A friend of mine has a Breitling Navitimer on a croc strap bought brand new a few years ago. Watch is out of warranty.

He decided that he wanted to buy a brand new bracelet for it and off he went to an AD. On trying to fit the new bracelet, the AD discovered that the lug holes were not parallel and therefor couldn't fit the bracelet. He took the watch in and sent it to Breitling for inspection.

If that was your watch, what outcome would you expect?

 

Inherent defect = "fixed" for free

 

I would require Breitling for the highest compensation possible. Including a replacemen --- Perhaps?

The problem is that the watch was thought to be worn with a strap... and misallignment on lug holes does not imply that the strap does not work... so the watch is functional as it was initially sold.

 

Im not sure they can fix it being the allingment is so slightly out. They would need to refill and re drill, I wouldn't be happy with that IMHO

 

You're right, and whilst the leather strap has some play and allows for imperfection, the bracelet doesn't.

 

No more thoughts on this?

 

I think it's a first world problem that wouldn't bother me because bracelets are icky.

 

The issue isn't to do with the bracelet fitting or not. It's about a watch with a manufacturer defect isn't it?

 

Lighten up, Francis. It was a light-hearted joke. Besides, aren't you asking for a "friend"?

 

I think you may have taken my reply as something it wasn't. I'm not offended or upset with your reply.

 

I'd go for Breitling mesh

 

Was the lug bent slightly over years of wear? I imagine that's what Breitling will determine.

 

+1 ... and breitling making sure that watchcase never sees the light of day again

 

No harm, no foul then!

 

I've got a Longines with one of the holes drilled so far off center that the edge of the lug, on the bottom, is slightly bulged & cracked, I wonder if I should take it in? Checked under the shadow graph at work it appears it actually cracked during drilling as the drill was working too close to the surface of the lug. (it sometimes helps to work in QA at a bearing manufacturer!) So its actually held up okay during use.

I presume its been worn on a strap for its entire life and wasn't noticed until recently.... but what the hell.....

its only 72 years old after all....

Breitling can do the honorable thing and replace the case or they can stand by their warranty period rights and say sorry, warranty is done and anyway, its not broken when worn in the form it was sold in. Its sometimes surprising how nice large companies can be.

Or how shitty!

It will be interesting to see how they handle this.

 

The name is Francis Sawyer, but everyone calls me psycho! Any of you guys call me Francis, and I'll kill ya!