gam29
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2009
- Messages
- 615
- Reaction score
- 5
I would love to get some opinions on what you think is a fair resolution to this situation as I've never dealt with purchasing a second hand high end watch like this before.
I recently purchased a Blancpain Villeret Chronograph 18K gold watch from an international dealer online. The seller, who has a good reputation based on what I could find online, assured me that the watch was in great condition, kept good time and did not have any issues and also offers a one year warranty on all of their watches. I received the watch quickly, but upon receipt, I noticed that the hands on the chronograph were not aligned properly (slightly of center from pointing due north). I took this watch to two of the most reputable watch repair shops that I know of in Los Angeles/Orange County. Neither of them were willing to try to adjust the hands on the watch as they said that the second hand had already been adjusted once before and they were afraid of damaging and not being able to replace the hands (since Blancpain does not sell parts to 3rd parties).
I explained this issue to the international dealer who asked me to ship the watch back to them (at my cost) and they would fix it for me. I asked the dealer if the watch was in this condition when they shipped it out, and they said no. I also asked if they can file an insurance claim to cover the cost of my return shipping, and they said that they didn't think it would be possible. Issue #1: I do not believe that it is right or fair to ask a customer to spend money to pay out of pocket to return an item that was received in a condition different than what was described. The dealer should cover the return shipping.
Nonetheless, I contacted UPS, Fedex, USPS and ParcelPro. None of them could ship this watch with full insurance (most was USPS at $2500 via Express Mail; ParcelPro wouldn't work with me since I am not a jeweler). Given the value of this watch, I am not comfortable sending it to the dealer without insurance. Issue #2: I contacted the dealer and explained this to them, yet they have continued to persist in asking me to ship the watch back to them without fully insuring the watch. I informed him that this was not a satisfactory solution because, in the event the watch is lost, I am out while he has not lost anything. I told him that if he could not work with me to find a mutually agreeable solution, that I would take the watch to Blancpain and expect him to cover the repairs.
I decided to take the watch into one of the Southern California Tourbillon boutiques to talk to them about repairing the watch. I showed the watch to the manager, explained the problem, and asked him if he thought that the chronograph hands could have shifted during shipping. He informed me that he has never once heard of something like that and that, in his opinion, the watch was like this before it was shipped out. I asked him to provide me with a repair estimate from Blancpain and received a quote for the following:
· COMPLETE MAINT. SVC. CHRONOGRAPH $730.00
· REFINISHING - CASE & BUCKLE $0.00
· HOUR/MIN HANDS YELLOW - 1185 $27.00
· FUSEAU CHRONO HAND / RH 86 $19.00
· CHRONO RUNNER YELLOW HAND $15.00
· GOLD CROWN - 2N 0035/1185 $112.00
· AUTOMATIC DEVICE BRIDGE $194.00
Total $1097.00
Considering I just spent over $5000 to buy the watch, I am less than thrilled. Blancpain requires that I do a full service on the watch in order to have the proper repairs done as they said that the lubricant on the movement is dried out. They also stated that the gold crown and automatic device bridge were damaged and needed to be replaced. Needless to say, I am very disappointed. I do not know how to resolve this type of situation (though I've laid out what I would imagine the appropriate solution should be). I would love to hear some opinions on what the community feels is a reasonable solution to this type of situation. Thank you.
I recently purchased a Blancpain Villeret Chronograph 18K gold watch from an international dealer online. The seller, who has a good reputation based on what I could find online, assured me that the watch was in great condition, kept good time and did not have any issues and also offers a one year warranty on all of their watches. I received the watch quickly, but upon receipt, I noticed that the hands on the chronograph were not aligned properly (slightly of center from pointing due north). I took this watch to two of the most reputable watch repair shops that I know of in Los Angeles/Orange County. Neither of them were willing to try to adjust the hands on the watch as they said that the second hand had already been adjusted once before and they were afraid of damaging and not being able to replace the hands (since Blancpain does not sell parts to 3rd parties).
I explained this issue to the international dealer who asked me to ship the watch back to them (at my cost) and they would fix it for me. I asked the dealer if the watch was in this condition when they shipped it out, and they said no. I also asked if they can file an insurance claim to cover the cost of my return shipping, and they said that they didn't think it would be possible. Issue #1: I do not believe that it is right or fair to ask a customer to spend money to pay out of pocket to return an item that was received in a condition different than what was described. The dealer should cover the return shipping.
Nonetheless, I contacted UPS, Fedex, USPS and ParcelPro. None of them could ship this watch with full insurance (most was USPS at $2500 via Express Mail; ParcelPro wouldn't work with me since I am not a jeweler). Given the value of this watch, I am not comfortable sending it to the dealer without insurance. Issue #2: I contacted the dealer and explained this to them, yet they have continued to persist in asking me to ship the watch back to them without fully insuring the watch. I informed him that this was not a satisfactory solution because, in the event the watch is lost, I am out while he has not lost anything. I told him that if he could not work with me to find a mutually agreeable solution, that I would take the watch to Blancpain and expect him to cover the repairs.
I decided to take the watch into one of the Southern California Tourbillon boutiques to talk to them about repairing the watch. I showed the watch to the manager, explained the problem, and asked him if he thought that the chronograph hands could have shifted during shipping. He informed me that he has never once heard of something like that and that, in his opinion, the watch was like this before it was shipped out. I asked him to provide me with a repair estimate from Blancpain and received a quote for the following:
· COMPLETE MAINT. SVC. CHRONOGRAPH $730.00
· REFINISHING - CASE & BUCKLE $0.00
· HOUR/MIN HANDS YELLOW - 1185 $27.00
· FUSEAU CHRONO HAND / RH 86 $19.00
· CHRONO RUNNER YELLOW HAND $15.00
· GOLD CROWN - 2N 0035/1185 $112.00
· AUTOMATIC DEVICE BRIDGE $194.00
Total $1097.00
Considering I just spent over $5000 to buy the watch, I am less than thrilled. Blancpain requires that I do a full service on the watch in order to have the proper repairs done as they said that the lubricant on the movement is dried out. They also stated that the gold crown and automatic device bridge were damaged and needed to be replaced. Needless to say, I am very disappointed. I do not know how to resolve this type of situation (though I've laid out what I would imagine the appropriate solution should be). I would love to hear some opinions on what the community feels is a reasonable solution to this type of situation. Thank you.
