Tag Heuer Servicing Scam?

pbirah

The only thing wrong with it was a flat battery IMO. Really annoyed. What's the best place and what sort of price should I be doing ?

Joe_Horner

Any good local independent watchmker should be able to do the battery and reseal / pressure test for a fraction of the price from the national chains (who mostly send it back to the maker). The other advantage is that you don't have to wait for weeks for it to come back!

As a guide, we do battery and seal / test "while you wait" (well, in about an hour) at a flat rate of £10 regardless of brand and assuming no parts like original crowns (winders) are needed - but we are cheap because of the local economy. Elsewhere you should expect to be around £15 - £25 depending on the area.

Chrissyp

~stinkerbell~ wrote: »

We have 2 Tag Heuer watches in the family. Without fail, for the last 3 battery changes between them, word has come back from Tag that they will also need a £280 service. The first time it happened, one of the watches was just 18 months old.
Have just had my watch sent back to Tag for a battery change 3 years after the last battery change/service - and quelle surprise: 'oh it will need a service'.
Is this a scam on their part? Am I being unfairly suspicious? The reason given this time is 'due to the high consumption of the product'. I bleedin' well wear it every day. I would call this normal consumption.
Anyone else had this problem? This watch is costing me a fortune on top of the original outlay.

I have taken my tag back to goldsmiths jewellers and was quoted £320 for a service and so I asked for a battery change only at £75.
I have received an email from a company called JRL repairs that claim the watch needs a full service to return the watch back into full working order. (£275) I have argued with them and stated that I do not want a service, just a new battery. JRL have claimed that They have been in contact with Tag, who say that they will not change the battery without a service as the battery has leaked into the mechanism. Sounds a bit fishy

maninthestreet

Chrissyp wrote: »

I have taken my tag back to goldsmiths jewellers and was quoted £320 for a service and so I asked for a battery change only at £75.
I have received an email from a company called JRL repairs that claim the watch needs a full service to return the watch back into full working order. (£275) I have argued with them and stated that I do not want a service, just a new battery. JRL have claimed that They have been in contact with Tag, who say that they will not change the battery without a service as the battery has leaked into the mechanism. Sounds a bit fishy

Check out this guy on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/jewldood

geerex

Quite a number of people sending TAG watches off for "battery replacement". Why in Gods name would you buy a quartz watch for upwards of £800?
They do make automatics, no battery required. If you're paying that much for a quartz, you are a mug and just paying for the name.

vuvuzela

geerex wrote: »

Quite a number of people sending TAG watches off for "battery replacement". Why in Gods name would you buy a quartz watch for upwards of £800?
They do make automatics, no battery required. If you're paying that much for a quartz, you are a mug and just paying for the name.

All watches are a status symbol of one kind or another in which you pay for the name. You calling people mugs only reflect badly on yourself...
Quartz ones are simply a more convenient kind than automatics or manual wind ones, particularly if you own several watches and wear them on rotation. I assume you've checked out the price for an automatic service from TAG themselves ? I suspect you'll find it's quite a lot more than a battery change and reseal...

Keep_pedalling

A mechanical watch should be serviced every 3 years (5 year max) and these expensive Swiss electro mechanical jobs should be serviced around the same time (probably every 5 years as they don't have any fast moving components) as the lubrication points will need cleaning and re-oiling.

18 months ago I was looking to get myself a high quality machanical watch as a reward for surviving 60 years on this planet. My first choice would have been a Zenith as my father once owned one, but the prices for any of the big name watches does not represent good value IMO. After a bit of research I decided German manufactures offer far better value, and bought myself a Nomos automatic. Quality and accuracy is up their with the best at a fraction of the cost. A service which includes the mechanism being stripped down cleaned, oiled and replacement of worn parts will be around £200 whereas I understand the likes of Zenith would be more like £700

DCFC79

geerex wrote: »

Quite a number of people sending TAG watches off for "battery replacement". Why in Gods name would you buy a quartz watch for upwards of £800?
They do make automatics, no battery required. If you're paying that much for a quartz, you are a mug and just paying for the name.

Just like certain cars, clothes etc people see them as status symbols.

If it were me Id personally look into how much servicing is and how often it needs to be done.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

When I worked abroad you got a free watch with 200 fags. The fags would last longer than the watch.

geerex

vuvuzela wrote: »

All watches are a status symbol of one kind or another in which you pay for the name. You calling people mugs only reflect badly on yourself...
Quartz ones are simply a more convenient kind than automatics or manual wind ones, particularly if you own several watches and wear them on rotation. I assume you've checked out the price for an automatic service from TAG themselves ? I suspect you'll find it's quite a lot more than a battery change and reseal...

I probably didn't state my point the way that I intended - what I meant was:
Most people who even know a bit about watches would agree that quartz (fully battery powered) are at the low end of the market. I don't get why people would pay £800 for a battery powered watch when that £800 would buy a far "better" watch with a proper automatic movement. All the TAG quartzes are basically Casio watches with a better name.
I do indeed have an automatic TAG, haven't yet had it serviced and I know it will cost £££. That's what you buy into when you buy a timepiece like this though. You don't buy a Bentley then get it serviced at your local grease monkey's garage.
And yes, before we get bogged down in "Rolex vs TAG vs Omega vs Patek Philipe" etc., yes I know even some of these brands aren't all that desirable or ostentatious or whatever.