# JLC Master Chronograph - Failure



## poocherama

Afternoon,

I'm a new member in need of some advice. 

After much deliberation I purchased a new JLC Master Chronograph from a dealer. The watch is a beauty. BUT after 5 days of use it stopped - dead. 

I'm based in London so took it to the JLC Boutique on Bond Street. Their in house watchmaker took a look but could not immediately see the cause of the failure. It's been sent to the UK repair centre, if it can't be fixed there it'll be sent on to Switzerland.

The staff in the Boutique were helpful and indicated that as the watch was brand new they would 'be quick' in sorting it out. However having checked the receipt again the expected return time is 30th June! Are they serious? Does anyone have experience witH JLC repairs and warranty claims. 

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I've a Rolex Oyster Datejust that has been faultless for 8 years, I thought I was taking a step up in the watch makers hierarchy! 

P


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## KneeDragr

Next time demand a replacement instead of accepting a repair.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk


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## poocherama

KneeDragr said:


> Next time demand a replacement instead of accepting a repair.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk


Sound advice, and I agree. However it didn't come from that Boutique, I bought it from an AD in Barcelona.


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## Watchbreath

:-d Good one!


KneeDragr said:


> Next time demand a replacement instead of accepting a repair.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk


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## poocherama

Watchbreath said:


> :-d Good one!


Presumably Richemont aren't keen on replacement then.


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## Watchbreath

It's under warranty, they'll do there're best to fix it first if the warranty wasn't violated.


poocherama said:


> Presumably Richemont aren't keen on replacement then.


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## GrouchoM

poocherama said:


> To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I've a Rolex Oyster Datejust that has been faultless for 8 years, I thought I was taking a step up in the watch makers hierarchy!
> 
> P


As unfortunate as it is, things like this can happen to timepieces on all ends of the spectrum, from Casio up through Patek. Most likely, it was something minor like a screw not being fully tightened or a little bit of detritus. Hopefully they can get it running like it should in short order.


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## Watchbreath

Something also to keep in mind, the more complex and costly = the more fragle.


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## Bidle

poocherama said:


> I've a Rolex Oyster Datejust that has been faultless for 8 years, I thought I was taking a step up in the watch makers hierarchy!
> 
> P


Even a Rolls-Royce can break down. If it was, by any chance, your new Rolex it would also have taken a long time to fix it. 
I shouldn't worry to much about it and try to enjoy your other watch.

When it comes back it will feel like a complete new watch over again. ;-)


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## bar2020

Often that first "estimated" date is just generated based on their current turnaround time. Warranty repairs will be expedited and put to the front of the list. I bet you will get another update soon with a much earlier date. If you call the JLC concierge, they will advise you on the updated timeline.


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## poocherama

bar2020 said:


> Often that first "estimated" date is just generated based on their current turnaround time. Warranty repairs will be expedited and put to the front of the list. I bet you will get another update soon with a much earlier date. If you call the JLC concierge, they will advise you on the updated timeline.[/QUOT
> 
> Update - You are indeed correct. I e-mailed an address from a similar thread on the forum and received a reply letting me know that they had checked on the watch and that it should be with me by 28th March, we'll see, if they are correct the turnaround will be most satisfactory.


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## poocherama

poocherama said:


> bar2020 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Often that first "estimated" date is just generated based on their current turnaround time. Warranty repairs will be expedited and put to the front of the list. I bet you will get another update soon with a much earlier date. If you call the JLC concierge, they will advise you on the updated timeline.[/QUOT
> 
> Update - You are indeed correct. I e-mailed an address from a similar thread on the forum and received a reply letting me know that they had checked on the watch and that it should be with me by 28th March, we'll see, if they are correct the turnaround will be most satisfactory.
> 
> 
> 
> BUMP -
> 
> Update.
> 
> The watch is back at the Bond Street boutique, the chrono function has given up the ghost. Estimated repair time - 20 WEEKS! They tell me that I should be a priority. You'd hope so, a £7k watch bust twice in nine months. I'm pretty underwhelmed to be honest. If it were a car I'd sell it.
> 
> P
Click to expand...


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## onnomon

ouch! Last year's repair of my amvox1 turnaround was initially quoted around 20 weeks, and it finally came after 22. I had chalked this one up as being a "discontinued model takes longer" but now it looks as if their repair resources are strained. Because you've had it for such a short time, new, i'd be very disappointed too- if you can't get a replacement then perhaps an insistent but polite letter regarding your situation to various JLC offices (boutique, corporate, service dept, AD...), in particular emphasize the disappointment factor on their lapse of quality control- or their shipping/packing methods. 

I had already had this watch for some time so getting it back was like getting a new watch..in your case 5 days is quite a teaser.

good luck.

