lazarini Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 OK ... I decided to post my experience with a local watchmaker in the town i curentlly reside to make u be carfull to who u give ure watches for a fix. Note one thing that im a foregneir in this country and by that some things are harder for me than the locals and people sometimes try to pull the fast one on me ... this is the case of my Watchmaker Adventure . I have recived a day date from my friend Stephane and was looking foward to see it the watch was shipped in a great condition as u woud expect from a member of this calliber here is a picture i borrow from him (hope thats oka my friend ?) so u have an idea of the watch state before it arrived . I posted a trade review if someone saw it and metioning in there that the trip had to be hard as the envelope that arrived was handeled in a bad way resulting one of the screws / pins has broke and the dial was moving in the case , looking like this ... also at that point the watch stoped . NOTE THE DIAL AS U CA SEE IS FLAWLESS JUST NOT IN PLACE ! It was almoust lunch time so i took the first tram to the center to visit the watchmaker i used before to see if there can be a quick fix. He opened the watch and said yea i can fix that its just one of the screw pins broken that keeps the dial in place he said come in 15 min ... i went for a coffe and hooked up to wi fi with my phone to send good news email to Stephane that was waiting to see what can be done ... I returned in 15 mins as instructed but he said he needs 30 mins more as the work flow is bigger ower lunch brake and also that he needs to find the correct size screw ... so i pop to used book store cross the street browse some books found a copy of digital photography for dummies for just 2usd picked it up and returned . He was just screwing the case back on i asked whats the cost ... he says 10usd ... me happy give him 15usd and wishing him a nice weeknd . I go out make a call as i walk the street ... take the watch from my pocket to put it on and BANG ... wtf is this ? The dial got damaged - scratched ... notice the hand coused scratch below the day date logo probably occured when he was attaching it on as u will see on the picture below ... also i saw that he did not remove the hands and that probably coused that i returned back asking him what is this and the guy says easy and calm well u brought it in like this !!! with a strange grinn on gis face As u can see on picture abowe the dial was perfect before he opened the case ... I wanted to say somethin but i just left no sense to argue with him as he is a crook and woud not confess to anythin anyway and even if he did the damage was done . At a latter closer inspection of the watch i also noticed that there is a huge amount of the dust in the watch that was not present before , and that the date and day indicators are a bit of center then they shoud be (check first picture) ... to make the dissaster end also now the date and day change appears around 20 00 / 8 PM and not at midnight as it shoud be ... Here is the watch as it looks now If u stayed this long and read this ... to conclude ... be werry carefoul to who u give ure watches to fix to avoid my negative experience ... needless to say this guy wont see a cent out of me anymore ! As for the Day Date i love it and will fix it on possitive note movement does keep extremely good or better say great and accurate time ... I will need to source a new dial the scratch is just to big and visible ... just knocks the smille of ure face when u check the time ( u know what i mean ... that said ... IF ANYONE HADS A SPAIR DAY DATE DIAL and woud consider to sell it to me and help me out with my problem pls PM ME ! THX to hanging in till the end , have a gorgeous day , regards LAZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 By the grin you mention, you know this man wished you badly, Laz. Maybe he wanted to teach this "foreigner" a lesson, since what could you do -- hardly report anything to any authorities, or sue, etc. Goes to show it's not JUST big companies that are thieves, or unscrupulous like so many people think. The worst part is when there are small business owners who abuse their clients with just the same lack of regard, and cynicism. Yuck. Laz, your attitude is an example for me, since I am often hot under the collar when something like this happens (rarely). The always soign Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Hi Laz, Again I'm so sorry this happened. Considering the time I spend to pack my watches before their travel, it's almost inpossible to have anything destroyed. Most certainly not a screw inside the case! Now, I would like to suggest something here. This watch came from Andrew. It had very few wrist time (the less of all my watches), and I'm not a sporty guy or brutal or anything. I sincerely think that the dial shouldn't have move at all, ever. I would suggest that you ask Andrew, if you bought from him previously and are one of his customer, to send you a replacement dial for the cost of shipping. I would do it for you, but I'm not Andrew's customer anymore for months. Cheers Stephane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 @Mademoiselle Strap: I see you enjoy your new nick name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Bad Story... When you have a replacement Dial,send it to me i'll fix it for you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted August 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 HI Viki and Stephane ... Thx for the reply ... as i said this watch will shine again ... belive me Im a firm beliver in taking things easy i coud of jumped on the guy and call him names , demanded this and that but at the end u know it makes no sense so why even bother . Stephane ... u were so helpfull throug all this ... and wanna thank you again for all ure solutions offered and support in the matter ure gent above gents ! Regarding Andrew i did not do any buisness with him so i cant play that card im afraid ... Ill see if someone on the boards by any chance have a spare that he coud miss if not i already talked with Trevor and he said he can get me same dial for 30usd shipped ... sounds resonable but he dont take paypal so need to search somewere else or open a moneybookers account ... Anyway this baby will shine again ... ou yea it will shine again ... PS before i made a deal i also snagged a wondersull new jubilee bracelet ower at RWI that will be attached on thisone ... and is well on the way to me by now regards laz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 sounds resonable but he dont take paypal so need to search somewere else or open a moneybookers