Breitling sabotaged my B-1 watch

[Kimpearsonusa]

Breitling service department sabotaged my B-1 watch

The last two (2) times I sent my watch to Breitling for a battery change they charged me $540 for a complete service. So this year I took it to my local watch shop to just replace the battery. The jeweler could not get the back off. Said thought it had lock tight on the threads. So when I sent it into Breitling in Connecticut they wanted the $540 again. When I asked only for the battery replacement and to not put lock tight on the back plate, they told me there would be no warranty if the watch has issues later. I agreed.

The day after I got the watch back from them I took it back to my local guy to make sure he could get the back off. We found that they had put some type of sand in the watch and took out my o-ring. See the attached photos. I have the emails back and forth with them that in fact the o-ring should have been reinstalled. They said they didn’t know anything about the sand. Any reasonable person would know that even if that much debris could have gotten into the watch over the years it would not have been exactly the same consistency and color.

I watched him open the watch and when he turned the back over all of the sand but a grain or two fell out. I have never seen such a despicable act by such a large and respected company. They pretty much told me to go away and have tried to block me from the Breitling Forum.

[-RolexMan-]

Talk about a hose job.....thats some downright shadiness if ive ever seen any from a watch company.

Also, why are they asking for another $540 just a year after you had it serviced? Their business must be way down if theyre pulling crap like this stuff.

Another thing is, if the economy keeps declining, we will see a lot more shadiness going around from other places we didnt expect.

[collarcity]

What in the world?

[Kimpearsonusa]

It had been four or five years between battery changes. Sorry if I was not clear on that. I also have a Rolex President and I know a lot of Rolex owners also have Breitling and other watches.

I am like you, totally disgusted that would do this and want everyone to know. I will never own another Breitling

[swils8610]

Wow…incredible


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[ltmgeller]

Thats wild

[Cryten]

What are we looking at in the photos?

Photo 1&2 sand in the case back
Photo 3 a clean case back.

If that is your watch maker's bench, you need a new watch maker.

That looks like a worn out bubling vinyl bench. No watch maker would ever open a watch on a surface like that.

[Kimpearsonusa]

That is not his work bench. It is a foam pad he laid the watch on after he open it.
He is a Russian master craftsman of 40 years who has my complete confidence

[Rebel]

Wow.

[dchang81]

Terrible busa service attitude made me swear off the brand years ago but sadly they are not alone...

[Booth9999]

That is complete trash. Did you try to talk to customer service?

[Kimpearsonusa]

Terrible busa service attitude made me swear off the brand years ago but sadly they are not alone...


I have had this watch since 2007 and always loved it. But now I am thinking about abandoning the watch if I could find something I liked at a brand I could trust!

Kim

[bcyk]

Oh wow!

[RolexUwe]

I am not jumping in to believe everything I have read here. I'm thinking why, why, WHY would this occur? Never had a single bad experience with Breitling and I've owned countless models over the years. Have had TOP NOTCH SERVICE, never a bad experience.
And no, their business is "not way down," it's way up - read the financials. Sorry, not to offend you, but I don't have a linear assembly of facts to support that this is a true event. I don't believe this happened.

[JRedford]

Count me in the group that finds these claims dubious.

[77T]

I’m guessing that you have a B1 by your bracelet and the need for a battery?

With the caseback having an openwork design, there’s lots of space to hold sand that’ll never get into your movement. It is nothing more than a clamping device for the hidden inner caseback that sits underneath.

My guess is someone wore it to the beach after servicing and putting a new battery into the movement.

The method is to observe the watch after a service. During that observation period the watchmaker is the prime culprit. He wanted to impress the girls?


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[bonovox]

I would think one of the last things that would be in abundance in a watch repair facility is sand. Don't know what to think OP, keep us posted.

[RW16610]

Oh my, wow, indeed. Please keep us posted here as I don't think I've heard of anything like this happening before. So sorry you're having to deal with this.

