01 Movement Issues

[KeepTicking]

Hi all, I have a Navitimer 01 that was purchased in November 2014. The watch was for a milestone event and I did not open the box until May 2016. Within the first eight hours of wearing the watch, the chronograph broke, the red second hand would not stop and the 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock did not count elapsed time. I sent the watch to Breitling and they serviced the watch in June of 2016.

Fast forward three years, the chronograph is broke again. This time the six o'clock subdial counts at double rate (30 mins elapsed registers as one hour). The watch is three months out of warranty, I spoke to the Breitling boutique in NYC about this and they said that Breitling should fix free of charge given how close to the end of the warranty it is. Also note that I wear this watch in rotation with other watches, the total time worn on the wrist is less than a year in total since the watch was purchased.

I sent the watch to Breitling and received an email that they will service the watch at full cost of $850 to me, contrary to what the boutique staff indicated. I am very disappointed with the 01 movement at this point, I've own numerous other watches (Rolex, Omega, Tudor, JLC, other Breitlings with Valjoux movements) and I've never had a problem with a movement like this. Overall I'm quite soured by the reliability of the Breitling 01 for a watch that is rarely worn. I will send another email to Breitling's customer service, but if they don't stand behind the watch I think I'm moving on from Breitling, I can't justify spending any more money with the brand if these are the issues I can expect.

Curious if anyone else has a history of issues with the 01 movement.

[srvrf]

I owned one for a few years and never had a problem. It was a Navi 01 LE. I can't imagine how it would go twice as fast because you'd think the gears would make that impossible without everything else running twice as fast. Sorry I can't help more.

[KeepTicking]

Originally Posted by srvrf

I owned one for a few years and never had a problem. It was a Navi 01 LE. I can't imagine how it would go twice as fast because you'd think the gears would make that impossible without everything else running twice as fast. Sorry I can't help more.

Yes, I agree it’s really weird. However, I rarely used the chronograph at all and I’m not sure I ever used it to time anything more than 15 minutes, so I wouldn’t have needed to read the six o’clock subdial. When the chronograph broke the first time it completely broke and Breitling services it, I think it’s quite likely that something was wrong with the six o’clock subdial since Breitling last services it and I just never noticed.

[ADIGA]

I am sorry for you. I think the B as brand is coming back and it's noticed that sales are picking up. I'd say keep it for now but - Next time you overhaul, use it for a full cycle (all complications for a week) and at least again a month before the end of the service warranty period.

[KeepTicking]

As an update, Breitling told me that the watch is ready for regular maintenance which is ludicrous, the watch movement has ran for less than a full year since it was last serviced in the second half of 2016. I pointed out that it’s not even close to needing a five year service and that to suggest otherwise is deceptive, at least just be honest and admit that the chronograph broke and that Breitling will not extend a goodwill service...

Anyhow, Breitling offered $200 off the service cost of $850, nothing more. I’m not impressed with Breitling or the 01 movement so I declined the service, I would rather send it to Rik in FL and give him the business. Oh, and just to make me feel like an extra special customer, $30 to return my watch to me hahahahaha, thanks, Breitling.

After my troubles with this watch and the deceptive customer service, I will not spend another dollar with Breitling, there are a lot of great brands out there. I hope others have a better experience!!

[ricardo-sf]

i think the service you got is par for the course for all manufacturers .. (at least i've had similar service from panerai) --

$30 to return the watch is a nice discount - usually they change $70 .. and $200 off a service sounds like a reasonable deal.

I get that your expectations were not met , but it doesn't sound like you got exceptionally bad service, but rather par service.

[KeepTicking]

Originally Posted by ricardo-sf

i think the service you got is par for the course for all manufacturers .. (at least i've had similar service from panerai) --

$30 to return the watch is a nice discount - usually they change $70 .. and $200 off a service sounds like a reasonable deal.

I get that your expectations were not met , but it doesn't sound like you got exceptionally bad service, but rather par service.

I think you’re right in ordinary circumstances, but these were not ordinary circumstances. The watch since purchased new has at most a total of one year’s worth of wrist time during which the chronograph failed twice. I sent the watch in when it was two months outside of warranty and was told the oil in the watch is old and the watch needs to be serviced as part of its regular service interval, that’s an outright lie, the watch failed due to a mechanical failure, not because the oil dried up and it’s ready for service.

I don’t appreciate being lied to, if you’re not going to cover it as a courtesy that’s fine, but don’t tell me that it’s ready for its regular service when any watchmaker opening the case could tell that is not the case.