Reply With QuoteSounds like there is a lot more to that story...
Seen this on another forum.
Not sure who the AD is but poor form on their part
....."18 Months ago when the Blancpain BOC3 was released I called my local AD to see if they would be allocated one, after much conversation I paid £1500 deposit. They sent me photos of the watch when it arrived in stock but then a day before I was due to collect decided not to sell me it.
6 months later a member of the Sales team contacted me advising they still hadn't sold it and asked if I wanted it. I agreed and again after much conversation they decided I they wouldn't sell me it. However they did offer me the new Barakuda. I accepted, paid £4500 deposit and patiently waited until December (8 months after paying deposit) and once again they decided not to sell me the watch.
I've written an email of complaint which has been ignored.
The first one they said they would only sell to a collector (ie customer with previous). For the Barakuda they said they ordered two and only received one, but I find it exteemly difficult to believe they would have all the paperwork in for two watches but then only get sent the one."
Sounds like there is a lot more to that story...
It's just a matter of time...
I read stories like this all the time (also today: a Tudor supplied new covered in hairlines which both Tudor and dealer failed to rectify and binned-off the customer instead!). Sorry, but it's utterly beyond me why people put up with this bullsh*t from dealers. There are literally thousands of watch manufacturers out there, many of them producing products of equal quality to the handful of big names who habitually abuse the good nature of customers. For goodness sake take your custom elsewhere!
Price inflation and undersupply will not continue indefinitely. The big names are responding to the Asian bubble of demand, but in due course that will become sated, and they will be left with a choice between leaving multi-million manufacturing capacity and expertise idle, or accepting the need to treat customers better and rein-in their usurious prices.
When that eventually happens, prices will collapse, and dealers be forced to stop behaving like such utter arseholes. More importantly, the lunacy of looking at certain watches as investments will die on its arse, and you'll be left with the hollow, unsatisfying notion of buying watches just because you love them and wish to own something beautiful and wonderfully-engineered...
I do not understand the story to be honest.
They treated them like crap so you went back *twice* for some more?
What am I missing?
Last edited by Alansmithee; 30th January 2020 at 23:33.
Worse: treated like crap, took his money twice and he willingly gave it.Originally Posted by Alansmithee
I would have hung up the moment they would have given me the second call about the Blancpain.
If you first refuse to sell to me an available product after first taking a deposit, don't expect me to be willing to do business ever again.
There’s lots of things to get indignant about. This isn’t one of them.
Some people need to get a life, honestly.
Apart from the fact that it’s barely plausible, what isn’t there to get indignant about?
Groucho's 'I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member' springs to mind. I bought a couple of new sports Rolexes before all this ridiculous nonsense of dealers deciding who they wanted to sell to. I'm in it for the watches, not the glory, not the waiting lists, snobbery and quick bucks. If a watch shop doesn't want to sell me a watch then that's their problem but good luck to them when the bottom falls out of the market and their customers (potential or not) have gone elsewhere.
"A man of little significance"
I’m amazed that the person in question even went back after the first fail to sell debacle.
Just encourages ADs to treat us like dirt.
It’s a shame as the ADs bang on about a relationship but fail to realise it’s a two way thing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Whether it’s Rolex sports models or some limited edition Blancpain, I don’t understand why people are prepared to jump through hoops, buy watches they don’t need to work themselves up a list. If you can’t get what you want just keep your money, enjoy the watches you have or go out and buy something else that doesn’t require any of this nonsense. Despite all the hysteria about one or two brands, it’s still possible to go into an AD and buy a nice watch and be treated with courtesy during the purchase.
Surely a contract is a contract ! Especially after a deposit was paid. I would have thought that a threat of County Court would force the dealer to sell at the agreed price.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Indeed. Time to consult a solicitor/CILEx.
Aw, little Blancpain dealer think's he's Rolex, bless.
Must admit I’m struggling with it too.
He paid a £1500 deposit, they got the watch in & sent him a pic then decided not to sell it to him? Ok, so at that point I’m thinking, well they’ve sold it to a better client the trust blah blah BUT then we get “6 months later they still haven’t sold it, did I still want it”
Seriously, something fishy about the story.
If it was some sought after model then they’d have sold it instantly, firstly they’re a business so holding a watch for 6 months you could sell today? Sorry but more to this story or just total BS
This. The demand/supply situation won’t go on forever. There are very few businesses that are truly unique, so people really ought to vote with their feet rather than put up with nonsense.
I don’t understand why they didn’t sell him the first watch?
As said above, there’s more to this story.
I got to be honest and say that I hate this type of thread.
Someone comes in making a complaint about a shop or an AD and it is madness to jump to conclusions until you hear the other side of the argument.
Normally everyone takes the side of the member and the dealer does not even know he is being slagged off.
At least this particular thread is showing some questionable judgements, however, it is wrong to criticise any party until after both sides have had their say.
I absolutely agree. Too often such threads turn into uninformed slanging matches. Let's wait for the OP to clarify.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
It's a third hand story from an unknown member of an unknown forum, about an unknown AD. I wouldn't take it too seriously.
