# LVMH Tag Heuer Customer Service Repair Experiences



## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

I'm interested in hearing non-warranty repair/estimate experiences with LVMH/Tag Heuer. Chiefly, I'm interested in their blatant practice of providing take-it-or-leave-it "rebuild" estimates when you simply want something fixed on your watch. 

To give a hypothetical example, you send your watch in for a new chrono pusher or maybe even a crown that you managed to damage. Next thing you know, they are providing a $1000+ estimate which calls for essentially every part except the bracelet and case to be replaced. 

All this is fine and good, of course, as there is nothing wrong with them suggesting additional items that might be replaced, and naturally "suggestive sales" is a perfectly acceptable technique. After all, we experience this when we take our car to the dealer. The problem is that when we take our car to the dealer we can politely decline the extras with relatively little drama. With LVMH/Tag Heuer, however, they won't *touch* your watch unless you agree to the entire estimate!!

Yes, for those of you not familiar, that is their SOP. The idea is they want to "bring the watch back to Tag Heuer original specs" or something along those lines. In other words, they want to take your (now) used watch and turn it into a brand new watch again. Imagine if this was the scenario you faced every time you wanted to get your car fixed. Absurd.

They also use the line that they don't do "partial repairs." 

And oh, by the way, if you just want to order parts and don't want to pay them to do the labor, good luck - not happening. 

Right now they are being investigated in the EU for anti-trust practices, and I'm *shocked* that they've gotten away with these practices for as long as they have in the U.S. 

I was told by K&H Watch Service (formerly an authorized TH Service Center, now bankrupt) that there is a class action lawsuit pending that involves anti-trust issues, but I have been unable to verify this. Perhaps they got it mixed up with the EU action.

Anyway, I'm surprised there isn't more about this topic on these boards, so I'm interested in hearing your stories, especially what happened if you tried to reject any of these extra services.


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

wristwatchtrader said:


> Chiefly, I'm interested in their blatant practice of providing take-it-or-leave-it "rebuild" estimates when you simply want something fixed on your watch.


I suppose that means you don't care about stories where they just did what was asked for then.

There was a guy here who needed a crown/crown stem replacement and that was exactly what he got as part of the overhaul service on his out of warranty watch.
No extra costs charged for extra parts and labour of new crown/crown stem.
No extra work done beyond what is part of the overhaul.

By the way, not that you care but nearly all of the major Swiss watch companies (LVMH, Swatch, Richmont) and independents were being looked at, not just TAG Heuer/LVMH.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Out of warranty service is a difficult area for most vendors. Most people who send in watches to the vendor are generally less knowledgeable than most readers of this forum. Exactly what is wrong with their watch is something most folks just don't know. 

I don't know for sure but I suspect most have set up a 'standardized' flow to handle out of warranty work and that flow is basically a 'full service'. Such a service makes sure the watch that leaves is fully functional and in a good looking order. Many describe the returned watch to be 'as new'. Such service is easier to control from a production flow viewpoint. And it tends to reduce 'ship backs' which always loose money and customer credibility.

Personally I could not afford all my vintage watches if I could not take them to a local watchmaker who just does what I need. He knows me. Sometimes we argue over what needs to be done. But I usually take his guidance. This is called 'setting expectations'  If I did not ask him to work on the chrono pushers and they stick, he knows I won't bring it back saying "now the chrono pushers stick... what did you do? They didn't do that before!" I just assume he and I never noticed it before. Most folks don't have that level of trust with a corporate crew in New Jersey...

But if you don't want the cosmetics of case polishing, et.al. you should be able to ask for that. But maybe they just don't want to work on a watch that needs a lot of cosmetic work. I don't know... anyone ever heard anything definitive?


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## Wisconsin Proud (Jun 22, 2007)

Check Rolex' policy you'll find the same.

Great second post!!


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## bmwfreak (Jun 7, 2008)

I sent in a vintage Formula 1 to have the plastic bezel replaced. They wanted to do a full maintenance including installing a new quartz movement and new crown, etc. The quote was about $160. That is more than the value of the watch, so I declined.


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## underpar (Jan 26, 2009)

The OP is not crazy. Rolex has been doing this forever and recently Breitling has started the practice. I've recently been burned by the BUSA 'back to factory standards' routine and it is straight up robbery. I've heard 2 cases recently of Tag pulling these practices but hoped they were false.


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

I really don't understand the logic of anyone who would defend this practice. Let's go back to the car example. Are you going to put up with such practices when you take your car to the dealer to fix *one* issue? 

If your local Toyota dealer tried this, and they closed their parts department to the general public, do you honestly think they could get away with that?

One poster responded that a customer got their watch back and it "looked new." Well yeah, duh - that's my entire point - the guy probably spent $1k+ replacing 80% of the parts so it better look new because 80% of it is!

Yes, I agree that it's not just Tag/LVMH, but a good chunk of the high end watch industry. That makes the practice a *bigger* problem. Now you can't even just boycott Tag because the entire industry is in on the fix. 

One thing that's interesting is that Omega makes their parts available in the U.S. thru Otto Frei, so it's at least *possible* to get their parts. As such, I have no problem with Omega whatsoever as anything they might do in their service center would be "suggestive" only since you always retain the option of ordering parts and having a local qualified watchmaker perform the service. 

Some will take exception and argue that anyone not employed by Tag/LVMH isn't really "qualified", but the alternative would be using (horrors) *aftermarket* parts, which is a much worse outcome. Again, let's just look to the automotive industry, or frankly almost *any* industry other than the watch industry, to understand how crazy this practice is.


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

Actually, I would *love* to hear stories about watches sent to LVMH that had *one* item fixed with no extras. That would be far more extraordinary. By the way, the example you cited doesn't count since it was part of an "overhaul." Okay, so they charged $400+ for an overhaul and threw in a "free" $30 crown - how generous. 

Just for grins, I'm going to take a brand new watch, remove the crown and send it in for a new crown. Let's see if I can get *just* the crown replaced without a lot of extra drama. I'm betting it can't be done.


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

The car/watch comparison is absurd.

Not repairing a faulty part in a watch movement could lead to catastrophic failure of the movement.
The same cannot be said for a car.

As some have said, a watch usually works fine until it goes wrong and then when it goes wrong, it goes very, very wrong.

Before I go further into this; I ask again why you post this here mentioning specifically TAG Heuer/LVMH.
Secondly, what are your own experiences of this?




wristwatchtrader said:


> Just for grins, I'm going to take a brand new watch, remove the crown and send it in for a new crown. Let's see if I can get *just* the crown replaced without a lot of extra drama. I'm betting it can't be done.


great idea.
what you need to get a fair appraisal of the services offered across the board is to go buy a Rolex, Omega, TAG Heuer, IWC, JLC and a Tissot.
To make it more in depth, you'd also need to get, in the cases where applicable, an example of an in-house movement and a bought in movement to see if that makes a difference to.

