# Providence Watch Hospital Out of Business



## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Here's the news item from the Providence newspaper:

http://www.projo.com/business/content/BZ_WATCH_HOSPITAL_06-30-09_4JESTQS_v11.32a78c0.html

This is the repair facility recommended by Fortis. I'd like to know if anyone else has their watch in for repair with Providence?

Unfortunately, my watch is with Providence and I've already paid for my repair.

Anyone else have a Fortis watch at Providence?

Lesli Larson


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## J.D. (Aug 15, 2006)

That's too bad.:-( Providence was a good operation, I've had very good experiences with them in the past. If anyone hears about a new U.S. authorized repair facility, please post it here.


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

It's tough because Providence was the main authorized Fortis repair agent. I would have had my watch repaired by an independent dealer in the area but Fortis would not provide them with any of the proprietary parts (essentially forcing me to send the watch to Providence). From this forum, I understand that Providence was a trusted repair facility. Though the repair quote was high I never suspected that my watch might be lost to me.


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

agfachrome25 said:


> It's tough because Providence was the main authorized Fortis repair agent. I would have had my watch repaired by an independent dealer in the area but Fortis would not provide them with any of the proprietary parts (essentially forcing me to send the watch to Providence). From this forum, I understand that Providence was a trusted repair facility. Though the repair quote was high I never suspected that my watch might be lost to me.


I, too, have a Fortis at Providence. We'll get the watches back but it may take a little time. The law firm handling the recievership is Winograd, Shine & Zacks, P.C. in Providence. The lawyer appointed is Allen Shine. I talked to their office today and was told that a Gillian Whittaker (in that office also) is responsible for getting the watches returned. I've left her a voice-mail message and will, hopefully, hear from her this week. All we can do now is wait a while and let things unfold.

I also talked to Eric at LWR Time today ( http://www.lwrtime.com/ ) and he wells me there is no new repair facility selected yet. Eric also said they have a small parts inventory and that, if they have the needed parts, they will sell to any repair facility. But, like you I was told by a local repairman that he couldn't get parts and, hence, I sent the watch to Providence. Not the best situation but it will all work out....somehow...I hope....


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Thank you for all the useful contact info. The folks at LWR time have been helpful.

Have you already paid for your repair? I did! Hoping I can either still have the watch repaired by a third party facility or be reimbursed for the cost of the repair.

Keep us posted if you hear anything else.

Regards,

Lesli



Triplane said:


> I, too, have a Fortis at Providence. We'll get the watches back but it may take a little time. The law firm handling the recievership is Winograd, Shine & Zacks, P.C. in Providence. The lawyer appointed is Allen Shine. I talked to their office today and was told that a Gillian Whittaker (in that office also) is responsible for getting the watches returned. I've left her a voice-mail message and will, hopefully, hear from her this week. All we can do now is wait a while and let things unfold.
> 
> I also talked to Eric at LWR Time today ( http://www.lwrtime.com/ ) and he wells me there is no new repair facility selected yet. Eric also said they have a small parts inventory and that, if they have the needed parts, they will sell to any repair facility. But, like you I was told by a local repairman that he couldn't get parts and, hence, I sent the watch to Providence. Not the best situation but it will all work out....somehow...I hope....


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Man, I guess my concerns were well founded!

I'll send a note to the lawyer. Glad to hear that at least someone is on the case.

Hopefully, my B-42 is not a box of parts right now!


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## cuckoo4watches (Oct 24, 2006)

damn, thats horrible.
I knew a watchmaker that worked there but he left about 2 yrs ago and went
to work for the Swatch Group.
another buddy of mine is a watchmaker and a Fortis AD and he had mentioned
to LWR (previously Helvetia Time) that he'd be willing to take on some warranty
work... wonder if that is still an option?

LWR had better figure out something soon so it doesn't hurt their business.
I can't see how people would want to buy anything when everything is in limbo
and no facility has been chosen to cover any warranty repairs.

oh boy... it does sound like a mess right now.
I also wonder if PWH even notified its customers such as LWR ahead of time to
let them know what was coming down the pike?


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

One thing I heard from LWR today is that they didn't see this coming and had just shipped parts to Providence several days before the closure.

I did have a good conversation with a gent from LWR who indicated that they were alerting dealers to the situation. I reminded him that as of this morning, the LWR site was still referring folks to the Providence site for authorized repairs!

Sure wish I had held off on paying for repair until after work had been completed. I should have been a bit more concerned when my initial repair quote yo-yo'd up to 560 and than dropped down to 330 after a quick conversation.

I definitely wont be purchasing any more Fortis watches after this experience.


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

agfachrome25 said:


> One thing I heard from LWR today is that they didn't see this coming and had just shipped parts to Providence several days before the closure.
> 
> I did have a good conversation with a gent from LWR who indicated that they were alerting dealers to the situation. I reminded him that as of this morning, the LWR site was still referring folks to the Providence site for authorized repairs!
> 
> ...


While I can understand being upset, that's like saying you won't buy a Toyota because one dealer went under. 
It's not Fortis' fault.
I wish you luck, but don't blame them for this.

Scott


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

cuckoo4watches said:


> oh boy... it does sound like a mess right now.
> I also wonder if PWH even notified its customers such as LWR ahead of time to
> let them know what was coming down the pike?


As a customer with a watch in for repairs at the moment, I do wonder what, if anything, Fortis can do regarding peices in their physical possession. Probably nothing. However the only reason I did send my watch there was because it was the authorized warranty repair center!

It sounds like they got totally blind-sided!

As noted, there's a known law firm on the case and someone at that firm who's job it is to try and get everything back to its rightful owner. We'll just have to see.