-d


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## poocherama

Quite. The manager of the JLC boutique, when noting down the condition of the watch, mentioned that the repair would not include a case polish. Not much to polish as it's only 9 months old, however you'd think they could chuck in a buff up under the circumstances! Won't be darkening their door way again I'd imagine.


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## poocherama

Staggering. I've just received an email from the JLC Boutique, see below. £800 to service/repair a watch that is less than a year old. This is the second time its failed in less than 12 months. However apparently this time its my fault. Amazing, a watch I wear possibly once a week has sustained an impact resulting in a 'pusher' damaging the mechanism. Funny my other watches have been faultless despite being worm far more frequently. 
Thank you for sending your Jaeger-LeCoultre timepiece to us for inspection. Following careful examination by our 
Master Watchmaker, we recommend the following: 

The following interventions and/or components *are necessary :** 

Complete service £740.00  

- Complete dismantling of the case and movement 
- Ultrasonic cleaning of the case 
- Replacement of all gaskets and screws 
- Movement cleaning and oiling of components and replacement where applicable 
- Escapement and regulation checks 
- Dial and hands fitting 
- Watch re-assembly 
- Water-resistance test 
- Movement regulation and Power reserve check 
- Control the functioning of the watch for at least 48hrs 
- Adjust the clasp 

Handling & freight charges £14.40 

Replacement of the pusher £80.00 
__________________________________________ 

Total : £834.40 
__________________________________________ 

The aesthetic interventions and/or components below are suggested options: 

Polishing (best possible)- We offer this service complimentary, please specify within your reply should you wish to proceed with this service. 

- Polishing of the various elements of the watchcase 

Following careful examination of your watch by our Master Watchmaker, diagnostics show that the pusher has 
received an impact. This impact has damaged it and caused the movement to malfunction. We therefore conclude 
that it is necessary to replace the crown and to perform a complete movement service in order to return your 
watch to full working order. 

Diagnostics shows that the necessary work is due to accidental damage and therefore we regret that it is not 
covered by the guarantee. 

We note that your watch is scratched and shows signs of general wear and tear. We therefore suggest to 
undertake a professional case polish in order to restore the aesthetic appeal. Please be advised that the polish will 
be as best possible, it may be difficult to remove heavy dents or scratches without compromising the shape of the 
timepiece. 

The approximate completion time will be 8 weeks from approval of the estimate depending on availability of 
parts and final quality control. 

This estimate is based on an initial inspection. If any additional parts are required, we reserve the right to 
re-estimate. Should a new part be required, please note that we will retain the used part. 

Please be advised that this quotation is valid for two months. 

We remain at your disposal should you have any further queries. We look forward to receiving your response. 

We thank you for your continued trust and valued custom. *


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## Wahlaoeh

Wow. This is an absolute PR disaster


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## GrouchoM

Maybe the watchmaker at the boutique dropped it....


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## Watchstudent

This is utterly disgusting. Can't believe that could actually happen. Wow.


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## PP-JLC-VC Guy

I had my own nightmare with JLC, with the same watch in gold, a $25,000 watch. They did not try to charge me, but the watch went back for repair 4 times and took the better part of a year. I chronicled the saga in the following post on this forum:

https://www.watchuseek.com/f419/jlc-master-control-chronograph-repair-warranty-issues-1055290.html

The bottom line for me was to have my AD, a large Richemont dealer put pressure on their service, they ultimately did the right thing and fixed it, while extending the warranty so that I would have a full two years of warranty service. I love the watch, but if you read the string which has over 4000 hits, viral in the JLC world, you will see that you are not alone. You can see service nightmares from the US, UK, Malasia, Canada, etc.

I love the watch and now wear it regularly, when winding and regulated correctly as it is now, it is spot on at +1 second per day. Bottom line is JLC can fix it, if the right watchmaker is assigned, and they have a dealer breathing down their necks to assure quality control.


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## vidyut

I feel your pain. 
If it helps, do show your AD and JLC this thread. I was thinking of buying a Reverso Calendar as my second watch (I just bought a JLC Rendezvous in gold for my wife). 
Having read through your experience, unless they make you whole on the watch, I won't consider buying another JLC.


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## poocherama

Hi all,

I'll keep this thread updated as and when I've heard back from JLC. To date I've written back to JLC saying I'm having difficulty swallowing their assessment and remedy! 

I have to say this saga has put me off purchasing another JLC for the moment, though I doubt they'll lose any sleep over it. I'll certainly be looking into customer service experiences before my next purchase!

P


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## Dane17

My wife's jlc service turnaround time was 6 months. It was under warranty.