Let us know how you get on.


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## bmwfreak (Jun 7, 2008)

I sent a Hamilton automatic watch to Omega service in New Jersey USA to repair a stripped crown. It was out of warranty. They fixed the problem by replacing the entire middle case. They did not simply replace the case tube. I suppose it's much easier for them to replace the complete part rather than fix it, similar to replacing a complete brake caliper rather than rebuilding it. Makes sense to me. They did NOT try to sell me a movement service, but I specifically wrote the watch was running fine and did not require a movement service and I only wished to have the crown fixed. I believe they quoted me $110 for the crown service. After about 6 weeks the watch was returned, the main crown was fixed, but there were other "new" problems. The internal bezel did not rotate properly and the movement seemed to be slightly loose in the watch case. I called them immediately and described the "new" problems. They had me send the watch back and finally made good and returned my watch within a few weeks.


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

drunken monkey said:


> The car/watch comparison is absurd.
> 
> Not repairing a faulty part in a watch movement could lead to catastrophic failure of the movement.
> The same cannot be said for a car.
> ...


Okay, let's try this another way - you take your car into the dealership to replace a burned out headlamp, and they insist that you must have your oil changed also, or else they aren't even going to touch your headlamp. Only I'm being generous in using an oil change as the example - more like engine overhaul!

Even if I was in agreement with your argument, ultimately it should be the consumer's choice. This happens all the time in a car dealership's service department. You bring it in, and they warn you that you need to have XYZ service done or you might have more expensive problems down the line. Then it's up to you to decide whether you want to spend the money now, or take your chances down the road.

My personal experience? Okay, let's try this one on for size - I send a watch in for a missing pusher. They want to overhaul the movement, replace all gaskets, dial, hands, crown, tube, etc. It's actually easier to list what *won't* be replaced - the bracelet, case/back/bezel and um, that's pretty much it. Technically the movement won't be "replaced", but they might as well given what the overhaul would cost. Yes, I know a 7750 is expensive to overhaul. However, I'm pretty sure I could send them a watch that was overhauled 2 weeks ago by a local watchmaker and they would still insist on overhauling it again. They want to overhaul every watch they see.

Again, I'm sure Tag/LVMH isn't the only one doing this, but it just so happens that they are the ones I have had repeated personal experiences with over a number of years and several different watches, plus K&H specifically told me the "lay of the land" as it pertains to "bringing the watch back to factory specs" which translates to replacing half the parts on the watch.

The funny thing is that even if I send them a new watch their "basic service" is $200, so even if I can talk them out of the overhaul they are still going to charge $200 before we even start talking about the actual problem that needs to get fixed. Now, I would defend their right to charge whatever rates they wanted to charge IF they would make their parts available to the general public and/or independent watchmakers. In my opinion it's fundamentally unfair to monopolize the parts supply, then take advantage of that monopoly to charge whatever rates you want to charge.


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## jermyzy (Aug 19, 2007)

All I can say is I sent my Zenith Defy back to LVMH Canada three times for warranty work. Each time, it came back with a new problem. After the third time, I took it to my local watchmaker instead.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

wristwatchtrader said:


> ...In my opinion it's fundamentally unfair to monopolize the parts supply, then take advantage of that monopoly to charge whatever rates you want to charge.


I agree with you premise about monopolies... that is why economic power is often regulated by government.

In Switzerland it is not illegal to have monopolies or cartels that 'rationalize' industries. In the US it is (but you have to convince the authorities to take action).

But given the 'no regulation is best' atmosphere in much of the world, I don't think we can expect any legal relief. Indeed, in the car industry vendors are now restricting access to diagnostic equipment so only dealers can use all the features of the onboard computers to diagnose and repair cars. A number of independent repair trade groups have been trying to get legislation prohibiting this practice... so far no state has even considered their proposed law seriously.

In other words, yes it is rotten. LMVH is not the only one doing it. It will probably get worse in the future, especially with Swatch forcing folks into in-house movements.

Aaaaaaarrrrggg!!!


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

wristwatchtrader said:


> I send a watch in for a missing pusher. They want to overhaul the movement, replace all gaskets, dial, hands, crown, tube, etc. It's actually easier to list what *won't* be replaced - the bracelet, case/back/bezel and um, that's pretty much it. Technically the movement won't be "replaced", but they might as well given what the overhaul would cost.


Now that you explain what you are talking about I can begin to understand where you are coming from.

You see, I am aware of the fragility of watch movements (having previously buggered one up by dropping it) so in my mind, if my watch goes in for a routine check up and "overhaul" (itself just a bit of a clean and oil) and they notice something is amiss in the movement that requires some attention, I wouldn't mind as it should hopefully mean that I will be trouble free afterwards and have that extended warranty on the (factory) work.

However, I should point out that in your example, none of the work you mention is actually to do with the movement bar the overhaul, which I mention earlier is really just a bit of a clean and an oil. Also, as far as I'm aware, that should actually include the gasket changes as it involves opening the watch.
But as you mention, the extra work they said _needed_ to be done are extras on the external parts of the watch and in this respect, yes, I agree with you as it is unneccesary work.

As for the control of parts availability.
I'm not sure where I stand on this.
On the one hand, I can see that it would be nice for parts to be available to the public, I can also see how accessibility can be very easily abused.
I recall reading somewhere that part of the reason why they (the watch manufacturers) don't like to supply the public is because they don't actually want third parties to work on the watches. The reasoning is something along the lines that they get too many watches sent to them where some third part has worked on the watch, didn't know what they were doing and had subsequently broken the watch and in turn, they had simply blamed the watch or some unfixable fault.


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

drunken monkey said:


> Now that you explain what you are talking about I can begin to understand where you are coming from.
> 
> As for the control of parts availability.
> I'm not sure where I stand on this.
> ...


Yes, sorry if I wasn't clear in the original post.

I completely agree there are many jewelers who do not know what they are doing. I see examples of it every day. However, most of the issues I see are the *result* of OEM parts not being available, as a jeweler is forced to use an inappropriate aftermarket part. From where I sit, this policy *compounds* the problem, rather than mitigating it.

By the way, I've also been told things that are flat out false, such as that the chrono pusher is "attached" to the movement, so therefore they must work on the movement as well. This may be true in certain vintage pieces, but not the modern Tags I typically work with.

So here's my thing - if I specialize in Tag Heuer, have a large inventory of spare parts, lots of knowledge about how to fix them, etc. etc. and I'm getting stuck every once in a while, what is happening to the typical end-user who just wants something fixed on his watch? I can work around 95% of it, but the general public is really just SOL.


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## nakedjohnny (Nov 21, 2009)

I think I'll be taking my TAG to a watchmaker when the service is needed...


