Quote:
Originally Posted by RolexUwe
The movement is not poor at all; it's just not in-house. An in-house movement doesn't make a watch superior, as there are more expensive watches that use ETA movements. In this case, it's the venerable Selitta movement. In my collection I have in-house B01s, B20s ("Tudor-Breitling exchange program"), B17s (ETA 2824-2) and they're all fantastic. The B17s (whether Selitta or ETA) are durable, reliable and inexpensive to maintain. For a watch like this, I would have zero issue with a movement like this... in fact, it would be preferred over an in-house due to its durability and lower cost of service. It all boils down to what makes you smile, so don't be afraid to buy a Breitling with a non in-house movement. If you do, you'll miss out on a lot of fun!
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I totally agree there is nothing inherently wrong with ETA or Sellita movements - they're durable workhorses, with plentiful spares, and simple/cheap servicing by any competent watchmaker. No arguments there.
What I DO have a problem with are the prices that Breitling are currently putting on their ETA/Sellita pieces. This SO is one example, and the new Chronomat GMT is another. The GMT comes in at £4,700 in the UK and runs a Sellita/ETA movement. For £3,170 (over £1,500 less) you can buy a Tudor Black Bay Pro with a full manufacture, "true" GMT movement with 70 hours PR.
I fully appreciate that in-house/manufacture doesn't automatically mean "better", but (to use the tired old car analogy) I personally wouldn't spend Ferrari money on something that just looks like a Ferrari, but runs a nice reliable 2 litre Ford engine. To me it's about value for money, and at the moment Breitling are failing that test with their non-in-house stuff when you look at the competition.