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## poocherama

Update - Nothing. I've sent chaser e-mails to the AD asking for an update, its been three weeks since I dropped the watch off and two weeks since I lodged a complaint. Abysmal. I think I'm done with high-end watches.


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## vidyut

poocherama said:


> Update - Nothing. I've sent chaser e-mails to the AD asking for an update, its been three weeks since I dropped the watch off and two weeks since I lodged a complaint. Abysmal. I think I'm done with high-end watches.


Do post here who your AD is. I am sure that will influence how people want to deal with them in the future. And sure, I understand how bad you must feel about JLC, I do the same based on your experience.


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## SFoskett

I know how this feels. My brand new Reverso Duo stopped ticking less than 2 months from purchase. The boutique was very friendly but the repair did indeed take about 2 months! I could have demanded a replacement but decided to just let them repair it. It came back in perfect condition, and JLC threw in a few gifts and extended the warranty, which was nice.

It stinks to have to go through this on such a purchase.


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## poocherama

vidyut said:


> Do post here who your AD is. I am sure that will influence how people want to deal with them in the future. And sure, I understand how bad you must feel about JLC, I do the same based on your experience.


I'll give them another day or two to get their act together!

It's very frustrating. I've picked up a real interest in watches over the years and am keen to keep building on my modest collection. However since this JLC debacle kicked off I'm having problems reconciling the cost of high-end watches with the after sales service and indeed subsequent service times and costs. I can't help feeling like a bit of a mug. Perhaps vintage is the way to go. I bought a 1968 Omega SM300 last year from a reputable vintage dealer. The service was excellent and to date it's not missed a beat. Equally I can stomach an old watch possibly going wrong now and then.

P


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## PP-JLC-VC Guy

poocherama said:


> I'll give them another day or two to get their act together!
> 
> It's very frustrating. I've picked up a real interest in watches over the years and am keen to keep building on my modest collection. However since this JLC debacle kicked off I'm having problems reconciling the cost of high-end watches with the after sales service and indeed subsequent service times and costs. I can't help feeling like a bit of a mug. Perhaps vintage is the way to go. I bought a 1968 Omega SM300 last year from a reputable vintage dealer. The service was excellent and to date it's not missed a beat. Equally I can stomach an old watch possibly going wrong now and then.
> 
> P


It is best to research all authorized service costs for high end watches, even vintage. I was about to buy a pre-owned Glashutte Origional SS Panograph, discontinued in 2007. GO still uses the movement in a gold cased Panograph. A full overhaul for this chronograph by the Swatch Group in New Jersey is $1900, advertised on their web site. This is the same price as for their tourbilion. Who can afford a $1900 maintenance bill on a $7,000-$9,000 watch. And you know Glashutte/Swatch will not make parts available to an independant watchmaker..Soooo, no Glashutte for me! Research the maintenance and overhaul costs of every watch you buy, as well as availabiliity and time frames for service.


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## yessir69

I was thinking about buying one of these. I think I just got convinced it's not such a great idea.


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## mattfm

A good friend of mine bought a Master Control from JLC Boutique in Sao Paulo (Brasil) and the watch stopped with 5 days of use.
He took the watch to the boutique and they immediately gave him a new watch of same model and sent the first watch to fabric.
He had good experience with the brand, since they were very serious and fast with the solution of the problem.


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## Athaneco

same thing happened to me with a jlc extreme alarm. just stopped dead and i had to wait for a long time to fix it. Finally i got hold of their email address (person in charge of the repair + service +main email address) explaining my deep disappointement. They in return gave me an additional year of warrantee, since almost six months my watch has been with them. A bad thing however is that small particles of dust (two to three) entered the watch when it got opened again. Also the hands have been smudged a little, but i just gave up. It is very hard to notice. Maybe i ll try to take a very very close photo showing that. 

BTW, Has anyone had a similar experience with small particles of dust entering the watch and/or the hands getting smudged a little ??


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## PP-JLC-VC Guy

Il-Re is a JLC owner in London who had problems with his JLC. One of the problems was a smudge on his rotor plate. After repair through the London boutique, it came back with the same visable smudge. You can review his post or contanct him to see if it was ever resolved. He is one of the unhappy JLC service customers who shared his experiences.


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## poocherama

Update.

I've had a response to my complaint from JLC CS which I of course continue to vigorously contest.

"We can confirm that the watch has most certainly encountered a knock/shock, and the intervention remains fully chargeable"

So in 10 months of ownership it has spent nearly 3 months broken, not including the time it will take to repair this time. I've asked for it to be returned.


