Reply With QuoteNice story.
I purchased a new Breitling Chronomat (Item #B13050) in December of 1994 at Hamilton Jewelers in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. I have proudly worn the watch almost daily since and have always used Authorized Breiltling Service Centers to work on it, most recently was sent to Breitling last October to be refurbished, several months later I noticed that the gold rider tabs were tarnished. I contacted Breitling and they asked me to send the watch back, they told me that the rider tabs were gold plated and offered to have me pay to have them replaced. After researching the Item number of the watch on-line I have come to understand that the rider tabs on my model came in solid gold. Breitling originally disputed this and later admitted that it was the case. I reached out to Thierry Prissert the president of Breitling USA and after several emails we spoke on the phone where he immediately accused me of looking for a “freebie”. All I asked that was he make this right. After that I was sent a letter from their legal counsel Mr. Budow insisting that my watch be returned. Breitling has now rescinded any offers to repair the watch, refused to repair it and insisted it be returned to me “as is”. Of note, my emails were professional in nature, despite Thierry’s arrogance and insults.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the watch but now find myself disgusted with the company and want anyone to reconsider ownership given that they take zero responsibility for their Authorized Service Centers and ownership of their brand. I also included Georges Kern and partners within CVC Capital Partners responsible for the acquisition and have heard nothing back. I’m at a loss to describe the leadership, I think Leon Breitling would not be proud. That said, Thierry has probably spent more in legal fees than it would have cost to remedy the problem? No more Breitling for me.
SW
Nice story.
Not sure if I understand?
I meant it is a nice story. And.....
Makes me cringe when someone says they "reach out"...a horrible business buzzword initially used by cynical companies to sell themselves as caring. Should never be used as a direct replacement for "contact".
Last edited by Christian; 24th August 2020 at 20:43.
Buy another watch, it’s a horrid looking thing anyway
It depends on what caret/karet the gold is, anything less than 24k can become tarnished (depending on what other metal it's alloyed with).
And welcome to the forum.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Cool story bro
p.s. I love all 3 of my Breitlings and have no plans to change that. Soz
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Last edited by Megatron; 24th August 2020 at 20:51.
Sounds pretty appalling.
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And....hopefully a relatable story.
Axe to grind if I may so. There are many posts in the Breitlingsource forum where angry newposters ramble on about shabby treatment of their coveted watch that has issues by the company. Usually a first post and want to harm the brand IMHO.
You rarely get a response and they fade away into the 'ether'.
you just signed up her to relieve your petty vendetta against Breitling. Honestly it’s rather sad the lengths you went to on this.Originally Posted by swalk1
Surprised how many members have jumped on the OP. We all originally are motivated to join a forum for one reason or another. If the story is true, then I'd be interested if I owned that model.
I agree.
From what the OP says he has a valid complaint and it’s useful to know about poor customer service.
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I'm not surprised. First post, no introduction and a copy and paste from his WUS post:
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/a...tling.5229614/
This guy is just disgruntled and is trying to spread bad press against Breitling on various watch forums. He's even naming names from employees of BUSA who have done him wrong.
Probably been posted at several places:-)
And, if it’s true, what’s wrong with that?
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Can you outline what the actual complaint was for his 26 year old watch?
I’m failing to understand the big wrong that Breitling has done him here that deserves his vitriol
Guessing when he had the watch serviced a fully gold part (or 4 fully gold parts) was/were replaced with a gold plated parts and after a while they tarnished. OP probably wanted it (or all 4) replaced for solid gold ones at no cost with the argument the service that a service should put a watch back to factory spec which was full gold, not plated. Along with the fact the service was paid for and he's not paying extra now. Breitling probably wanted money for the job as the service might have been based and therefore priced on gold plated parts. In the end Breitling got bored and told him to f off and did so via legal to make sure he did.
What is a rider tab?
If I understand this correctly these rider tabs were solid gold and replaced with plated ones when serviced? Is that about the size of it.
Last edited by Alansmithee; 24th August 2020 at 22:20.
I understood his complaint was that some parts of his watch which were supposed to be solid gold weren’t.
That Breitling agreed to replace them but reneged on it.
That’s his side of the complaint.
He feels aggrieved about it.
If people want to discuss with him the merits of his claim/complaint - and the reasonableness of the Manufacturer refusing it - that’s one thing. But just to jump on him as though he should remain silent, I think is a bit out of order.
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Last edited by KAS118; 24th August 2020 at 22:43.
Sounds like it, enough to email the CEO, owners of the company and to display his displeasure, then plaster across all forums for his 26 year old watch. He sounds like a right pain, I feel sorry for his wife.
Rider tabs are exactly that - tabs that ride on the bezel on Breitlings at 12, 3, 6 and 9, as can be seen here on my Avenger Skyland...
Simon
Last edited by mycroft; 25th August 2020 at 09:05.
Historically people who join the forum purely to air a grievance tend not to be well received...
Simon
To be fair to the OP, I'd be miffed if someone took my solid gold parts and replaced them with plated parts... who wouldn't be? Doesn't sound like they returned these solid gold parts, perhaps the OP can confirm. Imagine if your gold watch came back in a steel plated case after a service without even telling you or returning the original case!
