

My watchmaker was trained at the Lititz Watch Technicum which is fully underwritten by Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. This is considered the Ivy League of watch making schools. It is a very rigourous 2 year program. Only 12 students a year are accepted. Case and bracelet refinishing is one of the many disciplines emphasized in their program.

_________________
A mechanical watch registers 86,400 seconds every day throughout the year - year after year. Accordingly, the balance wheel rim of your watch travels the equivalent of 14,000 miles over a three year period!

Jeff Herman
WatchRepair.net , LLC

good answers mate if I wanted a set of riders for a \breitling Navitimer Aerospace how much could you source them for and can you get original braceletts? as in pro titanuim ones 20mm

_________________

watchrepair is awefully standoffish, why?

_________________
Emergency
Bentley GT
Chrono Colt
Avenger Skyland Blacksteel
Steinhart LE#9/15

I will admit that it is very difficult to purchase bracelets. Breitling will only sell bracelets through Authorised Dealers thazt sell their full line of watches. There are a few companies on Ebay that seem to be able to get them but they are still expensive.

We are strictly a watch repair company. I try to stay away from buying and selling watches. In my mind, it feels like it would be a little bit of a conflict of interest.

_________________
A mechanical watch registers 86,400 seconds every day throughout the year - year after year. Accordingly, the balance wheel rim of your watch travels the equivalent of 14,000 miles over a three year period!

Jeff Herman
WatchRepair.net , LLC

I just think he cares about his company and wants to defend it nothing wrong in that

_________________

I don't think this at all.

If anything i think that watchrepair is being reassuring - not standoffish.

Good on you mate and thanks for offering a cheaper alternative to Breitlings service.

_________________

TITANIUM AVENGER SEAWOLF- [YELLOW DIAL] -TITANIUM PRO II

Long time lurker and reader here, first time poster.

Here's a comment from someone that actually used WatchRepair.Net, namely ME.

After doing my own due diligence and checking out the local and on-line repair shops, WatchRepair.Net was who I choose to repair my 4 year old Steelfish that had given up the ghost. The BBB had zero negative reports on them, and the FL State Attorney General's Office assured me that they were a registered business in Florida for a good number of years and at the same address. This coupled with references I got on other forums and a quoted price that was one-half of the average repair bill I was quoted by Breitling USA in CT sealed the deal in my mind. Plus Breitling said it would take about 8 weeks and WatchRepair.Net said approx. 3 weeks.

When I called Jeff he was polite, reassuring, and honest about what to expect. He offered to pay FedEx shipping both ways, so I sent it off.

They called me to notify me of its arrival, they called again when they had identified exactly what needed to be done, and once again when they put it back in the mail.

Just over three weeks after sending it off, I had it back. My first impression upon opening the box was "OH MY". Not only had they removed all of the visible scratches from the case and band, even some pretty good nicks had been polished out. Areas that were originally polished were bright and shiny and areas that were originally brushed had been treated to a new evenly brushed finish. As far as functioning went, it seemed to run fine, but only time would tell.

My final evaluation of their work came a couple of weeks ago when we all moved our clocks and watches ahead an hour for daylight savings time. It was only then that I realized that I hadn't reset the time on the watch for well over a month. When I checked it against my atomic clock it was only off by about 20 seconds. I've had my watch back for just over three months now and I'm happy to report that it runs tighter within COSC specs then it did when I got it from Breitling.

And no, other than this one dealing with Jeff I do not know him and am in no way associated with his company. If you would like to talk to me firsthand about my experience, I'd be more than happy to share it in more detail.

Thanks Jeff,

On the part of your reply above - Breitling use ETA ebauches. I assume that the choice of ebauches as the definition rather than chablon implies that ETA doesn't provide the main or balance springs. Not sure whether that's a significant real difference, but if my assumption that you'll use a 2892, 7750, etc spring is correct, that may not be the same as Breitling.

Interesting thread, and good to see one of the repair industry guys here. Welcome WatchRepair.


As a long-time believer in using the original manufacturer for repairs/services I think that the above statement is the key : for every 1 good one there are probably 5 less good ones out there. As I've said before if you can find yourself a genuinely good watchmaker/repairer who can do everything that Breitling does for a reduced price, then great. It's just unfortunate that there are some less good ones out there who can spoil things for the decent ones.

As always folks, just like buying a watch, I'd suggest buying the seller in the first instance and do your research in terms of customer feedback and testamonials.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

Hello Roffensian,

Breitling uses ETA calibers. mostly comprising ETA 2892 and 7750. The mainsprings are ETA and we only use the exact genuine mainsprings and NOT generic substitutes like many other "Internet Watch Jockeys" out there on the WWW.

Appreciate the positive feedback. If anyone ever has any technical watchmaker related questions, I am more than happy to reply.

Jeff

_________________
A mechanical watch registers 86,400 seconds every day throughout the year - year after year. Accordingly, the balance wheel rim of your watch travels the equivalent of 14,000 miles over a three year period!

Jeff Herman
WatchRepair.net , LLC