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## PP-JLC-VC Guy

What are you going to do with it when it is returned, do you have an AD behind you? Have they any sympathy for you and have they gone to bat for you with their JLC rep? It is unbelievable for you to be charged almost $1000 for repair of a new watch. JLC should be ashamed.
Are there any ADs near you that do aftermarket work. Here in the US there are some ADs such as Govberg who sell most swiss brands and repair them as well. As ADs, they can get parts.... do you have access to a second opinion?


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## poocherama

PP-JLC-VC Guy said:


> What are you going to do with it when it is returned, do you have an AD behind you? Have they any sympathy for you and have they gone to bat for you with their JLC rep? It is unbelievable for you to be charged almost $1000 for repair of a new watch. JLC should be ashamed.
> Are there any ADs near you that do aftermarket work. Here in the US there are some ADs such as Govberg who sell most swiss brands and repair them as well. As ADs, they can get parts.... do you have access to a second opinion?


$1400 more like! It's a disgrace for sure. AD / JLC are simply not interested. I have two reputable watchmakers who will have a look at it and I've already sent the diagnosis to one, they don't see it being a problem to repair. The warranty is not worth the paper it's written on so I'm not worried about 'invalidating' it. If it were to break again it would simply be their word agains't mine as to the cause, and guess who'd be at fault.


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## poocherama

I've just heard back again from the JLC 'concierge' service (what does that even mean?)

I've repeatedly asked after the original fault when the watch was repaired under warranty back in March 2014. My reason being that it may be related to the current fault. They still won't give me an answer. Instead I received a rather snotty reply this morning upgrading the damage to the pushers at 2 AND 4 o'clock! 'There is most certainly no manufacturing issue.' 

This though, is priceless - 'We of course cannot comment as to how this has happened as we were not there when this occurred.'!

P


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## cliopug

You should demand an extended warranty when you get the watch repaired.
Otherwise, it is unfair to you.


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## InfinityNexus

This is pathetic customer service from JLC. Not going to lie, this story made me reconsider picking up a reverso...


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## poocherama

I've been contacted by the 'administration and commercial manager for the UK' (massive cheese I'm sure). In essence he cut and paste the original assessment from the JLC service centre in an attempt to 'clarify' their actions. I politely pointed out that quoting emails I'd already seen wasn't that helpful. I mean, why roll out the grand fromage that is the administration and commercial manager for the UK, then cut and paste an earlier email? No effort has been made whatsoever. It's like dealing with BT, though at least they don't hide behind a veneer of luxury and exclusivity. JLC concierge service, it still gets me every time!

The real question still to be answered is what caused the original fault? In the event that my requests for further clarification go unanswered or are ignored (highly likely) I assume I'm buggered? It is after all their word agains't mine.

I'm in the process of draughting a letter to the JLC CEO detailing my experience with his brand to date. A well known vintage watch dealer I dropped in on last weekend suggested he'd had luck with this approach in the past.

P


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## logan2z

Sorry to hear that you're going through this with JLC. Unfortunately I've read stories like this involving many high-end watch brands, including IWC, Patek and Rolex. It's easy for others not personally involved with this situation to condemn JLC here as only one side of the story is being told. Not to say the OP isn't accurately describing the communication with JLC, but JLC's perspective is missing. 

To the OP, is it possible that you did strike one of the chrono pushers against something without even realizing it, causing the damage that JLC has claimed? I'm very careful with my watches but things still happen. I've had a Panerai Luminor for about 6 years. A friend of mine recently commented on how scratch free the polished surfaces were given that I've owned the watch for a long time and have worn it often. Not long after that I looked down at the watch and noticed a sizeable scratch on the polished bezel. I have no clue how that happened, I do not remember the watch coming into contact with anything. So these things can happen without us even realizing it. 

As the owner of three JLCs (including a Master Chronograph) it obviously disturbs me to read these threads. But, from the outside, it is sometimes hard to determine whether the company is just being difficult or if there are other circumstances at play. Hopefully this gets sorted out and the OP can find a way to enjoy his beautiful Master Chronograph.

P.S. Admittedly the whole 'Concierge' terminology is a bit pretentious (we are talking luxury watches here, though), but I've found the Concierge here in the US to be terrific to deal with. They've been very responsive to questions and have gone out of their way to help when requested. In fact the service I've received from the Concierge has helped to cement my confidence in the company. Of course there may be some variability in this service across geographies, but so far the service in the US has been excellent.


