Breitling watch owners who wish to keep their watches in the best possible condition should take them in for regular maintenance services. Even though your timepiece may look clean, tiny dust particles can get inside and cause excessive wear and tear on the moving parts. If your Breitling becomes damaged, it can affect the value as well as the functioning. The brand maintains a network of authorized repair centers throughout the country. These service centers retain staff with skilled watch repair technicians trained to perform work on the complex Breitling watches. If you have not yet had your Breitling serviced, or if you’re not sure which service to use, we have some tips to help you find the best option.
Advice from Breitling
According to the official Breitling site, the best way to ensure that your Breitling watch maintains its value and quality is to have the watch services about every two years. There are a few hundred Breitling service centers throughout the United States, but if you don’t live near one, Breitling offers a convenient repair service through the mail. You can contact Breitling via email or telephone to make arrangements to send your watch in for maintenance. If you’re not comfortable sending your Breitling watch through the mail, it’s best to go to the nearest authorized service center. If you decide to go to a service that is not connected with Breitling, you may be taking the chance on voiding the warranty. If the manufacturer’s warranty on the timepiece has expired, it may not be as big of a deal, but you still want to have a qualified technician perform the work to ensure quality and thoroughness.
Things to look for in a Breitling repair service
There are several independent repair services available who specialize in the maintenance and repair of Breitling watches. Since some of the mechanisms (if not all) are complex, it’s best to have the work completed by a certified specialist. This person will have the ability to ensure that the watch retains its reliability and full functioning. We consulted with a few different Breitling repair shops for tips. Watch Repairs USA policies provide a good example. Here are the recommendations about what to look for in a repair shop.
Breitling certified
Ask if the technician is certified to work on Breitling brand watches. If the worker is not familiar with the finer details of your Breitling, there may be issues that go undetected, resulting in problems with that occur later on.
Request an estimate
Before agreeing to any work, the better watch repair companies are willing to give you an estimate on the cost of any maintenance services as well as repairs that may be indicated. This allows you to shop around to get the best prices.
Insist on genuine Breitling parts
It’s also wise to make sure that the repair company you deal with uses only genuine Breitling parts for any repairs. Using aftermarket components to repair a Breitling watch may be less expensive, but they may not work as well as the factory parts. In addition, it could lessen the overall value of the timepiece, especially if is a rare or collectible edition.
Warranty
Also ask if the repair service offers a warranty on the maintenance or repairs made. Most do, and the average guarantee time is about 1 year. If no warranty on the service/work is offered, it may be wise to keep looking.
Get an estimate of the timeline
The time that it takes to have a Breitling watch serviced can take a while. This is a precision timepiece with a lot of tiny components. It can take weeks to have your wristwatch thoroughly inspected. If repairs are needed, it can take even longer for the replacement parts to come in. Expect a wait of between 2 to 5 weeks. There have been instances of authorized service centers taking up to 5 months to complete the process, but you can still inquire and ask for as estimate of the time and ask for updates on the process. Some service providers are faster than others. It doesn’t hurt to conduct an online search of customer satisfaction reviews on any service you’re considering. Find out if other customers have complained about long wait times.
Visually inspect the premises of brick and mortar shops
If you decided to go with a local repair and maintenance service, it’s wise to take a look at the surroundings before you agree to drop off your Breitling for maintenance or repair services. You can usually tell a lot about a business by looking at the environment. Is it clean and well-maintained? Is there evidence of needed repairs? If the workplace is disorganized, this could be an indication that the work will also be a bit on the ramshackle side. Gear Patrol also offers a few tips for finding a quality watch service.
Confirm the reputation of the service
Not everyone who offers watch repairs should be in the business. Make sure you’re dealing with a technician who is knowledgeable about the Breitling brand and who is willing to send the watch to an authorized service center if it is still under warranty. We recommend that Breitling watches still under a warranty contract are sent to an authorized service center so you don’t run the risk of voiding the warranty. If you do decide to go with an independent service, check the reputation with an online search of customer reviews first.
The service should be a “full service” shop
A full service watch repair shop can not only maintenance your Breitling but is also qualified to perform diagnostics and even issue a certificate of authenticity through Breitling, if it is needed. Don’t expect this kind of service to be cheap. If the rates are dirt cheap, the odds are that the techs are not certified and any repairs made are likely to use aftermarket components instead of genuine Breitling. If you get a quote for $100 for full service, inquire about precisely what that includes before you agree to it.
Conclusion
It’s best to take your Breitling watch into an authorized repair service to have it serviced or have any repairs made. If your Breitling is of high value, or is a vintage piece/rare collectible, the stakes are even higher. It’s wise to take a few steps to make sure that you’re dealing with a reputable service that specializes in the maintenance and diagnostics of issues with Breitling watches. If there isn’t a local shop near you, Breitling does offer the option of a mail-in repair service.
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