Faulty pocket watch bought on holiday (UK)

forgotmyname

FIL bought a pocket watch from a small jewellers shop whilst on holiday in the UK, He gave it to me yesterday saying it gains 2 hours a day.

Slight exaggeration maybe but i am checking it now, Its gained 8 minutes in 12 hours so far.
Not good for a watch that cost £76.

Checked the manufacturer/importer? guarantee paper in the box and it says return with £5 to cover p&P, insurance and VAT.

I am thinking you must be joking, Pay to send the faulty item back and pay to get another one posted back.

Due to the cost normal recorded delivery is not enough so we need to send it insured for its full value.

Not contacted the shop yet, Is 8 minutes every 12 hours excessive and a valid reason for repair or replacement? It doesnt seem to have any adjustment its sealed into the case, Glass both sides.

Any advice before i phone? What are our rights?

Thanks.

Brooker_Dave

forgotmyname wrote: »

Checked the manufacturer/importer? guarantee paper in the box and it says return with £5 to cover p&P, insurance and VAT.

I am thinking you must be joking, Pay to send the faulty item back and pay to get another one posted back.

For the sake of a fiver is it not worth getting a new one??

maninthestreet

forgotmyname wrote: »

FIL bought a pocket watch from a small jewellers shop whilst on holiday in the UK, He gave it to me yesterday saying it gains 2 hours a day.

Slight exaggeration maybe but i am checking it now, Its gained 8 minutes in 12 hours so far.
Not good for a watch that cost £76.

Checked the manufacturer/importer? guarantee paper in the box and it says return with £5 to cover p&P, insurance and VAT.

I am thinking you must be joking, Pay to send the faulty item back and pay to get another one posted back.

Due to the cost normal recorded delivery is not enough so we need to send it insured for its full value.

Not contacted the shop yet, Is 8 minutes every 12 hours excessive and a valid reason for repair or replacement? It doesnt seem to have any adjustment its sealed into the case, Glass both sides.

Any advice before i phone? What are our rights?

Thanks.

The contract is between your FIL and the shop where he bought the watch, not the importer/manufacturer. Is this a quartz watch?
No watch, not even a wind-up watch should gain so much time in just 12 hours.

purplejac

Id phone the shop and tell them its faulty and ask them to send you a padded pre paid envelope to send it to them the contract is between you and the shop.

adam.mt

The manufacturer/importers guarantee is in addition to your statutory rights, so you don't have to pursue with them to get it fixed.

You should instead take it up with the retailer you bought it from. Since it was bought in person you'd need to return in person or pay for return carriage; since they won't be responsible for this. Other than that you should get a free replacement (including return shipping) or refund.

Equaliser123

adam.mt wrote: »

You should instead take it up with the retailer you bought it from. Since it was bought in person you'd need to return in person or pay for return carriage; since they won't be responsible for this. Other than that you should get a free replacement (including return shipping) or refund.

That's not correct. Purely because it was bought in person doesn't mean to say that the FIL is responsible for return carriage.

OP - suggest you send it back, insured and signed-for (after speaking to them first) and ask for a refund or a replacement. In any event, tell them your costs of returning it and ask for a refund of these charges.

balloo_2

Even the big name watches Casio, Seiko, (I Cant remember which one as its been a while) ask for money for P&P to send it back to you its a con really but its a legal con I asked the trading standards about it. sorry :sad: Would it cost you more than £5 to take it back yourself Thats the question. And if you did take it back they might turn round and say to you that unless you pay they wont look at it or you might have to go back after a week or 2 to pick it up. Sorry to sound like a killjoy but i wanted you to see the full picture.

Equaliser123

balloo wrote: »

Even the big name watches Casio, Seiko, (I Cant remember which one as its been a while) ask for money for P&P to send it back to you its a con really but its a legal con I asked the trading standards about it. sorry :sad: Would it cost you more than £5 to take it back yourself Thats the question. And if you did take it back they might turn round and say to you that unless you pay they wont look at it or you might have to go back after a week or 2 to pick it up. Sorry to sound like a killjoy but i wanted you to see the full picture.

Why is it a 'con'? The manufacturers didn't sell the watch, the retailer did. The manufacturer's guarantee is on top of statutory protections. Not instead of.

forgotmyname

Thanks, Will phone the shop tomorrow and see what they say. I presume what they will say will depend
on how much profit they made on it.

Seen similar watches on ebay from china for under £10 delivered. Its a mechanical watch not a quartz one.
He wanted one & liked the look of it, Be too impatient waiting a week for one to be delivered from china lol.
I was tempted just to buy one from there and swap it over. But cannot find one exactly like it.
Some nice looking watches on there all under £10.

I reset the time this afternoon approx 3pm and its gained 6 minutes already. Its a skeleton style and i
can see what i think is a lever to adjust it, But cannot see anyway of opening it.

Paying to send it back is one thing but asking for payment for them to send a new one was a bit
out of order in my opinion. They might send one thats just as bad. How many times do i send them
back at £10+ a time?

Thanks.

maninthestreet

If it's a mechanical watch, it will have an internal 'Advance / Retard' adjuster. How easy is it to get the back off?

Equaliser123

maninthestreet wrote: »

If it's a mechanical watch, it will have an internal 'Advance / Retard' adjuster. How easy is it to get the back off?

Why tamper with it and potentially invalidate the guarantee?