Discussion
Ahem.
Managed to launch my Engineer Trainmaster at the tiled floor on Friday - the crystal is shot.
Pulled the bezel out so it isn't running (don't think any shards are in there with the hands, but better safe than sorry) - it was ticking before I did this though...
The DLC coating is also a bit worn in places, so wouldn't mind getting that redone, but isn't the end of the world.
So... Send it to Ball (Swisstec according to their site) or get it done by a local jeweller? It is probably a good 4-5 years old now, never skipped a beat, but may benefit from a service I suppose.
My local have done a decent job looking after my knackered old tag, but ideally I would want Ball parts being used, so dunno if that would be a sticking point with them not being a Ball AD or service centre - does using a different crystal (would want to keep the profile the same though) really matter?
Any ideas on cost, and service vs. just a replacement crystal vs. full DLC coating and refresh?
Cheers.
Managed to launch my Engineer Trainmaster at the tiled floor on Friday - the crystal is shot.
Pulled the bezel out so it isn't running (don't think any shards are in there with the hands, but better safe than sorry) - it was ticking before I did this though...
The DLC coating is also a bit worn in places, so wouldn't mind getting that redone, but isn't the end of the world.
So... Send it to Ball (Swisstec according to their site) or get it done by a local jeweller? It is probably a good 4-5 years old now, never skipped a beat, but may benefit from a service I suppose.
My local have done a decent job looking after my knackered old tag, but ideally I would want Ball parts being used, so dunno if that would be a sticking point with them not being a Ball AD or service centre - does using a different crystal (would want to keep the profile the same though) really matter?
Any ideas on cost, and service vs. just a replacement crystal vs. full DLC coating and refresh?
Cheers.
worth doing just for the comedy value of telling people you have a broken ball.
DLC coating can be done by a variety of specialist companies, crystal replacement likewise assuming it's a standard crystal size, and since your watch will be taken apart for the coating and crystal then yes, clean and re-oil the movement.
No experience of Ball for service and repair costs, but I'd guess from an independent about £300 for DLC, £100 for crystal and £100 for service. All in all quite a painful experience.
Just a smidge of advertising here: Tiled floors and knocking against ceramic basins are the most frequent cause of major damage to watches and are exacerbated if you have a hardened steel case as the case won't dent to absorb the impact energy. I had one come back after a similar incident. Total cost to the customer for a new case (he didn't like the small dent the drop caused) was zero. Always check the repairs policy!
DLC coating can be done by a variety of specialist companies, crystal replacement likewise assuming it's a standard crystal size, and since your watch will be taken apart for the coating and crystal then yes, clean and re-oil the movement.
No experience of Ball for service and repair costs, but I'd guess from an independent about £300 for DLC, £100 for crystal and £100 for service. All in all quite a painful experience.
Just a smidge of advertising here: Tiled floors and knocking against ceramic basins are the most frequent cause of major damage to watches and are exacerbated if you have a hardened steel case as the case won't dent to absorb the impact energy. I had one come back after a similar incident. Total cost to the customer for a new case (he didn't like the small dent the drop caused) was zero. Always check the repairs policy!
Cheers, will look into options - fired an e-mail to Swisstec (any experiences with them?) as Ball's designated repair centre. Will also see what my local place say.
Might have a read of my home insurance and see what it says, I know I have some sort of cover outside the home and it does cover watches, but wither or not it covers me being a div I don't know...
Might have a read of my home insurance and see what it says, I know I have some sort of cover outside the home and it does cover watches, but wither or not it covers me being a div I don't know...
Parsnip said:
Cheers, will look into options - fired an e-mail to Swisstec (any experiences with them?) as Ball's designated repair centre. Will also see what my local place say.
Might have a read of my home insurance and see what it says, I know I have some sort of cover outside the home and it does cover watches, but wither or not it covers me being a div I don't know...
If Ball have subcontracted repairs then you can guarantee Swisstec will be looking to maximise their profits. Good point about home insurance as it should cover accidents.Might have a read of my home insurance and see what it says, I know I have some sort of cover outside the home and it does cover watches, but wither or not it covers me being a div I don't know...
Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff