Don’t Lie to Mum
On one fine day in 2004, a trio of watch muggles walked into a Cartier AD in the watch Mecca city of Hong Kong. My mother had decided to generously gift her new daughter-in-law a timeless present: a Cartier Tank Francaise. We knew it was a beautiful watch, but knew absolutely nothing about watches or owning watches. Mum bought it anyway and what a wonderful gift it was.
After about 4 years of daily beating later, the battery finally died. The tank was actually built like one - my wife didn’t baby it at all and wore it everywhere.
“Guess we really ought to bring it to an AD when we get the chance.”
I don’t know how many years went by before we got to that AD, but it was between “a few” and “many, many.” So in a drawer the Tank lay dormant for years and it was only when I found an old flashlight 🔦 torch, that I realised the huge error of our inaction. When I opened up said old torch, the equally old batteries looked like a crustified mess of dead choral reef. I tried fresh batteries but not even a glimmer…Of course that’s what happens when you leave dead batteries in something…everybody knows that.
Wait a second…
The penny dropped mercilessly hard. It took a dead flashlight to illuminate the stupidity of my inaction:
I had left a dead battery in the Tank for years upon years!
Now it became a festering worry in the back of my mind…could the Tank have suffered the same ignominious fate?
Suddenly replacing the Tank battery became a matter of extreme urgency. We rushed it to an AD and asked for a battery change, of course not mentioning our unforgivable negligence, praying 🙏🏼 to the Cartier Gods all the while that the Tank had not succumb.
But it had.
The clerk bluntly said that the battery had been left in the watch too long and fluid had leaked into the movement. He said it would be cheaper to buy a new watch than attempt repair.
My moronic laziness had turned the gift from my mother to welcome my wife into our family and to celebrate our marriage…
into a pretty bracelet.
Insert a 5 minute string of your favourite
expletives here.
That was 15 years and an ungrateful teenage son ago.
FIFTEEN years I’ve been forced to lie to my Mum.
I hate lying to my Mum because I can feel my soul being pulled into Hell.
So the Tank lived in this quasi-zombie state, neither alive nor dead. Just looking at it reminded me of neglect, secrecy, lies and waste…pure pain. Hearing the name “Cartier” was like a gut punch every time. Made me want to spit. The Cartier Gods had forsaken me, and rightfully so, stupid watch muggle that I was. A costly mistake that in truth, didn’t hurt every single day, but when the agony resurfaced, it would be relentlessly painful- like the pain of a lost love, or herpes - it never goes away.
July 2023.
Enter Mr. Onizuka, you know, that spectacle shop owner, 5 minutes walk from my home? The closet watch Jedi that fixed my father’s lifeless Tag (from my previous post). Enter that legend:
“I checked your Tank’s circuitry- it’ll need replacing - but it’s quite common for this component to fail. Not expensive to put in a new one.”
“You mean, it can actually be fixed??!”
“Yes, but it will take three weeks.”
“I love you Mr. Onizuka!!!!”
The day I picked up my father’s resurrected Tag, was also the day my wife’s calcified Tank was returned, in perfect working condition. Well in time for our 20th wedding anniversary!!! Elated, ecstatic, and other E words, - it truly was a momentous day in my watch life. One that will never be forgotten.
Perhaps the AD that didn’t help all those years ago was gunning for another sale, or perhaps Mr. Onizuka is truly watch Yoda, I don’t know, but I have the two most important watches of my life back and that feels goooooood.
Now I only have to lie to my Mum about all those other watch purchases…😜
Teacher trainer but always the student. Lost in the world of mechanical watches. Working towards the dream piece of a Grand Seiko GMT.
Lol, better hope Mum isn’t on Watch Crunch! You’ve put together some great stories of restoration, thanks for sharing!
Ah, love a happy ending! Beautiful watch too 😍👍🏻👍🏻
I see two possible scenarios of what happened at Cartier. The first is that the counter person went behind a door, maybe popped the case back off, and think it's time to try for a commission. The second possibility is that Cartier repairman tells sales guy "yeah, another circuit board replacement" and sales walks through door angling for a commissioned sale. Which it was, we may never know.