Off topic a little, but this reminds me of my incident with our wedding photographer. She came highly recommended, we hired her, she showed up at the wedding, but then disappeared. After months of fruitless letters, calls, and drives by the studio, my father in law calls to say he saw her on the news, busted for drugs and fraudulent business practices!

Turns out she was taking deposits and snorting and smoking them. We were lucky as we caught her on the front-end of her decline and she actually used film at our wedding. Several subsequent couples came to learn she showed up and snapped away without even film in the camera!! Her final fall included taking deposits and not even showing up, which got her caught.

Anyway, it took a year, but we finally received the negatives that could be collected from around her studio and identified as our wedding.

I hope PWH was at least organized!


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Providence is the authorized repair facility for Fortis and Fortis would not release the parts needed for my repair to an independent watchmaker in my area.

If Fortis were Toyota, I would have had far more repair options for my watch. I'm wary of brands that have a limited parts supply or unreliable repair support. A Toyota, on the other hand, could be repaired in any town. Call me conservativee, but I would hesitate to purchase a future Fortis watch that could not be repaired by independent watchmaker.



slb said:


> While I can understand being upset, that's like saying you won't buy a Toyota because one dealer went under.
> It's not Fortis' fault.
> I wish you luck, but don't blame them for this.
> 
> Scott


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

agfachrome25 said:


> Providence is the authorized repair facility for Fortis and Fortis would not release the parts needed for my repair to an independent watchmaker in my area.
> 
> If Fortis were Toyota, I would have had far more repair options for my watch. I'm wary of brands that have a limited parts supply or unreliable repair support. A Toyota, on the other hand, could be repaired in any town. Call me conservativee, but I would hesitate to purchase a future Fortis watch that could not be repaired by independent watchmaker.


I know, and BELIEVE ME, I feel for you (and others)
I would contact Fortis in hopes that they might be able to do something - anything to help you guys out.

Please keep us posted - this is sad, and I hope you get your situations resolved in your favor!!!

Scott


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

agfachrome25 said:


> Thank you for all the useful contact info. The folks at LWR time have been helpful.
> 
> Have you already paid for your repair? I did! Hoping I can either still have the watch repaired by a third party facility or be reimbursed for the cost of the repair.
> 
> ...


I authorized the repair charges on my VISA card. The repairs were charged even though he work had not yet been done (a legally questionable practice). I called the credit card company and disputed the charge. VISA has credited me for the full amount as of this date. More to come on this....I'll post anything else I learn but I think we are in wait-and-see mode for a while.

Doug

.


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Good deal re: Visa. I'm happy for you! |>

I didn't have any charges as it was a warranty repair, however that's little solice for our watches. Legally, they are not their property, so shouldn't be subject to the bankruptcy. That is, of course, unless (a) they sold the watches for cash or (b) they looted the place before they left, in either case we're now creditors.

I also have a bad feeling about our watches being in parts that a group of lawyers will not be able to sort properly...

What Fortis' role in this will be remains to be seen. It is clear that the only reason my watch is there is that it was their authorized -- and apparently mandated! -- warranty repair center. If we don't get our watches back, a little love from Fortis directly would certainly help with general customer satisfaction! :roll:


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Triplane said:


> The law firm handling the recievership is Winograd, Shine & Zacks, P.C. in Providence. The lawyer appointed is Allen Shine. I talked to their office today and was told that a Gillian Whittaker (in that office also) is responsible for getting the watches returned. I've left her a voice-mail message and will, hopefully, hear from her this week.


Hi Triplane,

I've left a few messages this week and called again today and got voicemail. Have you heard anything? Also, can you share any more detail about what you heard? In particular, do you have any idea of how they intend to unwind things for watch owners?

Thanks!


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## Donald (Jul 19, 2006)

They did work for me five years ago and it was substandard at best. Fortis will find someone quickly.


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

2manywatchez said:


> Hi Triplane,
> 
> I've left a few messages this week and called again today and got voicemail. Have you heard anything? Also, can you share any more detail about what you heard? In particular, do you have any idea of how they intend to unwind things for watch owners?
> 
> Thanks!


I just spoke to Gillian Whittaker at the law firm (Winograd, Shine & Zacks, P.C. ). No new news, but I didn't really expect any at this point. She thinks it will be at least 2-3 weeks before procedures are in-place for the return of our watches. Not an unreasionable timeframe, I think, considering the circumstances. I can just imagine the problems she faces trying to figure out all the details. So, I'm confident that all will be well. We'll just have to wait a bit and let things develop as they may. There's nothing we can do to influence the outcome so I'm off to play a little late-afternoon golf.

Doug


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Triplane said:


> I just spoke to Gillian Whittaker at the law firm (Winograd, Shine & Zacks, P.C. ). No new news, but I didn't really expect any at this point. She thinks it will be at least 2-3 weeks before procedures are in-place for the return of our watches. Not an unreasionable timeframe, I think, considering the circumstances. I can just imagine the problems she faces trying to figure out all the details. So, I'm confident that all will be well. We'll just have to wait a bit and let things develop as they may. There's nothing we can do to influence the outcome so I'm off to play a little late-afternoon golf.
> 
> Doug


Thanks for the update. :-! In a word: yup. Shoot well.


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Thanks for the update. I phoned the firm and they just had me leave a voice message. Wonder if it would be of any value to speak to Gillian directly.

Trying to explore angle of requesting a refund for repair payment through my bank.

Has anyone spoken to LWR recently?


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## cnmark (Jul 30, 2006)

Sad to hear all this and I hope all of you will get the watches back in a reasonable time.

