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Need your advice on Cartier service

Alvy Singer
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Hi guys, this is a long story full of anger and frustration so I keep it short to better seek your advice.

Cartier recently serviced my old must de tank (complimentary due to 2021 promotion) and replaced my dial and crown with newer ones of different style/ writings (e.g. swiss vs swiss made) without my permission. Please see picture 1 for watch after service and picture 2 and 3 for photos of the old dial and crown provided by Cartier to me today. They claimed that the cracks on dial were there before service, which I cannot confirm as it is my father’s watch and he doesn’t have a proper wristshot of it and he does not wear it often.

In short, if you are in my shoes, would you tell them to put back the old dial and crown? Your views are much appreciated.
EFB72631-389D-4A9C-8214-75373155854D.jpeg E4F2507C-AE88-47EC-8018-D253523AE089.jpeg 185E41AC-9121-443D-8099-8E91D097BAE4.jpeg
 
Fritz
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Changing out a damaged dial and a crown are pretty standard fare when getting a watch serviced by the maker so no surprise there. You would have to had told them not to alter the watch when to gave it to them the prevent that. At least you were able to get the original components back, often these are made unavailable. ( tossed! )

the cracks on the dial look like normal aging and were likely the reason they swapped the dial out. You could ask them to reinstall the original components but there may be a charge. If it were me I’d store the originals away carefully and have them put back on at the next service.

to me its just a misunderstanding and no real harm has been done as its all easily reversible. Just a pain in the ass.
 
Alvy Singer
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Fritz Fritz
Changing out a damaged dial and a crown are pretty standard fare when getting a watch serviced by the maker so no surprise there. You would have to had told them not to alter the watch when to gave it to them the prevent that. At least you were able to get the original components back, often these are made unavailable. ( tossed! )

the cracks on the dial look like normal aging and were likely the reason they swapped the dial out. You could ask them to reinstall the original components but there may be a charge. If it were me I’d store the originals away carefully and have them put back on at the next service.

to me its just a misunderstanding and no real harm has been done as its all easily reversible. Just a pain in the ass.
Thanks for your comments. So in your opinion, is the old “swiss” dial better than the new “swiss made” dial that putting it back eventually is a sensible choice?

All service will be free of charge including putting old parts back. But I am not sure if they will let me keep the new parts by doing so.
 
Evitzee
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You got a free service on an old watch that isn't particularly high end. Keep what you have.

I'm not sure what you would have expected for a promotion to overhaul your old watch for FREE. If the dial was cracked and crazed replacing it is the normal thing to do.
Edited:
 
Fritz
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I usually don’t care at all about how Swiss Made is set out on the dial, its if it bothers you that counts.

since you’ve been given a free service and now have spare parts for the watch l’d call it a day and worry about getting the old dial refit next time its in. Near as I can tell you’ve come out ahead at this point.
 
Dan S
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The truth is that the only value is sentimental, so I don't think it matters. Do whatever makes you happy.
 
Larry S
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This is why we all ways tell people not to send vintage to the manufacturers, but to independent watchmakers. This was a promotion which probably prescribed procedures. You got a free service and a parts upgrade. Looks great, you have the original dial. Unfortunately, if the purpose of the promo was to get you back into the franchise, it failed in your case.
 
Alvy Singer
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Larry S Larry S
This is why we all ways tell people not to send vintage to the manufacturers, but to independent watchmakers. This was a promotion which probably prescribed procedures. You got a free service and a parts upgrade. Looks great, you have the original dial. Unfortunately, if the purpose of the promo was to get you back into the franchise, it failed in your case.
This is exactly the point and free service does not mean you can do anything you want to the watches. A great lesson learnt re vintage watch maintenance. I fully understand that the watch is not high-end but imagine if they just robotically follow the same procedures every time and do the same to the "high-end" vintage, conversation will head in a quite different direction here I believe. Bottom line is if you change a part that does not look the same as the old one, you ask the customer for permission. And also, Cartier stated in the agreement that the old parts will not be returned back to me, so maybe I need to have a call with them on this.
 
Dan S
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Alvy Singer Alvy Singer
This is exactly the point and free service does not mean you can do anything you want to the watches. A great lesson learnt re vintage watch maintenance. I fully understand that the watch is not high-end but imagine if they just robotically follow the same procedures every time and do the same to the "high-end" vintage, conversation will head in a quite different direction here I believe. Bottom line is if you change a part that does not look the same as the old one, you ask the customer for permission. And also, Cartier stated in the agreement that the old parts will not be returned back to me, so maybe I need to have a call with them on this.

I hope this is a joke. You paid nothing for the service of an entry-level piece in poor condition that you would never have paid money to service, they installed nice-looking authentic parts, you have the old parts ... it's a huge win for you IMO. But instead of being happy, you start a thread to moan about it and now you're going to spend more time on the phone whining to them about it? Why? To establish some sort of principle? To yell at a low-level customer service rep? 🤨
 
Alvy Singer
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Dan S Dan S
I hope this is a joke. You paid nothing for the service of an entry-level piece in poor condition that you would never have paid money to service, they installed nice-looking authentic parts, you have the old parts ... it's a huge win for you IMO. But instead of being happy, you start a thread to moan about it and now you're going to spend more time on the phone whining to them about it? Why? To establish some sort of principle? To yell at a low-level customer service rep? 🤨
This is not a joke to your dismay. And I am not sure about you, I will not yell at low-level cs staff.
 
Canuck
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I think the technician that serviced your watch and saw that it was returned to you in far better condition than it was, should be drawn and quartered! ::rimshot::
 
Waltesefalcon
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Alvy Singer Alvy Singer
This is exactly the point and free service does not mean you can do anything you want to the watches. A great lesson learnt re vintage watch maintenance. I fully understand that the watch is not high-end but imagine if they just robotically follow the same procedures every time and do the same to the "high-end" vintage, conversation will head in a quite different direction here I believe. Bottom line is if you change a part that does not look the same as the old one, you ask the customer for permission. And also, Cartier stated in the agreement that the old parts will not be returned back to me, so maybe I need to have a call with them on this.
Yup, this is standard procedure for watch manufacturers. There have been several threads over the years about people sending their vintage Omega off to Bienne because they felt Omega would do the best service on their watch only to be upset when the watch was returned with a new dial and crown. If I were you I'd be really happy for the free service and new parts and I'd put the old parts someplace for safe keeping.
 
kev1976t
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a free service, and you got to keep the old parts...... winner!
 
vibe
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If you have them put the old parts back on, they will probably keep the new ones. That would be a dumb move.
 
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