Reply With QuoteThat sucks big time Martyn; utterly unacceptable. Chin up mate, at least you have some stunners to wear while you wait
Back story: I’ve cashed in two of the most valuable watches to finance this one. I will miss both the SD4K and FF - but ‘needs must’ as they say.
Roll forward to today: So money in bank (well nearly but that’s another story - all you hipsters doing fraudulent deals have a lot to answer for), head off to dealer to pick up ‘grail’. Meet up and all looks great. Suitably large box appears - watch inside. Give it a few winds - nothing. Heart sinks a little. Maybe not wound enough. Try 10-20 turns of the crown. The thing is DOA.
Two things spring to mind. Where are the quality checks with the manufacturer. Where are the quality checks with the dealership? This is a near £17K deal. I mean come on.
So I have first refusal on a fully serviced watch so being stoic this works in my favour as a service is in the order £1K. Bad news 6 to 12 week wait.
I’m bummed (sad).
Watch in question:
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 8th March 2018 at 20:23.
That sucks big time Martyn; utterly unacceptable. Chin up mate, at least you have some stunners to wear while you wait
That sucks for you Martyn - not a great start!
The time and date on the watch shown makes it look like it had been running when they set it, given they would have noticed when setting it that the watch was broken. So they must have busted it by setting the time and date?
Not a PP fan
But I really like that.
Something luckily that has never happened to me.
Hopefully it will be back sooner rather than later.
Oooh, bad one Martyn.
What exact shade of red was the dealers kisser ?
And that is why (a) I never buy from Blowers, Watchfinder et al. Based on direct personal experience. Once bitten, twice shy.
And (b). Why I sold my 5711. Stuff like Rolex is less 'refined' but they are tough. Patek are superb watches, but tough?
My own suggestion would be to explain the situation to a good Patek AD..such as Colliers in Tonbridge Wells, and then wait for a factory fresh watch from a proper AD. It needs patience but the Aquanaut is attainable. And it would ultimately be cheaper too.
Last edited by paskinner; 2nd March 2018 at 15:25.
PP ADs employ kissers? No wonder their shoddy watches are so dear!Originally Posted by reggie747
That is a massive bummer - upside is (hopefully) it'll be all sorted for the foreseeable future. Thats something I guess!
The upside of this is that the wait will test your affection for it: either in a couple of months time you'll be more mad for it than you ever were, or the delay will have been like a bucket of cold water over your ardour. Win-win
Truly gutted for you mate!
Have you not reached out to an AD and try for one at retail?
I have. All local ones have closed lists. With 5 year waiting list lined up. 2 months is small potatoes.
But with the cash in the bank perhaps that ROO becomes attractive!
Hey sure I could work you out a deal, as feel bad you missed my 5167a!
Daft as it may sound, I'd trust an experienced seller on TZ over quite a few dealers. In fact, I have. And it's worked-out better.
Back story: I’ve cashed in two of the most valuable watches to finance this one. I will miss both the SD4K and FF - but ‘needs must’ as they say.
A chacun son goût. But diversity of taste is to be celebrated
Serviced and wteed by Patek themselves. I would wait. Excellent choice by the way
Martyn if it were me I'd hang in there have the service done and then appraise the situation at that point. As i think someone said above you'll either want it even more or the "want" will have gone. From experience the only thing i would say is don't go and blow the wedge on any 2nd choice on the rebound until you are sure that is what you want to do and the 2nd choice is now 1st choice.
Can’t you just get that one serviced
I can't even imagine the feeling. But here is an idea, anywhere in the world where it would be cheaper ? Could you get a holiday and the watch out of it...if life give you lemons.....
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I'd dig in wait for that watch for sure. Not exactly forever in the grand scheme of things and it will be sooooo worth it. Congratulations!
Yes indeed. The dealer is having it shipped back to Patek tonight. Should have an estimate of fix by early next week. He was most apologetic and fully understood. I now have first refusal on a soon to be factory fresh Patek in sealed box with OEM warranty. Meanwhile, I will console myself with wearing my 5146J - life could be a lot worse.
Martyn.
That’s what the wife might say as she walks out the door. (Sorry topic for another day).
Excellent, outstanding watch btw
Love that watch!!
Good on you Martyn and really NOT trying to put a downer on it in any way but that kinda disappointment on collection day would just kind of taint it for me.
Either way I hope it gets sorted to your entire satisfaction mate....
Ditto, but very annoying.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
I had such a situation once, with an Omega watch.
It had to be "repaired" several times. Total and utter drama.
In the end I gave it away (to my father) as I couldn't enjoy it anymore.
Going to the dealer several times to find the watch being a non runner on 3 occasions just felt terribly wrong.
If this would ever happen to me again, I wouldn't want that actual watch, repaired or not.
I'd take it as a sign of our times. Also, more pragmatically, I'd consider some more reliable watch brands (Rolex and Breitling spring to mind). Actually... I'd just travel around the world if I'd have also the needed time. Money would be more than enough, and the experience much more valuable.
Wouldn’t happen with a Rolex ....
Anyway, I’d wait and still be very pleased with it.