As for the continuation of Fortis servicing:
Either LWR Time will find a new authorized repair center, or the watches will have to be sent to Switzerland (should be through or by LWR) for repair / maintenance. Others as e.g. Ball, do also send the watches to Switzerland (in Ball's case: if the required parts are not "locally" available).


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

agfachrome25 said:


> Thanks for the update. I phoned the firm and they just had me leave a voice message. Wonder if it would be of any value to speak to Gillian directly.
> 
> Trying to explore angle of requesting a refund for repair payment through my bank.
> 
> Has anyone spoken to LWR recently?


It was four days after I left the voice mail message that she called me back. I doubt that she has much more to say at this point but talking to her can't hurt.

I'm putting together a letter to the law firm this week to officially let them know that I have a watch at Providence. I'll include copies of the shipping receipt , the UPS receipt showing the watch was signed for at Providence, and the repair estimate from Providence. All these documents are dated and should provide adequate proof-of-claim. All that may not do any good in the long-run but I'll at least feel better......

I miss my watch...sigh...

Doug


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## MattyS (Apr 23, 2008)

This is no help to anyone who has a watch at PWH, but I sent my B-42 Diver Chrono to Righttime in Colorado for service. They are a Fortis AD and are a factory authorized repair center for Muhle Glashutte and Tutima to name a few.

My experience with them has been good so far ... I will post details when I have the watch back.

MattyS


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

MattyS said:


> This is no help to anyone who has a watch at PWH, but I sent my B-42 Diver Chrono to Righttime in Colorado for service. They are a Fortis AD and are a factory authorized repair center for Muhle Glashutte and Tutima to name a few.
> 
> My experience with them has been good so far ... I will post details when I have the watch back.
> 
> MattyS


Thanks Matty. That will be helpful to some of us when the watches are returned. Let us know how you make out. My repair problem is that I need a stem and crown. I couldn't find a repair facility, other then Providence, that could get the parts. I'll talk to Righttime and see what they can do. I have to send it someplace...again. Thanks for the tip.

Doug


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## Crusher (Oct 6, 2008)

WTF?? Dammit!!! I shipped my Fortis there for service a month ago, been having e-mail conversations with Tina @ PWH and everything was going along smoothly. I haven't heard from her in a couple of weeks and sent an email last week to get an update on my watch....No reply. Figured she was on vacation as I had no reason to suspect trouble as she always replied in a timely manner.

Guess I will have to call Visa later today after work, but it's been over 30 days since I paid for my service. I will be extremely upset if I'm out not only my watch, but the cost of service as well.


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## por44 (Dec 21, 2007)

Fortis is responsible for their agents and their actions, otherwise Fortis ends up being in a win/win and the purchasers in a lose/lose . There should be no losers, Fortis made $ and should do their part to rectify the situation asap. Warranty service is paid for in the price of the watch. There is no excuse for Fortis or any other watch brand dragging their feet on quality USA warranty service no matter the reason.


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Triplane said:


> I'm putting together a letter to the law firm this week to officially let them know that I have a watch at Providence. I'll include copies of the shipping receipt , the UPS receipt showing the watch was signed for at Providence, and the repair estimate from Providence. All these documents are dated and should provide adequate proof-of-claim. All that may not do any good in the long-run but I'll at least feel better......


Good idea. Will do same.



Triplane said:


> I miss my watch...sigh...


Me too.


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## Docrwm (Feb 10, 2006)

Crusher said:


> WTF?? Dammit!!! I shipped my Fortis there for service a month ago, been having e-mail conversations with Tina @ PWH and everything was going along smoothly. I haven't heard from her in a couple of weeks and sent an email last week to get an update on my watch....No reply. Figured she was on vacation as I had no reason to suspect trouble as she always replied in a timely manner.
> 
> Guess I will have to call Visa later today after work, but it's been over 30 days since I paid for my service. I will be extremely upset if I'm out not only my watch, but the cost of service as well.


You have, I believe, 60 days to file a dispute. Remember, do so in writing in addition to whatever happens on the phone with Visa.

Good Luck.


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## Crusher (Oct 6, 2008)

Thanks.....I spoke with my credit card company yesterday and they said I would get a refund. I shipped my watch in late May, so I'm fully expecting it to be a bunch of pieces. I did call the law firm and left a message, but I'm not expecting to get my watch back, intact or otherwise.

I should have known about sending my watch anywhere in or near Rhode Island. I left that POS state for good almost 3 years ago after growing up and living there for over 30 years. 

Screw you RI and screw you Fortis. I'm done with this brand.


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

No luck for me on Visa refund. Looks like I'm four days past the 60 day limit! Curses. Guess I had no reason to expect repair would not be completed since I was dealing with the authorized repair facility, no less.

Any word from Fortis about what they might do to resolve the matter?

A little annoying that the LWR site now has blank space where repair info about Providence used to be located. It would be nice if there were a more formal public notice or statement about the Providence situation and info about contacting the law office if you have a watch in with Providence.

Keep me posted. No word from the law firm yet.

LL


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## cnmark (Jul 30, 2006)

Crusher said:


> [...] screw you Fortis. I'm done with this brand.


Well, as much as I can understand any anger and frustration in the current situation, one can not really blame Fortis for this situation - because it's not Fortis who went out of business.

And how much of this was foreseeable (or not foreseeable) for Fortis' US distributor, LWR Time, we will never know.

But: LWR Time could take some blame for _outsourcing_ the servicing (at my location the distributor, HCL Group, has the repair center _in-house_).


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Crusher said:


> I did call the law firm and left a message, but I'm not expecting to get my watch back, intact or otherwise... I'm done with this brand.


Hear ya... Really surprised Fortis has not come forward with a statement. The US has got to be its largest market. Perhaps they don't realize the impact such a major flaw in their system will have on their brand perception.

