Swiss Army Watch Dissapointed ...

[faolteam]

Swiss Army Watch

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Hi I got a Swiss army watch repaired From a  (Very Reputable Dealer)   it need a battery and Spindle for turning watch cost me 85 Euros...

I left it in to a reptuable jewellers but when I got it back it was going forward by 3 hours So I went back with watch and they took it back in again two months later I have to ring them he eventually gets back to me and says its a problem with the mechanism now but would fix it for 200 and guarantee it for a year 

What I want to ask is should they not have noticed this the first time , when I asked for a estimate.

 

Is it worth spending more money in this now or go some where else,

 

Its very hard to find Swiss Army Watch Repairs in Dublin ...

[Ishima]

Without knowing all the details and circumstances...

It does sound off... An immediate issue with the time setting after a new winder was made/fitted?

Was the watch on the correct time when you recieved it and then lost time requiring you to reset it, or was it simply not set in the first place?
Because its pretty hard to imagine making a new winder for it and not bothering to set the time and date, it's like the first thing you do after your satisfied with the fit and you're about to close it up. partly for your convinience and partly to test that everything works as intended. 

It's possible that when the old stem came out it did damage on its way out, but you should have been told that and that should have been checked before they agreed to a price and proceeded a repair and charged you.

from your explanation, If it were me I'd have taken this in for additional repair at no extra charge, with apology, no argument, maybe a bit of confusion, but no argument. To try and charge you again at full whack for 200 extra euros is highely unethical from my perspective. The least they should offer, as i see it, is to do the work for a minimal fee that covers their expenses. (which would be a small fraction of 200 euros I imagine, without knowing the exact movement in your watch)  

Again, hard to say without first hand experience of the situation, but it sounds wrong. 
 

[vinn3]

the good thing about collecting "older,  non electric" watches,  is learn to service them yourself.  good luck

[faolteam]

Hi when i got the watch i did not put it on my arm straight away i did check the second hand on watch so i knew it was working i must say this is a very high profile jewellers, 

 

when i got home i noticed the watch time then was wrong an hour fast but as i say then it was 3 hours 

[faolteam]

I should say in my last post that they said that this job now and the crown and battery i got would be 350 euro so this would only cost 200 + the 85 i already paid would be   285 compared to 350  with a 12 month guarantee.

[anilv]

WIll this watch be worth it?

Well if you really like the watch design and how it looks, then by all means go for it.

If you are focusing on the 'Swiss Army' brand and hoping to recover your costs later by selling it then don't bother. This is basically a fashion brand and the quartz movements are usually less that 50Euro. This is the high side, it can be as low as 15Eur.

While Swiss Army mechanical watches usually have a decent movement, you are just paying a premium for the brand. I'm not sure is Swiss Army is an actually copyrighted brand for the pocket knives as the maker is Victorinox (and also Wenger).

Anilv

 

 

 

[oldhippy]

If they fitted a new battery, they must have known it was not keeping time. At that time there would be no point fitting a new stem. If you left them your details including phone number they should have contacted you, or wait until you called in, they should have given you advice. Then they kept it for two months, If you asked for an estimate only by word of mouth that isn’t a guarantee, if they gave you a receipt stating estimate they have broken there contract to you, there for they are at fault. After being treated like that, I would find a different watchmaker. Do they carry out all repairs on their premises; this is always the first thing to ask.   

[frenchie]

Can you post a picture of the watch or a model number of some sort? My Swiss Army watch ($200) has a basic Ronda movement in it that costs $15, battery included...

[faolteam]

 

If they fitted a new battery, they must have known it was not keeping time. At that time there would be no point fitting a new stem. If you left them your details including phone number they should have contacted you, or wait until you called in, they should have given you advice. Then they kept it for two months, If you asked for an estimate only by word of mouth that isn’t a guarantee, if they gave you a receipt stating estimate they have broken there contract to you, there for they are at fault. After being treated like that, I would find a different watchmaker. Do they carry out all repairs on their premises; this is always the first thing to ask.   