Can't speak for the conversations he's had or the service he's received of course, as we're only hearing one end of it, but I'm amazed the CEO of Breitling ended up on a call with a customer about this issue. What on earth is going on!
And is that likely?
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Honestly it’s like a bit of gold rubbing off a part of a 26 year old watch that is smaller than a baby’s bogey, but it also sounds like he had enjoyable and reliable wear from the watch otherwise for the last three decades, he has got maximum value anybody could ever wish to obtain from such a watch. This tiny bit of gold rubbing off leads him eventually finding and emailing the private equity owners who are worth billions. The guy must be absolute crackers to think they care about his stupid watch.
Let's assume the OPs account is honest and accurate for the sake of debate, there's no way to know for sure. I don't think that he's complaining because a bit of gold rubbed off. If I understand correctly, his watch had solid gold features (so the gold can't "rub off"), which were subsequently taken off the watch and replaced with plated gold features at a service. He only found out about this when the plating began to wear off after a matter of months since the service.
So I put the question to you - if you had a bi-metal watch, and the gold element was removed and replaced with plated steel without your knowledge by an authorised service centre, would you be pleased?
I'm not suggesting the OP's response was proportional, just that I'd also be pretty darn annoyed in that scenario!
I know someone who had one of those Gold/SS Breitling Chronomats and those rider tabs were solid gold. He wore his watch to work (construction) and knocked one off and had to get it replaced it cost a pretty penny at the time around 20 years ago I actually couldn't believe he wore it to work..
So either Breitling did service his watch and replace the solid gold tabs with plated ones (plausible) or the story in general is completely false and made up with the sole premise of trying to make Breitling look bad for some reason. Either way the seed has been planted.
Given OP is so in to detail, did he ask at time of service and how much was he charged for the replacement part? At end of the day, if it were me I wouldn’t worry about a watch that has been worn and enjoyed for the last 3 decades, think of all the memories (hopefully happy ones). No need to go to all out war against Breitling over the tiny tarnished part of a bezel, it’s no major miscarriage of justice, continue to wear the watch or maybe buy another one if really bothers, throw the watch in the sea and say good riddance to it, run it over with your car if it makes you happy and gives the OP a sense of closure. Joining various watch forums to cr@p on the brand and calling out the CEO and owners of Breitling over this is a bit narcissistic, the watch is not worth a lot, it has worked and been enjoyed for many many years, it’s a tiny defect, get over it.
Funnily enough I have an old Breitling with solid gold rider tabs too. I would actually have welcomed them being replaced with plated items as the gold ones are so soft I’ve previously bent and snapped two just on threads of clothes and bedding. Poor design.
I bet my B is a similar age to the OPs and I consider the fact that it’s still serviceable at all a great thing. A bit of tarnish on a plated item for me would be commensurate with the age of the item. I’d probably not be calling the CEO over that.
This story is worthless without full disclosure of all the correspondence between the OP and Breitling.
"A man of little significance"
While it may have been a genuine complaint - the OP clearly is principally concerned with trashing Breitling and is his only reason for joining this forum.
”I’ll show you! I’ll trash you on forums and social media!”
(Mind you - he missed the trick of loading the title like: “Breitling - shocking service!” )
Imagine the outrage if Rolex replaced 18k parts with gold plated in services.
I think quite a few here would think these bits are gold plated anyway. Quite different to a full 18k fluted bezel from Rolex.
The OPs name SWALK
I remember the film was a massive hit when we where at school.
I hope the op has hard evidence for his accusations....because otherwise he could get a serious legal shock.
When companies reach out their hands are conveniently tied behind their backs and they smirk whilst offering weak offers .
I have not owned a Breitling for some years now. I sold up as I was disappointed with the servicing and aftercare.
The biggest thing I observe is the clash now between the brand marketing executive and the loyal collector / follower of a brand.
The negative publicity created by the Breitling response will hurt them far more than it hurts the OP.
10 years ago Breitling had a very good name for servicing quality, better than most brands, pity thing have gone downhill.
Just spotted this gem in this thread...
As you were....
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Would love to but all of the emails from Breitling conveniently have confidentiality verbiage with responses.
I have been a Breitling fan for 25 years, this was truly to relate a turning point in my view of the brand.
Ok, you done?
Why would the solid gold bits need replacing in any case?
Were they worn down?
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Said they were tarnished. Never known gold jewellery tarnish TBH, don’t see why this would be different.
I had a bi-metal Breitling long-long time ago and managed to find an old photo in my archives - I think you can make out the colour (not color) difference between the rider tabs and the other rolled-gold pushers etc:
Looks exactly like what I am faced with?? All of the other gold accent pieces have not tarnished. Just the tabs.I had a bi-metal Breitling long-long time ago and managed to find an old photo in my archives - I think you can make out the colour (not color) difference between the rider tabs and the other rolled-gold pushers etc:
None of the other gold accents on the watch have tarnished, just the rider tabs. Of note, Breitling confirmed that the watch came with solid gold, it was always serviced by authorized Breitling service centers including BUSA and that they are now plated and tarnished. I never had them replaced.
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