[Kimpearsonusa]

ROLEX UWE
And JRedford,

It is totally your rite to believe me or not, but I have absolutely no reason to lie. As some background I am a college educated airline pilot. Hence the B-1 with the open back. I have always had good service from BUSA too……….as long as I paid the money for a complete service. As I don’t wear the watch in the shower or swimming I decided to only have the battery exchanged this time. This is when my problems started.

I received the watch back from the service dept in Connecticut and opened the package. Since I was wearing one of my other watches at the time I put it on the nightstand. The next day after lunch I put the B-1 on and drove to my watch guy about 25 minutes away to make sure he could get the back off in anticipation of the next battery change. This is when he opened it and we saw the debris inside. I understand the back resembles a jet engine intake and stuff could get inside but it would not have all been the same color or the same consistency so I am relatively confident this is not 5 years worth of collective dirt.
Also the fact that after we examined it he turned the case back upside down and all but a grain or two fell freely out.

I had three or four emails back and forth with the service dept that I felt were mostly non-responsive trying to determine if in fact this watch should have had a gasket (o-ring) installed, after my phone call to the lady there was met with a totally dismissive attitude. I would be glad to copy and paste them here if it would alley your doubts.

[JRedford]

Fair enough, if so Breitling should fix and make right.

[Kimpearsonusa]

Thank you Sir, but I’m not holding my breath that it will ever happen. They were very dismissive in both landline voice calls and in emails.


Who knows maybe the watch technician did have an enjoyable day at the beach!!

Kim

[Fleetlord]

So, essentially what's happened here is that you informed Breitling customer service that you didn't want a full service, but just a battery change. They said "No Warranty" would be extended from this replacement and that if something came up, then it would not be covered..etc. You agreed.

So, sometime after BUSA informed the repair center that you declined "service" and wanted to have a battery change only, someone in that department was so angered by your service refusal that, even though they did but a new battery in the watch, they then removed your gasket o-ring and then filled the secondary case back with sand in order to sabotage your watch because you refused a full service?

[Kimpearsonusa]

I am saying that is a viable explanation that accounts for what I saw with my own eyes. If you can come up with another explanation I sure would be interested in hearing it.

I’m just stating what was said and what I saw. Either way I am as you can tell Very Disappointed………..

[bonovox]

"Also the fact that after we examined it he turned the case back upside down and all but a grain or two fell freely out."

This is what I don't get, wouldn't the caseback have come off upside down?

[Isochronous]

Originally Posted by Kimpearsonusa

ROLEX UWE
And JRedford,

It is totally your rite to believe me or not,

After my experience with the same facility I do believe you. Something funny is going on at Breitling's service center. They said I had a dented bezel on a watch I sent them. The watch, Chrono-matic 49, A1436002/Q556.146A, has a rubber bezel. Read their reviews on neutral sites.

This is my story about an $850 service.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Kimpearsonusa

Who knows maybe the watch technician did have an enjoyable day at the beach!!

Kim

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

But I also thought of a more inane explanation.

After replacing the battery, and during reassembly, some knucklehead scratched your outer caseback.

Same knucklehead used different grits of sand paper to remove the scratches while the caseback was still on the midcase.

Same knucklehead then ran rouge onto the polishing wheel and gave it a bright finish.

But the sand from the sandpaper remained in-between the outer, slotted screwdown caseback and the solid inner caseback.

I do not think anyone at the service center would purposefully sabotage your watch. (See Occam’s Razor)

My latest theory takes some latitude, but it is also more likely than my earlier “watchmaker beach day theory.



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[HouseOfTyrian]

just unbelievable

[Kimpearsonusa]

OK what I assumed would happen did. Have been very careful to not get my B1 wet etc. This morning I have condensation inside the crystal. Should I put it in a bag of dry rice or use a hairdryer or heat gut to dry it out. I sure don’t want to have a water spot form on the inside of the crystal.

Also does anyone know who besides Breitling in Connecticut I could get to service it. I will sell the watch before I send it back to them again!

Thanks in advance for any insight guys,

Kim

[Anthony Boccardo]

Breitling also has service centers in Miami, and Lombard, Illinois