Surprising support from Longines

[huytonman]

I recently ordered a new VHP GMT and after a two month wait the watch finally arrived in February. Ive had a VHP before and know how hard it is to get a good fit with the bracelet due to lack of micro-adjustment so I contacted Longines UK to ask if there was any plan for a micro-adjustment bracelet or failing that could I order an extra half link to give me flexibility. Unsurprisingly their response was negative on the new bracelet but for the half link they wouldn't sell me one to self fit "you may damage the bracelet" and instead offered to fit one in their workshop free of charge with the express carriage in both directions also covered by them. A week after sending the watch they called me to apologize for the delay in returning the watch which was because the link had be shipped from Switzerland and was due in this week. The watch arrived back today - with the new link fitted and it came in a very smart soft service case with hard outer case. I know in the greater scheme of things its not a big deal but its nice to experience such good service for a change.
Keith

[RustyBin5]

Others take note. Steinhart are the same. Any fix is done with minimum of fuss. 10/10 Longines

[snowman]

Longines seem very good at this sort of thing.

I have a 1913 pocket watch and they provided details about it, including who it was first shipped to (Parisian jeweller), all FOC.

Little things like that make me regard the brand far better than some bigger names.

M

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Griswold]

I recently ordered a new VHP GMT and after a two month wait the watch finally arrived in February. Ive had a VHP before and know how hard it is to get a good fit with the bracelet due to lack of micro-adjustment so I contacted Longines UK to ask if there was any plan for a micro-adjustment bracelet or failing that could I order an extra half link to give me flexibility. Unsurprisingly their response was negative on the new bracelet but for the half link they wouldn't sell me one to self fit "you may damage the bracelet" and instead offered to fit one in their workshop free of charge with the express carriage in both directions also covered by them. A week after sending the watch they called me to apologize for the delay in returning the watch which was because the link had be shipped from Switzerland and was due in this week. The watch arrived back today - with the new link fitted and it came in a very smart soft service case with hard outer case. I know in the greater scheme of things its not a big deal but its nice to experience such good service for a change.
Keith

Did you go for the 41mm or 43mm? I'm looking at one in my local AD and wonder if the 43mm he has is too big for my 7.5" wrist.

[markbannister]

My wrist is 7.5". I have the 41mm and it doesn't really seem to wear any bigger than my 39mm Conquest Sport. I tried the 43mm too and thought it wore ok.

I sent mine back to have the time corrected as it had been set about 40s fast. Impeccable service from Longines and I had the same with my Conquest under guarantee when it was gaining randomly different amounts of seconds every day.

I've had to put both of mine on straps due to the bracelets not fitting properly. Pity as top class bracelets imo.

[Griswold]

Thanks Mark. Interesting regarding the seconds setting, I thought that would happen with the flash setting to local/travel times?

That might explain the difference between the various VHP'S in their window being different. - none of them being the same, and all out by my Aerospace which is spot on? Odd for a watch that's + or - 5 seconds a year.

[markbannister]

My understanding is that it depends how accurately it is originally set as there is no mechanism for setting it yourself unfortunately. Since then it has been spot on and with the perpetual calendar I think it’s an amazing watch for the money.

I would rate it far above a Grand Seiko quartz finish and capability wise. Admittedly not owned one but have handled them in Japan.

[Griswold]

Thanks again Mark. I'm planning to pop into my AD and have a play with one. I have a few GMT'S but only a Seiko digital that automatically handles the half and quater hour time zones without stopping the seconds. It would be nice to have an analogue watch in the collection that would do the same.

I like the look of the silver/white dialled one particularly.

[huytonman]

My understanding is that it depends how accurately it is originally set as there is no mechanism for setting it yourself unfortunately. Since then it has been spot on and with the perpetual calendar I think it’s an amazing watch for the money.

I would rate it far above a Grand Seiko quartz finish and capability wise. Admittedly not owned one but have handled them in Japan.

Gents, you can set the seconds hand manually (if you have an earlier VHP the user manual wasnt good, I downloaded a version which was better) - the GMT can be set using the app, I did this with mine when it arrived running fast - just set the local time with the app and its now spot on. Re 41mm my wrist is 7.5" and I think its just right, 43mm too big IMO. Regarding the bracelet fit, having the extra half link fitted solved that for me, its now perfect. They are great watches, as for being better than GS, no I dont think so (i've owned quite a few), they are chunkier and dont have the level of finish but the movement functionality now surpasses the 9F (the flash app may appear to be gimmicky but it works well) and are of course much less money. Now I can add excellent customer service to the list of benefits.

Keith

[moonman100]

Good to read the thread on this, I have the same model and had it examined in the Longines workshop at Southampton, mine was doing the same and having spoken with the Technical staff and Customer Care Team, I think this is a characteristic of the watch and it isn't broken. Please keep us updated as to how you resolve this etc.

[tertius]

Good to read the thread on this, I have the same model and had it examined in the Longines workshop at Southampton, mine was doing the same and having spoken with the Technical staff and Customer Care Team, I think this is a characteristic of the watch and it isn't broken. Please keep us updated as to how you resolve this etc.

Really! They said that? So when is it at lets say 12 noon? When the second hand reaches the 12 or when the minute hand does/did?

This is a movement that is supposed to be accurate to +/- 5 secs a year and the hands are not in synch. Plus it is supposed to have a re-alignment feature where it recognises that the hands are out of position and corrects them.

I just cannot believe it is behaving correctly.