Tag Heuer Servicing Scam?

pbirah

I was advised similar from Tag that my watch would need a service. I had it sent back to me, took it down the local jewellers and got it done for a fraction of the cost

~stinkerbell~

Well my Tag is going strong and I love it. But but but...

...shocking battery change situation last Summer. Dropped it into Emson Haig in July and the battery change took 3 months. They had to send it to Lakeside (Essex). I have no idea why it took so long

I am one to kick up a polite and pleasant fuss but I was going through some hard knock life stuff of the illness variety so I didn't make a stink.

Amazingly they didn't offer a service this time.:j

Joe_Horner

geerex wrote: »

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.

As someone who knows rather a lot about watches, it really isn't that simple. There are some extremely high end quartz watches out there, just as there are some really cheap and nasty automatics.

In fact, with any of the big luxury brands you're paying a heavy "name" premium regardless of whether you buy quartz or mechanical. Unless you go either extreme high end or very small niche brands that you probably haven't heard of, auto movements are just as much a product of the production line as quartz are.

Lots of design, tooling and set-up costs but minimal cost per unit coming off the line. The core Swiss ETA movements have been in production for 30 + years now, so the design, tooling and so on have been paid for long ago. That leaves essentially materials cost for each one produced - how much scrap brass do you suppose there is in a watch movement?

noirre

Having worked at a jewellery store where changing batteries was part of the repertoire, how often a watch needs servicing is determined by two factors.

1. How well the watch has been made
2. How well the watch has been kept

There are people that sleep with their watches on (if you do this, seriously, don't) and never clean them - you would be surprised how fast the dead skin, sweat and dirt from your wrist finds its way into your watch. Then again, a very well made watch resists this. However, there are a lot of expensive watch brands that for example are sold as watertight, but after they have had their battery changed, they will leak a bit - this is because many places do not have the specialized equipment the manufacturer uses to make the watch completely watertight. I would not be surprised if a watch sent to the original manufacturer for a battery change will come back saying "it needs servicing" because they actually want to charge you extra to re-seal the watch.

Of course, this is just speculation, as I have not worked for the manufacturer side. But from what I know of watches in general, it could very well be the case.

Hoochy08

Tag recommend a service every two years you should have been told this when you bought it I was but it is just a recommendation I have had mine 4 years and it's fine without a service.

takman

I can't believe people are paying thousand's of pounds for a watch!. This is supposed to be moneysavingexpert.

I have a nice Digital Casio Watch that is waterproof and shock resistant, it charges itself by solar panel so never needs a new battery and sets the time every night using the radio time signal so it is extremely accurate. All this and it costs the same amount as what you lot are paying for a battery change lol.

[Deleted User]

Hi guys,

My Tag is in dire need of a battery, the second hand is jumping every five seconds

Can anyone recommend me a good agent that can change the battery and then re-pressure test as I wear the watch regularly when diving.

Hoping to keep it under a £100.

Thanks.

pimento

All this reminds me of the old adage.. "A man with a watch knows the time. A man with two watches is never quite sure".

Exemplar

rswatchrepairs.com do a brilliant service. £30 for a battery change and around £50 for the service. Ricardo Silva is your man there...