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## PP-JLC-VC Guy

logan2z said:


> Sorry to hear that you're going through this with JLC. Unfortunately I've read stories like this involving many high-end watch brands, including IWC, Patek and Rolex. It's easy for others not personally involved with this situation to condemn JLC here as only one side of the story is being told. Not to say the OP isn't accurately describing the communication with JLC, but JLC's perspective is missing.
> 
> To the OP, is it possible that you did strike one of the chrono pushers against something without even realizing it, causing the damage that JLC has claimed? I'm very careful with my watches but things still happen. I've had a Panerai Luminor for about 6 years. A friend of mine recently commented on how scratch free the polished surfaces were given that I've owned the watch for a long time and have worn it often. Not long after that I looked down at the watch and noticed a sizeable scratch on the polished bezel. I have no clue how that happened, I do not remember the watch coming into contact with anything. So these things can happen without us even realizing it.
> 
> As the owner of three JLCs (including a Master Chronograph) it obviously disturbs me to read these threads. But, from the outside, it is sometimes hard to determine whether the company is just being difficult or if there are other circumstances at play. Hopefully this gets sorted out and the OP can find a way to enjoy his beautiful Master Chronograph.
> 
> P.S. Admittedly the whole 'Concierge' terminology is a bit pretentious (we are talking luxury watches here, though), but I've found the Concierge here in the US to be terrific to deal with. They've been very responsive to questions and have gone out of their way to help when requested. In fact the service I've received from the Concierge has helped to cement my confidence in the company. Of course there may be some variability in this service across geographies, but so far the service in the US has been excellent.


Dear logan2z,

I have not only read watch repair and warranty stories from the brands you cite, but I have actually had watches go in for routine service and warranty service. Patek, while taking a long time is absolutely committed to quality control and customer satisfaction. IWC, another Richemont brand was serviced by an authorized IWC AD, quickly and efficiently and for a reasonable price. I have had countless Rolex servicings, both warranty and maintenance overhaul, all done or arranged by my local Rolex dealer. I have had a Breguet successfully overhauled for over twenty years. 
JLC on the other hand was nothing but problems. My watch went to Texas and back four times for over a year of my two year warranty period. Only when my Richemont / JLC dealer got involved was my watch assigned to a "senior watchmaker" and came back once unregulated and running a minute slow per hour. The eventually replaced the entire winding mechanism and extended my warranty. I have another JLC, a manual wind that I will send to an AD who does repairs so I have a person or organization to communicate with. 
I was given wrong and self serving information by the JLC concierge when I called. They told me that my watch would not work on a watchwinder and that JLC did not recommend them. I asked where that was in print or in my manual or on the JLC website. Turns out they just told me that because they repeatedly could not make the watch wind or hold a wind. They could not regulate the watch. All this was documented by two huge JLC / Richemont ADs.
During my saga, chronicled on this site, I heard from scores of JLC owners with service problems. I am sure that some of them may have cotributed to their watches problems. The vast majority of them experienced poor quality of service, inaccurate regulation, poor quality control and extended wait times. 
I have many Richemont watches, and JLC has provided the worst customer experience. I was concerned that my IWC would go to the same repair facility in Texas, but was assured that the IWC staff was seperate and owners have had positive experiences.
My JLC is finally fixed, and running well. I hope no watch owner has a similar experience with a new watch.


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## kngspook

I was debating between a Daytona and a JLC Master Chronograph. It was a really tough decision. It's strangely a little easier now than an hour ago. (That said, I was slightly reassured to hear that people's customer support experiences in the US were not as uniformly bad as they are in Europe...only mostly bad.)


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## logan2z

PP-JLC-VC Guy said:


> Dear logan2z,
> 
> I have not only read watch repair and warranty stories from the brands you cite, but I have actually had watches go in for routine service and warranty service. Patek, while taking a long time is absolutely committed to quality control and customer satisfaction. IWC, another Richemont brand was serviced by an authorized IWC AD, quickly and efficiently and for a reasonable price. I have had countless Rolex servicings, both warranty and maintenance overhaul, all done or arranged by my local Rolex dealer. I have had a Breguet successfully overhauled for over twenty years.
> JLC on the other hand was nothing but problems. My watch went to Texas and back four times for over a year of my two year warranty period. Only when my Richemont / JLC dealer got involved was my watch assigned to a "senior watchmaker" and came back once unregulated and running a minute slow per hour. The eventually replaced the entire winding mechanism and extended my warranty. I have another JLC, a manual wind that I will send to an AD who does repairs so I have a person or organization to communicate with.
> I was given wrong and self serving information by the JLC concierge when I called. They told me that my watch would not work on a watchwinder and that JLC did not recommend them. I asked where that was in print or in my manual or on the JLC website. Turns out they just told me that because they repeatedly could not make the watch wind or hold a wind. They could not regulate the watch. All this was documented by two huge JLC / Richemont ADs.
> During my saga, chronicled on this site, I heard from scores of JLC owners with service problems. I am sure that some of them may have cotributed to their watches problems. The vast majority of them experienced poor quality of service, inaccurate regulation, poor quality control and extended wait times.
> I have many Richemont watches, and JLC has provided the worst customer experience. I was concerned that my IWC would go to the same repair facility in Texas, but was assured that the IWC staff was seperate and owners have had positive experiences.
> My JLC is finally fixed, and running well. I hope no watch owner has a similar experience with a new watch.