This is not about watches, but relevant to the point: I just had an issue with Lowe's. Bought a new washing machine and took their "delivery and install" option. Washing machine comes, gets installed and we run it. Unfortunately, we put the laundry in at 9:30pm.

Woke up the next morning to our entire downstairs flooded. The hose they used was defective, or had been busted by the install guys. Either way, thousands in damage.

Home insurance will cover most of it, but we have a $1,000 deductible. So, we called Lowes, explained the situation and ask them to cover the deductible. Their response? "Not our problem. We use an outside contractor for delivery and installation." Yup, you heard that right. I pointed out that I didn't chose the vendor, they did. Their response: full-on legalese, including "not our agent". Lay translation:Too bad, so sad.

I don't even know the name of the Delivery company and would never have the occassion to use them again. The Lowes Brand, however, is burned in my mind forever as a brand I can't trust. They cause thousands in damage and won't pick up one grand. Well, I'll be buying tens of thousands in windows and siding this fall. Guess where I won't be buying.

The same parable goes for the Fortis situation. They may not be PWH, but they might as well be. Their "outsourced" warranty center went tits up and they are mum on the subject. Will anyone remember PWH in a year? Of course not. But if this situation is not addressed by the company quickly, will people remember Fortis? Certainly, for a long time to come as a brand as a brand you can't trust.


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Any new news from anyone who's wrapped up in this issue? I followed their info exchange instructions, but have not received any acknowledgement or further instructions.


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## sjaakb (Feb 24, 2006)

Agree wholeheartedly. This is how brands are getting killed and frankly rightfully so. In the last decade all they had to do is offer watches to retailers and off they went. Regular price increases were the norm and "no one" thought anything of it. I can just imagine on the percentage that sales are down......... (anyone has a guess?). Customer service and clear communications are loyalty builders, but NOOOOOOOOOO that is asking for too much. Most in management have only experienced the good times and have no clue on how to deal with some headwinds.

Just like in sports..... You LOVE the team, the team on the other hand just wants to sell you crappy beer, overpriced jerseys and seats. You are there to service the debt, no more, no less and just shut up.

Whew, I feel better now... ;-)


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

sjaakb said:


> I can just imagine on the percentage that sales are down......... (anyone has a guess?)


Last report shared around I think said swiss watch sales down 35% overall, 43% in US, year over year...


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

sjaakb said:


> Agree wholeheartedly. This is how brands are getting killed and frankly rightfully so. In the last decade all they had to do is offer watches to retailers and off they went. Regular price increases were the norm and "no one" thought anything of it. I can just imagine on the percentage that sales are down......... (anyone has a guess?). Customer service and clear communications are loyalty builders, but NOOOOOOOOOO that is asking for too much. Most in management have only experienced the good times and have no clue on how to deal with some headwinds.
> 
> Just like in sports..... You LOVE the team, the team on the other hand just wants to sell you crappy beer, overpriced jerseys and seats. You are there to service the debt, no more, no less and just shut up.
> 
> Whew, I feel better now... ;-)


Touché!
You are dead-on.
Sadly o|


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Here's the email I got back from Fortis regarding the Providence situation:



Dear Sir,

As Providence Watch Hospital like all other repair facilities do not belong to FORTIS and are independent.
The company who knows the best about all this might be LWR as we are not very much informed about Providences' bankrupcy.
That's why we try to find the best possible repair centres in the world.
We have some addresses of interested service centres that are already working on FORTIS watches now and for the future we hope to be able to decide by the end of August.
If you have any problems with returning of your watch please contact LWR and if you need new addresses of possible service centres to send your watch to please contact us.
Please do not hesitate to contact us in case of further information.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / with compliments / meilleures salutations


FORTIS Watches Ltd.

Monika Schneider


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Nicely put. And thanks for the heads up regarding Lowes.

I will say that the President of LWR has emailed me several times to update me on the situation.

Here's what I heard last:

Hi Lesli:

I called the Lawyer handling the Speidel bankruptcy and he informed me that he said there is a serious buyer for the Providence Watch Hospital and that they are moving quickly to resolve your repair and others in limbo.

He said it will take a week or two until he has an answer from the bankruptcy court.

I am hopeful as is the Lawyer this will be resolved quickly.

Jeff



2manywatchez said:


> Hear ya... Really surprised Fortis has not come forward with a statement. The US has got to be its largest market. Perhaps they don't realize the impact such a major flaw in their system will have on their brand perception.
> 
> This is not about watches, but relevant to the point: I just had an issue with Lowe's. Bought a new washing machine and took their "delivery and install" option. Washing machine comes, gets installed and we run it. Unfortunately, we put the laundry in at 9:30pm.
> 
> ...


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks for posting this info.
I sure hope all of you get taken care of.
I'll bet this kind of situation is happening everywhere due to the bad economy.
Best of luck, and keep the updates coming.


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

agfachrome25 said:


> Nicely put. And thanks for the heads up regarding Lowes.
> 
> I will say that the President of LWR has emailed me several times to update me on the situation.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the news. Clearly, you're far more wired in than I am! Glad to see there are other members here are staying on top of the situation. :-!

The Fortis letter seems too much like pass the buck to me. The LWR news is positive, however. It's a shame they are stuck taking the heat all by themselves.

I await news anxiously. I'd only had the watch about a month, and had worn it a total of two days before sending it off. Really want to be reunited so I can sport-is my Fortis!


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

I'm really missing my watch as well.

Will email Jeff to check on any further updates and re-post here.

