Problems with a small time Seiko
Discussion
Just looking for some advice or reassurance that my situation is nothing unsusual.
Bought a birthday present for my wife via the internet (from the States - www.chronograph.com) that was the best combination of a list of specifics given to me.
1. My wife drains battery watches with some kind of bizarre force field (batteries can die in about 7-8months, put the watch down and it will restart) so we needed an 'alternative' power source. She's had an Citizen EcoDrive but we decided on an automatic.
2. Needs to be properly waterproof as she's a Civil Engineering lecturer at a university and deals with flumes, pumps and sediment onan almost daily basis. So a 100m WR would be a reasonable figure.
3. Date would be good as she rarely has a mobile phone within reach and just for reference. However, the Citizen had a raised magnifier that got scratched by said flume / gravel so a standard date window was best.
4. From above, saphire glass would be better to withstand the beating it may get.
6. Something that could pass as a form of dress watch and not just a tool watch. This would also preclude mid-size watches and above, so a small form factor.
So you can imagine it's quite a tall order. Long story short, found this: http://www.chronograph.com/store/mli_viewItem.asp?...
Bought in March with a Seiko International Warranty and soon noticed that it was gaining around 15mins a day through normal usage. So I've dropped it into a Local Jeweller (high street, not specialist) who agreed to send it to Seiko for warranty repairs. This was on the 3rd July and the watch dispatched from them on the 4th.
Since then I've had all sorts of flannel from Seiko via a rather appologetic jeweller that Seiko are having problems sourcing the spare parts as it's not a UK model. This was the case up until last week when I gave them a prod to check the status.
A phone call today has produced more problems; Seiko now say that they need to source a new case so it can be resealed properly. Now, I'm not the most knowledgable person with regard to watches but I though that the seal was not necessarily due tot he case but a separate gasket of some form. At least that was the case from my earlier digital watches that could be opened to change the batteries and the thin rubber gasket provided the seal. My (and that of the jewellers) is that they have knackered up the case and are trying to cover it up. The jeweller checked the watch in front of me before dispatch and there was not a problem with the case.
Seiko are now saying it will be a while before they can get the watch back to me and aren't even bothering ot put a timeframe on things. Now I can understand if this was some sort of high end watch, but it's a £100 watch!! What I can't understand is why they are insisting on a lengthy repair when they could simply give me a new watch - much cheaper I would have thought. They did initially mention that a replacement would have to be a UK model, but I bought a US model for specific reasons. Am I within my rights to insist on a like-for-like replacement and sourcing such an item is their problem?
RickH
Bought a birthday present for my wife via the internet (from the States - www.chronograph.com) that was the best combination of a list of specifics given to me.
1. My wife drains battery watches with some kind of bizarre force field (batteries can die in about 7-8months, put the watch down and it will restart) so we needed an 'alternative' power source. She's had an Citizen EcoDrive but we decided on an automatic.
2. Needs to be properly waterproof as she's a Civil Engineering lecturer at a university and deals with flumes, pumps and sediment onan almost daily basis. So a 100m WR would be a reasonable figure.
3. Date would be good as she rarely has a mobile phone within reach and just for reference. However, the Citizen had a raised magnifier that got scratched by said flume / gravel so a standard date window was best.
4. From above, saphire glass would be better to withstand the beating it may get.
6. Something that could pass as a form of dress watch and not just a tool watch. This would also preclude mid-size watches and above, so a small form factor.
So you can imagine it's quite a tall order. Long story short, found this: http://www.chronograph.com/store/mli_viewItem.asp?...
Bought in March with a Seiko International Warranty and soon noticed that it was gaining around 15mins a day through normal usage. So I've dropped it into a Local Jeweller (high street, not specialist) who agreed to send it to Seiko for warranty repairs. This was on the 3rd July and the watch dispatched from them on the 4th.
Since then I've had all sorts of flannel from Seiko via a rather appologetic jeweller that Seiko are having problems sourcing the spare parts as it's not a UK model. This was the case up until last week when I gave them a prod to check the status.
A phone call today has produced more problems; Seiko now say that they need to source a new case so it can be resealed properly. Now, I'm not the most knowledgable person with regard to watches but I though that the seal was not necessarily due tot he case but a separate gasket of some form. At least that was the case from my earlier digital watches that could be opened to change the batteries and the thin rubber gasket provided the seal. My (and that of the jewellers) is that they have knackered up the case and are trying to cover it up. The jeweller checked the watch in front of me before dispatch and there was not a problem with the case.
Seiko are now saying it will be a while before they can get the watch back to me and aren't even bothering ot put a timeframe on things. Now I can understand if this was some sort of high end watch, but it's a £100 watch!! What I can't understand is why they are insisting on a lengthy repair when they could simply give me a new watch - much cheaper I would have thought. They did initially mention that a replacement would have to be a UK model, but I bought a US model for specific reasons. Am I within my rights to insist on a like-for-like replacement and sourcing such an item is their problem?
RickH
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