Breitling Battery

[Fg Off Kite]

After 4 years, my trusty Breitling has run out of power, probably not a bad innings. Not being in the bracket for a retention bonus which bought the thing, anyone know what the cheapest way of getting said item replenished, whilst maintaining waterproofing etc., i.e. not the bloke down the market.

Ta.

FOK

edited for smelling

[4U2NV]

It depends on the model of Brietling. I know that certian high street retailers, (Daniels in Windsor definatly) and the Debenhams of this world, have the ability to replace the battery AND vacuum test the water seal for about £30. Not really cheap, but at least you don't have to send it off!

[Fg Off Kite]

It's an aerospace

[4U2NV]

Give it a go. The place in Windsor sorted my Jupiter Pilot.

[BEagle]

The last time I needed my Aerospace battery changing, I took the watch in to the Breitling place in London. They explained that it would take about a week, as they do a 'power soak' test as well as simply changing the battery etc.

If you take it to a reputable Breitling dealer they will tell you the same. And it'll take longer as they will need to pack it and forward it.

I wouldn't recommend letting anyone but an authorised Breitling dealer touch your watch!

For info., contact [email protected] .

[A2QFI]

I'm with Beagle on this one. I don't use the alarms or noises on mine and I don't use the digital displays continuously either. My first battery lasted 4+ years; I took it into the agent in Peterborough and it came back in a nice padded and zipped nylon case, like a specs case and I think it was under £30 and took 7 to 10 days. Good value for 4 years use I thought.

[TopBunk]

You can get the basic battery replacement/pressure test of the seal at genuine Breitling dealers in Switzerland for about £10-12. Takes 30-45 minutes. Makes you annoyed at British dealers attitudes.

[buoy15]

Go to a 'biggish' airshow and visit the Brietling tent - you will get free hospitality, a goodies bag plus baseball cap, and they will change your battery for a very small charge

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

they do a 'power soak' is that like the medieval test for a witch? chuck her in the river and if she drowns she was a witch ... except the other way round

... I think :confused:

:}


they will change your battery for a very small chargebetter do it before your battery runs out completely then...




...or you won't have any charge left :zzz:

[Fg Off Kite]

How much will it cost to get into the airshow though?

[wub]

My local dealer charges £40 for an Aerospace battery change, done by Breitling. It takes about 2 - 3 weeks. First time, it came back in the zippy case, second time in a polly bag!
Dang! I was at a biggish airshow recently but didn't venture into their enclosure :(

[dhurst]

I am not lucky enough to own a Breitling, But my Brother in Law does. Like the advise already given make sure you send it off to Breitling. He was stupid enough to be tempted by the cheaper option and get the battery changed by an un-offical dealer. And in the long run to get the " mist " to clear and re- vacum it cost him alot more then it would normaly cost.

So what ever you choose just be carefull. You dont want such a nice piece of equipment to get damaged.

[CR2]

TopBunk, concur. I had my aerospace done last year. Battery, a good clean & pressure test was done overnight (I only brought it in during the afternoon). Cost me 30 Euros at the local Breitling dealer.

[threepointonefour]

Beware!

Last time I took my watch (B1) to a Breitling dealer in Peterborough (in the shopping centre) they TRIED to con me that you couldn't just get the battery changed, it would need a full service which includes said new battery. Cost to me? £200 !!!!

Without doubt, the best place to go is Andrew Michael Jones Jewellers in Newark - he is Breitling's largest European retailer and is very RAF-friendly. He'll do the battery change at low cost and you should get a good service from him. He'll send the watch back to Breitling etc but will be more than consciencious re it's speedy return. Andrew is the guy who runs the Breitling hospitailty at Waddo airshow, amongst others.

[A2QFI]

3.4. Thanks for that input! I too was 'offered' a full service and clean by Petrborough. When I pointed out the device was largely electronic and waterproof to ??? Feet - how could it get dirty? the silence was stunning! I also concur with your comments re A M Jones, I had reason to call him the other day and he was very helpful.

[Min Drag]

Sadly I couldn't recommend Breitling. After 4 years the battery in my Aerospace ran out of juice so I duly sent mine off to Breitling for a new one for about 50 quid. Never thought anymore about it until a year later I jumped into the pool with the watch on and it promptly filled with water!!! Sent it back to Breitling and hundreds of quid later it came back working but I'd now just risk some of the other cheaper options to replace my battery:ugh:

MD

And yes I did try to battle it out with Breitling but they didn't want to know!

