broken breitling... How much to fix?
Discussion
I've been given a quartz breitling colt chrono (ref A530401)...... I don't think its fake.....
The bezel spring is broken, allowing it to spin freely and also the chrono function doesn't work properly, I press the button and the second hand skips 15 secs then stops, then next time it might do 30 secs and so on.....
Fao Variomatic (or any other watch guy), are you able to give me a ball park cost in having it fixed?
The bezel spring is broken, allowing it to spin freely and also the chrono function doesn't work properly, I press the button and the second hand skips 15 secs then stops, then next time it might do 30 secs and so on.....
Fao Variomatic (or any other watch guy), are you able to give me a ball park cost in having it fixed?
£85 from Breitling UK will have been battery and seals only (with the usual case clean-up and function / consumption check to see if they can sell you extras). Actual servicing by them would be a lot more than that! The Starliner is also a non-chrono, which can make quite a big difference on their prices!
The Colt uses an ETA 251 series movement (I forget which one off the top of my head - possibly 251.272) You can get a pretty good idea of whether it's genuine by how it behaves in the date-set position:
If you pull the crown out 1 click then you should find that turning it makes the hour hand move independently in one hour "jumps", with the date changing every second time it goes past 12 o'clock.
If turning the crown in that position doesn't move the hour hand but makes the date flick over all by itself in one direction or the other then it's definitely not real because all of the 251 series movements have the independent hour hand facility for time-zone changes - also useful when the clocks go forward / back!
If it does behave properly then it's not a guarantee of genuine but at least it means it has the correct movement series in it (afaik there are no other current production chrono movements with that facility)
If it is the right movement then the bad news is that the circuit isn't available separately and 15 sec bursts from the chrono does sound like a circuit error. It's worth trying a fresh battery (or even remove and refit the current one) just in case it's got confused but you're probably looking towards a new movement at around £130 fitted.
If it's not "right" but you'd still like it done then most of the copy chrono movements can be fitted for around £50.
eta: The bezel spring would officially have to go back to them because they won't supply case parts, but there's usually ways & means
The Colt uses an ETA 251 series movement (I forget which one off the top of my head - possibly 251.272) You can get a pretty good idea of whether it's genuine by how it behaves in the date-set position:
If you pull the crown out 1 click then you should find that turning it makes the hour hand move independently in one hour "jumps", with the date changing every second time it goes past 12 o'clock.
If turning the crown in that position doesn't move the hour hand but makes the date flick over all by itself in one direction or the other then it's definitely not real because all of the 251 series movements have the independent hour hand facility for time-zone changes - also useful when the clocks go forward / back!
If it does behave properly then it's not a guarantee of genuine but at least it means it has the correct movement series in it (afaik there are no other current production chrono movements with that facility)
If it is the right movement then the bad news is that the circuit isn't available separately and 15 sec bursts from the chrono does sound like a circuit error. It's worth trying a fresh battery (or even remove and refit the current one) just in case it's got confused but you're probably looking towards a new movement at around £130 fitted.
If it's not "right" but you'd still like it done then most of the copy chrono movements can be fitted for around £50.
eta: The bezel spring would officially have to go back to them because they won't supply case parts, but there's usually ways & means
Edited by Variomatic on Wednesday 4th March 23:35
Blimey, it would appear that is the genuine article then! Pulling the crown out to its first position does indeed move the hour hand!
Bargain for a freebie!
Looking up the reference number it looks like it wasn't a very popular model, it's the regatta colt chronograph. It's a lovely thing though.
ETA, it's this one: http://www.breitlingsource.com/watch_details/Colt_...
Is got the 251.262 movement in it (according to that web page)
Joe I will be in touch!
Ian
Bargain for a freebie!
Looking up the reference number it looks like it wasn't a very popular model, it's the regatta colt chronograph. It's a lovely thing though.
ETA, it's this one: http://www.breitlingsource.com/watch_details/Colt_...
Is got the 251.262 movement in it (according to that web page)
Joe I will be in touch!
Ian
Edited by SickFish on Thursday 5th March 07:07
Ahh, that's the 12 hour chrono version of the movement with central chrono minutes. That one's a little more expensive, I'm afraid, if the movement is needed at about £150 all inc. But still a damn cheap Breitling!
Personally, as maybe the only person left who doesn't like walking round with a dinner plate strapped to my wrist, I quite like the Colts but the mixture of quartz and "only" 41mm or so does seem to have made them less popular than more in-yer-face models.
Personally, as maybe the only person left who doesn't like walking round with a dinner plate strapped to my wrist, I quite like the Colts but the mixture of quartz and "only" 41mm or so does seem to have made them less popular than more in-yer-face models.
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