A very disappointing experience. However if you wind the clock back a couple of weeks and were told you could have a PP serviced 5167 in a couple of months, I imagine you would be happy enough with that.
Better to find out now rather than later.
That service is going to be a reassuring bonus.
I’m still waiting for mine to turn up at the boutique - fingers crossed this year.
It's just a matter of time...
It's not a watch that appeals to me, nor does spending £17K, but the OP has my full sympathies.
Whether you're 6 or 86, getting a new toy is a big experience, we're all kids at heart and no matter how old we are it's still a thrill to get something you really want.
My head says 'it's only a watch and it'll be OK when it's sorted' but my heart says 'I`d be mightily pissed off'. My advice is to stick with it, don`t think of as failure, think of it as deferred success. Probably hasn`t made you feel better but hopefully it's raised a wry smile.
How it's come to happen is beyond me, dealer must've have a very red face over this!
Paul
I wouldn’t make any reactionary decision today, or tomorrow. Give it the weekend and come Monday it will be clearer.
Wise words. Probably helped by a couple of glasses of fine whisky (or whiskey).
I had a similar experience recently with a Rolex AD on a £14k watch. It worked in the showroom, when I got home dead.
They tried fobbing me off with a Rolex service and waiting 2 months.
The end result was a brand new replacement a week later but the ‘experience’ was ruined by then given the struggle to get a replacement that worked.
Given the difficulty getting sport Pateks at a reasonable price now it would be best to wait but I feel your pain :)
James
That is such a shame. Hard to believe that you had a pickup with a bit of occasion and the dealer didn’t have it ticking before you arrived for the appointment.
Really sorry to hear that it turned out this way for you Martyn.
On the plus side, as others have said, when you finally get it it'll be spot on and fully serviced.
I think this actually works out better Martyn in the long run. A reasonably short timeframe and you get a factory fresh serviced watch.
Actually you give me an idea - we fly to Japan (stop over in HK on way back) in 3 weeks travelling all over. Any ideas where to look from the collective?
I would start calling ... You might actually save money.
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
I had a similar situation all be it at a lower price bracket.
In the end I got a better watch with a better service record, some of the shine was lost off the buying experience but that is temporary. A better watch is longer term.
Logic over emotion.
Last edited by Montello; 2nd March 2018 at 23:50. Reason: Typo
It will be worth it in the end!!!
Love mine so much that I plan to upgrade to a 5164 at some point
Last edited by kultschar; 3rd March 2018 at 00:46.
The PP boutique in Aoyama (near Omotesando station) is worth a look around. A bit stuffy, naturally, and unlikely to have stock, but nice enough for a visit if you are close by: http://www.pp-sphere.com/index2.html
Yoshida is an "AD" (not that this means much in Japan) and it might be worth emailing ahead of a visit to see if they can obtain stock. Worth a peruse of their lovely shop anyway: https://www.watch-yoshida.co.jp/mens/en/about/
Other shops (not "AD") are more likely to have stock. Easiest way is to go to Nakano (take the train from Shinjuku, a few minutes ride) and have a look on each floor of the shopping arcade. Most foreigners enter the arcade, take the first escalator they see (which goes from the ground floor to the second floor, missing the first floor) and head straight to Jack Road: http://www.jackroad.co.jp/shop/default.aspx
By all means do this (they have heaps of PP and other watches) but take a look all around. There are at least 6 watch shops on that floor, plus others on the first floor (use the stairs) and ground floor, as well as on the covered walkway leading into the arcade. You will find lots of very nice watches, new, used and vintage. It would be an unusual day not to find half a dozen new/used/NOS Nautili available in this one arcade alone.
You will also find PP in many large department stores in Ginza, Shibuya and Shinjuku (these will be "AD") as well as many independents (these wont be "AD"). Generally I've never seen any watch on TZ-UK that couldn't be found quite easily in Tokyo, but pricing reflects demand and the pound isn't worth much at the moment.
Generally haggling isn't done but you can ask politely. Good luck and take your passport to avoid paying sales tax (8%).
Last edited by Tokyo Tokei; 3rd March 2018 at 02:52.
^^^^
Fantatic details! I should have been more specific. We are starting off in Kyoto, then on to Fukuoka and Nagasaki , ending in Okinawa (some spare time there).
That sounds like a superb trip. I'd put the watch stuff on hold for the duration and just enjoy yourselves.
Would never have sold those two beautigul iconic pieces for that!
Martyn, what can I say that has not already be said.............except that I would have been mega p!!sed!!!
I hope that the service will be expedited for you.
And that the dealer makes a generous recompense.
So this may come available ;-)It will be worth it in the end!!!
Love mine so much that I plan to upgrade to a 5164 at some point
Def want a 5164 but dont want to be without an Aquanaut (my daily wearer!!)
Need some kind of seamless transition so I dont end up Aqua-less in these difficult PP times lol
I hope the sealed factory serviced model meets your expectations.
Enjoy your upcoming holiday, I am quite envious.
Dave
Last edited by dforgrieve; 7th March 2018 at 23:00.
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