Actually, third scenario is that battery doesn't leak, which happens, but they just ... wait, is there a scenario where they are honest that doesn't involve utter ineptitude?
Cartier watches usually represent something or some special event in many owners’ lives, it was during the pandemic shutdowns when my wife noticed her Roadster had stopped. Replacing a battery in that watch is a little more involved than popping the caseback, I would deliver the watch to my ad when opportunity allowed. The battery in her much older Hermes quartz watch also needed replacing. The young man whose family owns my regular multi brand ad is a relatively new acquaintance but his watchmaker is a gent that I have known almost 40 years, I trust him completely( he used to work for a service that did warranty work for Patek), did not doubt the news that the much older Hermes needed a battery but the Cartier Roadster’s ETA quartz movement had checked out. I instructed the watchmaker to source a replacement movement to at least return the watch into the light. My wife views her Roadster with less affection after the repair, after all a quartz movement was never manufactured to last forever. The Hermes Arceau watch was also fitted with a quartz movement but it is luck of the draw. One movement is more than 40 years old, the other perhaps less than 20, not great but also not bad.
Ohhhh!! I’m telling’…
Ok didn’t read the whole thing but I saved it for my Porcelain Throne time…
All I read you lying to your mum!! 😜
Because of this post I won’t be getting a watch as an anniversary present for my wife 🤣
Ohhhh!! I’m telling’…
Ok didn’t read the whole thing but I saved it for my Porcelain Throne time…
All I read you lying to your mum!! 😜
I hope it is worthy of such a kingly 👑 and precious part of the day! I know I treasure my bog time! 😂
How to make a comment here without sounding bitter… I’ll give it a shot . Cartier Ad service experience I’ve been there done that and still doing it. 😡
Mechanical is the only way to go!
Once a battery dies we stuff in a safe and forget it but we should really service it asap. This habit goes for any brand of quartz watch, BUT somehow Cartier just wants to milk it to the extreme. Those practices are not uncommon here in Toronto Canada as well.
I’m glad yours had a happy ending.
Btw That was your punishment for lieing to your MUM!!!😅
Lol, better hope Mum isn’t on Watch Crunch! You’ve put together some great stories of restoration, thanks for sharing!
She’s not a Cruncher thankfully, and I don’t intend to share this site with her! But I suppose, now that the Tank has been fixed, maybe it’s finally time to confess! ✨😄
Ah, love a happy ending! Beautiful watch too 😍👍🏻👍🏻
My meeting Mr. Onizuka has been a watch life changer! 👍🏼
I see two possible scenarios of what happened at Cartier. The first is that the counter person went behind a door, maybe popped the case back off, and think it's time to try for a commission. The second possibility is that Cartier repairman tells sales guy "yeah, another circuit board replacement" and sales walks through door angling for a commissioned sale. Which it was, we may never know.
Actually, third scenario is that battery doesn't leak, which happens, but they just ... wait, is there a scenario where they are honest that doesn't involve utter ineptitude?
I guess I was a gullible sod for all those years taking the AD’s word for truth. Slow learner but lesson learned!😅
Cartier watches usually represent something or some special event in many owners’ lives, it was during the pandemic shutdowns when my wife noticed her Roadster had stopped. Replacing a battery in that watch is a little more involved than popping the caseback, I would deliver the watch to my ad when opportunity allowed. The battery in her much older Hermes quartz watch also needed replacing. The young man whose family owns my regular multi brand ad is a relatively new acquaintance but his watchmaker is a gent that I have known almost 40 years, I trust him completely( he used to work for a service that did warranty work for Patek), did not doubt the news that the much older Hermes needed a battery but the Cartier Roadster’s ETA quartz movement had checked out. I instructed the watchmaker to source a replacement movement to at least return the watch into the light. My wife views her Roadster with less affection after the repair, after all a quartz movement was never manufactured to last forever. The Hermes Arceau watch was also fitted with a quartz movement but it is luck of the draw. One movement is more than 40 years old, the other perhaps less than 20, not great but also not bad.