[Cornish Jack]

Funny ol' world innit?
Pay some ludricrous amount for a piece of ostentatious nonsense and then have to buy another watch to check the time while this horological wizardry is having its battery changed!! Mind you, the same sort of mindset inspires people to buy BMWs so it's common enough:rolleyes:
At the last count I had some 17 or so watches of various types and makes ranging from Omega, Gucci and Tissot via Seiko and Citizen to Sekonda and 'interesting' Rolexes. I work, part-time in a clock and watch shop and do more battery changes than any other sort of transaction. We can also, for a charge, do a water resistance test. Sooooo ..... what would I buy if I was limited to one only? Hmmm .. difficult, but probably one of the Citizen Eco-Drive range - 5year guarantee etc. or a Seiko Kinetic. Why those? ... No battery changes needed - simple innit?
Water resistance testing?? Forget it. If you REALLY, REALLY can't manage to go swimming, showering, underwater basket-weaving or whatever WITHOUT taking off your precious testosterone substitute, GET A PROFESSIONAL DIVER'S watch!! They are the ONLY watches which should be DELIBERATELY taken underwater - they are designed for it. The others are tested at a given STATIC pressure only - quite different from the DYNAMIC pressures which a watch is subject to when swimming, diving etc.
On second thoughts, just ignore the foregoing - could be doing myself out of business!!:E

[seafuryfan]

How accurate is a Breitling?

I've just bought a watch which automatically updates its time from an atomic clock 'somewhere in Europe' at 0200 every day.

£22.50 from Argos.

[AlanM]

How accurate is a Breitling?
I've just bought a watch which automatically updates its time from an atomic clock 'somewhere in Europe' at 0200 every day.
£22.50 from Argos.

Mine is a Chronomat based Blackbird "serie speciale" (but every f****r has one!!) and it is automatic. Needs re-adjusting every 2 weeks or so! The battery models I have had are far more accurate.

Sent mine back to Switzerland once.... for a service after leaving the winding thingy undone and sat in a sauna. Took nearly four months to get it back. Thank god for my Seiko that stores forgot I had when I left.....

[aerobat 1971]

How accurate is a Breitling?
I've just bought a watch which automatically updates its time from an atomic clock 'somewhere in Europe' at 0200 every day.
£22.50 from Argos.

I've got a Hercules (self-winding automatic) and it's easily the most accurate watch I've ever owned. Far better than others that have cost me far more. And unlike the B1 / Aerospace etc, it doesn't have to be returned to Breitling every 4 years for a new battery.

Cheers,

David

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

My 1970 vintage clockwork Navitimer gains 10 seconds every month. I wish I had £10 for every time I’ve had the back off: bloody beautiful inside, though. My Pusser’s standard Seiko (and before anyone gets upset, I bought it) gains 10 seconds every 30 weeks.

Incidentally, if anyone knows where I can buy a "flat" outer slide-rule ring for the Navitimer, I would be pleased to know. I made the mistake of putting MS33 grease on the groove as it had a tendency to soak sweat and seize up. The silicone sodded up the paint!

[maxburner]

My Brietling needs adjusting only when the clocks change. It's a brilliant piece of kit. One battery in 5 years. It looks great too.

Thank you Mrs Burner for buying it for me.

[G-WHOT]

I would recommend Tag Heuer for customer service. I bought the new Formula 1 model in jan 2004 from a watch shop in the train station at Geneva(£125 cheaper than UK) airport, which worked fantastically for about 20 months, then the date started sticking on 7th of the month, problem with the date movement got worse in jan this year. I went to the authorised Tag dealer in Horsham who reckoned some water had got in. I was a less week away from the 2 year gaurentee expiring. The watch was returned to TAG Heuer, the dealer phoned 5 days later to say they had recieved a brand new replacement for me to collect. So another 2 year gaurentee. :)

[gator bait]

If you can afford it go Rolex - you know it makes sense in the long run. Had mine 27 years, never had it serviced and it gains 2 - 3 seconds a month. Had standard issue Seiko but never used it as I never really found a use for the stop watch facility with HOTAS etc as it was just another distraction.:cool:

[777fly]

I have had my Breitling aerospace for about 4 years now, so I would expect, based upon the posts in this thread, to have to change the battery soon. How accurate is it? It has been almost exactly 7 seconds fast for the 4 years, I just don't seem to find the time to put it right!

[clicker]

I've got a Hercules (self-winding automatic)

Is that the J model, oh sorry thought you meant the Lockheed beast :ugh:

edited to correct spelling induced by night shift haze

[A2QFI]

Aerobat, is Hercules a brand name of a watch or a model within a maker's range? Ie - who makes it please?

[airborne_artist]

A2QFI

Hercules is a Breitling model (http://www.precisiontime.co.uk/breitling-a39363ssgrey-professional-hercules-gents-watch-p-449.html) like this:

http://www.precisiontime.co.uk/images/breitling/watch_breitling_professional_hercules_a39363_ss_gry.jpg

[MrBernoulli]

Wind-up Hercules? Lots of those at Lyneham.

Get yourself an ecodrive Citizen of some sort. I would recommend the Skyhawk. No batteries required and they don't cost the ridiculous amounts required for Rolex, Breitling and other similar penis extensions.