The Breitling Chronomat has been a pillar of the brand since its 1984 redesign, It epitomises robust functionality and distinctive style. Originally conceived for Frecce Tricolori pilots, its signature rider tabs on the unidirectional bezel facilitate glove-friendly operation and protect the crystal.
This Breitling Chronomat arrived with us in need of a full service and repair. The movement powering the watch is a high grade ETA 7750 – one of the most popular, quality chronograph movements. Versions of the 7750 are used by many high-quality Swiss watch houses, like TAG Heuer and Omega.
Breitling Chronomat Service – Servicing the Breitling Chronomat 7750 Movement
As always we begin by checking the functions of the watch. We do this to check for faults, as it’s important to be as thorough as possible, especially when working on a watch where missing a fault may mean having to disassemble a lot of components! We check if it winds up (both by hand and automatically), hand setting, date change and the chronograph. Everything appeared to be in reasonable working order, though there was some obvious wear to the reverser. It’s important to ensure your watch is serviced every 3-5 years, this will ensure it continues to function as it should.
When we disassemble the watch we start by removing the rotor, before putting the movement into a movement holder specific for this calibre. We do this to ensure it is held securely so we can concentrate on carefully extracting the hands.
We’ve discussed servicing a 7750 chronograph previously, though we have not touched upon removing the hands. This can often be a little awkward with certain brands, in particular Breitling, as their hands are pressed on extremely tight. A senior watchmaker once told me Breitling replace all the hands during a service, so they don’t have to worry about preserving them. For the sake of maintaining originality and from an independent service centre perspective, this is not an option.
The most difficult hand to remove is always the centre seconds chronograph hand, as it’s positioned far from the dial, and there are other hands below it. Watchmakers use a variety of methods to extract these hands successfully.
There are tools for chron
With the dial and hands removed we can continue with disassembly. Disassembling this watch is rather involved, as we need to check many of the 250+ components to ensure they are in good condition. As noted, the reverser is worn, we will also replace the mainspring as standard to ensure we have a reliable source of power for many years to come.
Cleaning, Reassembly, and Replacing the Hands
With the movement fully disassembled and checked, it is cleaned – going through a cycle in our Elma Solvex RM automatic cleaning machine. Once parts are completely clean and dried, we can commence reassembly of the movement. During reassembly, we followed our usual servicing procedure, following the manufacturer’s technical guidelines in terms of oil and grease usage and other treatments.
With the movement reassembled, we can case this Breitling Chronomat before testing it for water resistance. It then moves on test to ensure good timekeeping within tolerance, appropriate power reserve, and correct functioning. Once testing is complete, it is released ready for collection by our client. If you’re interested in the process of watch repairs, or you have any questions about servicing your watch, contact us using our Ask the Watchmaker form.
If your timepiece needs servicing or restoration, contact us today or visit us in store to discuss how our expert team can bring your watch back to its best.
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