Breitling screw-in crown trouble, advice please!
Discussion
Hello watch experts.
I am lucky enough to have a Breitling Chrono avenger, (titanium), which I love.
It is around 4 years old.
Approx two years after I bought it (but crucially just inside the 2 year warranty period) I found that the crown would not screw back in after adjusting the time. To be honest it had deteriorated over a period of a few months where it became more difficult to screw in, the crown just screwed round and round, without getting any 'purchase'. Breitling repaired under warranty.
Fast forward to this year an I notice that the same thing is happening again, i.e. it is getting more difficult to get the crown to get any purchase on the thread, to lock itself down. Over a few months it became impossible. I had thought maybe dirt had got into the thread whch was stopping it threading on, but this was not the case. I dropped the watch into the place I purchased it from and they said they would send into Breitling who would investigate.
I have heard today that Breitling will charge me for repair, as the watch is long out of guarantee, and the original repair only had one year warranty on it, which is passed. Their quote states:
"To put your crown in order requires a routine complete overhaul including: dismantling, cleaning & checking all components, replacement of worn parts, assembly, oiling, Various adjustments. Refurbishing the case & bracelet , replacement of all gaskets & water resistance test. £400.00
I am lucky enough to have a Breitling Chrono avenger, (titanium), which I love.
It is around 4 years old.
Approx two years after I bought it (but crucially just inside the 2 year warranty period) I found that the crown would not screw back in after adjusting the time. To be honest it had deteriorated over a period of a few months where it became more difficult to screw in, the crown just screwed round and round, without getting any 'purchase'. Breitling repaired under warranty.
Fast forward to this year an I notice that the same thing is happening again, i.e. it is getting more difficult to get the crown to get any purchase on the thread, to lock itself down. Over a few months it became impossible. I had thought maybe dirt had got into the thread whch was stopping it threading on, but this was not the case. I dropped the watch into the place I purchased it from and they said they would send into Breitling who would investigate.
I have heard today that Breitling will charge me for repair, as the watch is long out of guarantee, and the original repair only had one year warranty on it, which is passed. Their quote states:
"To put your crown in order requires a routine complete overhaul including: dismantling, cleaning & checking all components, replacement of worn parts, assembly, oiling, Various adjustments. Refurbishing the case & bracelet , replacement of all gaskets & water resistance test. £400.00
- Exchange of hands included in above £0.00
- Exchange of crown- existing will not screw down £99.21"
Reply from Breitling contact:-
"
Hi m8,
sorry, but that's a fair cost estimation for an overhaul of a 4 year old watch.
To my opinion the guy does a mistake with the crown, he should be taught to screw and unscrew it correctly.
Most people give to much power on the last turn and the titanium does not like this.
He has always the possibilty to reject the overhaul and take only the crown for 99 BP.
Nobody can force him to take the overhaul."
"
Hi m8,
sorry, but that's a fair cost estimation for an overhaul of a 4 year old watch.
To my opinion the guy does a mistake with the crown, he should be taught to screw and unscrew it correctly.
Most people give to much power on the last turn and the titanium does not like this.
He has always the possibilty to reject the overhaul and take only the crown for 99 BP.
Nobody can force him to take the overhaul."
Commercial pure grade Titanium used in jewellery has very little strength hence threads strip very easily. Sandvik supposedly supply Breitling with their Titanium I know this as I noticed a Breitling case blank in one of their metal brochures. 
