|
After owning hundreds of Breitlings, here is my opinion:
Most pre-owned Breitlings run 7-12s/d. I personally do not service them until they get outside of 15s/d or have any degree of a functional issue. I've had new watches run out of COSC spec and 20 year old Chronomats run within COSC spec. There is no good way to predict if they will need a service or not.
Many people do not know that a service is typically just oiling the movement and adding new gaskets/seals. Therefore, practically anyone can do it. You can send it to Breitling and pay a good chunk of change, or an independent watchmaker can do it for 50%-75% of the cost, typically in a faster manner.
If you wear the watch often, service it. For watches I wear every week, I want them <14s/d personally. Don't service it if it doesn't bug you.
Now, if you do service, I personally would do it at an independent watchmaker I trust and have a relationship with. it is unlikely that the watch needs parts from Breitling, probably just some simple regulation and oiling to ensure everything is moving properly.
A lot of times, new watches get to gray market sources due to being New Old Stock (they sat in the dealer for a couple years). The dealer wanted to wholesale them, so they send them to someone like Jomashop who purchases them where they then can sell immediately or once more sit. So, when you think with this lens, it doesn't sound too preposterous that a "new" gray market watch may need a service, if you catch my drift.
|