Relatively New Watch - Not Fit For Purpose??

Terrysdelight

Hi


I really wasn't sure on an appropriate title for my posting. I hope someone can offer advice.


I bought my husband a watch 2 and a half years ago.










Many thanks
Terrysdelight

unholyangel

If the fault is inherent, then it would be up to the retailer to bear the costs involved.

After 6 months from purchase, the retailer may require you to prove it is inherently faulty - usually done via independent report. So speak to whoever sold you it and see if they require such a report - they may agree to look at it themselves for free if you point out they will be liable for the cost of the report if it finds in your favour.

InsideInsurance

What is the fault with the dial?

I'd question a quartz watch ever needing a service and that the whole movement could have been replaced for well under the cost quoted. Actually a quick google shows someone buying one for $35 a couple of years ago and then £25 for a fitter to put it in.

Certainly sounds like someone is just deciding to use returns as a cash cow

Advice on dealing with it under SOGA is as above

Terrysdelight

Thanks. Am going down the SOGA. Need to locate my receipt!!


I am actually thinking I should request the watch is returned before I speak to them about SOGA. I am worried that they may do something to the watch to actually justify it needing a repair, and then, I won't be able to prove it was in good condition before it was sent away for the new battery.


This whole thing doesn't sound right at all. I also put one of my own watches in to the jewellers. Watch is more than 10 years old and I did have a problem with the crown. I asked for it to go to the manufacturers for a repair (TAG Heuer) and was quoted a figure. The shop then said to me, we can send it to our own watch repairer if you like as it will be quicker. I asked how much cheaper and was told 'same price'! Obviously they are pulling the wool over peoples eyes.

DevCoder

You say that a watch does not need servicing every (two and a bit) years, yet my experience with Patek Phillipe indicates they recommend a service every 3-5 years.

Yes, an automatic watch of very high end can be run for 15-20+ years but in the end it depends on whether you want to claim back on a watch manufacturers warranty. If so you abide by their service protocol.

To add
Rotary - At least every 3 years
Omega - Every 3-5 years
Wempe - Every 3 years


An interesting article from a horologist

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f20/how-often-service-watch-watchmakers-view-789280.html

shaun_from_Africa

krisdorey wrote: »

You say that a watch does not need servicing every (two and a bit) years, yet my experience with Patek Phillipe indicates they recommend a service every 3-5 years.

I can understand the reason for getting a mechanical or automatic watch serviced on a regular basis due to the high number or moving parts, pivots and springs that all need lubrication and adjustment to keep them in good condition, but a quartz watch is basically a battery feeding a circuit board with an output from the board going to a tiny stepper motor.
The exceptions to this are the kinetic type watches that have a tiny generator and this may need lubrication depending on how the bearings are made up.

Mid to high end quartz watches will have jewelled bearings like a mechanical watch and these don't need lubrication and as the seals should be changed at the same time as a battery replacement, a regular service for a quartz watch is a bit pointless.

agrinnall

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Mid to high end quartz watches will have jewelled bearings like a mechanical watch and these don't need lubrication and as the seals should be changed at the same time as a battery replacement, a regular service for a quartz watch is a bit pointless.

I'd agree that a regular service is unnecessary, but there are other mechanical parts that may need a service if you want the watch to function properly. I've had my TAG serviced once in the 17 years that I've owned it, because the date wasn't advancing properly and the mechanism for doing that had to be cleaned and lubricated.

Terrysdelight

krisdorey wrote: »

You say that a watch does not need servicing every (two and a bit) years, yet my experience with Patek Phillipe indicates they recommend a service every 3-5 years.

Yes, an automatic watch of very high end can be run for 15-20+ years but in the end it depends on whether you want to claim back on a watch manufacturers warranty. If so you abide by their service protocol.

To add
Rotary - At least every 3 years
Omega - Every 3-5 years
Wempe - Every 3 years


An interesting article from a horologist

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f20/how-often-service-watch-watchmakers-view-789280.html

Most Watches usually only carry a warranty of two years, many just one year. The manufacturers imposing services at such short time scales are just money spinning.


I worked in a Jewellers for several years and watch servicing was part of the trade. I also know for a fact that if a watch was sent back under warranty for a repair by certain manufacturers, they did not do a repair as it was cheaper to simply replace the watch.

Joe_Horner

krisdorey wrote: »

An interesting article from a horologist

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f20/how-often-service-watch-watchmakers-view-789280.html

Yep, Archer knows his stuff (and produces some very nice watches) but he's talking about mechanical watches there. Here's a perspective on quartz servicing from another horologist (me, as it happens ):

As a general rule with quartz movements, for full servicing you can safely leave them until they die or show problems like tight handsetting or date faults.

Unlike a mechanical movement there's no strong, steady pressure on anything from a mainspring - the stepper motor fires once a second for a few thousandths of a second, and the rest of the time all the wheels and pivots are just sitting there with no load on them apart from their own weight.

Also, because the motor has such little torque available, they'll stop as the lubrication degrades rather than grinding on regardless and damaging themselves. That means that a properly jewelled quartz movement will suffer virtually zero mechanical wear. Even many of the cheaper ones, with plastic wheels, pivots and plates, will run for decades without problems.

Finally, on the mechanical side, most quartz movements can be replaced as complete units for less than the time needed to service them. As an example, I can change the movement on most TAG Heuers (non-chrono) for a genuine replacement, with pressure test of water resistance and 12 month guarantee for around £75 + post.

When you consider that servicing one properly will take around 2 - 3 hours it's a close run thing whether servicing or repairing what's there is worthwhile financially! Even most quartz chronograph movements can be replaced on the same basis for around £120 - £150.

Water resistance is a little different. Seals will degrade but even a degraded seal will tend to keep water out until it's disturbed somehow.

Glass seals (usually hard nylon) are relatively immune to ageing and don't get disturbed anyway. Back seals (usually rubber, sometimes nylon) may age but they're only usually disturbed during battery changes and it's very rare indeed for one to fail in between those. Crown (and chrono pusher) seals are rubber and by far the most likely point for a leak to "spontaneously" develop because they'll wear, harden with age, and also get disturbed every time you operate the crown or chrono.

For a quartz watch, the only time most people operate the crown is at the end of February, April, June, September and November to move the date on and March and October when the clocks change. That's very little wear. Most people don't use a stopwatch that often either!

So, for the vast majority of owners, having the seals checked / replaced as needed when the battery's done every couple of years is all the servicing a quartz watch needs until it stops.