Reply With QuoteWhat model?
Hello all,
Two days ago I sold a Rolex Explorer 2 16570 to Tim (username 'back to the top') and shipped it out via DHL Express from Vienna, Austria yesterday. This is the same shipment method I used for my last two sales on TZ-UK, both of which arrived safely. Today, Tim reported that the package arrived with packing materials, but no watch head (this was a watch head only sale).
I have begun the investigation process with DHL Express and the claims process with my insurance company. As part of the claims process, my insurance company will report the watch stolen to Rolex.
The serial number of the watch is F485605.
If you come across this watch, please report it or steer clear.
Thanks, Ryan
Last edited by RyanV; 3rd November 2017 at 20:05.
What model?
It's just a matter of time...
What model watch was it?
Sorry, just added model number. Pretty flustered over all this right now.
Sorry to hear this.
Hope it turns up somewhere.
Has the recipient taken photos of the packaging etc? And did they differ from what was sent out? Eg any sign of re sealing?
Sounds dodgy to me
Sorry to hear about this.
Where was the watch sent to?
Do DHL require contents to be displayed on a label on the outside of the package?
What has the buyer told you regarding the condition of the package?
How did you pack the watch?
Just interested as I post 100s of watches each year.
Thanks Michael
No need for a comment like that. Hope it works out for the buyer and seller as bad news when losing something especially of value in the post.Originally Posted by Hooshabak
Hi Michael,
Watch was sent to Portsmouth.
DHL Express here in Vienna actually opens the box at the store and then reseals it while you watch. This is to ensure nothing dangerous/liquids/etc are in the box. They then tape it back up thoroughly with DHL-labeled tape.
The shipping label reads "contents: wrist watch".
I rolled the watch head in a sheet of bubble wrap, folded the ends back on itself and taped the ends with clear packing tape. I then repeated that two more times. I put that bubble wrap "ball" in a cardboard box surrounded by heavy construction paper.
If I understand correctly (it was difficult to hear since I was walking down the street while talking on the phone), buyer reports that the bubble wrap "ball" was intact, the construction paper was there, and he couldn't determine whether the package had been tampered with.
Yeah, I'm not leaning that way at all. I just want this resolved as quickly as possible for all involved. Feel sick to my stomach frankly.
That is a difficult situation for you, and very stressful. I hope that you get it resolved to your satisfaction asap.
Sent from my SM-G920F using TZ-UK mobile app
Did the label on the package say "wrist watch- xxx value"? That can be tempting.
I hope everything works out...
Looks like the thief was quite relaxed and had plenty of time on their hands to unwrap the watch and put the bubble wrap back in there, you would have though they would have just nicked the watch and bubble wrap together in their haste and unwrapped it later.
Yes, unfortunately the value was listed also. Don't know how to get around that since DHL requires a visual inspection of the inside of the box when insuring high-value items. Now, this is assuming the customs invoice I was given, which lists this information, is an exact copy of the label on the box. That I do not know.
The thief is most likely a DHL worker. He probably saw the description of the package and in 5 minutes time opened the box resealed it with DHL tape and nobody noticed anything.
Nice - thanks for that
I can assure everyone the events are as described . Anyone who has dealt with me will attest to my plain dealing and honesty .
Did you open the package in the presence of the courier? I don't know how this goes but if the courier saw the empty package it's just a matter of time until the insurance pays you back. If you were alone, can they say you received the watch?
Did you find any evidence of tampering with the package?
You will need to keep hold of it just in case someone needs to examine it.
It seems the tape is different to how Ryan remembers it being on despatch .
Sorry to say I was alone when I opened it
Eh. No.
The sender refunds the buyer and he claims on the insurance.
That is why he insures the watch.
My thoughts entirely - the insurer pays who insured - I cant claim on someone’s else’s policy can I ?
I’m sure Ryan will sort , frustrating in the meantime though
Yes, the seller will claim his money back for the insurer. That will be the easiest part.
The problem will be to find out when was the watch stolen.
Please understand that I am not saying you have the watch but, how can you demonstrate the package was empty?
Did it have a weight written on it? If it was weighted on departure and on arrival and there are differences, the case is solved. If not, I cannot imagine how can they establish who took the watch .
Last edited by adirian; 4th November 2017 at 08:55.
Good luck, hope this gets resolved.
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
Sorry to hear this has happened and hope you find a resolution.
Re: shipping - I ship my watches with DHL all the time, but always use the term ‘Mechanical Instrument’ rather than ‘watch’. And also state ‘Made from non-precious metal’ if I have to add a further description. Never had a problem to date using this method over the past four years.
If I send watches to where contents have to be declared I always write 'broken watch parts'.
If sending to Swiss manufacturers I never write 'Rolex Corp' or give any company name. Just 'M.Blob' and the company street address.
I think this helps lessen opportunism.
Brendan
There was a weight but as it’s a watch head only I’m not sure if that would help much really - it weighed nothing even once packaging added . I was dumbstruck when I opened - as was Ryan when I told him .
I’m getting a load of grief of my other half - not an easy conversation to have is it !? She can’t understand watch collecting anyway - add in an empty parcel and a huge hole in the savings account and I think I’ll have trouble buying anything on here again . Sad tale all around really
What was the weight when sent and what is the weight of the empty box you have received? I have just weighed an empty box with some bible wrap (don't know the size of the box actually used) and it is 80 grams or so, the watch will weigh around 70 grams so should be easy to spot the difference. Is there any evidence on the packaging to see that the tape has been removed and another strip added?
I think the package said 500g - I think thats an ‘up to’ not a measurement .