This is absolutely the case. Nonsense story with no evidence or hard facts, details. Move on, people - it's manufactured outrage.
Can i just say the staff of Ormskirk Argos are fantastically professional when I ask to look at their selection of very keenly priced Seiko and lorus.
It's not just an isolated case though is it? Tales of horrible, dismissive, arrogant and supercilious behaviour by ADs proliferate across every social media platform in existence. These invariably elicit protestations that no such thing is plausible - seems like fans of the big-names have such a severe case of Stockholm Syndrome they find having dealerships dictate what they may buy, being forced to buy things they don't want, being prevented from taking possession of everything they paid for, being prevented from reselling their possessions, and generally treated like vermin unless they've spent years crawling up the dealership's arse, not only acceptable, but positively desirable!
Madness. Unsustainable madness...
I still believe that a contract is a contract. Offer, acceptance and consideration in the form of a monetary deposit would prevent the seller from changing their mind.
Whilst we await the OPs response, I have to agree with what you have written above.
In my case, the sublimely self centred attitude of many Swiss Watch Companies is destroying the repair profession. Their extremely short sighted view fails to acknowledge that most customers will not be prepared to wait months for their watch to be returned after service and at highly inflated charges.
One small hope perhaps is the planned 'Right to Repair' legislation planned to be introduced for home consumer white goods, which with any luck may be extended to include smaller items such as watches.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Morally, the argument is with you, I agree, however consumer legislation tends to empower the most fickle of consumer to behave like a dick in many and creative ways if the urge so takes them.
It will indeed be foolish in the extreme to undermine independent technicians - perceived value resides in transparent long-term serviceability, not monopolising massively expensive maintenance and repair to the point where you effectively compel the impatient to buy new. They won't get stung twice at current prices - a gift for the competition, and certain to alienate the warier part of potential new custom...
Absolutely ! It's a wait and see situation, but I'm not going to pay 20k plus to buy their branded tools I already have, in order to be approved to service watches that I have been servicing without problems for nearly 50 years.
Most Swiss houses say that their repair departments lose money and are there purely to ensure brand loyalty. Wages in CH are very high and with some repair times now taking over six months, and a similar time more if the watch was not repaired by their staff correctly, that brand loyalty will disappear quickly for all but the most loyal/brand addicted of their customers.
To me this whole affair is a blatant attempt to monopolise the most popular part of the current watch industry. Yes, moral judgement must see this fail.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
We have a situation where Rolex are holding back on supply and prices have risen across the board, including the vintage models.
As a "punter" I am prepared to send my Rolex to St Jame's in the certain knowledge that it will come back in absolutely pristine condition. I am unworried about the time taken and up to a point, I will accept the higher servicing cost because Rolex watches keep edging up in value. A service every five years is purely a planned maintenance issue.
Therefore I am cool with Rolex withholding parts because although you can rely on Rolex servicing, you cannot rely on every single independent.
I accept that I am being selfish, but like Rolex I want the brand protected by whatever means possible. It benefits Rolex and it benefits me.
I sometimes wonder if the Swiss have their brains wired differently from the rest of us. During my career in the chemical industry I ended up working for an Anglo- Swiss company (Syngenta) and spent some time in Switzerland. To say there were professional differences is putting it mildly, very much an 'us and them' situation. Some of the Swiss folks were fine, but there was an underlying 'we know best' attitude that hampered sensible development.
I see similar parallels in the watch business, the logic behind restricting parts supply is deeply flawed but they will always try to justify it. Thhis leads to the crazy situation where repairs such as replacing a damaged crown or a damaged glass can`t be carried out without fully stripping and servicing the watch.
I've just received a watch from a small manufacturer (Tactico) with an ETA 2892 movement, it's around 2.5 yrs old and there's a minor problem with the hand-winding. The watch is running very well, no need to disturb the train wheels, escapement or balance, the fault is either in the keyless work or the auto-winding. It makes sense to me tackle this as a partial repair, the end result will be fine, it saves the owner a few £££ and it saves me some time. There's no point stripping and cleaning a movement that's a couple of years old and running perfectly, but that's what Omega would do if this was one of their watches with the same movement! OK, I guess the warranty would cover it given the age, but the logic still applies to an old watch that's had a full service within the last 2 years.
In a few years time there will be less and less independent repairers around and maintenance/repair cost of owning mechanical watches will continue to rise, this has been coming for some time.
This is one of those 'More money than brains' stories. When you can fork out 1500 (and later 4500) gbp as a deposit for a watch, you're most certainly not a poor guy. But, when you're fleeced the first time and then you hand them 3x the original sum... then there must be something wrong. Lack of judgement or simply too loaded to give a s**t about that sum of money.
Surely, one must have had a sharp brain and business sense to earn enough money for a Baracuda. Why isn't that sharpness around when it comes to buying a watch. Twice.
