Breitling damaged by shop
Discussion
Hi,
my Wife's watch needed a new battery, took it to the local watch hospital chain and asked them if they could replace it, 'sure' they said, it'll take an hour.
An hour later I went back to be told that the back was too tight for their equipment to get it off so would need to be sent to their workshop, it'll take about a week to come back.
Cautious I agreed, 2 weeks later they called to say it was ready and all good.
I turn up at the shop, he passed it over and went to charge me, at this point I turned it over and looked at the back.
They've obviously tried to open the back by hitting a screwdriver along the edge to top tap it open, then slipped and scratched the back. You can see he'd made at least two attempts at this. - https://www.dropbox.com/s/swek66hx6b9511v/IMG_4498...
It was also clear that he was hoping I'd not spot it until after the transaction was complete where he could then deny responsibility. They've taken it to be repaired and insist that 'it'll buff out', they were quite rude with me.
In my view it needs a new back but it'll need Breitling to etch the correct serial number into it.
I'm really quite annoyed at all of this, hopefully they'll do the decent thing and sort it but given their method of opening a back I think it's going to be a struggle.
I took pictures before I gave it to them, and when they took it so can easily evidence that they did it.
So just a word of warning if you have a nice watch that needs a battery.
The watch if interested - https://www.dropbox.com/s/pp2jt90ntgqt40v/IMG_4500...
my Wife's watch needed a new battery, took it to the local watch hospital chain and asked them if they could replace it, 'sure' they said, it'll take an hour.
An hour later I went back to be told that the back was too tight for their equipment to get it off so would need to be sent to their workshop, it'll take about a week to come back.
Cautious I agreed, 2 weeks later they called to say it was ready and all good.
I turn up at the shop, he passed it over and went to charge me, at this point I turned it over and looked at the back.
They've obviously tried to open the back by hitting a screwdriver along the edge to top tap it open, then slipped and scratched the back. You can see he'd made at least two attempts at this. - https://www.dropbox.com/s/swek66hx6b9511v/IMG_4498...
It was also clear that he was hoping I'd not spot it until after the transaction was complete where he could then deny responsibility. They've taken it to be repaired and insist that 'it'll buff out', they were quite rude with me.
In my view it needs a new back but it'll need Breitling to etch the correct serial number into it.
I'm really quite annoyed at all of this, hopefully they'll do the decent thing and sort it but given their method of opening a back I think it's going to be a struggle.
I took pictures before I gave it to them, and when they took it so can easily evidence that they did it.
So just a word of warning if you have a nice watch that needs a battery.
The watch if interested - https://www.dropbox.com/s/pp2jt90ntgqt40v/IMG_4500...
That'll polish out, but it'll have to go to a watchmakers. Assuming they refuse/are unable to do it themselves, I'd maybe get quotes on a polish and ask them to foot the bill. Looking at the mark, I'd guess it's probably been a Jaxa type tool that has slipped while they've tried to take it off.
Ouch.
Glaz is right that will polish out without a visible trace if done properly but, if they were happy to return it like that in the first place (presumably having been inspected at least twice - once leaving the workshop and once arriving at the retail place), I'd be concerned about their ability to do it. Mistakes do happen (we're all only human) but that should have been corrected before you saw it to a standard that you'd never be aware of it.
Just out of interest, did you see it between them saying it was "too tight" and it going to the workshop? It may be that causing that damage is how they discovered it was "too tight" in the first place and the workshop are blameless - in which case you have a fighting chance of them being able to correct it properly.
Glaz is right that will polish out without a visible trace if done properly but, if they were happy to return it like that in the first place (presumably having been inspected at least twice - once leaving the workshop and once arriving at the retail place), I'd be concerned about their ability to do it. Mistakes do happen (we're all only human) but that should have been corrected before you saw it to a standard that you'd never be aware of it.
Just out of interest, did you see it between them saying it was "too tight" and it going to the workshop? It may be that causing that damage is how they discovered it was "too tight" in the first place and the workshop are blameless - in which case you have a fighting chance of them being able to correct it properly.