account ... I have a MoneyBooker account Laz. Pm me the details and I'll send the 30$ for you. Cheers Stephane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted August 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Bad Story... When you have a replacement Dial,send it to me i'll fix it for you... Hi D. Thx for ure kind replay also recived ure pm reply yesterday ... when i source the dial ill send it to you my friend @ Stephane ... great if ure oka with that it woud help me out ... ill contact Trevor and ask for te details , ill paypal u the 30 on the usual adress ... Regards laz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Sorry to hear of your experience with the watchsmith. What I have discovered over many years is that a bad or mediocre watchsmith is the norm - not the other way around. When you find a good one you stick with them. Reps make it only more complicated as you never know who hates them and frankly reps can have their own eccentricities (Asian 7750, parts are not as well made so they damage easier, etc.) and require their own specific expertise. I have no doubts that Stephane will make everything right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted August 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 kruzer00 thx for reply ... i agree with what u saying but for me is harder to source a confident watchmaker as im not in home coutry ... Regarding Stephane ... he does need to make anything right ... the postoffice handeled the package bad and thats not in his domain to cover (i wrote my thoughts on that under members review) from my side things were handeled correctly from his side ... so the fix and bad luck with the watchsmith are mine responsability Anyway he offered all kinda solutions witch i kindly turned down (conpensation , reinburment options etc) all do ill maybe hold him for the mooneybookes useage for purchasing the dial and afcourse return the money via paypal regards laz regards laz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 @ Stephane ... great if ure oka with that it woud help me out ... ill contact Trevor and ask for te details , ill paypal u the 30 on the usual adress ... Sure I am Laz. Email/PM me and, if I'm around, it will be done right away, at the worse a couple of hours later ! Cheers Stephane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azerbyjam Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Laz, I'm always apprehensive about reading your posts because it seems something bad happens to you all of the time! I went into a watchmaker while working in Torquay yesterday to enquire about ordering a replacement hand. The instant I entered the shop I got a strange feeling and after I finished talking with one of the staff, I knew I wouldn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Laz, I'm always apprehensive about reading your posts because it seems something bad happens to you all of the time! Not that you were scolding, but some people have worse luck with reps than others, or they post to share these specific experiences. As Ryyannon once quoted, "Les gens heureux n'ont pas d'histoire", so too happy people posting on rep forums often have little to add which can ultimately be of service to others in terms of hard knocks. Soon, I will take the Silix AP ROO which I have, and try to size the new case he sent me, to the older watch. I will have Laz' experience fresh on my mind, and in fact, yours too. These threads are thus invaluable. We have two watchmakers of confidence. One is a nice fellow, charges cheaply, but I often think he's limited in his skill. The other is a little resentful of his customers, and charges a lot, but is proficient (we'll see if he balks at fixing reps). Who shall I choose? Dunno. But if I feel a bad vibe, I'm walking out. @Laz below: Right, and that's what makes what this watchmaker of yours did even more despicable. He knows you are entirely in his power, and messed with you ON PURPOSE, it seems to me (the dust, the dial, etc.) I don't believe in karma, but if I did, this guy will have some bad karma coming his way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted August 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Cheers Stephane ... ill come back to u as soon as i talk with Trevor ... azerbyjam ... thx for reply ... i had in betwenn also some nice experiences ... lets hope the better side prevails ... Vicky ... hope ure experience will be positive as some members mentioned if u find a good guy stick to him ... A thought also flashed my mind when u take a rep and u get played by a watchmaker u cant really do nothing ... whatu gonna do repot him ... as in the first place ure the one with counterfited goods ... dont think so ... regards laz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DET11 Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 [quote name='vbarrett' As Ryyannon once quoted, "Les gens heureux n'ont pas d'histoire", As a language challenged American (including english), Miss Barrett please translate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 As a language challenged American (including english), Miss Barrett please translate? Hey DET11. Don't be down on your language skills! At least not because you're an American. You think we British are any better? Ever tried to speak Italian to an average Frenchman on the street? HAH! "Les gens heureux n'ont pas d'histoire" is translated as Happy people have no history, but I would say further, and say, happy people don't make history. Or as Don Henley also famously sang, "Get the widow on the set, we need dirty laundry". So if you've got nothing bad going on, people don't care, and these stories rarely get told. Who knew Don Henley was one of the foremost philosophers of our times, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgegrasser Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Laz you are a kind and forgiving man. This is an admirable trait of a distinguished individual. However, and this is quite unfortunate, honor requires that you seek a vengeance upon that watchsmith that reverberates throughout generations of his family history. He damaged your watchface. Thank God he too has a face of which you can pinpoint the fury of your jusice! Then you can forgive him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Laz -- If you are unable to source a replacement dial, you might check with Ziggy to see what he can do. In addition to being a great watchmaker, he is also an artist and he may have another option for you. I believe he is on holiday until next month though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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