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Complain about being hung with a new rope?

  1. chickenman26 Jan 23, 2015

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    I bought a Speedy Day/Date chronometer at a boutique a week before they were discontinued, and it turned out to be out of specs, gaining 9 spd. The folks in the boutique have been great (so far), sending the watch in for warranty repair. One month later, it's back. The repair ticket indicates the SC did a "partial service," whatever that is, and they had to replace unspecified parts - on a 1 month old watch. Hard to tell about the regulation after less than 24 hours, though it definitely isn't gaining outside of specs. However...

    bezel scratch.JPG
    This appears in the photo to be a lot worse than it actually is. Seriously, you can't see it at all, unless the lighting and angle are just right, so neither I nor the boutique staff noticed it. But once I got home and discovered it, my eyes are attracted to it now every time I look at the watch, and it pi$$es me off. I really like the boutique staff and don't want them to think I'm accusing them of anything, but I also don't think I need to put up with this. So, return it for another month long trip to the SC, or live with it? Opinions?
     
    Edited Jan 23, 2015
  2. MarcWinkman Jan 23, 2015

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    I'd say live with it. Little scratches and abrasions are going to happen. When you send it in for its full service in a couple of years, the case and bezel will be polished back to as new condition anyway.
     
  3. chickenman26 Jan 23, 2015

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    True. But I wouldn't mind as much if it were me who did the scratching.
    Based on recent experience with 2 different Omega SCs, I rather doubt it. My old SMP 300M came back looking exactly as when it was sent to them. If they polished it at all, it wasn't evident.

    Stu
     
  4. MarcWinkman Jan 23, 2015

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    That's odd. The last two times my Seamaster Professional was serviced they polished the bracelet and case to very close to new condition.
     
  5. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jan 23, 2015

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    Sorry, have to ask...are you sure that was made at the boutique and not at some point during wear? because without being sure it is not quite fair to put it on them. In any event, you can get some polish and polish it at home (cover the glass on the dial with tape first) it will save you the trip. Or take it to a jeweler to polish, it will take him a second. Or leave it and enjoy the little scars of life.
     
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  6. speedbird Jan 23, 2015

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    Ive put scratches in watches just by looking at them. Its almost certain you made that scratch AMD didn't even realize it
     
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  7. chickenman26 Jan 23, 2015

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    I had the watch only a couple of weeks before taking it back for regulation, and I hardly wore it. But...I fondle that thing with a microfiber and examine it every time I take it off (yes...anal), so I'd have known for sure if it was scratched. Anyhow, it's dropped of now at the boutique, and there was talk of seeing if they took pictures before sending it away. I'm not getting a warm, fuzzy feeling right now, but we'll see how it plays out. FYI, I don't think it was scratched at the boutique and didn't indicate that. I think it happened at the service center. It would have been very easy to miss without close examination.
     
  8. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jan 23, 2015

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    But, for a scratch like that is not worth this much hassle? That was your question more or less. My response is no. It seems completely out of proportion but hey, that's my opinion, it's your watch.
     
  9. yinzerniner Jan 23, 2015

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    @chickenman26
    I think you took the right approach, and if indeed it is quite small there's every reason to think it happened at the service center. Also, while I've heard of service centers suggesting or implementing case repolishing and refinishing, usually that happens on watches that are older, so they probably didn't think to check on a brand new piece before sending it out thinking there's no way it has any cosmetic imperfections due to its age.
     
  10. chickenman26 Jan 23, 2015

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    Completely agree. I paid the boutique tax to get the "new watch experience." Frankly, I've enjoyed my eBay puchases a lot more...a hell of a lot less money, and I don't expect them to be perfect.
     
    Edited Jan 23, 2015
  11. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Jan 23, 2015

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    One thing I would suggest is always taking photos of your watch before you send it in for service to ensure that if something happens you know who did it. I always photograph every watch that comes into my shop to ensure that I don't get blamed for marks that were on the watch when it arrived...it happens.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  12. chickenman26 Jan 23, 2015

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    Thanks, Al. I do have photos, but I couldn't prove they were taken just before dropping off the watch. No time stamps. If they insist I must have scratched it, I'll just take the watch and be done with them.
     