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

well, I know a watchmaker near me that is an authorised TAG Heuer service centre.


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## calibre 11 (Jan 2, 2007)

bmwfreak said:


> I sent in a vintage Formula 1 to have the plastic bezel replaced. They wanted to do a full maintenance including installing a new quartz movement and new crown, etc. The quote was about $160. That is more than the value of the watch, so I declined.


$160 sounds like a bargain for the work they were going to do, doesn't it? Whether it was worth it relative to the value of the watch is a different matter.

dc


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## bmwfreak (Jun 7, 2008)

calibre 11 said:


> $160 sounds like a bargain for the work they were going to do, doesn't it? Whether it was worth it relative to the value of the watch is a different matter.
> 
> dc





bmwfreak said:


> I sent in a vintage Formula 1 to have the plastic bezel replaced. They wanted to do a full maintenance including installing a new quartz movement and new crown, etc. The quote was about $160. That is more than the value of the watch, so I declined.


That $160 did not include the bezel, just the maintenance. I suppose my point is that the watch really only needed a new bezel. The movement worked fine, but they would not replace the bezel without doing a complete maintenance on a 20+ year old quartz watch.


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## tpd80 (Jun 28, 2011)

nakedjohnny said:


> I think I'll be taking my TAG to a watchmaker when the service is needed...


I couldnt agree more. Unless you need specific tag parts that only tag provides why send it to the service center. You wait a long period of time and you pay much more.

I also tend to think you may get better service locally. You can find out how many years the watch maker has been in the business vs the Tag service center your watch may get stuck with the "new guy" or "trainee". The watch maker knows your coming back to his store so he may take that extra care. At the Tag service center they'll never see you and if they scratch your dial or bezel they are less likly to care. Instead of sending it back and waiting another 6-8 weeks most customers will just eat it maybe complain a little on WUS but thats about it.


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## Tuxman (Sep 21, 2011)

I very recently purchased a vintage TAG 6000 chronometer that I needed serviced badly. Thankfully I live by a Tag authorized retailer, and luckily they have a certified swiss watchmaker/ repair person in house. Nice people and easy to work with. Overhauls here work well, he pretty much checks everything out and they call me to ask what I want replaced. He also "suggest" certain parts that may need replaced, or what might happen if I don't replace them. I can imagine the horror story I might be posting as well if I had sent this 10+ year old watch into TAG. I had to wait around 6 weeks as this guy is super busy, but it's worth it. The COSC movement was off by more 5 min! Now it's down to +/- 4 sec depending on the winder. I would suggest anyone who's having out of warranty issues like this to do a search for a certified swiss watch repair person in your area, these guys have to take boat loads of classes and hours on the bench before they are considered "certified swiss". Obviously the watch isn't 'new' but he does a great jobs, it looks great and the functions are all working back to normal. I wish everyone luck with this as I understand it can be a great headache.


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## cntrl (Feb 27, 2007)

I had my carrera sent in for repair due to a missing chrono pusher. The estimate came in at $750 and LVMH stated that they "must" perform a complete movement maintenance. My watch was just over four years old, so I gave them the ok. Now, when I got it back, the tachy hand was not reset to zero, it was off by 1.5 sec. After paying over $700, I decided to email JCB directly to voice my concerns and immediately he replied and put a few individuals to handle my situation. I sent the watch back, at their cost for a second go and it came back the same way. So off it went again for the third time and they were able to get it close enough, approx 0.5 sec off center.


At this point, I felt that they could not do any better so I accepted it as is. Now, although it took a few tries to get it close to right, I was really happy with how attentive the staff at LVMH was in making sure I was happy. I would not hesitate to use them again.


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

wristwatchtrader said:


> Actually, I would *love* to hear stories about watches sent to LVMH that had *one* item fixed with no extras. That would be far more extraordinary. By the way, the example you cited doesn't count since it was part of an "overhaul." Okay, so they charged $400+ for an overhaul and threw in a "free" $30 crown - how generous.
> 
> Just for grins, I'm going to take a brand new watch, remove the crown and send it in for a new crown. Let's see if I can get *just* the crown replaced without a lot of extra drama. I'm betting it can't be done.


To be fair, there's other issues with TAG Heuer crowns. Especially with their Aquaracer models. The screwdown crowns use tiny threads inside the crowns which are ridiculously easy to strip. They know about the problem and are apparently taking steps on newer Aquaracer models to remedy the issue. TAG clearly doesn't want to issue a recall on what is simply a defect in their Aquaracer line. Seems the crowns and stems are fixed for free when a watch is brought in for service. As with many things in Life, taking care of an issue in a quiet manner creates less controversy. (It's also cheaper than issuing an recall.)


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## Natural (Nov 30, 2011)

Monocrom said:


> To be fair, there's other issues with TAG Heuer crowns. Especially with their Aquaracer models. The screwdown crowns use tiny threads inside the crowns which are ridiculously easy to strip. They know about the problem and are apparently taking steps on newer Aquaracer models to remedy the issue. TAG clearly doesn't want to issue a recall on what is simply a defect in their Aquaracer line. Seems the crowns and stems are fixed for free when a watch is brought in for service. As with many things in Life, taking care of an issue in a quiet manner creates less controversy. (It's also cheaper than issuing an recall.)


I will find out soon how much the cost is because i sent in my aquaracer tonight for a broken crown.


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

Natural said:


> I will find out soon how much the cost is because i sent in my aquaracer tonight for a broken crown.


TAG Heuer will likely quote you around $300 for the fix. Some independent watchmakers normally quote around $100 for it.


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

Is it confirmed that TAG Heuer have a fixed policy in place with regards to the crown thread issue or does it still appear to be on a base by case basis?
I asked because if it is now definitely covered by the warranty then the TAG Heuer fix would/should come with their 2 year cover (or is it one year?)


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## Natural (Nov 30, 2011)

Monocrom said:


> TAG Heuer will likely quote you around $300 for the fix. Some independent watchmakers normally quote around $100 for it.


even on the quartz model?


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

That's a realistic expectation. Crown repair has nothing to do with a watch movement.


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## Natural (Nov 30, 2011)

Monocrom said:


> That's a realistic expectation. Crown repair has nothing to do with a watch movement.


a crown and stem prob only cost 50-70 bucks


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

Natural said:


> a crown and stem prob only cost 50-70 bucks


Nothing to do with realistic prices. It's a TAG Heuer. You pay a premium, even for servicing, due to the name. Same thing with Omega. And, to a much greater extent; Rolex. One thing about watches, whether you're buying a new one or just having your's serviced, you pay a certain premium just for the name on the dial.