Edited by bry1975 on Thursday 31st March 14:02
Every time you send your watch away for a repair via an authorised dealer, they will basically send it for an overall service with whatever problem you have with the watch. if the retailer is bad, as they are in 99percent of all cases, they will not inform you on this fact and you will pay for an overall service on top of the actual service you require. in most cases they will change the crystal (no matter if necessary) and repolish the case. you always need to specify what job you want to be done on the watch.
if a repair on the case has been done, you should get a full-time warranty on it. if the threading was redone,you must get a new crown as well or the threading on the crown must be done as well.
cutting a new thread is a serious job which in most cases cannot be done (especially on stainless steel) and the whole case needs to be changed. if you try to repair a thread, the quality of the thread will actually get worse, especially with stainless steel where the thread 'likes to catch'. some watchmakers (I know about a few Seikos) makes the thread of the crown a bit thinner/weaker so if the thread gets damaged, it is usually the crown that needs to be replaced.
if the same problem of the case occurs more than once, you should get either a full refund or a new watch, no matter if it happens within you warranty, especially with breitling.
if a repair on the case has been done, you should get a full-time warranty on it. if the threading was redone,you must get a new crown as well or the threading on the crown must be done as well.
cutting a new thread is a serious job which in most cases cannot be done (especially on stainless steel) and the whole case needs to be changed. if you try to repair a thread, the quality of the thread will actually get worse, especially with stainless steel where the thread 'likes to catch'. some watchmakers (I know about a few Seikos) makes the thread of the crown a bit thinner/weaker so if the thread gets damaged, it is usually the crown that needs to be replaced.
if the same problem of the case occurs more than once, you should get either a full refund or a new watch, no matter if it happens within you warranty, especially with breitling.
duvesi said:
Every time you send your watch away for a repair via an authorised dealer, they will basically send it for an overall service with whatever problem you have with the watch. if the retailer is bad, as they are in 99percent of all cases, they will not inform you on this fact and you will pay for an overall service on top of the actual service you require. in most cases they will change the crystal (no matter if necessary) and repolish the case. you always need to specify what job you want to be done on the watch.
if a repair on the case has been done, you should get a full-time warranty on it. if the threading was redone,you must get a new crown as well or the threading on the crown must be done as well.
cutting a new thread is a serious job which in most cases cannot be done (especially on stainless steel) and the whole case needs to be changed. if you try to repair a thread, the quality of the thread will actually get worse, especially with stainless steel where the thread 'likes to catch'. some watchmakers (I know about a few Seikos) makes the thread of the crown a bit thinner/weaker so if the thread gets damaged, it is usually the crown that needs to be replaced.
if the same problem of the case occurs more than once, you should get either a full refund or a new watch, no matter if it happens within you warranty, especially with breitling.
There you go OP, only took five and a half years for this gem..if a repair on the case has been done, you should get a full-time warranty on it. if the threading was redone,you must get a new crown as well or the threading on the crown must be done as well.
cutting a new thread is a serious job which in most cases cannot be done (especially on stainless steel) and the whole case needs to be changed. if you try to repair a thread, the quality of the thread will actually get worse, especially with stainless steel where the thread 'likes to catch'. some watchmakers (I know about a few Seikos) makes the thread of the crown a bit thinner/weaker so if the thread gets damaged, it is usually the crown that needs to be replaced.
if the same problem of the case occurs more than once, you should get either a full refund or a new watch, no matter if it happens within you warranty, especially with breitling.
I have the exact same problem with an Avenger . Breitling quoted almost £1200 to repair and service and an independant Breitling specialist quoted £620 .
Can anyone pass on where they went to get their Breitling repaired.
This is my second Breitling with the same problem , its totally put me off the brand now .
Thanks .
Can anyone pass on where they went to get their Breitling repaired.
This is my second Breitling with the same problem , its totally put me off the brand now .
Thanks .
Try Anglesey Watch and Clocks.
My issue was with a stuck bezel and I wanted the watch serviced as well. Breitling quoted over a £1000 of which £500 was the new bezel. And then they wanted to fit a new crown and a crystal.
Joe serviced the watch (a Quartz Colt rather than an automatic, admittedly), cleaned it ultrasonically and freed the bezel for £75!!!
My issue was with a stuck bezel and I wanted the watch serviced as well. Breitling quoted over a £1000 of which £500 was the new bezel. And then they wanted to fit a new crown and a crystal.
Joe serviced the watch (a Quartz Colt rather than an automatic, admittedly), cleaned it ultrasonically and freed the bezel for £75!!!
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