LL


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

agfachrome25 said:


> I'm really missing my watch as well.
> 
> Will email Jeff to check on any further updates and re-post here.
> 
> LL


Thanks. Please do. The longer this drags on, the more likely our watches will get lost or confused in the jumble...


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Just received a card in the mail from Allan M. Shine, Receiver of Providence Watch Hospital. The postcard indicates that Providence has been sold and that the new purchaser has agreed to honor outstanding customer repair orders. Per note: "Accordingly, assuming the court approves the transaction, you will thereafter be contacted by the new owner to make arrangements for completion of repairs and/or picking up of your watching."

Wondering if anyone would resubmit payment to Providence to have a repair completed

I was going to have the winding mechanism, crown and crystal on my watch replaced. Is there somewhere else I could have the work performed if my watch is returned, unrepaired??


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Thanks for the post. Again, you're ahead of me. I have seen no such card. Hopefully, our beautiful Forti will be back to us before 2010!


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

agfachrome25 said:


> Just received a card in the mail from Allan M. Shine, Receiver of Providence Watch Hospital. The postcard indicates that Providence has been sold and that the new purchaser has agreed to honor outstanding customer repair orders. Per note: "Accordingly, assuming the court approves the transaction, you will thereafter be contacted by the new owner to make arrangements for completion of repairs and/or picking up of your watching."
> 
> Wondering if anyone would resubmit payment to Providence to have a repair completed
> 
> I was going to have the winding mechanism, crown and crystal on my watch replaced. Is there somewhere else I could have the work performed if my watch is returned, unrepaired??


I've been out of the loop for the past few weeks and I thank you for the update. We're on a trip and I haven't seen any mail for quite a while. I wonder what the status of the buyer will be re LWR? Will Fortis back the new owner as an authorized repair center? What are the new owner's qualifications to repair Fortis watches? Will the repair staff from Providence be rehired or does the new owner have staff already in-place? Does the buyer own the physical plant or just the inventory of repairs? Where, physically, will the repairs be done - still Rhode Island? So many questions still to be answered.

But, we're making progress and there may, indeed, be light at the end of the tunnel. One just hopes that it's not the southbound train...

Doug


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

Triplane said:


> I've been out of the loop for the past few weeks and I thank you for the update. We're on a trip and I haven't seen any mail for quite a while. I wonder what the status of the buyer will be re LWR? Will Fortis back the new owner as an authorized repair center? What are the new owner's qualifications to repair Fortis watches? Will the repair staff from Providence be rehired or does the new owner have staff already in-place? Does the buyer own the physical plant or just the inventory of repairs? Where, physically, will the repairs be done - still Rhode Island? So many questions still to be answered.
> 
> But, we're making progress and there may, indeed, be light at the end of the tunnel. One just hopes that it's not the southbound train...
> 
> Doug


Just got home today from three wonderful weeks on Maui and found the postcard from the Receiver in the mail. Here's the exact message on the postcard dated August 13, 2009:

" On July 26, 2009, I was appointed Receiver of the Providence Watch Hospital. The business had been closed down and, as Receiver, I have since then been marketing it for sale. We have now agreed to a sale of the business, including the watch rep[air business, which sale is scheduled for approval by the Providence County Superior Court prior to the end of the month. The purchaser of the assets and watch repair business has agreed to honor outstanding customer repair orders. Accordingly, assuming the Court approves the transaction, you will thereafter be contacted by the new owner to make arrangements for completion of repairs and/or picking up of your watch" ss/ Allan Shine, Receiver of Providence Watch Hospital

Now, all that is very fine, but it leaves open the question of whether, or not, I will entrust the repairs of my Fortis to the "new owner". More information will be forthcoming and I am extremely interested in the position of LWR. At this point I am leaning toward requesting the return of my watch from the "new owner" and then shipping the watch to Europe for repairs. But, much depends on the CV of the "new owner" and the position of LWR regarding authorized repair stations. Time will tell.....

Doug


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## cneumann (Aug 15, 2008)

Hi guys,

I too have an alarm cosmonaut for warranty repair at the watch hospital. I called today and apparently the court has approved the transaction, the buyer is Saltzman's Watches and More, also based in Cranston RI (I heard the owner is related to the hospital's previous owner).


I can understand that they might not have been able to foresee this, I'm really more upset about having to send my 10-month old watch in for repairs!

In any case, hope this is useful and good luck to all of us, we're going to need it.


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

Quoted from National Jeweler:

_"August 31, 2009 _

Cranston, R.I.--Rhode Island Superior Court has approved the sale of two-store chain Providence Watch Hospital to the grandson of the company's founder, _National Jeweler _has learned.

In a deal finalized last week, Evan Saltzman, of Saltzman's Watches and More, said he paid $53,000 for the name, showcases, equipment, repair parts and customer lists owned by Providence Watch Hospital, a fine jewelry retail and watch repair shop with stores in Wakefield, R.I. and Cranston, R.I.

The sale to Saltzman did not include inventory; the store conducted going-out-of-business sales for its inventory over the weekend.

Saltzman, whose grandfather Joseph Saltzman founded the Watch Hospital in 1940, said the company does not have any immediate plans to reopen the Watch Hospital, but might put the name to use in the next year.

"Since my family started Providence Watch Hospital, I was interested in getting control of the name in case we wanted to use it," he said.

Saltzman said he was also interested in becoming the national service center for brands the Watch Hospital serviced, namely Swiss Army, Movado, Oris and Fortis.

He is currently negotiating with those companies, as the contracts are officially non-transferable and therefore not part of the sale.

As of now, Saltzman said he'll continue doing business through Saltzman's Watches and More, and, in fact, is in talks with the landlord for the Wakefield location to possibly make it a second Saltzman's store.