Hi Old Hippy , no they send them away to the uk,

this same company lost my first Swiss army about 10 years ago they did replace it with a dearer model which was fair enough,

Why did i go back to them i was told this was the only Swiss  Army  agent in Ireland who can repair it 

 

[faolteam]

Ok Folks this is exactly what i was told by the Jeweller i :

 

I was speaking with you regarding your Victorinox watch.
Unfortunately they have come back to us and stated the watch movement is no longer serviceable.
.This repair was a crown and battery replacement with no guarantee.  €85.00
At the time the battery was fitted the watch did run whilst it was with the service centre.
Unfortunately as has been discovered on its return to yourself the watch is now unable to be repaired satisfactorily in its current condition.
As such they have estimated to replace the watch mechanism entirely.
As a gesture of goodwill they are crediting back the original cost of the repair against this new repair.
The nett price to you is €200, this repair will take 4-5 weeks.

So its €200+€85 you already paid €285 Total cost

[ro63rto]

I would be more inclined to source a new movement and replace it myself.
As said above, they usually use cheapish quartz movements.

Sent from my Honor 5c

[faolteam]

Can you recommend somewhere please 

[ro63rto]

No idea in Dublin I'm afraid.

Basic IE 2 and 3 hand movements I tackle myself but Chronographs I send to Berlin.

 

Which model is yours?

 

Sent from my Honor 5c

 

 

 

 

[faolteam]

i dont have the watch its still in jewellers 

i cant see a model name on booklet but here is a photo of watch on booklet has a white sticker on it 25441

   Swiss Army Equipped

[ro63rto]

Shame, you could have posted a pic of the movement. Someone here would have told you what model of movement it was and how much a replacement was.

Sent from my Honor 5c

[faolteam]

i dont think it looks like the photo i sent it has three buttons onside , crown and two,

i think the ckue in the watch is the sticker with number 25441

 

[Deggsie]

I believe that model has a Rhonda 715 (possibly 715li) movement. Not to rub salt in, they are circa £10 nos from cousins uk


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[Deggsie]

Sorry if that came across crass, you have my sympathy - and I feel annoyed for you. They are treating you despicably and I morally


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[faolteam]

Hi Folks went down just to pick up the watch they informed me in shop that the Watch is in Switzerland and will take 10 days to get back to shop, i was quite pi???ed   when i heard that 

 

and i have a sneaky feeling they will be looking for €50 euro for the new Quotation and delivery to Switzerland

Edited July 5, 2017 by faolteam

[anilv]

They gave you a quotation right?

Generally the quotation show indicate the scope of work and priced thereof.

If there is any big deviation from the quote, you should have been contacted before the work proceeded. There will usually be a statement on the quote itself.

If you are not happy, take it to the small claims court, ombudsman... whatever works in your part of the world.

Anilv

[frenchie]

This is a sad story. One takeaway is to always ask where the work will be performed: find a store that does the work themselves. IMO, there is NO reason for a simple quartz movement change to be performed in Switzerland...

[faolteam]

thanks for the advice folks i was in touch today with Shop  i will have my watch back in  Week,  there will be no charge just for the record, this has taken 5 months,  to get this far, at least when i get the watch back i can decide what action to take, 

Maybe i can take a photo of the watch someone might be able to help me or at least recommend somwhere in Ireland Dublin i can go to , thanks again folks,

[MilTimeCan]

 

thanks for the advice folks i was in touch today with Shop  i will have my watch back in  Week,  there will be no charge just for the record, this has taken 5 months,  to get this far, at least when i get the watch back i can decide what action to take, 

 

So sorry for you. Swiss Army is a good brand for quartz.

What a bad experience, 

I can only suspect that at least some here having similar past experiences turned to repairing their own   

Edited July 7, 2017 by MilTimeCan

[Deggsie]

thanks for the advice folks i was in touch today with Shop  i will have my watch back in  Week,  there will be no charge just for the record, this has taken 5 months,  to get this far, at least when i get the watch back i can decide what action to take, 
Maybe i can take a photo of the watch someone might be able to help me or at least recommend somwhere in Ireland Dublin i can go to , thanks again folks,

If the watch has (truly) been sent to Switzerland then it will return with a new movement. Believe me, they are commercially so cheap it's not worth them messing around with it too long. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to get a brand new watch. [emoji3]. Good luck!


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[faolteam]

Hi guys got Watch back and now it does not even work whatever they have done

 

here is a photo of it if anyone can suggest someone who can put a movement in the Watch  would be great anyone know what model it is ..

I'm bringing them to court