A method includes obtaining a vibration signal acquired by an accelerometer sensor; eliminating a deterministic component of the vibration signal; obtaining, for a determined defect, a characteristic theoretical frequency of this defect and a determined maximum deviation around this theoretical frequency; computing, as a function of a cyclic frequency, an integrated cyclic coherence of the processed vibration signal; estimating an actual frequency of the defect on the basis of the integrated cyclic coherence, of the theoretical frequency of the defect and of the maximum deviation; computing a diagnostic indicator of the defect by summing M integrated cyclic coherences of the vibration signal evaluated as M cyclic frequencies respectively equal to M harmonics of the estimated actual frequency of the defect; comparing the diagnostic indicator of the defect with a predetermined threshold, and in the event of it being exceeded, detecting the defect on the bearing.