DHL tape on the box but if it’s an inside job (which it must be given the seller and myself are trusted sources ) that doesn’t help really - employees must all have access to branded tape I guess ?
I just want to get the funds sorted and forget about the whole thing now - not the best nights sleep last night after cancelling a couple of nights away to sort out and confessing what’s happened ....
Last edited by back to the top; 4th November 2017 at 11:02.
Well the weight won't help at all then unless there is a more accurate figure on the sellers receipt. Regarding the tape if the box was opened then they would have had to either cut it or remove the whole strip and there would be evidence of this.
Hope so - I’ll not interfere further with box as I guess dhl will want it
Sorry to hear this has happened and hope you find a resolution to this quickly.
Doesnt seem right this day and age you have to disclose what’s inside the package and the value, surely it leaves it open to temptation and theft through the parcel system.
Not good at all- that's a swift turn around to cover that distance- the thief must have been prepared - I'm sure if he was an employee he would have a feel of tape and probably slit it and placed another layer over the top so initially it was unnoticeable
It will not help but I do like to use the RM Jiffy bags, once sealed you'll need to cut them open to get inside
Sorry to hear - hope you both get sorted
I remember a similar story reported on WUS, I think it happened in the US.
iirc the delivery company had weighed the package more than once during the process and so could tell at which stage it had been tampered with. Anyone else heard anything like that?
I think RM weigh SD packages when they are transferred to a different employee. I could be wrong though
Not as far as I know - but it is weighed on posting (if done through a PO)- easy to check the weight on arrival against the receipted weight
D!CK
Worrying tale, because it can happen to anyone. No point in trying to trace the thief, he's gone. So down to insurance....miserable for the people involved.
If you've got nothing constructive to add, keep your cynical opinion to yourself.
OP, Sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident, hopefully it gets resolved.
Let's hope this will be over soon. Even when everything will be OK, you will still have trust issues when sending/receiving a package.
Indeed. One of the things that puts me off buying or selling anything of high value and trusting it to any delivery service.
As someone else commented tamperproof Jiffy bags and envelopes are an added deterrent. Easy to be wise afterwards though.
Sad state of the times when you can’t trust the postal services.
Awful news. Hope you get the value off the insurance company but it's not the same though. Thieving scrotes. Happened to me once sending a watch back to Switzerland for a service. Dreadful business.
I use DHL insured delivery for watches over 2.5K
It specifically says you should not close /tape up your parcel as the guy doing the pick up is supposed to verify its not something untoward.
I ignore this and have it double boxed and taped down.I have never been asked to open up the parcel to inspect.
Im afraid we can all have great experiences with companys but its when the shit hits the fan that they prove their worth.
The thief didn't even do the" right thing" and take the whole parcel and that would have made it a more straightforward situation and solution.
I feel for you both here but the onus has to be on the seller to resolve this if the buyer didnt receive the goods.
I am sure the buyer feels very nervous at the moment with his money gone and nothing to show.
Just a suggestion here and feel free to dismiss but would a 50% refund of monies paid initially be a solution.Thereby sharing the pain untill everything gets sorted.
Best of luck.
Be interesting to see where the watch surfaces - I guess it’s fairly likely to end up with Rolex at some point for service or repair at some point . I’d still like to own it !!! Been after one for ages
- - - Updated - - -
Nail on the head !
Have to agree with Hood but should be the full 100%. Buyer has no watch and as the two OP know each other well, see no reason to withhold any funds.
Straight refund and the seller can get down to the detail with DHL and insurance.
D
Last edited by davidalexander1968; 4th November 2017 at 14:58.
Absolutely. Seller should have refunded buyer 100% already. Anything else invites suspicion IMO.
I agree with that
If this isnt forthcoming initially though a halfway house might be better than nowt for the buyer at the moment.
Had the thief done the “right thing”, as you put it, and stolen the whole package, it would have been a lot easier to track down where along the line it went missing. Hence the thief would have exposed him/herself.
Wasn’t going to throw my 2p worth in, but since others have: I deal with this kind of thing on a daily basis in work. Sadly there is a risk with shipping things, especially high value items. It’s that simple.
In my job, it’s typically dishonest buyers making false claims. It’s always amusing when we furnish them with CCTV footage of their item being packaged in a tamper proof wrapper, and audited weights from the courier we use, proving the item had to be in there on delivery.
The thing I yearn for the most when dealing with cases like this myself, in genuine situations where a light fingered delivery person has helped themselves to someone else’s stuff, is time.
OP says it was insured, so give him a chance to go through the correct procedure with the courier and insurance company. Once he knows where he stands I imagine a refund will be forthcoming. Not a pleasant situation for anyone to be in and I wish you both an otherwise relaxing weekend.
I'm imagining the thief in this instance would require a bit of time to unpackage the thing and then repackage it so he/she must have been alone for a fair bit.
Quite pleasing that in your experience they have CCTV and fairly rigorous procedures so hopefully
a quick resolution can get reached.
Ive had rotten luck with DHL over the years (to the Falklands)
In a nutshell everytime I had iPhones or iPad minis sent they have been nicked. Anything bigger like a Macbook no problem!!!
Apparently at the Chilean depot if the item inside is identified, small and valuable it has a high chance of being nicked.
On my last claim DHL asked if the phone was a Apple one. As soon as I confirmed it was the guy said “ah in that case def stolen” as if its a regular occurance and was not suprised!
In my case (depot in South America) they recommend me to double or triple box things as most stuff nicked at the depot is done quickly and discreetly which must be the case as usually the parcel is not opened from the top but a tiny hole made just for a hand to reach in. Presumably they nick the small stuff that can be smuggled out the depot without bosses / CCTV noticing.
Anyhow I wish you luck!
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