One for the watch heads amongst you........
One for the watch heads amongst you........
Author
Discussion

PIGINAWIG

Original Poster:

2,339 posts

196 months

Tuesday 9th August 2011
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Afternoon people,

I purchased a new Raymond Weil watch for the good lady Mrs Pig for Christmas - ie, 7 months or so ago. The watch was purchased online from quite a big retailer - it turned up in good time (pun intended) and all has been well. It is a slim ladies metal watch and bracelet.

About 6 weeks ago, my Mrs noticed that 2 x numerals had detached themselves from the dial and were now 'floating' about within the watch. I contacted the watch supplier and they said to send it back for repair - all under warranty. They have had the watch for over five weeks and Emailed me today saying that their authorised watch repairer have said the damage is to be paid for by me - circa £120.00 and that the damage to said watch is our fault for knocking/abusing the watch.

This is complete fabrication - the watch is in A1 condition with no marks present at all - never been dropped etc. Can anyone on here advise on my next steps with the retailer? I kind of lost it on the phone to the supplier earlier, which will have done me no good at all - but their attitude was that if I won't pay, they'll return it to me still broken or can crush it and dispose their end.

I'd dearly love to name and shame etc........but it's early days yet.....

Anyone care to offer up some good advice? I won't be buying Raymond Weil ever again or dealing with the well known supplier. Their attitude is quite astonishing.

I'll post up a new thread shortly 'what watch to get the other half' as a replacement is obviously on the cards. I'm more annoyed that it's got sentimental value - the value of the watch is approx £500.00. I won't claim on my house insurance as that just pushes the premium up for others.....

Over to the watchers.... judge

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

229 months

Tuesday 9th August 2011
quotequote all
You might have to suck it up.

I had exactly the same problem with a seller WRT a Seiko which their engineer claimed had been bashed about despite the case being unmarked and me knowing for a fact it hadn't. It was also a ladies divers watch so *should* be more robust than a costume watch.


Tanguero

4,535 posts

232 months

Tuesday 9th August 2011
quotequote all
A good BHI registered repairer should be able to sort that out for you at reasonable cost. Try here for an approved one in your area http://www.bhi.co.uk/repairer.html

PIGINAWIG

Original Poster:

2,339 posts

196 months

Wednesday 10th August 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies fellas.

Thought I may be on to a loser with the supplier.......

rog007

5,832 posts

255 months

Wednesday 10th August 2011
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Stop!

SoGA provides you the consumer with protection against shoddy goods; read it and apply it as it does work. Write to the company demanding repair, replacement or refund. Copy letter to watch manufacturer head office, your cc company, local trading standards (local to you and dealer) and find out if dealer is part of a larger organisation/group and copy to them too. Explain your rights under SoGA and, in my experience, you will get a pretty sharp resolution.

Assuming you paid by cc (everyone should for the protection afforded) then you can claim damages from the card company (and they will cause grief with the supplier to recover their costs).

I would not rollover and allow this sort of dealer practice to endure. Good luck!

sneijder

5,231 posts

265 months

Wednesday 10th August 2011
quotequote all
I'd go straight to the manufacturer, and tell them you don't like the service the dealer is giving.

See if that sticks a rocket up them.

The watch is obviously not performing the task it was sold to do.

andyroo

2,469 posts

241 months

Wednesday 10th August 2011
quotequote all
Ask them to prove to you that the watch has been abused, then call trading standards. Also, let them know that any transgressions will be reported in full to millions of readers.

PIGINAWIG

Original Poster:

2,339 posts

196 months

Wednesday 10th August 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for the input - I'll write to Raymond Weil and express my concerns and see if they can intervene.

As an aside, I took the bike for a spin up to The Casio shop in Covent Garden last night and got the Mrs a nice white G shock to be getting on with.

Unfortunately, she's been window shopping on t'internet and discovered a Breitling.......

.......Feck me, more overtime required........weeping

I'll update this thread and let you know any progress. Thanks chaps, much appreciated beer

kazino

1,596 posts

249 months

Friday 12th August 2011
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Just a though before anyone shoots me down.
Warranty does not cover these kind of wear and tear issues, the only reason they would do something for you would be out of good will and being a large company they don't seem to really care about this. If it was a small independent retailer I'm pretty sure they would help you, as I would if you had purchased something from myself.

You could try telling them that you did not authorise the work to be done and ask for your watch back. If they have already completed the work then they have no right to demand money from you as it is their mistake for going ahead without your confirmation. If they haven't then you can take it back and have it done independently which should cost far less for such a basic job if you have a decent watch repairman. If you don't have such a contact myself or other watch dealers on the forum I'm sure could point you in the right direction. At least you will save money, 120 is very expensive for such a job imho

andyroo

2,469 posts

241 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
kazino said:
Just a though before anyone shoots me down.
Warranty does not cover these kind of wear and tear issues, the only reason they would do something for you would be out of good will and being a large company they don't seem to really care about this. If it was a small independent retailer I'm pretty sure they would help you, as I would if you had purchased something from myself.

You could try telling them that you did not authorise the work to be done and ask for your watch back. If they have already completed the work then they have no right to demand money from you as it is their mistake for going ahead without your confirmation. If they haven't then you can take it back and have it done independently which should cost far less for such a basic job if you have a decent watch repairman. If you don't have such a contact myself or other watch dealers on the forum I'm sure could point you in the right direction. At least you will save money, 120 is very expensive for such a job imho
Regardless of warranty, trading standards protects the customer from events that fall outside of the expected wear and tear, within reason. At no point in a watches life, especially one that is relatively young, should this happen.

andyroo

2,469 posts

241 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
Just to add to the op: as rw are a family owned business they are more likely to want to resolve issues such as this. Also, as belt have been tightened, the manufacturers are becoming increasingly annoyed with the bad service their expensive authorised dealers are giving to customers and so probably won't be too pleased with the service you have received. Most of the manufacturers are shut through august though, so you might be in for a wait.

Laser Sag

2,860 posts

274 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
[quote=kazino]Just a though before anyone shoots me down.
Warranty does not cover these kind of wear and tear issues, the only reason they would do something for you would be out of good will and being a large company they don't seem to really care about this.

SoGA says that the item should be fit for purpose, a watch where the numerals fall off is not fit for purpose and should therefore be repaired or replaced, that is not a case of warranty work.

kazino

1,596 posts

249 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
I agree, but in my experience it is very hard to get any of these guys to pay up, they just keep dragging it out (time wise) until one just gets fed up, so instead of the OP wasting his time might be better to just take it on the chin and have it fixed locally.

andyroo said:
Regardless of warranty, trading standards protects the customer from events that fall outside of the expected wear and tear, within reason. At no point in a watches life, especially one that is relatively young, should this happen.

SVS

3,824 posts

302 months

Saturday 13th August 2011
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I would try asking someone like Trading Standards for advice. You've nothing to lose.

kazino said:
I agree, but in my experience it is very hard to get any of these guys to pay up, they just keep dragging it out (time wise) until one just gets fed up ...
... I've had this experience too. (Though I was happy to persevere, as it annoyed me to have rubbish service from a "reputable" dealer.)