It’s time for the Breitling watch to undergo maintenance and refurbishment. A message was left mentioning that it was purchased from someone referred to as “Second Brother,” but who exactly is this mysterious seller? The positional error adjustment performs admirably, yet the watch runs approximately ten seconds slow each day.
Its appearance bears the scars of its journey—collision marks and scratches mar its surface. The crown is distorted, with a piece missing, while the coating is worn thin, revealing numerous small spots. The hands show signs of oxidation and water stains, and the case back displays marks from being opened with non-professional tools, compromising its seal.
Repeated water exposure has led to plating corrosion, forming fragile bubbles that could burst during cleaning, causing the plating to peel.
The automatic bearing is alarmingly loose and requires replacement. Scratches on the plate are visible in the image taken from behind. The chronometer movement features individually numbered screws, each showing clear evidence of disassembly and reassembly. There’s only a trace of oil around the balance shaft.
The edge of the screw and the plate bear scratches, and the wheel shaft of the automatic component appears brown—a telltale sign of minor rust. The escape wheel shaft, second hand shaft, third wheel, hour hand, and minute hand are tightly grouped, whereas the second hand is positioned farther away. On the front side of the movement, severe rusting affects the second and third wheels.
Removing the front screws reveals significant damage to the middle frame. The three fixing points and the spring ring at the front are severely deformed, as is the anti-reverse spring—all due to human error.
For every watch that comes my way, I meticulously document and share detailed information—both before and after the repair process—with a focus on the most critical aspects. It’s only through this level of transparency that the true quality of the restoration can be fully appreciated. Each movement undergoes a thorough cleaning, leaving no trace of my intervention behind.
The parts are aligned to perfection, and lubrication is applied with utmost precision, ensuring the watch runs smoothly and accurately for years to come, minimizing any potential issues.
Previously, the oil on the second wheel shaft formed a perfect circle, free from excess residue that could cause contamination. The third wheel shaft, however, was the most severely affected by rust. Now, the oil film between the screws and levers on the front of the movement, as well as the balance shaft, has been refined into a large, clear, and impeccably neat oil ring.
Each tooth tip of the escape wheel is delicately coated with just the right micro-quantity of oil, while the base of the escape wheel shaft bowl is fully saturated without spilling over or contaminating other areas. These intricate details, including the oil rings on the second, third, and automatic wheels, can only truly be appreciated in my videos.
Even gold watches receive the same meticulous attention upon inspection at the factory, where they are examined under identical magnification levels. The larger and smaller steel wheels showcase flawless operation, leaving no marks or traces behind. In my other videos, you’ll find six-position walk tests, where positional errors are measured four times.
The results? A remarkable consistency of 5 seconds, 5 seconds, 6 seconds, and 4 seconds—more stable and precise than many brand-new watches, with an average daily gain of just 2.5 seconds.
Finally, as part of my commitment to transparency and respect for the watch’s history, all old parts removed during the repair process are returned to their rightful owner.
Declan Simmons 
Felix Palmer 
Natalie Martin