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## minjiehu (Jan 4, 2012)

i took my grand carrera rs2 calibre 17 in because it had a small speck of dust under the sapphire. they said it needed a minor service along with it so i said yes. i received the watch 4 weeks later with 4 more specs of dust under the sapphire and 1 on the dial. it has gone back again...sigh


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## slikmetalfab (Aug 17, 2011)

I have a 6000 automatic chronometer also (with an over-stretched bracelet) that I have had since new. Had it repaired by a watchmaker buddy of mine for $150.

Great watch. Just wish the bracelet would have lasted longer.


Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk


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## Natural (Nov 30, 2011)

Gosh so many bad reviews. Any good ones out there?


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## Rachdanon (Jan 30, 2012)

Has anyone got anything to say about the facilities available (eg dust-free workshops) and level of skill (locals, Swiss-trained etc) of the repairman for Singapore? Or for that matter any of the above info for your country/ state?


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## Natural (Nov 30, 2011)

Monocrom said:


> Nothing to do with realistic prices. It's a TAG Heuer. You pay a premium, even for servicing, due to the name. Same thing with Omega. And, to a much greater extent; Rolex. One thing about watches, whether you're buying a new one or just having your's serviced, you pay a certain premium just for the name on the dial.


I just got the estimate from TAG today and it is only 127.50 which also includes some gasket changes as well + the fixing of the broken crown.


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## minjiehu (Jan 4, 2012)

minjiehu said:


> i took my grand carrera rs2 calibre 17 in because it had a small speck of dust under the sapphire. they said it needed a minor service along with it so i said yes. i received the watch 4 weeks later with 4 more specs of dust under the sapphire and 1 on the dial. it has gone back again...sigh


so i went to pick up my tag today and there was another spec of dust, going back for service for the 3rd time now. time spent at service department: approx 6 weeks (now probably going back for another 2 weeks). time spent wearing the watch: approx 5 days.


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## decipher28 (May 2, 2010)

minjiehu said:


> so i went to pick up my tag today and there was another spec of dust, going back for service for the 3rd time now. time spent at service department: approx 6 weeks (now probably going back for another 2 weeks). time spent wearing the watch: approx 5 days.


to remove these specks of dust requires expensive equipment like this vacuum pump dust remover so if the service or repair centre hasn't got something like that chances are dust will be present.a regular blower should remove the most obvious dust and hairs but it won't be as good as the aforementioned piece of equipment

Cousins UK - Blowers & Vacuum Removers


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

decipher28 said:


> to remove these specks of dust requires expensive equipment like this vacuum pump dust remover so if the service or repair centre hasn't got something like that chances are dust will be present.a regular blower should remove the most obvious dust and hairs but it won't be as good as the aforementioned piece of equipment
> 
> Cousins UK - Blowers & Vacuum Removers


Excellent point.

If a service center doesn't have it, they should contact the customer and let him know that his watch will have to be sent to a different service center that does. And, that it'll take longer to get back to him. That's what a professional service center would do.

(Actually, a large service center from a major watch brand would make sure to have that equipment on-site. That's what a truly professional service center would do. But barring that, send the watch off to another service center after contacting the customer. You don't go ahead with the servicing and hope the customer doesn't notice the dust.)


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## Rachdanon (Jan 30, 2012)

decipher28 said:


> to remove these specks of dust requires expensive equipment like this vacuum pump dust remover so if the service or repair centre hasn't got something like that chances are dust will be present.a regular blower should remove the most obvious dust and hairs but it won't be as good as the aforementioned piece of equipment
> 
> Cousins UK - Blowers & Vacuum Removers


Lol...I was thinking more high tech than that. I spoke to a friend who works in the semi-conductor industry where I thought had similar dust-free requirements, and he told me the entire room is dust-free through the use of many HEPA filters, and where the workers work fully enclosed in suits (I imagine space suit like).


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## gcradic (Feb 9, 2012)

drunken monkey said:


> As for the control of parts availability.
> I'm not sure where I stand on this.
> On the one hand, I can see that it would be nice for parts to be available to the public, I can also see how accessibility can be very easily abused.
> I recall reading somewhere that part of the reason why they (the watch manufacturers) don't like to supply the public is because they don't actually want third parties to work on the watches. The reasoning is something along the lines that they get too many watches sent to them where some third part has worked on the watch, didn't know what they were doing and had subsequently broken the watch and in turn, they had simply blamed the watch or some unfixable fault.


I can see controlling the availability of parts from a fraud standard as well. How many fakes (even good ones) are out there with a restricted supply? How bad would it get if real parts were easy to get and used to create fakes? :-s


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## gcradic (Feb 9, 2012)

I sent a TAG SE/L back some months ago to perform the standard service (the watch worked fine, but had some dust under the crystal). It failed the leak test and they wanted to replace the movement, the dial, the hands and the crown & tube. The estimate was more than the price of a near mint pre-owned model. Buffing the case for minor surface scratches was a bit pricey as well. I didn't ask to do any partial work, I just said return the watch. They shipped it back, I never paid a single cent. All in all, I was pleased with this experience.

When I got the watch back, I put it on eBay along with a posted copy of the TAG Service estimate for full disclosure. As long as the new owner isn't swimming with it, I am sure they are still enjoying it.


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## J.JUN (Jan 18, 2012)

I'd a pretty good experience with the Singapore LVMH service center so far... Posted a thread on it and then saw this thread...

I guess it's all about luck and the person who services the watches, whether he/she has any professionalism...


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## Richard M. (Feb 2, 2012)

I had a Tag Heuer Monaco, the one with the plexiglass. I had the watch two weeks before I noticed it was running fast, a few hours. So I rest it, and after a few days i realized it was running fast again. About 3 months after I bought it stopped running and I sent it to the NJ Tag repair center and received it back within two weeks. And after a few days I noticed it was running slow. 

Well, a month or two later it stopped running again and I sent it in for repairs again. A few weeks after that it stopped running again and sent it back for repairs. I was told they would replace the movement and send it back. A few days after I received it stopped running again. I sent back again and once I got it back I sold it and bought a Breitling Montbrillant Datora from my friend. Anyhow I had a few issues with that watch again, but that was a used timepiece and had not been serviced in 3 years. But the repair cost from Breitling in CT was fair. $140 for a maintance kit and $150 to have the watch polished.

Over all i'm happy with my Breitling and I just purchased an Omega Planet Ocean Big Size and I hope I don't have issues with it.


