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Beware Undone micro brand-- cases locked

Syrte
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Hi everyone,

An « Undone » watch I really liked for what I thought was its good value/ quality is now causing a headache, the case is locked so tight that a watch seller/ repair shop near my vacation site couldn’t open it for a simple battery change.

Sure enough I now have a couple of thankfully discreet scratches.

While my own watchmaker is on vacation, I contacted Undone asking for help.

They replied the following:
«A special tool is used to open the case back , I would recommend to return the watch back to us rather than going to a local watchmaker.
The battery replacement would be 50USD and that includes the repair charge and 1-way freight. Plus the assurance that we will return your watch with a good quality.

Thank you.
Regards,
M
Customer Success Specialist


Needless to say this cost seems highly excessive for a 280 euros watch. By comparison Hermes charges 40 euros for a battery change at its Paris flagship/ headquarters on 24 rue du Fbg Saint-Honore.

But also deceptive to bait customers without disclosure in such a way.

I see on WatchUseek some guys had the same problem, and succeeded in prying the case open with hammers and sharpened tools- I will recommend the same when I bring it to my watchmaker, but that is the last of the Undone watches for me.

Curious how much of a following they have built by now.
Edited:
 
IMG_0613.jpeg IMG_0614.jpeg
Syrte
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Not that I’m aware. If people have succeded using blade and hammer I suppose not.
 
dsio
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Doesn’t exactly bode well if they go out of business and the watches are all left unsupported
 
Pastorbottle
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Undone eh? Well that appears to be the crux of the problem………the bloody thing can’t be undone!
 
Syrte
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Pastorbottle Pastorbottle
Undone eh? Well that appears to be the crux of the problem………the bloody thing can’t be undone!
👍
 
Archer
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I'm sure a proper watchmaker could open this without too much trouble. We deal with snap on case backs all the time and I have a variety of tools for opening them.
 
redpcar
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There's a bunch going on with that movement. 2 jewel, 2 hand Japanese movement and it's pretty large.
upload_2023-8-14_7-8-2.png
 
Syrte
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Archer Archer
I'm sure a proper watchmaker could open this without too much trouble. We deal with snap on case backs all the time and I have a variety of tools for opening them.
That would be good news and I must admit I violated my own rule of never bringing a watch to an unknown watch repair shop. However I suspect many people might get caught, and that doesn’t seem right.

Perhaps they’re trying to tap into the market of the modern luxury watch buyers who are used to sending in their watch for service at a usually inflated price, and for whom this is all small change for a trinket.

The press they promote on their mailings certainly is in line with that, but they also purport to provide quality.
Edited:
 
IMG_0621.png IMG_0620.png
Syrte
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redpcar redpcar
There's a bunch going on with that movement. 2 jewel, 2 hand Japanese movement and it's pretty large.
upload_2023-8-14_7-8-2.png

Meaning? I don’t know much about Quartz movements I must say but I seem to recall it was supposed to be relatively good quality, and Seiko based?
These are the specs published on the web site- which I believe are the same as for other 34mm time only two hand watches they have, mostly for women:

MOVEMENT
Japanese TMI VH31 Quartz with Sweep Second Hand
WARRANTY
12 Month Warranty from purchase date
DIMENSIONS
Case Width - 34mm excl. crown Case Thickness - 11mm incl. crystal
WATER RESISTANCE
30M
MATERIALS
Case - 316L Stainless Steel Lens - Hardened Domed K1 Crystal

2002_dimension_urban34mm_01_dae8cefa-f76b-4bb2-9c51-cb630ff475a8.png
 
JimInOz
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Syrte Syrte
Meaning? I don’t know much about Quartz movements I must say but I seem to recall it was supposed to be relatively good quality, and Seiko based?
These are the specs published on the web site- which I believe are the same as for other 34mm time only two hand watches they have, mostly for women:

MOVEMENT
Japanese TMI VH31 Quartz with Sweep Second Hand
WARRANTY
12 Month Warranty from purchase date
DIMENSIONS
Case Width - 34mm excl. crown Case Thickness - 11mm incl. crystal
WATER RESISTANCE
30M
MATERIALS
Case - 316L Stainless Steel Lens - Hardened Domed K1 Crystal

2002_dimension_urban34mm_01_dae8cefa-f76b-4bb2-9c51-cb630ff475a8.png

The movement is a medium grade Seiko caliber made by a number of Seiko companies, In this case, TMI which is essentially a Seiko company based in Hong Kong.

Nothing really wrong with it and it is well suited for the level of watches it's used in.
 
Larry S
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I have a water resistant Timex field watch .. my watchmaker charges $50 for battery and pressure test. I’m ok with that. Less for changes for non water resistant cases.
 
redpcar
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Nope. Nothing wrong with it at all. Didn't realize it was part of their 'Mechaquartz' family. That cool feature is wasted on this one because there is no second hand.
upload_2023-8-14_9-7-11.png


Back to the case. I could see how this one could be a PIA given the heft of the back and also snap type.
Another company that always irked me was Shinola. Why they have to make some of them puzzles to get into is irritating. Fossil historically have very tight backs, too. My $.02 of battery changing rant.
 
Syrte
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redpcar redpcar
Nope. Nothing wrong with it at all. Didn't realize it was part of their 'Mechaquartz' family. That cool feature is wasted on this one because there is no second hand.

Agreed, it’s a bit of a pity.
Larry S Larry S
I have a water resistant Timex field watch .. my watchmaker charges $50 for battery and pressure test. I’m ok with that. Less for changes for non water resistant cases.
I understand prices for watchmaker services may vary in different markets and the one you’re in is clearly different from mine. If I had suspected remotely that cost would have been involved I simply would not have purchased and I think people should be informed if such an expense is on the horizon.
 
RevZMan123
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Don't they sell a tool for this?

6138g3V6AAL._AC_SL1001_.jpg

I wouldn't use the cheap chinese version from amazon as all the reviews tend to say the blades are garbage, but a quality horotec or bergeon should be reliable.
 
Syrte
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RevZMan123 RevZMan123
Don't they sell a tool for this?

6138g3V6AAL._AC_SL1001_.jpg

I wouldn't use the cheap chinese version from amazon as all the reviews tend to say the blades are garbage, but a quality horotec or bergeon should be reliable.
@JimInOz posted a similar tool in another thread which is a Horotec and I suspect it must be good quality as it costs 479 euros or so on Amazon.
If my watchmaker doesn’t have one, unfortunately the price is too high for me to consider buying one for him as I otherwise might have been inclined 😉
 
Pastorbottle
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Perhaps could could buy one for yourself, good tools aren’t an expense, they’re an investment
 
Syrte
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Pastorbottle Pastorbottle
Perhaps could could buy one for yourself, good tools aren’t an expense, they’re an investment

For me it would not be a good investment, as I just moved and am painstakingly trying to reduce the number of objects in my home. Packing up all of the watch related items ahead of the move was a sobering experience.
 
Pastorbottle
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I’m starting the moving house process myself on Friday, gonna take @ 6 - 7 weeks, as besides a large hose full of stuff, I have a full automotive and industrial workshop to move as well.
Which will involve trucks, cranes and a small army of my mates who have been volunteered!
The new place has a six car garage which is a step up from the four car garage this place has, but I’ll still be putting up sheds and I’m still looking for offsite storage for the overflow.
It won’t be a sobering experience for me, quite the opposite, as with all my mates about, there will be much whiskey swilling, gotta bribe them somehow, just as well I have a large whiskey collection!
 
Syrte
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@Pastorbottle I can only say « good luck with that ».
I don’t envy you, That’s for sure.
 
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