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Brand new Speedmaster damaged by AD - how to proceed?

timmyk86
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Hi everyone! Just thought I'd add the rest of the story to this.

Turns out that Omega only suggested to the AD that they replace it, rather than actually agreeing to replace it themselves. I think that was probably my misunderstanding.

AD put up a fair amount of resistance - they wanted to just replace the case, even felt it appropriate to tell me how much this would cost them to do that. Offered me a watch winder as compensation (great).

That was kind of the final straw for me. Ended up contacting the head office and talking to someone senior. He appeared to agree that what was happening was unacceptable. I promptly got a call back from the store offering to send me a brand new one. I had mentioned that a strap and a buckle would be nice compensation and they offered to send that as well.

So a positive result in the end. New Sapphire Speedmaster + a cordura strap and deployant buckle. Extreme annoyance at the beginning but could definitely have turned out worse. I also have a spare box etc to sell now so that benefits me too!

Thanks for all the input along the way.
Tim
 
3B69F13F-2C1C-49E5-BBB3-F90E2C27BC78.jpeg
cchen
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great resolution! it's quite shocking to me that an AD doesn't know how to change a strap / bracelet properly?
 
sjg22
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Glad this worked out in the end, but nonetheless a bit of a blight on what should have been an entirely positive experience.

Sounds as if head office gave someone a bit of a kicking (rightfully so).
 
Evitzee
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Good outcome, but now the question is, who is going to size your bracelet and change straps going forward? The correct answer, of course, is do it yourself. Good luck.
 
Cenzo
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Reassuring Omega stood up and (eventually) did the right thing. It's hard to get anything done without being persistent. Kudos to you for being so.
 
timmyk86
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sjg22 sjg22
Glad this worked out in the end, but nonetheless a bit of a blight on what should have been an entirely positive experience.

Sounds as if head office gave someone a bit of a kicking (rightfully so).
Yes, I definitely felt a bit like this whilst trying to work it out. But I'm delighted with the new one and that feeling has started to disappear.

Evitzee Evitzee
Good outcome, but now the question is, who is going to size your bracelet and change straps going forward? The correct answer, of course, is do it yourself. Good luck.
Absolutely! The (different) AD I picked the new one up from sized it for me in the shop but didn't take equal links off each side so I just sorted that myself at home. Lesson learnt!

MTROIS MTROIS
A watch winder for a manually-wound movement?? 😕
Blew my mind. To be honest, that was the final straw for me - up until that point I was more or less willing to accept the repair along with reasonable compensation (strap/buckle). But being offered a totally useless and probably value-less watch winder in compensation for my 2 day old £6k watch being damaged and needing a 6 week long repair really pushed me over the edge. Just showed complete lack of consideration and responsibility for the problem they caused. That was my thought anyway.
 
W
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MTROIS MTROIS
A watch winder for a manually-wound movement?? 😕
What else do you suggest them giving you that is of value. They don't have a lot of other options.
 
Lurk41
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Straps, bracelets, watch boxes...

Even if Omega watch winders are made by Swiss Kubik (and cost less than the Swiss Kubik basic version ^^), it is still useless for a Speedy Pro
 
BlackTalon
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MTROIS MTROIS
A watch winder for a manually-wound movement?? 😕
timmyk86 timmyk86
Blew my mind. To be honest, that was the final straw for me - up until that point I was more or less willing to accept the repair along with reasonable compensation (strap/buckle). But being offered a totally useless and probably value-less watch winder in compensation for my 2 day old £6k watch being damaged and needing a 6 week long repair really pushed me over the edge. Just showed complete lack of consideration and responsibility for the problem they caused. That was my thought anyway.
I would have happily accepted their offer to provide me with a butler who could wind my manual watch for me every day.
 
timmyk86
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W Wahlberg
Which other bracelet is there for the current speedmaster?
Well there’s the hesalite version and the Sapphire version of the bracelet. Then there’s the large selection of straps that fit, plus the clasps.

I’m being sent a Cordura strap and 16mm clasp from the hesalite version. I quite like that strap.


BlackTalon BlackTalon
I would have happily accepted their offer to provide me with a butler who could wind my manual watch for me every day.
That might have been enough!
 
KeyWestPaw
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So glad to hear everything turned out right. I would’ve lost my mind if I would’ve gotten my brand new watch back in that condition. Good thing you stayed calm. Going forward, Changing out the straps for bracelets is such an easy task. Use a little tape on the logs and take your time. There are hundreds of videos on YouTube how to do this correctly. I’ve been doing this for years and I’ve gotten very good at it. I like changing out the straps often. I’ve gotten so good at it but I don’t even need my reading glasses anymore! Lol
As mentioned previously it’s harder to get the bracelet spring bars out. If you don’t have a double sided spring bar tool for bracelet specific it could be done with two spring bar tools if you clamp your watch into a case clamp. Like anything it takes practice. Also Mark your spring bars. 19 mm for bracelet 20 mm for strap. If you get that 20 in a bracelet, you’ll never get it out! Be prepared for a couple of scratches.
 
tyrantlizardrex
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cchen cchen
it's quite shocking to me that an AD doesn't know how to change a strap / bracelet properly?

Is it?

Most of the ones in the UK don't have watch makers or technicians in store, so it's down to a sales person.

And not to be overly mean... but... well... yeah. ::facepalm1::
 
S
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99
timmyk86 timmyk86
Hi everyone! Just thought I'd add the rest of the story to this.

Turns out that Omega only suggested to the AD that they replace it, rather than actually agreeing to replace it themselves. I think that was probably my misunderstanding.

AD put up a fair amount of resistance - they wanted to just replace the case, even felt it appropriate to tell me how much this would cost them to do that. Offered me a watch winder as compensation (great).

That was kind of the final straw for me. Ended up contacting the head office and talking to someone senior. He appeared to agree that what was happening was unacceptable. I promptly got a call back from the store offering to send me a brand new one. I had mentioned that a strap and a buckle would be nice compensation and they offered to send that as well.

So a positive result in the end. New Sapphire Speedmaster + a cordura strap and deployant buckle. Extreme annoyance at the beginning but could definitely have turned out worse. I also have a spare box etc to sell now so that benefits me too!

Thanks for all the input along the way.
Tim
Seems like a terrible AD. Glad Omega stepped in and sorted it out.
 
Canuck
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Maybe you should ask the dealer to have the person who scratched your original watch, drawn and quartered!
 
coreym
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28
this is why i always refuse to let any store swap straps for me. They will never put the care into it that you will with your own watch. There are several tools cheap enough to do this yourself and even higher end tools arent that much money. I havn't found a store that has any more skills or experience doing bracelet/strap swaps than doing it myself. It's not like they are getting formal training. Watch some youtube videos and get some tools and try at it yourself.

Get a standard spring bar tool whether the omega one or something like from WornAndWound- https://windupwatchshop.com/collect...p-changing-multi-tool?&variant=12488171094082

or the Bergeon 6767
https://www.esslinger.com/bergeon-6...-EPAGqxx9JPoG_wawAJLAHWfoW9q9KcxoCmYcQAvD_BwE

Or opt for an upgrade tool like the Bergeon 7825 or Horotec springbar pliers
https://www.esslinger.com/bergeon-7825-spring-bar-tweezers/
https://www.esslinger.com/horofix-watch-bracelet-springbar-pliers-band-tool/
 
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