Yeah I asked that if the workshop had the ability to fix it then why didn't they.
He said that they'd not have known to do so.
But why, if they'd damaged it.
'because it would have been me that did it'
nearly dragged him over the counter!
if it's fixed then fine but I can't see it buffing out as it's a really deep scratch, plus there's the dent on the side down where he made his first attempt, both would need filling with something.
He said that they'd not have known to do so.
But why, if they'd damaged it.
'because it would have been me that did it'
nearly dragged him over the counter!
if it's fixed then fine but I can't see it buffing out as it's a really deep scratch, plus there's the dent on the side down where he made his first attempt, both would need filling with something.
Terrible!
I had a similar issue with a Titanium pocket watch that was a gift from the then girlfriend. Whilst not expensive in the league of watches, it was very special and as a student expensive to me.
Local jewellers used a screwdriver or similar ringer the back off. When I confronted them for an apology I was just told: "Prove it." And "What do you think we can do anyway."
I had a similar issue with a Titanium pocket watch that was a gift from the then girlfriend. Whilst not expensive in the league of watches, it was very special and as a student expensive to me.
Local jewellers used a screwdriver or similar ringer the back off. When I confronted them for an apology I was just told: "Prove it." And "What do you think we can do anyway."
Sounds like an interesting event I had with a major high street chain. Bought a watch for Mrs JM some 8+ years ago, from said High street chain. Always had watch batteries changed by them. One battery change came within one year of the last and they agreed to change it but suggested a service was required. Three weeks after they had the watch they called to tell my wife that the manufacturer (their workshop I am guessing) said that the face had cracked and needed replacing (suggesting wifey had dropped it). The cost was going to be £1089 (I paid £1150 for the watch!). I asked them to send it back as they were undoubtedly talking bollo!
Long story short...with the help of Variomatic (thanks geez) we established that the face was not cracked at all but it was scratched on the face between the 2 and 3 hour marks. WTF?!! A frank exchange of views and a mention of fraud brought things back into line and we took a brand new, multi-diamond watch which was worth (retail) almost three times what I paid for the original one 7 years before.
Again, all thanks to Vario and a modicum of calmness on my part when reminding the store that the damage could only have been caused by them and the fraud word (they could ahrdly deny that it was extremely sharp practices being used and I am sure that others will have suffered this too!). To be fair, they came good in the end and wifey is happy. All's well etc.
Long story short...with the help of Variomatic (thanks geez) we established that the face was not cracked at all but it was scratched on the face between the 2 and 3 hour marks. WTF?!! A frank exchange of views and a mention of fraud brought things back into line and we took a brand new, multi-diamond watch which was worth (retail) almost three times what I paid for the original one 7 years before.
Again, all thanks to Vario and a modicum of calmness on my part when reminding the store that the damage could only have been caused by them and the fraud word (they could ahrdly deny that it was extremely sharp practices being used and I am sure that others will have suffered this too!). To be fair, they came good in the end and wifey is happy. All's well etc.
Squadrone Rosso said:
Unbelievable! Timpsons watch shop did a much smaller but similar scratch on my Seiko daily. I was gutted.
As said above, it'll buff out easy enough with care but I'm not sure I'd trust the bellends who damaged it in the first place.
Timpsons tried to put the back of my mothers no name cheapo quartz watch back on with a vice and shattered the glass, after a battery change, and then tried to charge her for the new glass!As said above, it'll buff out easy enough with care but I'm not sure I'd trust the bellends who damaged it in the first place.
Update, got the watch back today, they've buffed the scratch out, there are still the dinks on the edge of the back but they're less obvious. Given that it's a 10 year old watch I decided to let it slide as they wanted 2 months to order a replacement back.
The guy who damaged it was all huffing and puffing when he saw me with his arms folded, fortunately he didn't serve me and the other guy was fine and polite.
The guy who damaged it was all huffing and puffing when he saw me with his arms folded, fortunately he didn't serve me and the other guy was fine and polite.
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