Royal Mail have lost my dads watch

Royal Mail have lost my dads watch

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matchmaker

Original Poster:

8,463 posts

199 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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My dad died when I was young (10) and I inherited his wristwatch. It was a gold Smiths, engraved on the back and presented to him in 1955 after 25 years service.

It stopped working years ago, but recently I decided to get it repaired so I put it in to a local watchmaker.

When I got home today a letter was waiting for me - to paraphrase the contents, my watch was sent away for repair, repaired, and sent back to the watchmaker by Royal Mail Special Delivery. But didn't turn up - Royal Mail have apparently lost it.

Apologies, etc, not our fault and Royal Mail are investigating.

To put it mildly, I'm livid. I've no idea of the monetary value and don't really care, but it is of enormous sentimental value. It's all I have left of Dad.

Now, I can understand that Royal Mail are investigating, but can I do anything myself. I doubt if I can go to the police, as at the moment there is no proof that a crime has been committed, but want to do something!

Any ideas?

MrBarry123

6,025 posts

120 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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I would expect that the answer is no, just one of those things unfortunately.

I think as standard you're covered for up to £500 for loss or damage via Special Delivery but even then you'd have to prove the item's worth which, given the age of the watch in question, would probably be quite difficult.

Sorry to hear this OP - what a bummer.

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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What are the watchmakers saying as it was in their control when Royal Mail lost it?

longshot

3,286 posts

197 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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Did you know the watchmaker was going to post it to someone else to repair?

Also, and I know it is known to happen but HTH do the Royal Mail manage to lose a parcel?

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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I would be asking for the Royal Mail Special Delivery tracking number and seeing what it said on the tracking website.


JustinP1

13,330 posts

229 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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JPJPJP said:
I would be asking for the Royal Mail Special Delivery tracking number and seeing what it said on the tracking website.
Indeed.

Sounds strange to me. So strange I'd say it could be bks and they lost it.

matchmaker

Original Poster:

8,463 posts

199 months

Friday 19th June 2015
quotequote all
longshot said:
Did you know the watchmaker was going to post it to someone else to repair?

Also, and I know it is known to happen but HTH do the Royal Mail manage to lose a parcel?
No - I put it in to them as they are a long established watchmaker. I did not expect them to send it away. If I had, I would have put it in to the jewellers that my wife uses for getting her Swiss watch serviced. It has managed to travel to Rotary twice without getting lost - and in monetary terms it's worth a hell of a lot more than my dads!


As for losing a parcel - Special Delivery is supposed to be tracked. I'm going to get the tracking number and see what happens...

JustinP1

13,330 posts

229 months

Friday 19th June 2015
quotequote all
matchmaker said:
longshot said:
Did you know the watchmaker was going to post it to someone else to repair?

Also, and I know it is known to happen but HTH do the Royal Mail manage to lose a parcel?
No - I put it in to them as they are a long established watchmaker. I did not expect them to send it away. If I had, I would have put it in to the jewellers that my wife uses for getting her Swiss watch serviced. It has managed to travel to Rotary twice without getting lost - and in monetary terms it's worth a hell of a lot more than my dads!


As for losing a parcel - Special Delivery is supposed to be tracked. I'm going to get the tracking number and see what happens...
Through my business over the last 15 years we've sent out literally thousands of parcels. A good proportion by Special Delivery.

Not only has one never been lost, I've never known a Special Delivery not be delivered the day it was due (once it was delivered at 1.10pm so ten mins late).

I think it is more likely that they've misplaced it, and are blaming RM. The next issue is that if they've spun you some yarn, the tracking number they give you, you won't know if the parcel they sent actually had your Dad's watch in it.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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JustinP1 said:
Through my business over the last 15 years we've sent out literally thousands of parcels. A good proportion by Special Delivery.

Not only has one never been lost, I've never known a Special Delivery not be delivered the day it was due (once it was delivered at 1.10pm so ten mins late).

I think it is more likely that they've misplaced it, and are blaming RM. The next issue is that if they've spun you some yarn, the tracking number they give you, you won't know if the parcel they sent actually had your Dad's watch in it.
But if they actually provide a number, then the PO will either prove that it was delivered or they'll not be able to. If the former, it will be quite clear what was was delivered and where


Mr GrimNasty

8,172 posts

169 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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They don't appear to be particularly valuable, but like you say, it's not the money.