Saltzman's currently has one location in Cranston, where it sells watches and serves as the national service center for brands including Luminox, Mondaine, Body Glove, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino, M. LaHart and AT Cross, but does not carry any fine jewelry.

As for the watches that are at the Watch Hospital for repair, Saltzman estimates there are at least 900 timepieces to sort through and that staffers are working as quickly as possible to return the watches to their rightful owners.

"I have been working with many of the watch companies to determine what they would like done with their watches, and how they would like me to proceed," he said. "We are going through the repairs as best possible, but due to the sheer volume of watches it will take us several weeks to be in contact with all of the customers and companies."

Once owned by jewelry industry veteran Fred Levinger, the Watch Hospital was placed into receivership, a form of bankruptcy in which a receiver is appointed to handle a company's assets and financial affairs, earlier this year, along with manufacturer Speidel LLC, which also was owned by Levinger.

Cerce Capital LLC purchased Speidel in a separate sale that was approved Aug. 14."

The waters are still muddy. Draw your own conclusions.

Doug


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Still muddy, but I can report the following:

My B-42 MarineMaster returned home today! Unexpectedly got a knock on the door from UPS and it was my watch -- repaired.

That's the good news. Bad news is it was returned as just the watch, without any of the original packaging or paperwork. I asked if I should send everything and was told yes, so that's what I did.

Called Saltzman's and they are going to look into it. Apparently, they are just one mile down the road from the PWH location and someone from Saltzman is going to go and have a look for my box and paperwork.

Either way, I'm glad to have my watch back. Would certainly be more pleased if I can get the whole kit back together just in case...


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Update. They called back and said that they are unable to find anything. Apparently, while they have bought the name and some equipment, they don't actually have everything from the old shop.

Their instructions were to call the distributor and see if they'll send a new warranty card, manual and/or box. I'll have to see what LWR is willing to do.

Good luck to everyone else with pieces caught in the situation...


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## ceilalex (Sep 7, 2008)

Hi all, until this is straightened out, where can one send a Fortis for authorized repair in the US? I have a B42 chronograph and one of the buttons fell out. Thanks for any assistance you might be able to provide.


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

There is no current Fortis Warranty center in the US. Saltzman is trying to negotiate a relationship, however to the best of my knowledge this agreement is not in place. Until then, Saltzman told me to contact LWR. LWR, in turn has told me to contact Saltzman. It's a real mess.

To that point, I have not been able to get anyone to get me a box and new warranty card as a result of this debacle. Everyone points to the left. It appears that the only thing left to do is contact Fortis directly, but I have not yet found a contact person.

At this point, I will enjoy my orphaned B-42, but I'm afraid I'm done with this brand. There are just too many other quality watches and life is too short to put any more dollars their way.


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## ceilalex (Sep 7, 2008)

Thanks for the update 2manywatchez! I'll continue to wait and see what unfolds.


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

2manywatchez said:


> There is no current Fortis Warranty center in the US. Saltzman is trying to negotiate a relationship, however to the best of my knowledge this agreement is not in place. Until then, Saltzman told me to contact LWR. LWR, in turn has told me to contact Saltzman. It's a real mess.
> 
> To that point, I have not been able to get anyone to get me a box and new warranty card as a result of this debacle. Everyone points to the left. It appears that the only thing left to do is contact Fortis directly, but I have not yet found a contact person.
> 
> At this point, I will enjoy my orphaned B-42, but I'm afraid I'm done with this brand. There are just too many other quality watches and life is too short to put any more dollars their way.


I still don't see how you can blame Fortis for this?
I get being upset, etc., but it's not Fortis' fault.


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## 2manywatchez (Mar 3, 2009)

Not blaming Fortis for PWH's failure, nor am I particularly upset really. My point is that life is too short to go through this type of situation with so many great choices in the marketplace. Watch collecting is supposed to be fun, not require a lawyer.

Regarding fault, however, let there be no mistaking the fact that this is ultimately a Fortis problem. They are the ones that allowed PWH to be their sole, exclusive warranty repair center, they are the ones that have not empowered LWR to take any corrective or proactive steps, and they are the ones that have gone without a warranty service center since their failure. Fortis has known about the PWH failure since June -- that's four months ago -- without so much as a public comment from the company. In essence, they have been selling watches with a meaningless unfulfillable warranty in the US for four months without so much as a notice to new customers. Doesn't that bother anyone?

For existing customers, Fortis has not so much as issued a "this is an unfortunate situation and we are working on it" press release. That's because they were not working on it. Instead, they demonstrated an "all we do is make watches, talk to the distributor" attitude. From what I've heard back from the distributor, however, they are in no position vis a vis this brand to take any action. This is simply not acceptable for any brand, much less one in the four-digit price bracket. 

Imagine if BMW took a "we just make cars, talk to the dealer" attitude after customers learn there is no way to have their warranty honored in the US. How many people would say, well I'll still buy a BMW because it's not their fault? Worse, what if your car was in to the BMW-authorized repair center and was returned four months late without the floor mats, spare tire, owner's manual or service records? Would "too bad, so sad, not our fault" from BMW be acceptable to you?

To be fair, I have not yet interacted with Fortis directly on the matter, and will. Maybe they'll be great and very nice people. Maybe they'll send me a new box, papers and warranty card. That would be great and I hope they do. Regardless, the question remains: should I or any customer even have to ask when they were aware of the distress their distributor and customers have been under for a third of a year in their largest market?

Bad situation, four months old; not so much as a peep or smidge of proactivity. You can make your own choice, but that's enough to keep my watch enthusiasm focused on other options.


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

FedEx came to the door today. My watch has returned from it's long journey. So, for me at least, the saga has ended. Just another of life's experiences (and annoyances)...