I don't doubt your experiences. You've had good luck with IWC and Rolex, but a quick Google search will turn up many threads from people who have had negative experiences with both companies. I personally had a very bad experience last year with a well-known German watch company. My watch went in for it's first routine service and was gone for a couple of months. It came back and that same day it stopped on my wrist (it's an automatic). In the five years I'd owned it prior to sending it in it never once stopped while I was wearing it. I sent the watch back to Germany. A few weeks later it came back again, "fixed". Again, it stopped on my wrist. I sent the watch back for a third time and demanded that the movement be replaced since the company appeared unable to repair the original movement. They finally agreed to do so and the watch has been trouble free ever since. I'm sure there are thousands of happy owners of that watch brand who will never have a bad experience. I did and I'd be lying if I said it didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth.

The point I'm trying to make is that these incidents occur with every company. I'd hazard a guess that they don't occur with great frequency in the case of JLC or you'd see countless stories like yours plastered all over the forums. The fact is the forums don't seem to have any more complaints about JLC than they do about other watch brands. I'm sure JLC has their share of screw-ups and I'm sure they handle some customer service situations poorly. And for those unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of these things (as I was with that German watch company) it sucks, and it naturally makes us angry and we come to the forums to vent.

I read all the threads in which you voiced your displeasure with JLC before I purchased my Master Chronograph. I weighed your experience with those of other JLC owners I know, the experiences of the many posters on the forums who love their JLC watches and have had no issues, and the company's reputation as a fine watchmaker, and I made a decision to purchase the watch. I love it. It looks beautiful, feels great on the wrist, and hasn't let me down yet. I'm so enamored with it, in fact, that I recently decided to buy another JLC, a Master Memovox. Of course there is the possibility that something will happen at some point in the future and the watch will need repair - it is a mechanical device after all. And who knows, I might have a customer service issue along the way too. But I think the odds of that are relatively small, and the possibility that it might happen wouldn't stop me from buying a JLC watch.

Anyway, I'm happy to hear that your watch is repaired to your satisfaction and back on your wrist. Hopefully the OP's situation will have a similarly satisfying conclusion.


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## logan2z

kngspook said:


> I was debating between a Daytona and a JLC Master Chronograph. It was a really tough decision. It's strangely a little easier now than an hour ago. (That said, I was slightly reassured to hear that people's customer support experiences in the US were not as uniformly bad as they are in Europe...only mostly bad.)


There are plenty of threads about Rolex quality problems, customer service issues, etc. too. No company seems immune. JLC didn't build the reputation it has by consistenlty shipping faulty watches and providing lousy customer support. It's smart to do your research before spending a considerable sum of money on a watch, but I wouldn't personally let a few threads describing issues deter me from buying the watch I wanted.


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## poocherama

logan2z said:


> Sorry to hear that you're going through this with JLC. Unfortunately I've read stories like this involving many high-end watch brands, including IWC, Patek and Rolex. It's easy for others not personally involved with this situation to condemn JLC here as only one side of the story is being told. Not to say the OP isn't accurately describing the communication with JLC, but JLC's perspective is missing.


JLC's correspondence / diagnosis is for all to see on page 2.



logan2z said:


> To the OP, is it possible that you did strike one of the chrono pushers against something without even realizing it, causing the damage that JLC has claimed?


I'm reliably informed by an independent master watchmaker that the sort of impact to a pusher required to damage the movement would result in visual damage to it, there is none.



logan2z said:


> I'm very careful with my watches but things still happen. I've had a Panerai Luminor for about 6 years. A friend of mine recently commented on how scratch free the polished surfaces were given that I've owned the watch for a long time and have worn it often. Not long after that I looked down at the watch and noticed a sizeable scratch on the polished bezel. I have no clue how that happened, I do not remember the watch coming into contact with anything. So these things can happen without us even realizing it.


Presumably it stopped working at this point?



logan2z said:


> As the owner of three JLCs (including a Master Chronograph) it obviously disturbs me to read these threads. But, from the outside, it is sometimes hard to determine whether the company is just being difficult or if there are other circumstances at play. Hopefully this gets sorted out and the OP can find a way to enjoy his beautiful Master Chronograph.