Keep an eye on ebay, you never know.

elanfan

5,516 posts

226 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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If you're sure it was Special Delivery then RM have got a lot of questions to answer as SD are virtually handed person to person and signed for at each stage. When speaking to RM you want to know where in the system it has been lost. I'd say the number of SD that get lost are very very few indeed. I'd suspect something else rather than SD initially. Tracked is just not very good and could be lost anywhere in te system after posting.

You want some answers from the jewellers -make sure they admit responsibility for it and not just try to fob you off on RM. they should not have sent it away without your permission.

JustinP1

13,330 posts

229 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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REALIST123 said:
JustinP1 said:
Through my business over the last 15 years we've sent out literally thousands of parcels. A good proportion by Special Delivery.

Not only has one never been lost, I've never known a Special Delivery not be delivered the day it was due (once it was delivered at 1.10pm so ten mins late).

I think it is more likely that they've misplaced it, and are blaming RM. The next issue is that if they've spun you some yarn, the tracking number they give you, you won't know if the parcel they sent actually had your Dad's watch in it.
But if they actually provide a number, then the PO will either prove that it was delivered or they'll not be able to. If the former, it will be quite clear what was was delivered and where
Good point, well made!

Gareth79

7,628 posts

245 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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I'd agree that everything I've heard from RM employees is that SD stuff is handled extremely carefully and everybody takes it far more seriously than anything else.

duckwhistle

276 posts

150 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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Get the tracking info and check it out, find out who the watch was sent to and why ie new hairspring ,balance staff, escapement problem, replacing jewels etc and check up with them. There are few specialists left in the trade now and proper Watchmakers are thin on the ground. What alerts me is that no proper Watchmaker would ever send a complete watch. The bare movement only, cleaned and oiled is sent to a specialist. So at worst a movement could be obtained and fitted should a loss occur or the movement scrap. The customer would receive back his original case,dial hands and strap just with a new 'engine'.
Horology is a small world and we all know each other. I suspect a cover up, any so called Watchmaker who cannot repair an Astral in house needs avoided. Create a major fuss, most of my work is vintage & sentimental stuff so I know exactly how you feel about this. When having a valued Watch or Clock repaired always ask if you can visit the workshop,any bluff ,walk away.
Meanwhile don't panic, it may well turn up as Sd is totally reliable. A well known trade specialist has moved recently so the watch may be stuck between addresses. Any loss in the Sd system is checked out, the PO investigators make the KGB look like Teddy Bears.

Stinkfoot

2,243 posts

191 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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The SD tracking number is the key here. I just hope the company did not try a fast one and only sent it signed for.

egor110

16,818 posts

202 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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Once you get the special delivery number you can fiñd out where and what time it was delivered , who signed for it and royal mail will know which postie delivered it.

If the watch companny won't give you the number I doubt very much it even got posted.

slyelessar

359 posts

107 months

Friday 19th June 2015
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Mojo sent dude.

I probably would have taken the thing somewhere myself to get fixed, but in this day and age, convenience always seems to be a viable option.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

30,230 posts

234 months

Saturday 20th June 2015
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slyelessar said:
Mojo sent dude.

I probably would have taken the thing somewhere myself to get fixed, but in this day and age, convenience always seems to be a viable option.
But he didn't know the repairer was going to sub contract.

As said, OP, your beef is with the repairer with whom you have the contract. The fact they employed 2 x sub contractors (the actual repairer & RM) is their responsibility.

As also said, the key for your supplier is to check the tracking with his supplier. It may yet not even be RM problem. (Wrong address on label etc)

Good luck!

Edited by 2 sMoKiN bArReLs on Saturday 20th June 07:36

slyelessar

359 posts

107 months

Saturday 20th June 2015
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My bad!

Mojo still sent.

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

116 months

Saturday 20th June 2015
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longshot said:
HTH do the Royal Mail manage to lose a parcel?
Let me know when you are free for an hour and will explain about the birds and the bees.