Expensive Watch Damaged

Daities · 12 March 2015 at 3:35PM

Hi Burlngton

It is a TAG

vuvuzela · 12 March 2015 at 3:43PM

Daities wrote: »

Hi Meer

Please don't get too hung up on the word "service"

The repairer has explained that after he fits the replacement parts, it is the work that he is required to do to get the delicate parts into balance and working again. He cannot repair the watch properly without doing this work.

In fact he would not do the work as he would not be able to guarantee his work. It is not an option to do this work or not, it is mandatory.

PLease also keep in mind the watch was only 9 months old, so it is not as if the service will benefit him.

If it's a quartz TAG then it's likely to be a straight movement swap. To do this, it's a 30 minute job :
Remove case back.
Remove crown from movement.
Remove movement from case and use tool to remove hands and then dial.
Get new movement, fit dial and hands .
Replace into case.
Screw case back on.
No service necessary. 'Getting delicate parts into balance' sounds very much like misdirection by your 'trusted' watch repairer. I would definitely go with an independent watch repairer, they are less likely to try and get your money by confusing you in the manner that this person appears to be doing. The 'service' IMO is completely unnecessary.
If it was a mechanical watch then there is a possibility that the watch repairer could well be replacing parts of the movement. Quartz, much less so.

vuvuzela · 12 March 2015 at 3:46PM

Daities wrote: »

Interesting point unholyangel.

It says that " Quartz timepieces should be given a Complete Overhaul servicing approximately every 3-6 years"

Where have you read that ? I would say it is completely unnecessary to do this and simply designed to make money for the people promoting this service. Battery replacement and replacement of seals in the case back and crown tube are all that should be needed.

Ah, found it https://shop-us.tagheuer.com/en/customer-services/faqs
I'll stick by my statement of it being unnecessary and a waste of money.

Daities · 12 March 2015 at 4:00PM

Hi Vuvuzela

Thanks for your comments.

With respect to the second comment, the 3-6 year servicing is what TAG claim. I don't disagree with your sentiments, see what I said about my own watch, 20 years old and no service and only 3 replacement batteries. So I agree, servicing is optional and I would not have it done in the normal course of events unless there was a problem.

With regards to your first comment. Have you read the original comment all the way through. The quote is from an independent, authorised TAG repairer. His quote for doing the work is what it is and he says it is all necessary. We have no problem in taking the watch to any other independent, authorised TAG repairer and have offered to do so willingly. If their charges are less then that would be good all round. But it costs to get an estimate and no point us doing this if the insurance company will not agree to accept the repair costs if they come out the same. They are refusing to do so.

There is a two year guarantee on the watch from TAG which is only honoured if repairs carried out by authorised TAG dealers so I see no reason why we should use an unauthorised one to save the insurance company a few pounds but lose out on the guarnatee. Do you?

Joe_Horner · 15 March 2015 at 11:40PM

Hi Daities, please let me give a professional watchmaker's perspective on this (you may not particularly like what I say, but it is the truth of the situation).

I couldn't see in the thread what damage has occurred to the watch, or what model of TAG it is but I'm assuming its one of the quartz models because of the reference to a battery.

The problem you have is that the repairer's statement that "a service is required because of the delicate mechanism" following some other repair (broken stem/ crown or glass possibly?) is absolutely, categorically not true of TAG quartz models.

I'm an independant, non TAG authorised repairer but I can buy complete genuine movements for their standard quartz range, and fit them, and reseal / pressure test the watch, and give a full guarantee for £85 including insured delivery to anywhere in the country. For their quartz chronograph models that cost would go up to about £140.

Essentially, there are two points there:

(1) if I can do that then they do not service their quartz movements simply because it would cost more in (very skilled) labour than a new unit would cost them - bear in mind that what I pay for their movements will be several times what they do "at source".

(2) There is no technical reason to "service" the movement of a current production quartz watch until it actually goes wrong because, when it does go wrong it'll just be swapped for a complete new unit. As a rule, you only service quartz watches after the movements become obsolete or aren't available from the manufacturer - neither of which apply to current TAG models.

With that in mind, part of your problem will be this:

Depending on the basic repair needed (which is all that will be needed) and the exact model of watch, a more realistic charge would be between about £50 for a crown and maybe £100 for crown + chronograph pushers through any competent independent, using original parts.

Note that TAG would be completely unaware that the watch had been touched (or even opened) from the point of view of any future warranty. That would put you back in the same position you were in before the damage, which is what the insurers are liable for.

Insurers will know the realities of TAG's little "it needs servicing with any repair" scam very well and, while the people who buy TAGs may be happy to be effectively taken for a ride by the service department, the insurers won't be.

eta: Incidentally, there's no such thing as an independent" TAG authorised repairer because all of the big brands set servicing prices and policies as part of the conditions of authorisation