What REALLY happens if you activate a Breitling emergency?

[Thankyou4calling]

No myths, rumours or I heard from a mate! What actually happens if you own one as a regular member of the public and activate the emergency feature (whether an emergency or not) I'm sure it will have been noted on here but anybody got the actual factual?

[JRewing]

Isn't it a large fine if it was unnecessary? I've no idea how much, but I seem to remember it was very large.

[jimmyone]

this guy turns up

[ALawson]

I almost bought one when I was doing a few transatlantic crossings in 2000, I remember Abotts jewellers in St. John's Antigua showing me some paperwork about requiring insurance against a $20k invoice for a false deployment so to speak.

[soad]

JRewing said:

Isn't it a large fine if it was unnecessary? I've no idea how much, but I seem to remember it was very large.

Does that mean a helicopter will turn up?

[Lefty]

Yes.

But if it's a genuine emergency Breitling will recommission it for nowt,

[Thankyou4calling]

Thanks for the replies. They are EXACTLY what I was looking to avoid. Somebody must be able to tell the reality not "I understand that" and back it up with a link.

[ALawson]

Thankyou4calling said:

Thanks for the replies. They are EXACTLY what I was looking to avoid. Somebody must be able to tell the reality not "I understand that" and back it up with a link.

More info here, was very hard to find! http://forums.watchuseek.com/f39/emergency-signali...

[Fas1975]

Nothing will happen.

It's a homing beacon. Basically. If you're in distress, you pull the beacon. HOWEVER, someone has to inform the emergency services that you're missing, i.e. you've missed a rendezvous or haven't turned up at a pre-defined time. Once the emergency services have been informed, they'll come looking for you and home in on the beacon.

HOWEVER, the new 2013 Emergency's are different. They work in two ways. They still have the beacon function, but they are also a distress signal, that means that the watch will be the alert itself, not relying on any further human interaction.

The paperwork on the older version states, IF you pull the emergency cord AND emergency services are called out, AND it's a false alarm, you are liable for all costs, be it air, land or sea rescue. You will also be asked to pay for the recommissioning of the watch which will be the full value OF the watch.

If it's a genuine emergency, Breitling will recommission the watch free of charge.

[nottusleinad]

When I bought mine (pre-loved) I had to sign a disclaimer with Breitling UK to say that I accepted responsibility for activating the beacon. Definitely not a watch to pass around your mates at the pub.

Lovely watch though !



The RRP of the new 2013 model is > £10k IIRC

[JRewing]

Thankyou4calling said:

Thanks for the replies. They are EXACTLY what I was looking to avoid. Somebody must be able to tell the reality not "I understand that" and back it up with a link.

I've actually been trying to find a link to back up my assertion because I did once read it somewhere official, but I can't find it now.

[JRewing]

More importantly though, doesn't it vary based on local laws?