Doug


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## stanislav (Feb 3, 2008)

_deleted inappropriate and non thread-related comments_


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## incognito (Dec 5, 2007)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## Mike 777 (Dec 20, 2008)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## hess (Sep 19, 2007)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## hess (Sep 19, 2007)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## TimeOnTarget (Feb 11, 2006)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## Mike 777 (Dec 20, 2008)

_edited off-topic comments_


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## J.D. (Aug 15, 2006)

This thread is getting waaay off topic guys. Let's please try to veer back on course. :thanks


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## medbiker (Feb 28, 2007)

_edited off-topic comments_

Anyway, back to the thread. Ferguson Jewelers in Florida (put the two words together and add .com) appears to have some sort of special relationship with LWR. I called LWR to ask where I could buy a Fortis Alarm, and the guy there told me to call Gary (Ferguson). The Fortis Cosmonauts Alarm will be arriving today. Gary told me that he is, "the only dealer in the US who is selling the alarm chronos right now, because (he) fine tunes them before sale, and that (he's) one of only a few watchmakers who are qualified to do so." I don't know if he's the heir apparant to PWH, but I suspect he can get parts and fix yer watches.
Hope this helps.


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## cuckoo4watches (Oct 24, 2006)

to keep on course here 
(and do not revert back to the 'my country is better than yours' guys) ;-)
...

I am friends with Gary Ferguson and yes, he is a master watchmaker and has done
some stuff for Fortis in the past.
A long while back he presented Helvetia Time, the original Fortis Dist, with an idea
as to himself becoming an authorized repair facility... they said no thanks not now.
I believe he did the same with LWR and was brushed off as well.
The watchmaking career has been in his family for a long time.
He picked up the trade from his father and carried it on and has been doing it for
a long time now, if my memory serves me correct, well over 30 yrs.
If you have no luck getting any resolve with any issues on your Fortis watches, I highly suggest contacting Gary.
He may still quite well have access to all the Fortis repair parts.


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## hess (Sep 19, 2007)

i would suspect that lwr gave furgusen the brush off due to any history of complaints.

purchased a new watch and had him install an observation back, ar coated, crystal, leather strap and when the watch showed up it looked like a slapdash job.

scratches on the observation back, bubbling under the edges of the ar coating, and a leather strap that was _used_ and clearly not what i asked for (i even went so far as to provide a fortis part number, picture of the strap, and a scan straight from the catalog).

when i called up to have it sent back for these repairs he simply said it was a fortis problem and that it needed to go to PWH. this for a 3 day old new watch.

he reluctantly accepted the watch for inspection. 

3 weeks later it came back in the _exact_ same condition except that the strap was now correct. but the strap was the least of my concerns. 

his response was "i can't find anything wrong with the watch".

i was _livid_.

called lwr and talked to eric as this was the second time that a lauded watch salesman had botched what would seem some elementary work. 

eric had some choice words about the situation (this was not the first time) which i found refreshing given that it is the _dealers_ who are the face of fortis and when a dealer doesn't come through with product and service, ultimately it's fortis that ends up with the black eye.

eric had me send this second watch in to lwr so they could confirm the issues. 

they confirmed all the issues. 

sent it to pwh and 1 month later it was back and in _perfect_ condition and working order. 

the idea of a dedicated service center complete with a system of checks ad balances for the work done is _crucial_ to providing quality customer service.

relying on individual "masters" who also deal in retail sales is just asking for trouble. 

while friends of fugeson might come to the rescue, i'm not a long time close friend so i guess i don't get the quality service and discounts they do.


=======================================


as an aside to that, and to reiterate from an earlier post, if you want something done, email is not the way. a phone call gets you much further these days. 

i sent several emails to lwr and every single one of them were without reply. as to the reason, who knows?

one, single, phone call and i spoke to two different people who instantly got things going _that_ day. not later that week or the next. 

i had an RA#, a clear set of instructions, and two wonderfully receptive contacts who seemed to be dedicated to one thing, rectifying a _major_ oversight by one of their dealers.


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks Hess - that's not what I want to ever happen, and I will pass on that joker.
Sorry to those that know and like the guy, but no way I'm sending any of my $2500 watches to someone to have THAT happen!
Great place this is - I'm not yet in need of any servicing as mine are all new, but when I do, I don't want this grief! :-!


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## agfachrome25 (Apr 19, 2008)

Congrats! Did you have any special contact with the lawyers or the new owners of Providence. I still have not seen my watch yet. Was your watched repaired or not?

Regards,

Lesli Larson


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## Triplane (Jul 15, 2009)

agfachrome25 said:


> Congrats! Did you have any special contact with the lawyers or the new owners of Providence. I still have not seen my watch yet. Was your watched repaired or not?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Lesli Larson


Mine came back repaired. No special contact with anyone, FedEx just showed up on my doorstep with the watch on September 15. If you have not yet heard anything from the new owner I think it would be appropriate to contact them ASAP. Here's the info that came with my watch:

Evan Saltzman
Saltzman's Watches and More
1024 Reservoir Avenue
Cranston, RI, 02910-5122
401.946.0930
www.saltzmans-watches.com

Doug


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## kevmar (Sep 29, 2009)

J.D. said:


> That's too bad.:-( Providence was a good operation, I've had very good experiences with them in the past. If anyone hears about a new U.S. authorized repair facility, please post it here.


New Fortis Authorized Service Center:

Time-Tec Watch Service Center
635 S. Hill St. Ste. # 209
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(888) 448-TIME
[email protected]


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## kevmar (Sep 29, 2009)

Triplane said:


> Mine came back repaired. No special contact with anyone, FedEx just showed up on my doorstep with the watch on September 15. If you have not yet heard anything from the new owner I think it would be appropriate to contact them ASAP. Here's the info that came with my watch:
> 
> Evan Saltzman
> Saltzman's Watches and More
> ...