The watch has broken twice in less than 10 months. For 7 weeks and counting I've been asking for verification of the original fault repaired under warranty in March 2014. I'm still waiting.



logan2z said:


> P.S. Admittedly the whole 'Concierge' terminology is a bit pretentious (we are talking luxury watches here, though), but I've found the Concierge here in the US to be terrific to deal with. They've been very responsive to questions and have gone out of their way to help when requested. In fact the service I've received from the Concierge has helped to cement my confidence in the company. Of course there may be some variability in this service across geographies, but so far the service in the US has been excellent.


It's not really the customer service that irks me (though it's still poor when compared to manufacturers of similar priced trinkets) it's the fact I've been sold a seemingly dud watch.

P


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## dak_la

poocherama said:


> It's not really the customer service that irks me (though it's still poor when compared to manufacturers of similar priced trinkets) it's the fact I've been sold a seemingly dud watch.
> 
> P


I do appreciate those who share their experiences (both positive and negative) with the watch manufacturers. Like Logan2z, I do not doubt what had happened to them, but at the same time, understand that the experience represents nothing more than a single data point and could not by itself lead to any meaningful conclusions.

Poocherama, your last remark is especially interesting as I was under the impression when reading through this thread that customer service was the issue here. Even the greatest and most reliable manufacturer will produce "lemons" from time to time and it is a straw of luck when one gets a "lemon." I have not had any customer service experience from JLC so I could not make any contributions on that front, but I can add my data point as to the quality of their watches - I have owned and worn almost daily my Compressor GMT for almost 2 years now and have not had any problems. It also runs extremely well at about +1spd.


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## Mpyr

Long time forum lurker and just made an account to follow this...
I was considering a MUT Moon but I guess I should rethink it until this is resolved.
Will you be revealing the AD?

thanks again for all the information, just goes to show what a PR disaster they can get on their hands especially with such a passionate and knowledgable group of consumers.

M


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## poocherama

Hopefully the final update.

As you know the watch is being repaired under 'goodwill' not under warranty. Yesterday however I received a call from Jaeger le Coultre Customer Service UK, with reference to my 'blogging' about my experience to date. It was an interesting conversation. 

They didn't let on what forum they'd been following but wanted to know what they could do to make amends. They offered me an extended one year warranty. Sure, though I politely pointed out that the watch still had 14 months of warranty when it broke in January and it isn't being repaired under it. 

The really interesting bit was the issue of the original failure back in March 2014. Apparently the Richemont system doesn't allow for notes to be added about diagnosis / repair work (which seems strange if you have a sophisticated quality control procedure). Apparently when a watch fails (in my case completely) it's not always apparent what the cause is. It's taken apart, serviced, if a component is broken replaced, put back together and tested. This apparently was the situation with my watch, no history of the failure was noted. I pointed out that this seemed at odd's with the latest diagnosis which was pinpointed directly to an impact/knock. 

Long and the short of it was they want me to report a favourable outcome (they were quite insistent). Happy to write about my direct experience to date was the reply. The sad thing is I like the JLC range. I buy one/two watches a year in this prices range but this experience has put me off JLC. I still dispute my watch has been abused in such a fashion as to cause the latest failure, as such I can't wear it with confidence.

So what did I really want? Not to have to contact JLC customer service for the foreseeable future!

Let us hope this is the case!

P


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## PP-JLC-VC Guy

poocherama said:


> Hopefully the final update.
> 
> As you know the watch is being repaired under 'goodwill' not under warranty. Yesterday however I received a call from Jaeger le Coultre Customer Service UK, with reference to my 'blogging' about my experience to date. It was an interesting conversation.
> 
> They didn't let on what forum they'd been following but wanted to know what they could do to make amends. They offered me an extended one year warranty. Sure, though I politely pointed out that the watch still had 14 months of warranty when it broke in January and it isn't being repaired under it.
> 
> The really interesting bit was the issue of the original failure back in March 2014. Apparently the Richemont system doesn't allow for notes to be added about diagnosis / repair work (which seems strange if you have a sophisticated quality control procedure). Apparently when a watch fails (in my case completely) it's not always apparent what the cause is. It's taken apart, serviced, if a component is broken replaced, put back together and tested. This apparently was the situation with my watch, no history of the failure was noted. I pointed out that this seemed at odd's with the latest diagnosis which was pinpointed directly to an impact/knock.
> 
> Long and the short of it was they want me to report a favourable outcome (they were quite insistent). Happy to write about my direct experience to date was the reply. The sad thing is I like the JLC range. I buy one/two watches a year in this prices range but this experience has put me off JLC. I still dispute my watch has been abused in such a fashion as to cause the latest failure, as such I can't wear it with confidence.
> 
> So what did I really want? Not to have to contact JLC customer service for the foreseeable future!
> 
> Let us hope this is the case!
> 
> P


