A company called Watchfinder.co.uk has my Rare Vintage Omega Seamaster 300 - 165.024
I sent it to them back in December for them to appraise and use as a exchange for another watch I wanted.

The watch they shipped me was damaged in shipment (improperly packaged and under insured at $1,000)I have a letter from FedEx they denied the claim.because of insufficient packaging.
Watchfinder offered me £250 for the damages and inconvenience.I turned down the offer.

They later agreed to refund me my deposit and shipping costs and return my watch to settle.
I shipped the watch back to them at a cost of $328.84.After receiving the watch they would not return my emails fora week?
I filed a Negative review with TRUSTPILOT because of the poor customer service.

When they did respond they stated they felt I had damaged the watch and wanted me to pay £250 before they would return my watch.and wanted the negative review removed.(starting to sound a little like EXTORTION??)

I have filled a fraud complaint with actionfraud.police.uk and have a case number.
I want my watch back but do not trust these people to send them money, they have lied to me twice now.
I have a total of $575.66 out of pocket . Deposit/shipping/customs fee's.

I feel that they are lying to me again and have sold my watch,I have contacted Omega they offered to put the watch in their stolen watch data base.
I have also reported to Trading Standards UK and citizensadvise.org.uk .
They are in violation of "The consumer Rights Act 2015 That gives me a right to return the watch in 15 days for a full Refund.
At this point they will not answer any of my requests, forcing me to take legal action.

There is NO TRUST when you are treated like this in Business!
They take no responsibility for improperly packaging a £7050 watch? Really ?

 

Photo's of the packaging , It was shipped to me in a used box from out of their DUMPSTER!

 

“There are three sides to every story, yours, theirs, and the truth.”

What you say on your review doesn't seem to match with what you say here...



Or with what they say that you asked them to do... help you avoid paying import duties and fees... which is illegal by the way



Given your behaviour on this forum, the shouting, the screaming, the aggression, it's hard to know which side to think might be telling the truth.

As to Watchfinder not being a member of the CTSI... well that's no great surprise, it's a membership body for people that work in government and private sector roles based around consumer protection. Why would a retailer be a member?

Piecing together what little evidence there is, it looks like you didn't want to pay import taxes, got the watch, the box was "damaged", the seller offered some money back to cover the cost of resolving that issue (a new box), and you're so angry about having to pay import tax that you've spit the dummy.

Note that your review on Trustpilot says nothing of "damage", which is surprising, given how much talk about it, and is just you complaining about having to pay duties/tax, and them saying that they refused to break the law so you could avoid paying tax.

Yeah... hard to tell which side to believe.

 

I had never shipped to the UK before when I sent my watch to them I put on the Customs forms Appraisal / Exchange.I wanted them to declare the watch being sent back to me as a "Exchange" because no money changed hands.They insisted it was a Sale.The Trust Pilot review was updated because the real issue now is they have my watch.I don't have a problem paying import tax on something I receive and is not returned.
Watchfinder is the one playing games with the customs system, they paid customs on $1,000 not $10,000 the true value of the watch shipped to them. Keep in mind they do this hundreds of times a day.I have filled a complaint with customs to look at what they are doing.When youlive in a glass house you should not throw rocks. I have Hired a London Attorney to get my watch back and damages. He refers to Watchfinder as "The Knocker boys from Brighton"

 

You sound angry. It's your word against theirs I'm afraid. I've bought from Watchfinder a couple of times before (both over the phone/website and in their boutique) and have absolutely no complaints about the level of service.

 

Also, $328 is a LOT to pay for return shipping. I have sent expensive watches fully insured from the UK to the US for about £50-60. Not sure why it would be so expensive the other way. As for customs charges, UK customs can be overly zealous. It can take time to file claims and so on, but as long as you keep all evidence that it was a return/repair, they will usually refund you. No idea what US customs are like, but I'd imagine fairly similar. Customs duties are always the responsibility of the importer (buyer), not the seller.

 

Sounds like a knowledgable guy, except they're based In Maidstone, Kent. Which is nowhere near Brighton.

 

The watch was a Omega Seamaster SPECTRE Limited Edition only 7007 made. I comes in a large display case weighing over 10 LB. I was quite upset that the Presentation Case was Trashed, A lot of the watches collectible value was in the case. That's why we could not agree on a monetary settlement.The outrageous part is they packaged it in a used box with no padding. In emails to Watchfinder I asked them twice to ensure it was package well, because the dispatcher had the customs worksheet filled out wrong the three numbers have to add up! + sloppily crossed out her mistakes. It concerned me that this person was packaging the watch. I guess she did. The used box (G Star Raw) is a Jeans company? looks like from the labels someone sent their watch to Watchfinder in it.
The Bottom line is this,how you would expect a Large watch company to ship a high value collectible watch valued at £7,050 ?

 

He was referring to their style of praying on Senior Citizens like myself.A little British Humor?

 

I have a letter from FedEx denying the claim for Improper packaging. "Hard Facts material proof"

 

Praying[sic] on senior citizens?

Are you kidding?

You clearly made a deal with them in full knowledge of what you were both trying to sell, and trying to buy, and now it hasn't gone the way you want, you're throwing out "veteran" and "senior citizen" in attempts to make them look like they hunted you down and took the watch out from under your mattress, whilst you cowered in the corner.

Pull the other one, it's got bells on it.

 

I have no dog in this fight. Poor packaging is a pet peeve of mine. Recycling old boxes is a good thing, though that shouldn’t mean scrimping on some basic bubble wrap. It still surprises me the level of packaging I’ve received some watches in.

 

That was an EPIC piece of bubble wrap you had with you yesterday... pro level stuff.

 

Haha! I have an thing for bubbles

 

The "navy veteran on a fixed income" line makes it sound like you're struggling to survive without the $500 you're out of pocket. But you did spend over $7000 on a watch, so things can't be that tough for you?

Look, honestly speaking, if I'd received it like that, I'd be peeved too. I might also want to return it. But I wouldn't expect Watchfinder to cough up over $300 for return postage, and I would also expect to have to apply myself to get the customs fees refunded. As for Watchfinder disputing your refund claim, you have evidence of the unboxing, but I can't help feeling you might have achieved a different outcome with a more friendly approach and not plastering complaints online everywhere (this is also a form of extortion).

 

My Email to Watchfinder about the Dispatch problems with my shipment>As you can see I clearly had concerns.

To

• Amber Wright

CC

• Sean Broom

Message body
Amber, More problems with your Employee Natalia Saolin's work The work sheet she filled out for CUSTOMS states the watch you shipped has 23 jewel movement. The Omega caliber 8400 has a 39 jewel movement.I don't know who trained her but it is becoming very disturbingly obvious she has no knowledge of watches.
Did she package my watch for shipment? and if so did any one check her work? The watch you shipped me is a Limited Edition and its very important that the Box and outer box is not DAMAGED. It would effect the watches VALUE GREATLY.I already brought up concerns to you that FedEx was given the wrong shipping dimensions (6x6x6) and Weight 1.1 LB? This was a early RED FLAG to me that someone does not know what they are doing.
I hope the watch and display box gets here undamaged.
It will be carefully inspected and scrutinized before I sign for it.If anything does not look 100% RIGHT I WILL PHOTOGRAPH THE PACKAGE AND REFUSE THE SHIPMENT!
It will then be returned to you and you can have Sean Broom return my watch.

 

Regardless of the truth of the matter it may be suggestive that the OP has already been ejected from another UK based watch forum for his abusive manner and has also posted a stealth sale for his SM300 on here. I do have sympathy for this situation but I don’t think you are going about resolving it the right way.