Did I get a lemon Breitling?

[Rick Lee]

Just returned from a 20 day amazing adventure in Mainland China. Seperate thread on that coming soon. I spent the last day in Hong Kong, getting reacclimated to civilization and made an impulse buy at the local Breitling dealer in Kowloon. I got a Hercules and am just in love with it. I bought it at 7:30pm. They sized the bracelet, set the time, shook it to get the movement working and I was off. A few hours later I felt really tired and looked at my new watch. It read 10:30pm. I asked my friend what time he had. It was 12:30am!!!!! I figured it was an automatic watch and had probably sat in the display case a while. But, while the watch had stopped hours ago, the second and 24-hr. chronographs were still moving. I had been walking around for a few hours, so the watch had had plenty of movement. Of course, the store was closed by then and I had to leave for the airport the next morning before they opened again.

I reset it according to the instruction manual, wound it 40x, etc. Same thing. It lasted about 3 hrs. before it stopped. I did this on my LONG return flight a few more times. No dice. I landed in Newark and was at the Breitling dealer in my hometown in NJ when it opened this morning. The lady there said it looked like a manufacturing defect and that I'd best drop it off at my local dealer in VA for a warranty repair. So on my way back to Fairfax I went to the shop in Tyson's Corner where I bought my Avenger Seawolf a few yrs. ago. The lady was a Breitling enthusiast and we talked a while. She said the same thing the first lady said, photocopied the paperwork, wrote up a warranty repair ticket and said they'd mail it to Breitling USA in CT. She further said I'd have to pay for shipping and insurance - $36 and it would probably be a month turnaround.

I have no doubt this is a real Breitling, as I had been to the shop in Kowloon last year and they are listed as a retailer on Breitling's website. Obviously, I plan to appeal to Breitling USA to get the $36 reimbursed. But does anyone have any experience with something like this? Is this a lemon? Is their customer service any good? Will they take pity on me and just mail me a new one? Very frustrated with this.

[HardDrive]

Yeah, thats irritating with such an expensive watch.

[scottmandue]

With Breitling reputation I would hope they will step up with a new watch or at least take care of the problem. Matter of fact I very surprised they let a defective watch slip by, at their price point you would think quality control and customer service would be a little better (or a lot better).

There are fake Breitling out there but I'm sure the dealer you took it to would have spotted it in a heartbeat.

[StevoRocket]

I had the same experience with a genuine Breitling from a reputable dealers retail store. Paid 1950 pounds and walked away wearing it - same as you it stopped within and hour - took it back - they couldnt get it to start so I had a refund.
I would have prefered to have the watch - but they had only one of its type in stock.

[fastpat]

Unfortunately these watches sit unwound for some time in the stores. That has a negative effect on the mechanism of an automatic winding watch. I bought a winder for my Breitling several years ago, and recommend that if you don't have one already.

Good luck getting your new purchase "right".

[alf]

Mechanical watches, like Porsches, do not like to sit around. It probably just needs a little lube and run time on the winder.

I was in China last week, mine was a different sort of adventure, stacked with business and government meetings.

Alf

[Mad Mike]

Good luck,

I love your watch brand and it will be my next purchase if not a Rolex. I currenty have a Tag Heuer and just had the batery replacaed after 5 years at no charge. Good service and a good watch.

Rick, We met at the Phoenix Pelican gathering at Jeffs house.

Hope you find better luck with you watch.

MIKE

[Rick Lee]

Thanks guys. Glad to know I'm not the only one who's had this happen. Sure is frustrating to pay all that money and then still have to wait a few weeks to enjoy the watch.

[pizzy]

if the seconds hand was moving, the watch had to be working. watches have slip mechanisms to allow changing of time without over stressing the geartrain.i think your problem should be a minor adjustment and reoiling of that slip device. still stinks that you have to wait.
steve

[cstreit]

Geez that reminds me, my Breitling has been going 6 years on one battery... How long do these things last?

[fastpat]

Originally posted by cstreit
Geez that reminds me, my Breitling has been going 6 years on one battery... How long do these things last?

It varies according to how often you use the night lighting, and battery size. Some last as much as 10 years.

[Rick Lee]

Just got the call from the dealer, who said Breitling in CT can find nothing wrong with the watch. When I took it to the local dealer to have it sent back to Breitling, I chatted with the lady for a good 10-15 min., during which time the hands did not move on the watch. Only the second chronograph worked. She shipped it off and Breitling says it's working just fine. Still waiting for a callback from Breitling to discuss. But do these things take a few days to get going again? I bought it on a Thursday night in Hong Kong, flew to the US the next day and took the watch to the dealer here on Saturday. Three days must have been enough to shake it into working, no? Why would it work for them after sitting in the mail and on their work shelf for two more weeks?

