All About Watches

You might remember that I dropped my Seiko a while back and it stopped running. It's been at Seiko for 3 months now, and they haven't even looked at it yet, so they're returning it from Japan unfixed. With customer service as abysmal as this I would recommend against spending more than a few hundo on a Seiko, because if it breaks they won't fix it. Imagine if it would've been a $5k Grand Seiko?
 
doghouse said:
I have no explanation for that.
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One possible explantation for this is that they are investors buying watches that go up in price. But there are those that do it with watches that don't go up in price.

The whole watch thing is fascinating.
 
Monkeyface said:
You might remember that I dropped my Seiko a while back and it stopped running. It's been at Seiko for 3 months now, and they haven't even looked at it yet, so they're returning it from Japan unfixed. With customer service as abysmal as this I would recommend against spending more than a few hundo on a Seiko, because if it breaks they won't fix it. Imagine if it would've been a $5k Grand Seiko?
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That's unfortunate. Can't believe they would need to send a SARB back to Japan in the first place - the cost of the freight to Japan would almost be worth more than the watch. Given you dropped it and it's a few hundred dollar watch, I would have been inclined to just take it to a local watchmaker to repair, unless there was a good reason you thought it should be fixed under warranty.

As for Grand Seikos, they definitely do have to go back to Japan for servicing. I've heard good stories and bad about their customer service, but they seem to be dependent on where you are located, and which local reps you're dealing with. I've had bad experiences with authorised repair centres for Swiss brands, and recently with my Sinn...

As a rule the whole watch industry is focused on selling more new watches not servicing existing customers. Rolex fanboys bang on about the amazing service network for Rolex being part of the appeal, so maybe they are the exception. Though again, if not under warranty you'd probably just send your watch to a good local guy.
 
formby said:
One possible explantation for this is that they are investors buying watches that go up in price. But there are those that do it with watches that don't go up in price.

The whole watch thing is fascinating.
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It amazes me the number of posts I see on the TWAT (such an appropriate name) thread on SF where some idiot says someone should buy a watch with a downright ugly or flawed design because "it might be discontinued and become valuable!"

Really? Value can go up or down, but ugly is forever. That's why ugly, mass market things don't usually make for a good investment. E.g. would you rather have a 1960 Ford Edsel or a 1961 Ferrari California?
 
Monkeyface said:
You might remember that I dropped my Seiko a while back and it stopped running. It's been at Seiko for 3 months now, and they haven't even looked at it yet, so they're returning it from Japan unfixed. With customer service as abysmal as this I would recommend against spending more than a few hundo on a Seiko, because if it breaks they won't fix it. Imagine if it would've been a $5k Grand Seiko?
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Could I recommend a TIMEX
 
prince nez said:
It amazes me the number of posts I see on the TWAT (such an appropriate name) thread on SF where some idiot says someone should buy a watch with a downright ugly or flawed design because "it might be discontinued and become valuable!"

Really? Value can go up or down, but ugly is forever. That's why ugly, mass market things don't usually make for a good investment. E.g. would you rather have a 1960 Ford Edsel or a 1961 Ferrari California?
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If taste/beauty was a criteria for cost/desirability the whole clothing/luxury/car industry would be totally fucked.
 
formby said:
Question:

Where does this phenomenon for flipping watches come from, and why?
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"Flipping" is when you buy a watch and immediately sell it, as it didn't live up to your expectations. A sure way of losing money. It's a different concept to buying and selling much later.

prince nez said:
That's unfortunate. Can't believe they would need to send a SARB back to Japan in the first place - the cost of the freight to Japan would almost be worth more than the watch. Given you dropped it and it's a few hundred dollar watch, I would have been inclined to just take it to a local watchmaker to repair, unless there was a good reason you thought it should be fixed under warranty.

As for Grand Seikos, they definitely do have to go back to Japan for servicing. I've heard good stories and bad about their customer service, but they seem to be dependent on where you are located, and which local reps you're dealing with. I've had bad experiences with authorised repair centres for Swiss brands, and recently with my Sinn...

As a rule the whole watch industry is focused on selling more new watches not servicing existing customers. Rolex fanboys bang on about the amazing service network for Rolex being part of the appeal, so maybe they are the exception. Though again, if not under warranty you'd probably just send your watch to a good local guy.
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I would have though the customer service for Seiko would have been spot-on? Some of the watch brands have service centres in county, so you don't need to send to Switzerland, or in the case of Seiko, Japan. The above advice is valid, take it to a local watchmaker who will likely be able to help, even considering in-house Seiko movements.

You pay big-time for a Rolex service/refurbishment that's why they can do it extremely well.
 
prince nez said:
That's unfortunate. Can't believe they would need to send a SARB back to Japan in the first place - the cost of the freight to Japan would almost be worth more than the watch. Given you dropped it and it's a few hundred dollar watch, I would have been inclined to just take it to a local watchmaker to repair, unless there was a good reason you thought it should be fixed under warranty.

As for Grand Seikos, they definitely do have to go back to Japan for servicing. I've heard good stories and bad about their customer service, but they seem to be dependent on where you are located, and which local reps you're dealing with. I've had bad experiences with authorised repair centres for Swiss brands, and recently with my Sinn...

As a rule the whole watch industry is focused on selling more new watches not servicing existing customers. Rolex fanboys bang on about the amazing service network for Rolex being part of the appeal, so maybe they are the exception. Though again, if not under warranty you'd probably just send your watch to a good local guy.
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I debated it, but it's a $500 watch and Seiko said they could fix it for $150, which is cheaper than buying a new one or getting a local place to fix it. Except it turns out they couldn't even be bothered to look at it and now I won't ever buy a Seiko again.