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## medbiker (Feb 28, 2007)

Ferguson is to be avoided....
I'm the guy who mentioned him in the first place, seemed like a nice guy on the phone, good at self promotion, too.

He had the one of the Fortis alarm watches that I wanted (I believe the only one in the US), and I didn't want to go gray market so that I would have customer service as necessary.
I discussed with him that I was worried I might not like it, and he said, "I have a 3 day return policy". He said he wanted to size the watch for me because it was tricky to do. I sent him my wrist measurements, paid him, and received the watch 2d later.
When I tried it on, I knew immediately it wasn't going to work for me. It reminded me of an Omega 125 in it's bulk. It was giving me carpal tunnel symptoms within about 15 min. (I don't have carpal tunnel synd). I am cursed with spindly wrists,
I had looked at the measurements before buying it, and it's just about the same size as my Sinn diapal 757, which I love, and is very comfortable. The Fortis just felt like a brick on my wrist.

I called Gary within a half hour of getting the watch and told him it wasn't going to work. He convinced me to give it a try, said, "wear it for the weekend and see how it does". I wore it for about 2 hrs, and became sure that it just hurt. I tried calling him back, but he was closed (I'm on the west coast). So I drove over to the post office and mailed it back the same day (Friday)

I called today, Wednesday, to see if he'd received it. He said no, and that there were no returns anyway. I reminded him that he'd told me there was a 3 day return policy, which he now said is only for ebay items (I'd had no interaction with him except on the phone). He also said he couldn't take it back because the band size had been changed, so it was now a used watch.

Our discussion went nowhere, and I finally told him I'd take it up with Visa and hung up on him. Ass clown.

Anyone wanna buy a watch?


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## Broker (Feb 14, 2006)

kevmar said:


> And just in case you guys are on the west coast, an Authorized Service center was set in Los Angeles. Here is the info:
> Time-Tec Watch service Center
> 635 S.Hill St. Ste. # 209
> Los Angeles,CA 90014
> ...


In the spirit of disclosure, shouldn't we mention that you either own the place or work for them and are here to solicit business?


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

Broker said:


> In the spirit of disclosure, shouldn't we mention that you either own the place or work for them and are here to solicit business?


I have been wondering about this myself.
It's obvious, and usually this kind of posting in forums is not allowed - at least without a disclaimer.
While I appreciate knowing about a local AD to repair watches, I think we should be careful with this type of thing.
Just a nOOb's 2¢


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## kevmar (Sep 29, 2009)

Broker said:


> In the spirit of disclosure, shouldn't we mention that you either own the place or work for them and are here to solicit business?


I am not soliciting any business. Just letting know Fortis owners of the new authorized service centers in the USA, one in RI and the other one in CA.


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

kevmar said:


> I am not soliciting any business. Just letting know Fortis owners of the new authorized service centers in the USA, one in RI and the other one in CA.


I have to politely disagree.
You've posted nothing but this in a number of threads since signing up.
You should indeed let people know you have a conflict of interest in posting it.
It's not fair to do otherwise.


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## ESaltzman (May 4, 2009)

Good evening everyone,
My name is Evan Saltzman and I am the man that purchased Providence Watch Hospital out of receivership. I want to thank everyone for their patience with the situation with the Fortis service center. I have been doing my best with getting through all of the Fortis watches that were at Providence Watch Hospital for repair and I believe that we should have been in touch with you all either by mail estimate, return of your watch repaired, or through conversations by phone or email. If we have not been in contact then please feel free to email me about your watch, or about my company, Saltzman's Watches & More, at [email protected]. We are also now set up as the Fortis service center so please feel free to contact us for your Fortis repair needs. Again, thank you all for your patience with these issues and I look forward to working with you all soon.

Sincerely,

Evan B. Saltzman


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## slb (Jun 26, 2008)

ESaltzman said:


> Good evening everyone,
> My name is Evan Saltzman and I am the man that purchased Providence Watch Hospital out of receivership. I want to thank everyone for their patience with the situation with the Fortis service center. I have been doing my best with getting through all of the Fortis watches that were at Providence Watch Hospital for repair and I believe that we should have been in touch with you all either by mail estimate, return of your watch repaired, or through conversations by phone or email. If we have not been in contact then please feel free to email me about your watch, or about my company, Saltzman's Watches & More, at [email protected]. We are also now set up as the Fortis service center so please feel free to contact us for your Fortis repair needs. Again, thank you all for your patience with these issues and I look forward to working with you all soon.
> 
> Sincerely,
> ...


:-!


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## Docrwm (Feb 10, 2006)

ESaltzman said:


> Good evening everyone,
> My name is Evan Saltzman and I am the man that purchased Providence Watch Hospital out of receivership. I want to thank everyone for their patience with the situation with the Fortis service center. I have been doing my best with getting through all of the Fortis watches that were at Providence Watch Hospital for repair and I believe that we should have been in touch with you all either by mail estimate, return of your watch repaired, or through conversations by phone or email. If we have not been in contact then please feel free to email me about your watch, or about my company, Saltzman's Watches & More, at [email protected]. We are also now set up as the Fortis service center so please feel free to contact us for your Fortis repair needs. Again, thank you all for your patience with these issues and I look forward to working with you all soon.
> 
> Sincerely,
> ...


Evan,

Thank you for the note and for introducing yourself. Welcome to WUS and to the Fortis Forum. I hope that you will stick around and enjoy the place.

-Robert


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