Servicing a Breitling Colt Automatic
The Breitling Colt was introduced in the 1980s as a functional, highly durable timepiece for military personnel. Drawing on the utilitarian design language of predecessors like the Chronomat, it emphasised legibility and robustness above all else. Its signature features—a clear dial, luminescent markers, and a sturdy case fitted with rider tabs on the bezel to protect the crystal—made it instantly recognisable. While built for tactical use, its reliability and accessible price point quickly earned it a strong following among civilian enthusiasts. Over the years, the Colt range expanded into chronographs, quartz models, and classic three-hand automatics.
This Breitling Colt arrived at our workshop in need of a thorough service and repair. Powering this particular model is the ETA 2824-2 automatic calibre, a dependable, workhorse movement found in many modern Swiss watches.
Initial Assessment and Disassembly
Before taking any watch apart, we assess its overall condition and check all basic operations. We test hand-setting, date advancement, and the winding mechanism (both manual and automatic). On initial inspection, the movement was running poorly, indicating internal wear that was preventing power from being transferred cleanly through the gear train. Regular servicing every three to five years prevents this level of friction from causing long-term damage to the movement components.
Once uncased and with the dial and hands safely removed, we transferred the ETA 2824-2 to a dedicated movement holder to begin a complete teardown.
During disassembly, every component is inspected under the loupe for wear, pivot damage, or dried-out lubricants. This movement had been working hard without a service for some time. We identified significant wear across several key components in the power delivery and gear train:
- The Barrel Complete: The teeth and internal walls showed excessive wear, so a complete new barrel was required to ensure a smooth, consistent output of power.
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The Intermediate, Third, and Fourth Wheels: Physical wear on the pivots and gear teeth meant these wheels had to be replaced to restore proper engagement and gear train efficiency.
Cleaning, Reassembly, and Refinishing
With the worn components set aside, the remaining movement parts were placed into our Elma Solvex RM cleaning machine for a full multi-stage wash, rinse, and dry cycle.
Once completely clean, reassembly began using the fresh replacement parts. During this process, every pivot and jewel was lubricated in accordance with strict Swiss technical standards, ensuring the correct viscosity of oil or grease was applied to each friction point.
While the movement was being built back up, we turned our attention to the exterior:
- Case and Bracelet Disassembly: The case was stripped down completely, with the bezel, tube, and internal gaskets removed.
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Refinishing: The case and stainless steel bracelet were given a light, sympathetic refinish to clear away surface scuffs while keeping the crisp original geometry intact.
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Ultrasonic Cleaning: All external parts went through our ultrasonic cleaner to remove any leftover compound and ingrained dirt before reassembly with fresh seals.
Casing and Final Testing
With the ETA 2824-2 fully reassembled and tuned, the dial and hands were refitted and the movement was cased back up.
The watch was then subjected to wet and dry pressure testing to verify its water resistance. Following a successful pressure test, the watch entered our standard monitoring phase to confirm timekeeping accuracy, automatic winding efficiency, and power reserve across multiple positions.
With all testing complete, this Colt is back to running smoothly and is ready to be returned to our client. If you have a watch in need of maintenance or repair, please feel free to bring it into the workshop or get in touch via our website.
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