Watch guys - dropped my Breitling, it's dead now.

[Rick Lee]

This is pretty irritating. I'm sure I've banged watches harder than this over the years. I dropped my Breitling ChronoAvenger on a tile kitchen floor last night and that killed it. No outer signs of trauma, but it's done running, second hand stopped, chrono doesn't work either. WTF? What broke? I'm guessing this calls for a very expensive repair by an auth. shop. Anyone go through this before?

[Shuie]

Check on timezone for a watchmaker or a service center near you. There are obviously a lot of really small parts inside of even a minimally complex mechanical watch that can get knocked loose. I can't imagine how many little gears, springs, etc., are inside of a Breitling chrono. Dropping it from the countertop to a hard floor is not good. Actually doing anything like going to the range or playing golf can knock stuff loose too.

[Joeaksa]

Rick, did this to one of my Daytona's a while ago and it took the crystal out.... oh well, learned an expensive lesson that day to be more careful with the expensive ones.

[Oracle]

I thought Breitling come with the lifetime warranty.. ask the dealership you bought it from. who knows, they may help.

[Zeke]

I think he bought it from a guy in Germany.
Oh well, just drop it on the other corner to fix it.

[Rick Lee]

No, this one the wife got me for Xmas about six yrs. ago. It was used then and has been running like a top the whole time. I figured it'd be due for service soon, but I didn't want to do it this way. They most definitely do not have lifetime warranties. I think it's five years, which doesn't help me here. I think they stopped making this model more than five yrs. ago.

Though it's a very common movement - ETA Valjoux 7750. They grow on trees, so I'm sure lots of independent watch repairmen can make short work of it.

Joe, do you have a local guy? I'm about to start calling the list, but would like a recommendation.

[Oracle]

Ouch, you paid and arm and leg and have an ETA movt in it?
Still probably you should take it to a dealership so they give you the proper warranty and service so you have another 5 or more years!

[vangndy]

Glad this thread came up. Don't mean to highjack the thread but does anyone have contact info for the guy that ran goodwatch.com The website is down and he had a Longines I was interested in. I think he was out of SoCal if I remember correctly.

[Chocaholic]

Funny...I bought a Rolex a number of years ago and was talking about the best way to clean it. He said to wear it in the shower and soap/rinse. But, he said to be careful because the only thing that can damage it is a hard whack on ceramic tile. Never understood why, but apparently he was right.

BTW...I recently got my first Breitling (Superocean Abyss) and am amazed at the quality, fit and finish at about 1/3 the cost of a Submariner. Have it fixed, shouldn't be very expensive, especially if it's due for service anyway.

[Mookster]

Find a local dealer and see if they can assist you sending it to Breitling.

Breitling will will provide an estimate back to your dealer, thus relay the info back to you.

I have had a couple of Breightlings serviced over the years, it may not be that bad.

Send it to Breitling. I use a local guy once save a few bucks and ended up sending my watch to Breitling a year later. No money was saved.

If you have your watch insured with a personal articles floater/scheduled on your homeowners insurance, this oops may not cost you a thing. Check your policy and call your insurance agent. If is not scheduled, most likely this oops is not covered.

Good luck.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Mookster

Find a local dealer and see if they can assist you sending it to Breitling.

Can't the local dealer just take a look at the innards to provide an idea of the problem? Surely they can get the back off without damaging it if they repair watches.

[Kraftwerk]

Six years ago..... its due for an optional cleaning/service anyway.
I only have my watches fixed in Switzerland since I go there on business anyway.
I have an Omega Speedmaster which was 100% restored. I havent taken it off my wrist in over a year! ( Literally, the band is actually jammed. ) Its not good for it but I know where to take it when it needs to be cleaned and adjusted. I repair my car with it on and jump in the ocean once a week. It has held up well. Flyback button is defunct, now though. Chronos / Stopwatches are more fragile than non-chrono. Get it fixed at the factory if you can Fed ex it there.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Oracle

Ouch, you paid and arm and leg and have an ETA movt in it?
Still probably you should take it to a dealership so they give you the proper warranty and service so you have another 5 or more years!

Sorry you feel that way about ETA movements. The good news is that Rolex does not and if you buy most any version of the Rolex Daytona, one of the most difficult watches to get with a dealer backlog of usually 15-18 months, its going to have a ETA movement inside.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Though it's a very common movement - ETA Valjoux 7750. They grow on trees, so I'm sure lots of independent watch repairmen can make short work of it.

Joe, do you have a local guy? I'm about to start calling the list, but would like a recommendation.

Rick,

The guy who was doing my watches has passed so am somewhat on the look. I do have one guy for my antique watches but he is more for the 1920's to 1950's models. Let me see what I can find out for you...

Joe A

[Shuie]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Sorry you feel that way about ETA movements. The good news is that Rolex does not and if you buy most any version of the Rolex Daytona, one of the most difficult watches to get with a dealer backlog of usually 15-18 months, its going to have a ETA movement inside.

I've never see a real Daytona with an ETA movement. The Tiger Tudor had the 7750, but never the Daytona. The earlier daytonas had Zenith movements.

[Rick Lee]

I am not impressed with Breitling USA's track record. I bought a Hercules at an auth. dealer in Hong Kong about six years ago and it stopped working that night. I was flying home the next morning, so I couldn't take it back. My local dealer in VA sent it to BUSA for me. When it came back it stopped working again before I had gotten out of the store. Really. They repackaged it and sent it back. Died a few days after I got it back AGAIN. They got it right the third time, but I was so disgusted by then, I traded it on TimeZone for a Sinn U2, which I absolutely adore and has run perfectly ever since.

Anyway, I took it to the Clock Doctor in Scottsdale today. I was there about a year ago for something else, the boss saw the Breitling on my wrist and said, although they don't sell them, they are an auth. repair facility and to let them know if I ever need it worked on. I like having it done locally so I can run down there if I need something and not have to deal with shipping. The two times I've had to send watches back to Sinn, I feared they had been lost in the mail because it took over six wks. for Sinn to log them in. The last two times I've had my Sinns serviced, I've taken it to a shop in Germany in person and waited while they did it.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Oracle

Ouch, you paid and arm and leg and have an ETA movt in it?

I think Mrs. Lee paid around $1900 for it. I sold the diver strap that came with it and put a bracelet on for maybe $200 net. Pretty sure that watch would bring $2500 today, so it wasn't a bad deal.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Shuie

I've never see a real Daytona with an ETA movement. The Tiger Tutor had the 7750, but never the Daytona. The earlier daytonas had Zenith movements

ETA 7750 VS 7753 | Comparing the most famous ETA Chronograph movement | Latest wristwatch News

[Don Ro]

Hmm...Breitling.
Isn't that the company that sues you $10,000 if you break one of their watches?
Or something like that.
.
.
I must be bored.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I've had good luck with Donaldson Watch Repair down in Tempe. They took very good care of a pair of antique pocket watches of mine.