Dodgy restoration / repair - what to do
A watchmaker restored and repaired an old Rolex and charged $2000 - then I got it inspected by another watchmaker as part of valuation and find out that a bunch of stuff hasn’t been done, some parts aren’t genuine, some parts remain damaged and I repaired, the case hasn’t been cleaned, the gasket/seal I replaced, the crystal is wrong size …
What legal recourse do I have?
Options:
- go back to him demanding a partial refund
- go back to him demanding completion of work with no further charges (not really an option given breach of trust)
- some other legal recourse
This won’t have been the first time this has happened …
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Dang
Not sure just wanted to say sorry this happen to you. Never had to deal with this but I wouldn’t let him touch another watch of mine again. I would demand a full refund or else litagation.
Best of luck.
That’s terrible. Did you keep your receipt and work order? Demand he fix it or provide a refund or else you can take him to court
What legal option covers this sort of thing? In Australia we have small claims court but there must be other options. State government Consumer and Business Services may be an option too.
I think you should send it back to Rolex to have it repaired/restored and claim the cost from the watchmaker.
Sorry to hear that. If the watch was not a vintage piece for which there are no original parts you should go after the guy
Sorry to hear that. If the watch was not a vintage piece for which there are no original parts you should go after the guy
1950s … still he told me he’d cleaned it and that all parts were now genuine
Scammer. The gents above have given good advice. Won't add anymore.
If you paid by a credit card, you might be able to file a service chargeback with your cc company.
First thing you gotta make sure is that the second dude isn't dodgy. If he is that can backfire hard, like the melon into the face of the slingshot lady.
Once you made sure of that I would ask for a (partial) refund. In my estimation it is beneficial to strike an agreement with the watchmaker. Not financially but for your own sanity. It's why I prefer giving my watches to the manufacturer, that isnto say the premium is not necessarily for better work but convenience and peace of mind.
I suppose in the end it all depends on how much you have in writing and how much is you saying that he said that he did ... if you want to stick it to him for screwing you over, I feel you 😉 but that takes effort
My AD repaired my grandfather’s 1941 Rolex. When he could not find original parts he called me to ask for permission to use generic parts. I authorized it as it was the only way to get the watch working again. Transparent AD gets my repeat business.