Breitling - Price of a battery change?

Breitling - Price of a battery change?

Author
Discussion

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

50,781 posts

209 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
I have a Breitling Colt Chrono auto with (hopefully only) a dead battery.

Should it require more than a competent jeweller to replace the battery?

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
In answer to thread title:

£25 including reseal / pressure test and return by special delivery or £12 inc post (SD) if you're not worried about the pressure test.

In answer to the question in the post:

That depends what you want done.

A simple back off, change battery for the same as fitted, put back on, an reset chrono hands should be within the abilities of any half-way competent high street shop. That said, I've seen some truly horrible mistakes made by people who's basic role is "retail of shiny stuff".

If you want water resistance guaranteed then not that many high street jewellers have pressure testing facilities, so they'll want to send it away 9and charge accordingly).

Also, very few will be able to diagnose any faults there may be ("it's not the battery, Sir, we can send it away....") or spot mistakes by previous fitters such as wrong battery installed (surprisingly common, especially on chronos!)


Edited by Variomatic on Sunday 11th October 16:20

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
I have a Breitling Colt Chrono auto with (hopefully only) a dead battery.

Should it require more than a competent jeweller to replace the battery?
Erm.

Generally-speaking, for just a battery change try Timpsons. Pay once, change for life. And will pressure test.

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

50,781 posts

209 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
Hoofy said:
Erm.
Good spot biggrin It is a quartz though, fk knows why I typed that.

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
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Well spotted that horse's foot! :P

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
Don't certain quartz Breitlings require a very specific way of changing the battery to avoid... hoofing... the movement?

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
Not on their chronos (ETA 251 series movements).

They're quite easy to damage the coils on if you're careless because 2 of the 4 coils are quite close to a battery bridle screws, but there's a difference between special techniques and avoiding incompetence wink

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
Variomatic said:
Not on their chronos (ETA 251 series movements).

They're quite easy to damage the coils on if you're careless because 2 of the 4 coils are quite close to a battery bridle screws, but there's a difference between special techniques and avoiding incompetence wink
Haha. Well, if the movement is "sensitive" then I would not take it to a generic watch battery changer.

lainchers

104 posts

222 months

Thursday 8th October 2015
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I have more than a passing interest in this thread as my wife has the same watch. It has stopped and hopefully it is just the battery.
Have you decided on what you are going to do with your watch?
I enquired at a local jewellers who sell high end watches, though not Breightling. They rang me to say it would have to be sent away. A simple battery and clean was £135. A full service is £475!!!

I have yet to take them up on the offer...

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Friday 9th October 2015
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That really is insane pricing. To give you some idea of what's involved:

Cost price of battery in bulk: less than £1
Cost price of seals (excluding crown if needed): less than £1
Time for simple battery change: 5 minutes
Time for pressure test: 20 - 25 minutes
Insured return post: About £7.50

If you include the "extras" that the makers include (which are only there as a reason to up-sell to servicing):

test movement consumption: 1 minute
test rate: 2 minutes


So,£9.50 total cost price (most of which is post) and half an hour for the job +, say, 15 minutes admin to box up and send to the post room. At £135 that's a fairly healthy £160 / hour!

SwissJonese

1,393 posts

174 months

Friday 9th October 2015
quotequote all
I used an official Breitling retailer in Cardiff to have my Chrono Colt battery changed. They now have Breitling service centers in the UK now so it didn't have to be sent off to Switzerland. I think it cost about £70.

matt666

445 posts

203 months

Friday 9th October 2015
quotequote all
I wish I knew this a few months ago. I took my Tag to Timpsons which cost £60, and that was the cheapest I could find, some were charging well over £100.

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

50,781 posts

209 months

Friday 9th October 2015
quotequote all
Variomatic said:
That really is insane pricing. To give you some idea of what's involved:

Cost price of battery in bulk: less than £1
Cost price of seals (excluding crown if needed): less than £1
Time for simple battery change: 5 minutes
Time for pressure test: 20 - 25 minutes
Insured return post: About £7.50

If you include the "extras" that the makers include (which are only there as a reason to up-sell to servicing):

test movement consumption: 1 minute
test rate: 2 minutes


So,£9.50 total cost price (most of which is post) and half an hour for the job +, say, 15 minutes admin to box up and send to the post room. At £135 that's a fairly healthy £160 / hour!
Can you let me know the best way to get your details to send it in please?

It's been in a drawer for a while so it's not been a priority but you seem to be recommended on here not to overcharge or send the watch back with free scratches and value added damage smile

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Friday 9th October 2015
quotequote all
You should have email (if PH is playing nice today!)


eta: At my prices I can't afford to just give scratches away but can arrange them as an option if required wink

Edited by Variomatic on Friday 9th October 21:14

was8v

1,927 posts

194 months

Friday 9th October 2015
quotequote all
I have a Chrono colt too. Not being one to pay someone for something I can do myself I shirked at paying so much for a battery. I couldn't find anyone to do it for less than £45.

Really struggled to get the back off mine - you will find most high street places don't have a tool that will fit without damaging the case.

In the end I laser cut some tools in acrylic using a laser cutter:

One clamps the watch (shaped to fit the watch with the strap removed).

The other is made of 2 bits - one fits the back precisely superglued to the other which is a circle with a bar to get some torque.

Unscrewed the back nicely!

I bought a Renata battery for £1, cleaned the faces up and reused the old seal. No pressure test but then my watch never gets submerged. Its easy to reset the chrono.

If anyone wants a tool, let me know.

Edited by was8v on Friday 9th October 22:01