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## minjiehu (Jan 4, 2012)

decipher28 said:


> to remove these specks of dust requires expensive equipment like this vacuum pump dust remover so if the service or repair centre hasn't got something like that chances are dust will be present.a regular blower should remove the most obvious dust and hairs but it won't be as good as the aforementioned piece of equipment
> 
> Cousins UK - Blowers & Vacuum Removers


it doesnt seem to be all that expensive? surely with the amount of watches they receive regularly for dust issues they can justify for one? and the problem with the RS2 is that i cant just take it to any service centres as most wont have the special tool to remove the bezel/sphapphire. even the inhouse watch maker in the Melbourne store doesnt have one so they have to send my watch off to Sydney service centre everytime. All i know is that it has been my dream to own a Tag and now that i do own one, i will not buy another


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## iceseven65 (Apr 17, 2012)

After 3 TAG's I had my first experience with the customer service center in New Jersey and it was not good. After 1.5 years my Formula 1 Grande Date began to seriously lose time(it was always spot on) and when I pulled the crown(gently as always) to reset the entire stem came out. My AD sent the watch in and after two weeks told me that it was not a warranty repair and that it would be $300, my AD argued then TAG mysteriously lost my warranty info that was provided by my AD and they had to resend. Eventually TAG stepped up and admitted that the watch failed internally and that they would cover the repair but not the parts. My AD is covering the parts charge because of how TAG handled the repair with all of the hassle. Recently I contacted CROTON about a watch that needed a new bezel spring that was bent by the previous owner and they sent a new spring, no charge and thanked me for buying their product, even after I told them it was used!

Seriously how can a company like TAG have a customer service center that has a "F" rating with the BBB?


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

iceseven65 said:


> Seriously how can a company like TAG have a customer service center that has a "F" rating with the BBB?


Welcome to WUS.

An excellent question that is deserving of an answer. Check out the link below for the best place to post that question. No guarantees that you'll get an answer. (I'm still waiting for the response to the question I posted.) But at least you'll know that the man behind the brand will see it.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f25/mr-j...tions-members-our-tag-heuer-forum-660103.html


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

cntrl said:


> I had my carrera sent in for repair due to a missing chrono pusher. The estimate came in at $750 and LVMH stated that they "must" perform a complete movement maintenance. My watch was just over four years old, so I gave them the ok. Now, when I got it back, the tachy hand was not reset to zero, it was off by 1.5 sec. After paying over $700, I decided to email JCB directly to voice my concerns and immediately he replied and put a few individuals to handle my situation. I sent the watch back, at their cost for a second go and it came back the same way. So off it went again for the third time and they were able to get it close enough, approx 0.5 sec off center.
> 
> At this point, I felt that they could not do any better so I accepted it as is. Now, although it took a few tries to get it close to right, I was really happy with how attentive the staff at LVMH was in making sure I was happy. I would not hesitate to use them again.


Let me get this straight. All you needed was a pusher, and you paid $750, and you had to send it in three (3) times, and after all that you went *backwards* in terms of how the second hand was centered, and you wouldn't hesitate to use them again??? I'm going to go bang my head against the wall a few times and see if that helps me digest this logic...


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

Monocrom said:


> Nothing to do with realistic prices. It's a TAG Heuer. You pay a premium, even for servicing, due to the name. Same thing with Omega. And, to a much greater extent; Rolex. One thing about watches, whether you're buying a new one or just having your's serviced, you pay a certain premium just for the name on the dial.


Well, sort of. The actual parts are not that expensive, IF Tag would allow you to purchase them. You'll get your invoice and you'll see that the crown itself cost only $30 or so. The problem is they insist on doing a Maintenance II or some such nonsense that's going to cost you $300 while it's there.

Now consider this interesting hypothetical - let's say you just had your local jeweler perform a movement service, and 2 months later you manage to break the crown. I'm willing to bet that you'll have a hard time talking LVMH into *not* doing the movement service all over again, just to get to the point where you can have a new crown installed.


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

Rachdanon said:


> Lol...I was thinking more high tech than that. I spoke to a friend who works in the semi-conductor industry where I thought had similar dust-free requirements, and he told me the entire room is dust-free through the use of many HEPA filters, and where the workers work fully enclosed in suits (I imagine space suit like).


You guys crack me up. All you need to do is open the case, remove the "guts" (movement/dial/etc.) and use a can of compressed air available at any grocery store to blow any dust out of the case. Then, of course, you need to make a visual inspection and manually remove any dust that might be "stuck" on the inside of the crystal, etc. The real key is CARING about the quality of your work. Whenever I work on a watch, I make SURE there are no specs of dust inside before I re-assemble. I see sloppy work all the time, where watchmakers will spend 3 hours servicing a movement, only to re-assemble with ugly dust particles inside. You definitely don't need any fancy equipment, you just need to take pride in your work and not be lazy during the re-assembly process.


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## wristwatchtrader (Nov 5, 2010)

J.JUN said:


> I'd a pretty good experience with the Singapore LVMH service center so far... Posted a thread on it and then saw this thread...
> 
> I guess it's all about luck and the person who services the watches, whether he/she has any professionalism...


Well, one thing I *have* noticed is that the LVMH centers overseas (i.e. non-U.S.), particularly the one in Australia, seems to be much more fair in how they do things. I saw an invoice from the Australian LVMH that I would *never* see from the one in NJ. I mean, it was so dramatically different that I even considered the possibility of sending watches overseas to THAT service center just to avoid the one we have here in the U.S.!


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## TWerner (Feb 6, 2013)

wristwatchtrader said:


> I even considered the possibility of sending watches overseas to THAT service center just to avoid the one we have here in the U.S.!


Hi Guys,
Was searching online because our experience with Tag service has not been good. Over a year ago my wife's watch went in and Tag replaced the battery and some tune up thing for $250. Unfortunately, they didn't fix the clasp which was a bit loose, but wife had forgotten to mention that.

Since I had given her a new watch for our Aniversary, she put the Tag in a drawer and left it there. When we went Christmas shopping in early December this year, she decided to bring it in to get the band fixed. The store sent it to Tag who called back yesterday with an estimate of $650. Something like $450 to fix the clasp, and $250 to tighten the bezel and do an overhaul. They said the bezel was stripped. The problem I have with this is that the watch hadn't been worn since their last overhaul.

Any suggestions on places near Durham North Carolina the we can look at to have the watch serviced.

Thanks,
Todd


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

The Vintage forum has a thread on finding watchmakers in their Links and Articles subforum. Good luck!


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## TWerner (Feb 6, 2013)

Eeeb said:


> The Vintage forum has a thread on finding watchmakers in their Links and Articles subforum. Good luck!


Thanks. I'll look there.


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

$450 sounds like a straight up replacement bracelet (I'm assuming it is plain stainless and not a gold or part gold one).
As for the bezel, that sounds like the flat rate for a quartz overhaul because the actual fix for tightening a bezel is a part that costs maybe $50 at most.


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## TWerner (Feb 6, 2013)

drunken monkey said:


> $450 sounds like a straight up replacement bracelet (I'm assuming it is plain stainless and not a gold or part gold one).
> As for the bezel, that sounds like the flat rate for a quartz overhaul because the actual fix for tightening a bezel is a part that costs maybe $50 at most.


