Hello guys, need abit of advice here. Watchmaker damaged the lugs while trying to open caseback. Watch in question is a constellation 168.010. It’s my second piece and the case is in pretty good condition too. Is there anyway back for the case in terms of repair? He offered to find someone to repair it not quite sure what to do here. So upset about this but he is my regular watchmaker. Should I ask for a full compensation for the watch case?
He was struggling to open the case back. Saw it slipping off a few times from his bench case opener. Upon closer look, the holding legs on his case holder are super worn Some photos before the lug was bend
It's not your job to find a replacement or a source to fix the issue I would get the watchmaker to post a WTB on every forum around. They are responsible for the damage and thus responsible for the rectification or compensation.
Really sorry that you are experiencing this, for this reason I learned the basic skills to open casebacks, remove hands/dials, after a recent experience I'm going to start removing day/date disks before leaving a movement for service too - sometimes a little blemish is inevitable but it feels better if you're responsible In this case I think any sensible person would grip/vice the case between the lugs and use the lugs only to prevent slipping, but if you watch youtube videos, for example omega enthusiast's, he openly uses a method that will tore the crown away on a slip - as far as I assess, it's very rare to find a soft/kind watchmaker with real patience and it always has a cost that is on par with the cost of the watch If you watch repair youtube videos, you can see how mistreated watches get - but if the movement is seized and full or rust, a hard approach is needed - however that hard approach can do that do a watch too, so you have to assess things carefully (my solution is to not use watches, only collect and only intervene if there's a seized movement etc. or a similar major issue) So all in all, if you are ready to cut ties with the watchmaker asking him to buy the watch from you seems to be the best option, when this happens to me I sell the watch, accept/cut my losses and move on, that's the only way I can get closure
Seeing this watchmaker's work table - I'd run away. Not to leaving him a watch. The best solution for you is to sell the watch to him at the market price and forget about.
agree 100%. Unless that watch has sentimental value, make the watchmaker buy it from you because he damaged it and never use him. That is a ridiculous “accident” and speaks to his overall competence and diligence. Imagine what damage he could do trying to remove the hands? Or take the movement apart?
Most likely when he had the case clamped in the case opening vise, he had the pins that hold the case spaced too far apart. The force ends up being at the very end of the lug, instead of being near the actual case, where it should be...
thanks for the response guys! I have sold the watch to him. didnt recover the full cost but im just glad to move on from this forgettable episode. 2022 resolution: To find a competent and meticulous watchmaker Wishing everyone a happy and blessed new year!
Yeah it is a fact that watchmakers are retiring at a rate far higher than the number of new watchmakers getting into the trade. The fact is that most younger people would rather go into professions that use mostly keyboards than ply a trade. Quite a sad state of affairs.
