Tips for surviving the rep & gen breitling world.

[SMIDSY]

1) Breitling parts are not cheap, if you find cheap and/or readily available parts then they are most likely stolen, fake, or in some way altered/dodgy. Obviously this doesn't include things like straps...

2) It is difficult to get Breitling parts - always know your sources and where they are getting parts from. Some ADs provide parts like bezels etc but things like hands, movements, dials etc are rare.

3) There are often 2-3 different styles of genuine part per watch - breitling will change production methods/styles slightly during a model's. Styles depend on when the watch was made etc. Getting all worked up as the 'pushers are too long' is stupid as a gen will have that too.

4) Not all Breitling movements are only available with high end finish and not all are chronometer rated. Pearlage and CDG is more common on newer movements however.

5) If you buy a genuine dial or part make sure it has not been removed from a watch as when removed they will ALWAYS be marked in some way. Buy NOS or factory new only. Never eBay (e.g. TheDiamondCastle).

6) Broke your gen dial? Marked/scratched it. If you have the right contacts Breitling will swap the dial out for a brand new one (sometimes you can request a different style or colour) for a fee. If you own a Gen an AD will do this for you but if you have a rep.... then you need 'contacts'.

7) Breitling crystals are expensive - stupidly so don't buy them.

8) Breitling boxes, booklets and blank warranty cards are readily available; when buying a second hand watch if it comes with box/papers and they're blank walk away.

9) Breitling has never (yet) taken in a replica watch for servicing thinking it is genuine (well they wouldn't admit to it anyway).

10) Breitling make nice watches - but if buying retail as soon as you've bought a gen you will lose around 40% of the retail price instantly. Aim to buy a gen that is 1-6 months old.

 

[QinetiQ]

Nice info on there but I do disagree with 1). If that was true then the two genuine Breitling croco straps I bought for 180 and 110 respectively, were either stolen, fake or altered?

Also 6). Do you really need to have the right contacts to do that. I had a friend who had a gen navitimer and totally screwed up his dial when he wanted to remove a dust spec off of it. All he did was go to his AD and they swapped his dial for of course as you said, a fee.

And 9) How would you really know that? I mean, even if they did by mistake do so, the last thing they would do is confess they did so. More likely they'll do everything in their power to hide it :lol:

Anyway don't take this as thread crapping, I just wanted to ask ya this.

 

[Wiz]

Nice work here!

I just have reservations about 2) because gen Breiling parts are actually the most widespread over the internet.

 

[SMIDSY]

Sorry QQ should have said I don't count straps as parts really BUT you still should be careful when buying accessories.

You need contacts to do a dial swap on a rep - in a gen most ADs will do this (depending in the watch age) but it needs to be a gen watch - again I didnt specify.

Breitling get lots of fakes in and they either destroy them or return them. If you know what your looking for spotting a fake is easy although when I'm inished with my 100% gen franken I wonder if then it's a gen or a rep?

I do agree however that they would use all their power to hush it up...

I'll edit this post tomorrow to take into account QQs points but this should be a sticky I think =)

And wiz I mean new parts not used I covered that above....

 

[Wiz]

Even the new parts are not that difficult to source.

When I was looking for a gen bezel for my seawolf avenger, I just took the serial number of a gen watch over the internet and called an AD giving that number, saying that I just wanted the bezel because I wanted my watchmaker to do the install.

I finally backed up because I didn't knew if it would fit, but they were ok and they didn't even asked for the old bezel.

 

[SMIDSY]

thats actually interesting - will they do that for datewheels, hands and movements? I know they wont usually for anything internal.

amended the list

 

[Wiz]

I couldn't tell, I never tried, but if you dont look too shady why not

 

[SMIDSY]

They are supposed to NEVER give out movements, hands, dials, cases not without a swap at the VERY least.

 

[QinetiQ]

Wow wiz, maybe I should try doing that and see if I can get me some nice Skyland hands or something. Cheers mate

 

[SMIDSY]

If it works you have honestly defeated the entire point of an AD - keep us posted!

 

[Wiz]

Actually a watchsmith first told me about this trick.

It seems that the major brands pretty much stopped supplying independant watchsmiths with parts, so now they can't even work on the watches from their own customers.

The guy didn't say he was doing it, but he suggested it is getting more and more common.
What I'm sure is that he looked pretty pissed when talking about it.

 

[trksh-bzr]

point number 9) eeeehhh... we never yet had a replica watch go through here, that we thought was a gen???? ok, that statement to come from breitling, is like saying that you have never been near the invisible man. if it ever happened that they got a super franken in, that they thought was a gen, then they wouldn't know would they...
- did they really claim this?? I know there probably never would be a franken good enough, but the basic idea is a bit stupid.
nice post anyway smids not blaming you for their silly statement

 

[SMIDSY]

Im sure they would know - the more I deal with breitlings the more I see how EVERYTHING is coded / marked. If we took a gen and fitted rep parts like crystal, crown pushers I doubt they'd realise....

but if they failed to check all the stuff then maybe one would slip through!

I mean things that they can easily ID are case, caseback, movement, dial... everything else in theory could be swapped/non gen. These 4 parts are also the hardest to source....

when i'm done on my hyper franken which will be 99% gen I'll send it in for an overhaul see what happens

I agree though its an arrogant statement.

I agree it's an arrogant statement.....

but breitling do mark the case, dial, caseback and movement so assuming all of those were gen then it may slip through...

when my hyper franken is done Im sending it in for an overhaul LOL.

 

[jj69]

Great list, Smidsy. You are SPOT ON about the diamondcastle dials too. The two I've seen both had serious blemishes on them, despite being sold as "mint condition." They are vastly overpriced for what you get.

 

[SMIDSY]

Their 'watchmaker' uses NO care in removing dials..... always buy new.....

 

[SMIDSY]

I may add: if in doubt.... its fake...

 

[QinetiQ]

I may add: if in doubt.... its fake...

Well more like - If in doubt, ask first then buy. Some people are just not that into the rep world as we are.

 

[SMIDSY]

well spoken QQ

 

[believer123]

I am having the most difficult time replacing the crown for my Gen Hercules... It has been totally exhausting... I have tried everything short of sending it back to Breitling, where I will undoubtedly have to pay for the $600.00 overhaul service ~AND~ the $135.00 crown (the watch, even without the crown, works perfectly fine). It is very frustrating and I agree that the parts for Gen Breitling watches are very difficult to obtain; I am almost to the point as to where I may even rubber cement on a crown from eBay or something...

 

[SMIDSY]

what reference number? PM me we may be able to help