Watches have caused me more trouble than it's worth, as all of my watches are broken now (Omega, Seiko & Tissot). With my luck my first expensive watch will break within a year as well. I might just go watchless for a while, they're simply not worth the hassle.
 
Monkeyface said:
I debated it, but it's a $500 watch and Seiko said they could fix it for $150, which is cheaper than buying a new one or getting a local place to fix it. Except it turns out they couldn't even be bothered to look at it and now I won't ever buy a Seiko again.

Watches have caused me more trouble than it's worth, as all of my watches are broken now (Omega, Seiko & Tissot). With my luck my first expensive watch will break within a year as well. I might just go watchless for a while, they're simply not worth the hassle.
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This is why ROLEX wears the crown.
 
prince nez said:
As a rule the whole watch industry is focused on selling more new watches not servicing existing customers. Rolex fanboys bang on about the amazing service network for Rolex being part of the appeal, so maybe they are the exception. Though again, if not under warranty you'd probably just send your watch to a good local guy.
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It depends. I think as you go up the scale the more service oriented it becomes in a general sense. But even brands like TAG have pretty good service, at least here.
 
Monkeyface said:
I debated it, but it's a $500 watch and Seiko said they could fix it for $150, which is cheaper than buying a new one or getting a local place to fix it. Except it turns out they couldn't even be bothered to look at it and now I won't ever buy a Seiko again.

Watches have caused me more trouble than it's worth, as all of my watches are broken now (Omega, Seiko & Tissot). With my luck my first expensive watch will break within a year as well. I might just go watchless for a while, they're simply not worth the hassle.
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What's the problem with your Omega? I've found Omega service very good, if a tad slow.
 
doghouse said:
What's the problem with your Omega? I've found Omega service very good, if a tad slow.
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Stopped running as well. The tissot stopped running after I dropped it from hip height, just like the Seiko.

Maybe I'll get an Apple Watch.
 
Monkeyface said:
Stopped running as well. The tissot stopped running after I dropped it from hip height, just like the Seiko.

Maybe I'll get an Apple Watch.
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Well, Tissot is a piece of shit, so that isn't relevant to this conversation. Did you send the Omega to get looked at? How do you keep dropping watches anyway, do you have thumbs?
 
doghouse said:
Well, Tissot is a piece of shit, so that isn't relevant to this conversation. Did you send the Omega to get looked at? How do you keep dropping watches anyway, do you have thumbs?
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It's at the shop. I drop one watch a year, that's not too bad. It usually happens when I'm in a hurry. It should be able to survive a 1m fall anyways. The watch that can take you to the moon but doesn't survive a small drop?
 
Monkeyface said:
It's at the shop. I drop one watch a year, that's not too bad. It usually happens when I'm in a hurry. It should be able to survive a 1m fall anyways. The watch that can take you to the moon but doesn't survive a small drop?
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What shop? How long have they had it? Which Omega?

I beat my Omega to death and back and it has never missed a beat.
 
Damn I smack my Omega around and it just keeps going. Any service has been with a local guy who is certified for Omega and Rolex. He does it quickly; within a couple of weeks.

Sinn service in Frankfurt is usually 6 to 8 weeks door to door. Like clockwork!
 
formby said:
However, a better choice for the clumsy phucka would be a Casio G-SHOCK!!!!!!
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My brother's a big fan, along with fake Rolex's, IWC's and Panerai's sourced from Beijing. Interestingly, when I was over there, whenever I was offered fake watches in Beijing or Shanghai our national manager would shoo them away and usher me into safer zones, realising fake watches were too uncouth and vulgar for a gentleman like myself.
 
doghouse said:
So he should have gotten the AT Milgauss is what you are saying...
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That's a AT>15,000 Gauss (I kind of like it). I read somewhere, can't remember where that the reason for the '>' symbol is that they didn't have the equipment to test it to a higher level in-house.

As an aside the modern Milgauss has a higher rating than the name suggests, the use of the name is a historic reference.
 
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Lord Buckley said:
My brother's a big fan, along with fake Rolex's, IWC's and Panerai's sourced from Beijing. Interestingly, when I was over there, whenever I was offered fake watches in Beijing or Shanghai our national manager would shoo them away and usher me into safer zones, realising fake watches were too uncouth and vulgar for a gentleman like myself.
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The G-SHOCK is a great watch, and is a proper tool watch. Its the perfect watch for Monkey.
 
prince nez said:
It amazes me the number of posts I see on the TWAT (such an appropriate name) thread on SF where some idiot says someone should buy a watch with a downright ugly or flawed design because "it might be discontinued and become valuable!"

Really? Value can go up or down, but ugly is forever. That's why ugly, mass market things don't usually make for a good investment. E.g. would you rather have a 1960 Ford Edsel or a 1961 Ferrari California?
Click to expand...

Actually, I bet a pristine Edsel would be quite valuable, not as valuable as the Ferrari. Interesting design and marketing story behind the Edsel and its failure.
 
Lord Buckley said:
"Flipping" is when you buy a watch and immediately sell it, as it didn't live up to your expectations. A sure way of losing money. It's a different concept to buying and selling much later.



I would have though the customer service for Seiko would have been spot-on? Some of the watch brands have service centres in county, so you don't need to send to Switzerland, or in the case of Seiko, Japan. The above advice is valid, take it to a local watchmaker who will likely be able to help, even considering in-house Seiko movements.

You pay big-time for a Rolex service/refurbishment that's why they can do it extremely well.
Click to expand...

In what way does it not live up to their expectations?

I believe that Seiko have now spun off Grand Seiko as a separate entity.
 
formby said:
I'm shocked...
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im-shocked-shocked.jpg
 
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