  13. DJP Jan 24, 2015

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    I think you've taken the right approach for your peace of mind. It would have bugged you every time you wore it. Hopefully it'll come back perfect and alls well that ends well.

    Then you'll scratch it. But that's fine, it's your scratch!
     
  14. chickenman26 Jan 24, 2015

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    Well, good news, I think. The SC had pics, and the damage wasn't evident. No mention of whether they took the pics when the watch came in or just before they shipped it back, but they were pointing the finger at me. The boutique went to bat for me, and the watch will ship out Monday. Fingers crossed the SC corrects the problem without screwing up anything else...

    Stu
     
  15. Nactex Jan 26, 2015

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    They should make it right. These are too expensive for them to mess up and point the finger at you. One way or the other they should and probably will make it right. It should not have to be sent off in the first place. The Houston Boutique can time and adjust their watches in house.
     
  16. chickenman26 Jan 26, 2015

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    Bingo! Too bad we don't live in a perfect world.
    That would be great. But this boutique may be Omega's smallest, barely as big as the men's room in the mall. Nice folks, but the highest level of technical competence there appears to be changing spring bars and sizing bracelets.
     
  17. Shem Jan 26, 2015

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    Many, but not all, US Boutiques now have the Boutique Technician program. Technicians can perform a 6-point inspection including a timing/amplitude test, regulation, ultrasonic bracelet cleaning, water resistance test, replacing seals if necessary, quartz battery changes, spring bar replacement, sizing, strap changes, etc., all free of charge. It's pretty fantastic. It doesn't matter if you bought the watch there or not, they'll still be happy to help you. Hopefully they'll eventually expand it to every Boutique.

    Edit: They can also take care of minor cosmetic imperfections, like clasp hairlines, etc.
     
  18. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Jan 27, 2015

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    Just a comment on the boutique technician program, and the specific work done to the watch in this thread. You should know that boutique technicians are not watchmakers. They are people picked from the sales staff at the boutique, who are then put through a 6 week training course only, and then they are allowed to work on watches. In fact the boutique technician program is designed not to increase the staff at the boutiques, but use existing staff, and they are still counted as sales staff. While most of the work listed that they do is very simple stuff (at least for a watchmaker) having them adjust timing on a watch after a 6 week training course might be problematic, in particular if the watch has a free sprung balance.

    Unlike a watch with a regulator, where the rate is adjusted by turning a screw or moving a lever, a free sprung balance requires moving weights on the rim of the balance wheel - at least 2 at a time. If they are not moved the exact same amount, a poise error will be introduced, and positional variation may increase. Not to mention the potential for damage to the balance spring, and in the case of the co-axial, to the escapement if the balance is not handled correctly.

    This work is a long way from swapping a battery or sizing a bracelet.

    Also, the work performed on the watch in this thread was stated as a "partial service" with parts being replaced - this does not fall under the scope of the work done by boutique technicians. A "basic partial service" can include things like replacing seals, pushers, crowns, crystals, dials, hands, etc. It sounds like the watch needed more than just regulation, so I don't really think this was something that should have stayed at the boutique if that's the case.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  19. chickenman26 Feb 11, 2015

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    All's well that ends well. The watch came back from Secaucus today, and it's cosmetically perfect. They replaced the bezel. Now I'll watch it over the next week or so and hope the regulation had the desired effect. Fingers crossed...

    Stu
     
  20. shoota70 Feb 12, 2015

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    I hope it all works out for you.

    As this has never happened to me I have to ask....

    Why not just say "I want to return it for a full refund".

    I don't understand when I read posts about my "brand new watch purchased at the AD/Boutique isn't working." It would be a very cold day in hell before I have a BN watch purchased at the AD go in for service. It just wouldn't happen, ever. If the Boutique/AD gave me a hard time then the credit card company would get a call.
     
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