Is this watchmaker excuse legit?

M'Bob · Mar 31, 2022

I have a cal. 321 Speedmaster out for service at a very esteemed service center, that shall remain nameless for the time being.

The watch was overhauled, sent back to me, parameters all over the place. Sent back, te-adjusted, pics sent, Dally rate good, low amplitude (under 270 in all positions) and beat rate 1.1.

When I asked about it, they said, “These watches get old and worn, and sometimes can’t be brought into spec.”

Question: is that an acceptable explanation? Should a more detailed reason be given? Thanks.

MTROIS · Mar 31, 2022

I call BS!

of course, our resident watchmaker will address this better than I ever could, but if your mainspring is still in working condition, the watch was properly serviced + reassembled + regulated… then it should work properly.

At least this is what happened with my 2998-4: working great (within +/- 5 sec / day or better, nearly 320 degree of amplitude) and passed water test… even if I am not taking it in the pool/ocean.

Edit: and IF a part/parts are too worn, are no longer available (NLA) and do affect time-keeping, then I would expect the watchmaker servicing the watch to let me know what is going on before sending the watch back.

M'Bob · Mar 31, 2022

MTROIS
I call BS!

of course, our resident watchmaker will address this better than I ever could, but if your mainspring is still in working condition, the watch was properly serviced + reassembled + regulated… then it should work properly.

At least this is what happened with my 2998-4: working great (within +/- 5 sec / day or better, nearly 320 degree of amplitude) and passed water test… even if I am not taking it in the pool/ocean.

Edit: and IF a part/parts are too worn, are no longer available (NLA) and do affect time-keeping, then I would expect the watchmaker servicing the watch to let me know what is going on before sending the watch back.

Thanks. Precisely what I was thinking. If there is wear, all parts, or which ones specifically? Where does the problem lie?

STANDY · Mar 31, 2022

M'Bob
Where does the problem lie?

With the watchmaker 😗

JwRosenthal · Mar 31, 2022

Yeah- it’s bullshit, if they just did a CLA, charged you $150 and slapped it back together to get it as close as they can (like I have done with old cheap watches), then fine- you got it as close as it can get without replacing major parts.
But if this was supposed to be a an actual “service”, then there is no excuse for it to not be within factory tolerances- provided they replaced the worn parts.
I would ask for an itemized receipt of parts and labor…which they should provided you anyway along with the parts that were replaced- just like the factory does.

M'Bob · Mar 31, 2022

They sent me this, as if to show, “Hey, great rate, huh?” Really?

Dan S · Mar 31, 2022

I am guessing they may not have attempted to address those issues.

M'Bob · Mar 31, 2022

Dan S
I am guessing they may not have attempted to address those issues.

Still trying to sort out if they think they can..

proximal · Mar 31, 2022

M'Bob
When I asked about it, they said, “These watches get old and worn, and sometimes can’t be brought into spec.”

I would be very unhappy if I was told this after service and not during, when parts could be assessed for replacement.

timoss · Mar 31, 2022

I’ve had to bring watches back for additional work a good number of times after a full service. Never had an objection or excuse from the watchmaker about it, though.

Dan S · Mar 31, 2022

M'Bob
Still trying to sort out if they think they can..

Did you talk to a watchmaker, or someone answering the phone? If the latter, it might just be a standard line that they give when someone complains about the performance of an older watch.

It would be more satisfying to get a more nuanced answer like "that's the best we can do without potentially investing another $500 in parts and time". Of course, it would have been even better if they had given you options before returning it.

ghce · Mar 31, 2022

Time to find a real watchmaker I am afraid.

I get truckloads of 60's watches that have had a hard life serviced they pretty much all come back close to new spec and those that don't I get full disclosure from my WM and that's when it is only parts changes that will effect a cure rather than the results a proper service delivers.

dsio · Mar 31, 2022

If they don’t have 321 parts available to them they probably did what they could and are hindered by that, some companies do have parts but many don’t so that’s a factor.

JwRosenthal · Apr 1, 2022

dsio
If they don’t have 321 parts available to them they probably did what they could and are hindered by that, some companies do have parts but many don’t so that’s a factor.

Agreed- and that’s when the watchmaker calls/emails the client and says that. They seemed to miss that part before they slapped it back together and took his credit card info.

timestamp · Apr 1, 2022

Sorry for the off topic, but this ad that was inserted for me is just too hilarious 😗

M'Bob · Apr 1, 2022

JwRosenthal
Agreed- and that’s when the watchmaker calls/emails the client and says that. They seemed to miss that part before they slapped it back together and took his credit card info.

Exactly. I wouldn’t have thought that was too much to ask…

JwRosenthal · Apr 1, 2022

M'Bob
Exactly. I wouldn’t have thought that was too much to ask…

I had a roofing company do work for me with whom I had no experience, but they came recommended. They were to replace my copper gutters and downspouts in kind with new copper (old ones were 70 years old at the time and HOA mandates same materials as OG).
I came to find out years later that they apparently didn’t have copper hangers, rivets or screws on their truck, and rather than run to the Home Depot which was about 4 miles away, they just used the galvanized hardware they had on the truck.
Had I been informed that they were lacking the copper hardware- I would have gotten it myself or told them to reschedule for another time.
Needless to say the hardware didn’t age well and within 2 years began to fail. The company that did the work wouldn’t return my emails or phone calls so I had to pay another company $1k to redo all the hardware and rehang the gutters and downspouts. Hard lesson learned.

M'Bob · Apr 1, 2022

JwRosenthal
I had a roofing company do work for me with whom I had no experience, but they came recommended. They were to replace my copper gutters and downspouts in kind with new copper (old ones were 70 years old at the time and HOA mandates same materials as OG).
I came to find out years later that they apparently didn’t have copper hangers, rivets or screws on their truck, and rather than run to the Home Depot which was about 4 miles away, they just used the galvanized hardware they had on the truck.
Had I been informed that they were lacking the copper hardware- I would have gotten it myself or told them to reschedule for another time.
Needless to say the hardware didn’t age well and within 2 years began to fail. The company that did the work wouldn’t return my emails or phone calls so I had to pay another company $1k to redo all the hardware and rehang the gutters and downspouts. Hard lesson learned.

That sucks.

Take a look at the timing results after I immediately received the watch. When I showed it to them, they told me to “demagnetize it.” also of note: these were generated with the wrong lift angle of 52 degrees. You would think they would know better..

bombaywalla · Apr 1, 2022

i'm surprised Archer isnt all over this thread as yet!! 😉

and, as I learnt from another recent 321 thread, 321 movements are serviced by Omega in Bienne only for the last 10+ years. And, in North Am, very few people can service 321 because of lack of parts. They have to source them from the open market....
so, maybe you got what was expected....

M'Bob · Apr 1, 2022

bombaywalla
so, maybe you got what was expected....

No my friend, I didn’t get anything remotely resembling my expectation, which was the point of the post.

Is this watchmaker excuse legit?

M'Bob

MTROIS

M'Bob

STANDY

JwRosenthal

M'Bob

Dan S

M'Bob

proximal

timoss

Dan S

ghce

dsio

JwRosenthal

timestamp

M'Bob

JwRosenthal

M'Bob

bombaywalla

M'Bob

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