Is replacing the entire band reasonable for a loose clasp? I think it's a Link style, and I'd guess it's 8 years old.

Looked on the vintage forum but didn't find a place to go to . I'll search there more when I have more free time.

Thanks,
Todd


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

Well, I'm not sure if they actually sell bracelet parts separately but you could try asking at a boutique if they can source/order you *just* the clasp and not make it a _send-off-to-fix_ issue (if that makes any sense).
The clasp should have a ref number stamped on it somewhere.


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## ntskip (Dec 19, 2012)

I sent my Tag Professional chronograph in for service and LVMH sent the wrong watch back to me. So far, they have been unable to locate my watch. What should I do?


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## Snoweagle (Jul 3, 2012)

ntskip said:


> I sent my Tag Professional chronograph in for service and LVMH sent the wrong watch back to me. So far, they have been unable to locate my watch. What should I do?


You should seek legal compensation from them. After all, it's their fault.


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## TAG Heuer (May 28, 2013)

ntskip said:


> I sent my Tag Professional chronograph in for service and LVMH sent the wrong watch back to me. So far, they have been unable to locate my watch. What should I do?


Dear ntskip, 
We would like to solve this issue. Could you please send us your contact details and what happened using private message ?
Many thanks,
Regards,
TAG Heuer


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## imagwai (Feb 23, 2013)

Hmm, TAG Heuer just joined today. First post? Do beware if this forum user asks you to send the watch you currently have somewhere - probably a scam.


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## TAG Heuer (May 28, 2013)

meddc said:


> Hmm, TAG Heuer just joined today. First post? Do beware if this forum user asks you to send the watch you currently have somewhere - probably a scam.


Dear Meddc, 
We are at the Headquarter in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Our goal is only to help to solve this issue. This account has been validated with Ernie Romers.
Many thanks,
Regards


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## imagwai (Feb 23, 2013)

I'm not trying to pass a definitive judgement on whether you're genuine or not (and I don't know who Ernie Romers is), but what I am saying is, it's healthy to be sceptical these days because there are so many crooks out there pretending to be people or companies they are not so they can rip people off. I'm simply warning that people should be careful with divulging any personal information or sending money/goods, until they're *100%* confident they're dealing with who they think they're dealing with!

EDIT: If TAG Heuer is a genuine account, then I think it's great that you're reading this forum, but I guess you need to build up some credibility with your posts.


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## TAG Heuer (May 28, 2013)

Dear Meddc,

You are totally right. We will try to do our best to have a good credibility here.

Many thanks,

Regards


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

meddc said:


> I'm not trying to pass a definitive judgement on whether you're genuine or not (and I don't know who Ernie Romers is), but what I am saying is, it's healthy to be sceptical these days because there are so many crooks out there pretending to be people or companies they are not so they can rip people off. I'm simply warning that people should be careful with divulging any personal information or sending money/goods, until they're *100%* confident they're dealing with who they think they're dealing with!
> 
> EDIT: If TAG Heuer is a genuine account, then I think it's great that you're reading this forum, but I guess you need to build up some credibility with your posts.


I does appear to be real. I'm doing some further checking. Good news!


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## Snoweagle (Jul 3, 2012)

So which means we now have an online TAG customer service?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Snoweagle said:


> So which means we now have an online TAG customer service?


No, this is not what it means. This is not a replacement for the current service options. Rather I would characterize it as a conduit that should be useful for those issues that have 'fallen through the cracks'. Those kinds of things happen with any organization, to be factual.

And maybe we can pry information from the company. Who knows? We'll see


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## Snoweagle (Jul 3, 2012)

Eeeb said:


> No, this is not what it means. This is not a replacement for the current service options. Rather I would characterize it as a conduit that should be useful for those issues that have 'fallen through the cracks'. Those kinds of things happen with any organization, to be factual.
> 
> And maybe we can pry information from the company. Who knows? We'll see


I see....thanks for clearing that up. Or maybe they could help to answer some simple questions posed by other owners, something like Q & A. :-d


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

meddc said:


> I'm not trying to pass a definitive judgement on whether you're genuine or not (and I don't know who Ernie Romers is), but what I am saying is* . . . *


Owner and Head Admin. of watchuseek.com


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## DocCasualty (May 7, 2013)

Eeeb said:


> Rather I would characterize it as a conduit that should be useful for those issues that have 'fallen through the cracks'.


That could be an extremely helpful avenue for many people. I've had positive experiences on other types of forums where relevant companies have an online presence like this and have used it myself to resolve issues.


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## Bhorner (Apr 12, 2011)

I recently sent my new AR 500M to the NJ service center for a warranty repair. The hands had very spotty lume. There was a lot of confusion and delay because of my AD, but TAG was very helpful and prompt. The repair was done quickly, and my watch was FedEx 2 day sent back to my AD. Everyone I spoke with was friendly and helpful. So far, it appears that it was a very successful and good experience.


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## CKL1213 (May 18, 2013)

glad to hear that


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## ntskip (Dec 19, 2012)

Hello, 

I have just received the replacement for my lost watch, model cg1112/0. It appears to be a brand new cg1112/1 - not exactly the same but pretty close - the chronograph dials are silver instead of white. Can you confirm that this is otherwise the same watch as the cg1112/0? I imagine that it is...

Thanks!

ntskip


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

TAG Heuer said:


> Dear Meddc,
> We are at the Headquarter in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Our goal is only to help to solve this issue. This account has been validated with Ernie Romers.
> Many thanks,
> Regards


I can confirm the identity. TAG Heuer is officially TAGHeuer


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## imagwai (Feb 23, 2013)

Eeeb said:


> I can confirm the identity. TAG Heuer is officially TAGHeuer


Shame they seem to have stopped posting, though. I hope I didn't scare them off  Seriously, it would be good to get some official answers on some other discussion threads, not just use the forums to intercept customer service issues.


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

meddc said:


> Shame they seem to have stopped posting, though. I hope I didn't scare them off  Seriously, it would be good to get some official answers on some other discussion threads, not just use the forums to intercept customer service issues.


That was tried before. It didn't work out. A shame honestly, since I believe it would have given TAG Heuer an excellent opportunity to not just solidify the loyalty of existing owners of TAG Heuer watches, but would have brought in new customers who perhaps were considering the brand, though remained unsure.

Some good ideas just don't work out after being tried.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Anything you folks need 'officially' brought up with TAG, let me know. If it is reasonable, I can get responses. TAG Heuer does not log in a whole lot. The individual responsible for the account has many duties at the company.

Since JCB is leaving, I asked him to 'pass on' his presence to some one else. _TAG Heuer_ is the response, I assume. It is a good thing, as many of us have said. |>


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

Eeeb said:


> _. . . _ It is a good thing, as many of us have said. |>


Indeed.