[fastpat]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
Just got the call from the dealer, who said Breitling in CT can find nothing wrong with the watch. When I took it to the local dealer to have it sent back to Breitling, I chatted with the lady for a good 10-15 min., during which time the hands did not move on the watch. Only the second chronograph worked. She shipped it off and Breitling says it's working just fine. Still waiting for a callback from Breitling to discuss. But do these things take a few days to get going again? I bought it on a Thursday night in Hong Kong, flew to the US the next day and took the watch to the dealer here on Saturday. Three days must have been enough to shake it into working, no? Why would it work for them after sitting in the mail and on their work shelf for two more weeks?

Unless it's electrically power, they'd have to put it in a winder to keep it going. IIRC, they will run for about 40 hours without being worn or in a winder.

[scottmandue]

I don't know about Breitling but I have three or four auto Seiko's and I can pick one up, shake it a few times, set the time, and I'm good to go for the rest of the day. One day of wear will usually not wined it up enough to last into the next day. I rotate them so they don't get much use, if I wear one for more than two days that will keep them going.

[Rick Lee]

The plot thickens.

The local Breitling dealer called today to say my watch had arrived. The lady said she'd wind and set it and see me when I got there after work. As soon as I walked in she told me she had just left me a vm saying that the watch had stopped again. She wound and set it at 2:00pm this afternoon and went to check on it just before I arrived. It had stopped at 2:35, but the second hand was still moving. ARGGHHHH!!! She reset it in front of me and in the 15 min. we chatted, the watch was already 2 min. behind the clock on the wall to which she had set the watch.

Now I'm getting irritated. Breitling USA says there's nothing wrong with it and the watch is going back there tomorrow. I'm calling Amex tonight to put a hold on that charge and I'm calling the shop in Hong Kong tonight (tomorrow morning there) to see what they can do about it. I got this watch for about $350 less than it would have cost here. The lady at the local shop said, if the HK shop takes it back, she'd sell me one and have it sent to my office in DC to get me out of sales tax. But it'd still be around $200 more out of pocket. What do I do here?

[VincentVega]

Scrap it, trade up for an Omega.

Seriously, if the local shop agree's its not right I would make them warranty/repair it. I would find who runs North America distribution/sales and send them a friendly letter.

Good luck

[Rick Lee]

Oh, Breitling USA will be getting a letter from me regardless, since I have to pay shipping on all this nonsense. So far it's at $36, but I'll rack up another $36 if it goes back to them tomorrow. To HK it would probably be $75. I will get this back out of them one way or another. No interest at all in an Omega. Breitling or bust.

[Rick Lee]

Just spoke with the sales guy in HK and he said to bring it on in next time I'm in HK. Then he said I can have a friend bring it in for me - ha ha. He suggested maybe I had used the stopwatch features too much before having it fully charged. I assured him I did not get that far. He apologized a lot, but said he can't do much unless he has the watch in front of him. So I'll have the shop here (I left it with them today) mail it back to Breit. USA in CT tomorrow and make a forceful phone call to tell them there is definitely a problem. Breitling may take them more seriously than they did me last week. Amex said if I had to ship it back to HK, they'd deduct the shipping cost from the amount due the store. Very frustrating.

[alf]

Rick, if i were you, i'd send it to Breitling in Switzerland. I had an Omega Broad Arrow back and forth with the US service folks and they did not get it right, twice. One trip to Switzerland and they overhauled the entire watch, replaced a bunch of parts that were updated and shipped it back in a cool box, a nice letter and 12 more months of factory warranty. IWC same thing, US service sucked, sent to Germany and came back better than new. Have not tried Rolex yet, they do not want to break

[Rick Lee]

Update.

Got the watch back yesterday and wore it for about 5 hrs. and then put it in my winder box before bed. Got up this morning and the watch had stopped at 1:00am. I am so irate. I didn't even enjoy the gun show I went to this morning, I was so steamed about this. What the hell can I do? Dealer is Hong Kong. Breitling has had it twice and swears it works fine. Local dealer is very helpful, but I didn't buy it from them. Should I just mail it back to the original dealer in HK and dispute the charge on my Amex? Write a flaming letter to Breitling and demand they replace, not re-repair it again? Arrrrgggghhhhhhh!