Can you get the receipt for the watch from your mum (insurance reasons) and then get it exchanged without her knowing?
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Folks, tell me I’m not a nutter. I feel like I am. Basically, is it daft to send a brand new watch with a fault to the manufacturer, rather than back to the store for exchange?
Let me explain...Over the years I’ve done way too much flipping due to being bothered about minor imperfections or changing my mind with a watch. It has somewhat ruined watches for me :(
However, out of no-where today my mum bought for me a *really* nice Seiko I had been looking at. I’d looked at them because my dad had the 70’s one it is similar to, but I baulked the price (£2.5k ish). Anyway...out of the blue, she ordered it for me without warning, dropping it off today with “you have to stick with this one, cos it’s like your dads”.
And it’s amazing!! Never has a Seiko like this, and I prefer it to all the other Swiss watches I have tried. I love the style, the really *snap* feeling Chrono movement and the hands being perfectly aligned, and the really applied indicies with lots of depth. It’s fantastic! I texted my mum saying how chuffed I was, promising the end of the flipping / returning...
...Then I went in the garden with it on, check the time and see a really obvious hair on the dial and dust under the crystal. Dunno whether to laugh or cry!! 😂
The problem is to return it for exchange means telling my mum (having told her how amazing it was), and I think she’ll be gutted. Plus, I don’t want the shop ‘debating’ it and the refusing the exchange, or them selling the other they have in stock in the meantime.
So is it not just best to deal with Seiko UK? I’m sure they’ll sort it out, but I guess I’m just not sure about them opening up a brand new watch. But this is the watch I want, I just want it right. I was so impressed with it I was all set to write a review on here 🤦
What do you think? Any reason to think it’s a bad idea to send it to Seiko UK? I’m trying to convince myself these flaws don’t make it any less of a watch, and for once, just enjoy and appreciate it, and just let Seiko sort it out.
Can you get the receipt for the watch from your mum (insurance reasons) and then get it exchanged without her knowing?
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I could be wrong, but I’m not sure seiko would touch it under warranty without proof of purchase, so you would have to tell her either way. So the easier (and no doubt quicker) option would be to try and get the shop to exchange it
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Phone Seiko UK and explain - phone the store and explain, you'll then have the benefit of knowing your options rather than speculating.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I would just tell your Mum. If you’re getting as issue sorted and keeping the watch why wouldn’t she understand?
Cheers folks. I’ve got the stamped warranty card, so calling seiko is an option for sure.
My concern with the store is also them denying the exchange, if stores were open it would be different, obviously.
If it was bought online, then by law you have 14 to request a refund - even if it was just a "change of mind" return rather than a defective watch. They cannot deny you that.
I understand that you're concerned that they may only have one more in stock, and that it might be sold before you can get it, but I'd contact them asap and see whether they are prepared to do an exchange. My guess is that they would much rather do an exchange than take the risk of having to give you (or your mother) your money back.
And personally I'd be upfront with your mother about it. If she knows that you love watches, and is prepared to spend that much to give you a nice surprise, then I would expect her to want you to be completely happy with the watch you have received.
Do not exchange. It will no longer by the watch mum bought you. It must be fixed and not replaced.
Perhaps the watch has already been taken apart in the uk for some minor repair.
That’s how the hair and dust got in.
I would put it back in the box till it could be exchanged.
It's just a freaking watch from the store, just get it changed I can't see any problems with that.
There is certainly nothing that adds something personal to the watch except that you got it from
your mother. It could just as well have been the one you got standing next to this one in the booth.
If they have another in stock, I would get it exchanged as you have no previous history with this particular watch. Let your mum know the situation, surely she would understand? And if she doesn't you can send it to Seiko to resolve the issue.
It’s a shame you’re in Manchester. I get your dilemma entirely and I would cheerfully drop the movement, a puff of air to resolve the dial and a clean of the inside of the crystal.
Are there any friendly watchmakers nest to you? Maybe KevKojak could suggest somebody.
OCD sorted and it’s still the same watch.
(It would drive me mad too)
Would it? If the case back remover were hamfisted and scratched the back then you may have a point, but this is a simple job with no mechanical risk, how would Seiko even know?
It was just my thoughts and what I would do, but it’s neither my watch nor my decision to make.
i would see if you could simply get an exchange from the seller first. im guessing if this is a new purchase in last 14 days they have to exchange it or refund, if they don't have another in stock tell your mum and exercise your warranty rights or get the refund and source another
Get it fixed and you still have a watch from your mum. Get it exchanged and you don't. If it wasn't a gift from your mum I would say exchange.
I would just put up with the irritation of having the hair and dust under the crystal. Personally, I wouldn’t even dream of returning/exchanging something my mom bought me. However imperfect it may be. Service/repair is different.
Even if they exchange it, your mother doesn't necessarily need to know. As far as she is aware they could be repairing it. I doubt she wrote down the serial number.
I'd exchange it.
If it goes to a service centre it may well come back with some other irritating mark or something.
Cheers,
Neil.
Resolved!!
Haha massively over-thinking here. Sent a pic to the shop assuming they’d not reply til tomorrow at least, and they replied straight away ”no, that’s not at all acceptable, send it back for a refund. We’ll contact Seiko and see if they have a new one, but as a ltd edition they may not. If they do we’ll contact you and ask if you want to order it again”.
I told my mum and she just laughed!!
I think it is A. The frustration of trying not to be OCD then something staring you in the face and B. Going stir crazy due to Covid. The inability to just sort stuff in person makes some of us go mad. 🤦
Result! I was about to suggest live with it for a year or so, then send it to Seiko for repair under warranty and tell your mum they offered you a free twelve month check over to explain its absence. No need now though, proves that sometimes a simple message is all it takes .
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Sweet mom you have there. It wouldn't bother me having it returned/exchanged since it's still a brand new watch anyway and there's no real emotional bond yet. The mother would most likely feel the same way and any other person should never accept having a brand new watch that looks not.
I’d deal with the manufacturer not the shop.
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I've become very curious which specific watch it is! Any pictures?
So the resolution is that you will return for a refund and probably not get a replacement? Just checking I’ve understood.
Sounds like you have the Seiko SRQ029J1. If so that is an amazing watch. I had one.
If I got this right then, for me personally this wouldn’t be a desirable outcome. I’d at least want to finally end up owning the watch that my Mum has gifted to me. As your Mum is now fully in-the-know, is a warranty repair not a good way forward?