Having had a comparable experience, ultimately JLC did the right thing and repaired my master control chrono, it took close to a year. Now that it is working fine, all is well and I love the watch. The repair was a terrible experience, and I like you look forward to not needing service for the foreseeable future. I trust that JLC is learning from these experiences, and we should also post our good experiences as well. Positive feedback to luxury good providers and consumers is valuable as well. Good luck with your watch, Paul


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## 2amwagon

Glad to see it's starting to work out. I wrote JLC back in February, and directed them to your thread. I basically said, "I want a Deep Sea Chrono, but your quality is suspect, and your brand is becoming tarnished, go do something about it".
They wrote me back, and based on what they said, I did buy the DSC.



poocherama said:


> Hopefully the final update.
> 
> As you know the watch is being repaired under 'goodwill' not under warranty. Yesterday however I received a call from Jaeger le Coultre Customer Service UK, with reference to my 'blogging' about my experience to date. It was an interesting conversation.
> 
> They didn't let on what forum they'd been following but wanted to know what they could do to make amends. They offered me an extended one year warranty. Sure, though I politely pointed out that the watch still had 14 months of warranty when it broke in January and it isn't being repaired under it.
> 
> The really interesting bit was the issue of the original failure back in March 2014. Apparently the Richemont system doesn't allow for notes to be added about diagnosis / repair work (which seems strange if you have a sophisticated quality control procedure). Apparently when a watch fails (in my case completely) it's not always apparent what the cause is. It's taken apart, serviced, if a component is broken replaced, put back together and tested. This apparently was the situation with my watch, no history of the failure was noted. I pointed out that this seemed at odd's with the latest diagnosis which was pinpointed directly to an impact/knock.
> 
> Long and the short of it was they want me to report a favourable outcome (they were quite insistent). Happy to write about my direct experience to date was the reply. The sad thing is I like the JLC range. I buy one/two watches a year in this prices range but this experience has put me off JLC. I still dispute my watch has been abused in such a fashion as to cause the latest failure, as such I can't wear it with confidence.
> 
> So what did I really want? Not to have to contact JLC customer service for the foreseeable future!
> 
> Let us hope this is the case!
> 
> P


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## logan2z

I figured I'd share my recent experience with JLC customer service since it seems relevant to this thread and I did chime in a bit earlier on.

I recently purchased a Master Memovox from my local AD. When I first received the watch I noticed that it didn't start running until after I'd almost fully wound the watch (about 40 or so turns of the crown). In addition, when nearly fully wound, the power reserve was not what it should be. I contacted the JLC concierge to ask their opinion on these issues. They quickly responded and told me that the watch should start to run after only a couple of turns of the crown. They advised me to either send the watch in to be looked at or take the matter up with my dealer. The watch was literally a couple of days old, so rather than send it off for repair I spoke to my AD and explained the situation. They told me they would speak to JLC and decide how to proceed. Within a couple of days my AD contacted me and told me that they were going to replace the watch with a new one. The replacement watch arrived today, just a little over a week after I initially reported the issue. The new watch seems to be working fine. 

Despite my disappointment at the watch not functioning correctly out of the box, I'm very pleased with how JLC and my AD promptly handled this situation. Based on this experience, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another JLC watch in the future.


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## progman2000

I know "even a good company has a lemon slip by" and "one bad story is not good basis for making a judgement" but this thread still has my rethinking my interest in JLC.


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## chap

empty


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## chap

empty


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## chap

empty


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## GrouchoM

Chap: could you please start a new thread regarding your watch? It would be nice if this thread only involved the op's watch's issue. Otherwise, if someone jumps to the end of the feed, they may believe that the op and you are one and the same and that the op's watch were still in a state of flux. 

I refuse to advertise that I'm using tapatalk ... dammit!


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## poocherama

Hello all,

I picked up the watch today, looking as good as new, lets hope it stays that way!









I'm glad this saga has finally come to an end but, as I've previously mentioned over the course of this tread, my confidence in the watch is tarnished. A previous poster had a watch replaced after a few days simply because it took time to start after winding, oh the time and goodwill that could have been saved had JLC chosen to do the same with my watch!

Anyway as I like a chronograph, and I don't want to risk the JLC until I decide what to do with it, I thought I'd better get something else...


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## GrouchoM

I'd have done the same except the Daytona's subdials are WAY too hard to read for me.


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## logan2z

poocherama said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I picked up the watch today, looking as good as new, lets hope it stays that way!


Looks good, best of luck with it. FWIW, I think the Master Chronograph is a much nicer watch than the Daytona. I personally wouldn't make the switch.


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## NathanielGoodtimes

I was never super into jlc, but now even more so.

Good choice on the new peice, enjoy!


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