With the exception of the micro brands, most other watch brands have zero presence on WUS from the standpoint of company involvement. It's good to see a major brand such as TAG Heuer putting in some effort. Far more effort compared to other well-known brands.


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## Bhorner (Apr 12, 2011)

Unfortunately, I have to recant my previous statement about the NJ Service Center. I had to send my watch back for a second warranty repair last month. It had lint under the crystal. It came back from the service center with many scratches on the bezel and on the case back. This watch was problematic straight from the AD. Considering that, in addition to the poor handling of my watch by their service center, I doubt I'll be buying another TAG. I'm appalled that someone would do as much damage to my watch as they did and then send it back to me in far worse condition than when it got there. It seriously looks like someone put my watch face down on a hard surface and rubbed it around. All the polished areas of the bezel are significantly scratched. 


Moral of the story... If you're going to send your watch to TAG's NJ service center, be prepared to get it back in worse shape. Both times mine was returned with scratches. I've sent a complaint to TAG, but they won't be touching my watch again.


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## richnyc (Feb 21, 2013)

^^^ Good to know, thanks for the update and I feel for you I guess it is a lottery when sending it back to authorized repair center, depending what repairman (woman) gets their hands on it... Sometimes, it makes me wonder, if it is worth to pay the premium for manufacturer's warranty rather than just getting your new watch from a 'gray market' seller and let your 'trusted' watch guy fix anything that arises later.


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## cheeky (Sep 22, 2014)

i have fell foul of tag servicing Europe. my link chronograph was given a full overhaul two years ago because of damage to the crown. the watch was losing time and letting in water. being unhappy with the watch it went into storage immediately after and until recently. 
when i began wearing the tag again realized that the time keeping issue was ongoing. i foolishly tightened the crown, covered with a shirt, using my teeth and left a few scratches(paranoid of letting in water).
Tag have now accused me of "impacting the watch" and using TOOLS on the crown requesting a full overhaul to realign the movement at my expense. I am now waiting on my AD to notify me of their appeal aganst tag's decscsn


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

cheeky said:


> i have fell foul of tag servicing Europe. my link chronograph was given a full overhaul two years ago because of damage to the crown. the watch was losing time and letting in water. being unhappy with the watch it went into storage immediately after and until recently.
> when i began wearing the tag again realized that the time keeping issue was ongoing. i foolishly tightened the crown, covered with a shirt, using my teeth and left a few scratches(paranoid of letting in water).
> Tag have now accused me of "impacting the watch" and using TOOLS on the crown requesting a full overhaul to realign the movement at my expense. I am now waiting on my AD to notify me of their appeal aganst tag's decscsn


You bit your watch? You waited two years before you bit your watch? And now you register on WUS to post a complaint that TAGHeuer Service is unsympathetic.

If you wish another perspective, I am amazed...


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## Tourbillonare (Mar 31, 2012)

Just sent my Aquaracer 500m in to fix a stripped crown, fingers crossed hopefully nothing else goes wrong....

Should have looked up beforehand on WUS on others experiences


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## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

Tourbillonare said:


> Just sent my Aquaracer 500m in to fix a stripped crown, fingers crossed hopefully nothing else goes wrong....
> 
> Should have looked up beforehand on WUS on others experiences


Was it the old model 500M or the current version?


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## Tourbillonare (Mar 31, 2012)

The old version with the rubber bezel, the problem one written about all over WUS

Probably took such a long time to manifest itself as it's a quartz and most of the time I wouldn't bother changing the date if it was a 30 day month.


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## polonus (Dec 12, 2013)

Now my story...

I have a vintage Heuer Carrera 1553 S, which needed a restoration. I sent it to La Chaux-de-Fonds via my local jeweler Jared of Pineville, NC and NJ TAG Service Center. That was in November, 2013. They examined the watch and told me that they cannot replace, or repair the face of that timepiece, but they can refurbish the case, clean, oil and repair its mechanism and replace hands, crown and pushers. I also asked of an original bracelet of that era and they told me that they can sell me one for $180. All the info I was getting from Jared, usually after several attempts to contact them They never called me. Case refurbishment was 144 dollars, watch maintenance $862.50 and bracelet 180, total 1186.50

Watch came back in July 2014. Case wasn't restored. Sure, they tried, but they failed. Still they charged me $144. They replaced the crown and pushers and one hand - the 'second' one. The hour and minute hands, which had some of the lumen missing were left untouched. And they sent me a new bracelet, plain TAG bracelet worth maybe 20 dollars. I still was charged for it $180.

I complained directly to NJ Service Center, because Jared was no help whatsoever. They only kept telling me: "We are only messengers". So I called NJ, explained what my problem was and someone told me to send the timepiece back. It went to La Chaux-de-Fonds again - and two months later came back. The same bracelet. Case polished more, but still scratches left on the case back. Hands untouched.

I talked again to some supervisor in NJ, she told me to send her pictures and for 3 weeks she didn't call, or write me back. I have all my story on this forum, so I sent link to TAG's twitter and someone from La Chaux-de-Fonds wrote back to me, explaining his point of view. His letter in blue, my comments in black:

_We have been forwarded your below e-mail through TAG Heuer USA further to our last repairs on your Vintage Heuer Carrera chronograph. 
May we take this opportunity to confirm the following.

Case back. As you may appreciate there was an electric engraving on your caseback; therefore the material may look like eated and it is not possible to remove everything. I have been advised by our Senior watchmaker that these are not scratches but the old engraving that remained and still appears. Moreover if the case back is polished more, there is a risk of damaging the opening/ closing catches on it. Please note the consumers of Vintage pieces usually do not want their engraving to be removed and we are working on demand.  
Now if you would like us to replace your case back this is possible as still on stock but will be chargeable. 

Not exactly. It is true, that case back was engraved, however TAG Heuer examined watch before telling me that case will be refurbished and 1) they try to remove the engraving and 2) they charged me full price for refurbishing this case.

I would be OK with that situation if, after examining the watch, they would tell me that they will not touch engraving or they will not be able to do it -and they would let me decide what to do THEN, or if they would replace the case back, even for a fee - before that ill repair. Now, when my watch was twice in Switzerland and they offer me a case back replacement for a fee I fill like it was an insult from them.

Hands. The hands on the Vintage timepieces are not systematically replaced but only the ones that the Senior watchmaker judges too damaged. If you would like us to replace them, this is on your request only. Please note the consumers of Vintage pieces usually do not want their old hands to be replaced and we are working on demand also. Please be informed we can replace your Hour/Minute hands if you would like to as they are still on stock. 

I did request to replace hands of that time piece. And TAG replaced just one of them. Why only one? Why they left the other two untouched? Why do they offer this for me now, when I requested that twice - before the first repair and after I received my time piece for the first time. If they didn't know the first time why they didn't ask? And when they received the watch second time why they didn't fix it?