M
I understand your logic when it involves the first and second service of your watch. But what do you do in say 15-20 years when Rolex tell you it is too old for a service by them ? Perhaps you sell it on and buy a new one. There are many collectors of old Rolex, The Prince, The Standard, The Datejust, Oyster Perpetual etc, and servicing of these by Rolex watchmakers is usually extortionately expensive, if even possible. They often claim lack of parts, when the reality is the time and experience involved. A pal of mine sued Rolex because they refused to service his 50s Oyster Perpetual, claiming parts were obsolete. He won, at a high repair price. You are certainly going to be glad of independents in cases like this. Rolex watchmakers are no better than a decent independent, and many do work independently. The only difference is that they have better access to some but not all Rolex parts. In fact Rolex watches are amongst the easiest to find spares for online. I usually have my new cars serviced for the first two years but I am satisfied with the work of independent repairers after that, saving myself a large amount of money and being able to talk to the guy who is actually doing the job. Bearing in mind also, that the car repair industry has already fought and won it's right to be supplied with all parts by the manufacturers.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Last edited by Webwatchmaker; 1st February 2020 at 22:43.
I had a 1980 1655 serviced by Rolex with absolutely no problems, so therefore the age problem has not materialised.
No problem for that calibre at the moment. There are loads of parts available for 1655 even online.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Funny that he hasn’t been back to elaborate..............
Hi again
When you say loads of parts available, is that OEM or some other make ?
Many original, particularly from American sellers. The point being that this is a relatively common model. I was really referring to less common Rolex models for which the independent will step in to repair even when Rolex won't.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Last edited by Webwatchmaker; 2nd February 2020 at 16:53.
So you seem to be saying that if you own some certain old Rolex, you have a situation where Rolex will not repair it, why would they chose to do that ?
Phone them tomorrow and ask:
01732 752400
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Oh come on, you made the statement, so why not expand on it.
A waste of time. Much better you ask Rolex themselves which models they no longer service.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Last edited by Webwatchmaker; 2nd February 2020 at 20:10.
Rolex had a policy of not repairing watches over a certain age. So, now they will provided they still hold all parts to do so. Their service centres in some countries don’t hold parts for older watches and refuse to service them.
It's just a matter of time...
Ok whilst this is news for me, I can understand it but if indies can source the parts, why can't Rolex.
Also Rolex can charge top Dollar for servicing an old watch and it is in their interest to do so.
shocking
Stunning!
I have repaired both a Rolex Prince and a Rolex Standard recently. Both late 1930s. Rolex have absolutely no parts available for either watch. The Prince required a pair of winding wheels (clutch wheel and winding pinion). They were worn out and the winding rasped. I had to look through a box I have of such wheels to find a matching pair. Took ages but the watch was repaired. The cost for all this time would have been astronomical if any of the Rolex technicians took the time to fix this beautiful watch. The Rolex Standard actually has an AS 519 movement, and has long been obsolete. Again, the independent takes the trouble to get such a watch working when if Rolex took it on, the cost would be more than the value. I'm not going to criticise Rolex watchmakers. I know several, but it is not in their interests or brief to spend time repairing old and obsolete models, when they are already overstretched repairing current ones.
This situation does not only apply to Rolex, but most major brands, and denying the independent the parts to prolong the life of a much loved watch can only ultimately lead to brand contempt. Not brand loyalty.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Well for a start, Rolex can only deny the parts if they actually have them, which it seems, they do not.
It must be in Rolex interest to manufacture these parts to their own standard and then provide a service at a very high price. Any owner of a Prince will accept this due to the value of the watch forever creeping upwards.
If I had a 50 year old Rolex, I would happily pay a premium price for a service by Rolex as it will add to the watches value.
With regards to Rolex non repair readers of this thread maybe interest to see the below
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...d-ab5200e3f017
Particularly image 13 , the letter from Rolex apologising for non repair of this watch in 1991 .
Interesting auctioneers estimate on this as well .
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
That misses the point.
While some service centres will offer to service Rolex up to 50 years old and Tudor up to 25 years old, sometimes older, subject to parts - they don’t reproduce parts for obsolete watches/movements. Very few industries guarantee parts supply for many years after production. I believe servicing of older watches is on a case by case basis.
Rolex are denying all parts to anyone that doesn’t have an accreditation to service their watches. Even the UK service centre used to recommenced a couple of vintage Rolex repairers for work they wouldn’t carry out themselves.
It's just a matter of time...
Omega Service Centre were more than happy to service my 1964 Constellation some five years ago and carried out a cracking job.
It was serviced by the UK service centre and was completed within 2-3 months. It runs very well and I would be quite happy to send it to them again when it needs its next service.
There seems to be two problems, if you can call them problems.
The first is your objection when Rolex refuse to issue parts to non accredited repairers. This affects watches that are currently repairable and you cannot blame Rolex for looking after themselves, their accredited agents and also members of the public who want to be sure of the quality of servicing and repairs. I would do the same if I was in Rolex position.
The second issue is very old watches that Rolex will no longer service due to lack of parts. In this case no one has the parts and the customer is going to have to do a one off deal with anyone who can repair it. That will probably fall to an accredited agent but anyone else can do it. So Rolex cannot be blamed for anything here.
It seems to be a case that if you don't like Rolex commercial practices, buy another brand instead.
Posting Permissions