Bracelet. We have been informed by TAG Heuer USA during the repair that you would like a steel bracelet replacement. As there are no Heuer bracelet left but only TAG Heuer originals, they have been informed accordingly and the repair was approved with it so that's what we have fitted.  
Please note we can also adapt a black calf leather (not original) with a Heuer original buckle and this is chargeable also. 

Maybe the TAG Heuer in USA was informed about something, however I wasn't. I had communication problem from the get go wit TAG, especially that I dropped my watch at my local jeweler. They never called and when I called them, they never had any informations for me. If you read this tread from the beginning, you are very well aware of that problem. I would never say OK for a plain, modern bracelet for 180 dollars only because it has a TAG logo on it. I could buy exactly same bracelet, sans logo, for 10 dollars on ebay. Offering me leather strap for a fee at that point is an insult too. 

We hope to have clarified the situation and we stay at your disposal should any of the above demand be yours and you may confirm this to TAG Heuer USA.

Yes, they clarified their point of view, however it looks totally different from where I look into it. I will not be satisfied until they either finish the case refurbishing - to my satisfaction, or give me money back. That means new case back, if they don't know how to fix it, or full refund, so I can send it to another shop. I also want new hour and minute hands. I wanted them from the beginning an I asked for them after first return of that time piece. Thirdly I want them to take back the bracelet and give me money back. Or, if they prefer that way, I can accept leather strap with Heuer buckle if it will come from them as a gift with apology. Not as a another ill try to sell me something._

And here are some pictures. Before:

  

After first repair:

              

Watch after second repair:


__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content










The whole story, from the beginning is here: https://www.watchuseek.com/f11/overhauling-vintage-heuer-1553-s-953955.html


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## polonus (Dec 12, 2013)

Last chapter (I hope). TAG Heuer will replace the back of the case and minute and hour hands. They will not take back the bracelet. More about it HERE.


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## ttanmana (Aug 15, 2015)

Bhorner said:


> Unfortunately, I have to recant my previous statement about the NJ Service Center. I had to send my watch back for a second warranty repair last month. It had lint under the crystal. It came back from the service center with many scratches on the bezel and on the case back. This watch was problematic straight from the AD. Considering that, in addition to the poor handling of my watch by their service center, I doubt I'll be buying another TAG. I'm appalled that someone would do as much damage to my watch as they did and then send it back to me in far worse condition than when it got there. It seriously looks like someone put my watch face down on a hard surface and rubbed it around. All the polished areas of the bezel are significantly scratched.
> 
> Moral of the story... If you're going to send your watch to TAG's NJ service center, be prepared to get it back in worse shape. Both times mine was returned with scratches. I've sent a complaint to TAG, but they won't be touching my watch again.


I second your opinion/experience. I've sent my 2015 Aquaracer Quartz (that I just bought from AD in Tokyo) to TAG NJ service center to fix the alarm and alarm hand that was not align to the mark on the dial (I should have been more careful picking this up at the shop in Tokyo, oh well..). The watch was literally brand new and I only wore it 2 times before I sent it in 3 weeks later (it still even has sticker on back part of the its bracelet). They replaced the movement and battery, and some rubber seal. Upon receive my watch back 3 weeks later, scratches are everywhere!! I couldn't believe my eyes on the level of ignorance that NJ service center did to my brand new watch. Case back was significantly scratched and dings with sign of opening tools. If the TAG official service center is legit, they should have a proper tool for each and every TAG watch/model. From what I see on my case back, it looks like it was open by a standard tool that you could find on the internet as the scratch mark indicate that the tool's head doesn't perfectly match the case back with scratches that showed multiple forced opening that MISS!! Scratches are everywhere!, OK after fixing, I checked the alarm and it's not working. They didn't preset anything on the new movement for me.. I have to do some research and find a manual on Ronda movement to be able to set it to correctly. How did it get pass the QC??? before it was send back to me is unbelievable.

The work order also listed that it was through maintenance II (complete service on quartz, ultrasonic cleaning of the case and bracelet, replace case spring bar, battery, back gaskets, crystal gaskets if applicable). But when I see the watch, it was covered with dirt and finger print. It WAS NOT clean with ultrasonic alright! I have ultrasonic cleaner in my home and I know what the clean watch looks like.. oh and by the way, my front bezel also has scratches. Looks like they put my watch face down on some hard surface without any cloth or soft cushion when they worked on it.

I had experience with Omega service center before and I have to tell you that the level of attention and craftsmanship is day and night compares to TAG Heuer. My Omegas when come back, I couldn't even find a single scratch on my case back. It looks like they didn't even open it!! on top of that, they brushed and resurface the watch for me. It looks like brand new from the shop.

Needless to say... this is going to be my first and the last TAG Heuer I own period.. Thank you for listening to my rant...


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## aball (Jul 18, 2012)

Well, I just had a wonderful experience there. I sent them my Zenith Grande Date El Primero 5 Hz chronometer after I knocked it really hard on a door frame and it would no longer wind up. They suggested a full rebuild, _which it probably needed anyway_. The price was fair at $800 all in, and then they replaced my crown and deployment buckle (the whole thing) for free (!) as a thank you for being patient because of the COVID delays and backorders. They contacted me enough to keep me informed, and were always very professional. It did take 5 months because of these external issues, but I'm thrilled with the result! My watch looks and feels absolutely brand new, they re-polished and re-brushed the case to perfection, and it cost me less than the same outcome would have at an independent. But perhaps Zenith simply ensures their customers are happy? In any case, when my other Zenith needs service, I will definitely be sending it to them.


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## WTSP (May 6, 2012)

I have to say that my experience sending my vintage Zenith A384 wasn't that great. It took eight months and was sent in twice. COVID definitely made things worse as it closed some of Zenith and TH/LVMH's offices. I feel bad for the staff, because they clearly have a lot of requests, complaints and nitpicky customers. At the same time, I hate spending over a grand for servicing and having my timepiece floating around somewhere not knowing whether it is being worked on or not, whether it's in North America or Europe, what work is being done on it.

The watch is in decent condition now, with some misalignments in the hands and subdials which seem to be due to its age and not fixable. But it's running well, very accurately (less than 5 seconds off per day) and is in the same cosmetic (used) condition I sent it to them in. They need to do a better job coordinating between the different offices and communicating what is going on to their customers. The whole watch industry lags in the this respect IMHO.









Choosing an approach to restoring a vintage A384


I recently had the chance to purchase a vintage A384. I've been very happy with my Original 1969 38 mm, and never expected to purchase one of the true originals. Also, I considered my Ebel Senior Chronograph with its caliber 134 to fill any need I might have for a vintage El Primero. However...




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