Yes, I was told that circuit boards were the first thing to go and replacements were not a rare occurrence! It didn’t cost the world either.
By the way, love your GS selection! 😄
Hi thx! Love Cartiers and even Grand Seiko watches.
Best
Jerry
Because of this post I won’t be getting a watch as an anniversary present for my wife 🤣
Gifting a watch yourself should be no problem, just don’t let your mother get one for her! 😅It introduces the most difficult of all complications: the “in-law complication”. 😆
Once I started reading your post I was fully invested, you have a great way of telling a story! I'm glad everything worked out in the end. A beautiful watch with great memories can now be enjoyed again.
It’s a tourbillon of infinite passive aggression! 😄
Thank you for the laughter...it's much needed.
I think I fell into that endless pit of despair, the Tourbillion of Infinite Passive Aggression, many years ago.
Similiar thing happened to me too. My dad had a swatch wheeling which he hadn’t worn for a very long time so the battery acid melted almost everything. Fortunately the watch itself worked after a battery replacement but unfortunately the Chronograph function didn’t work as the acid had melted only that part somehow. Swatch left my country too so I can’t give it to them for repair and the guy I know said theres nothing he could do. I still quite like the watch though and wear it a lot.
I wish you good luck in repairing it. Try and dig around to find a donor movement or maybe try and get some of the corrosion crud out with help of Rodico putty or a small screwdriver, because anything is worth a shot.
You must be happy that the force is with you.
Fooooooock yea!!! Mr. Onizuka is a JEDI MASTER!!! nice... I have one here in Mexico too.. Swiss Watchmaking School Certified. I love that man. He's old I don't want him to die. I love him. WOSTEP CERTIFIED BABY !!
Man I check all my watches regularly, automatic and quartz. If a quartz watch stops, I change the battery asap. Had too many batteries leak in remote controls to take that chance with a watch.
Amazing story to attach to the watch and amazing that the old ways are not dead yet.
This was my most entertaining read on this app yet. What a laugh hahaha
Very kind of you to say, thank you! ☺️I’m just glad that this laugh or cry experience has finally ended with a laugh! I’ve definitely cried about it for long enough!😄
Sweet time piece, liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times ✌️
🇭🇰Hell yeah to that!
Love this story. I just bought the all stainless Cartier Tank Must for my wife’s 58th birthday. If ever this watch ends up in a box in storage, I’ll remember not to leave it setting with an old battery in it. 😉
Spectacular choice! The Must is beautiful both on the bracelet and leather straps - my wife prefers the larger dial too! 😅
Thank you for the laughter...it's much needed.
I think I fell into that endless pit of despair, the Tourbillion of Infinite Passive Aggression, many years ago.
Yeah, I’m sorry to hear about your personal loss in the Hawaiian disaster. Hoping that you and yours all at the least, are safe and sound. 🥹
Similiar thing happened to me too. My dad had a swatch wheeling which he hadn’t worn for a very long time so the battery acid melted almost everything. Fortunately the watch itself worked after a battery replacement but unfortunately the Chronograph function didn’t work as the acid had melted only that part somehow. Swatch left my country too so I can’t give it to them for repair and the guy I know said theres nothing he could do. I still quite like the watch though and wear it a lot.
It’s great that the watch still has functionality, but don’t give up on the repair. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that a trustworthy watch repair shop is much better than an official authorized dealer. I certainly won’t be taking brand watches back to their ADs for maintenance anymore - in fact, I feel a bit foolish for doing that for so long!
How to make a comment here without sounding bitter… I’ll give it a shot . Cartier Ad service experience I’ve been there done that and still doing it. 😡
Mechanical is the only way to go!
Once a battery dies we stuff in a safe and forget it but we should really service it asap. This habit goes for any brand of quartz watch, BUT somehow Cartier just wants to milk it to the extreme. Those practices are not uncommon here in Toronto Canada as well.
I’m glad yours had a happy ending.
Btw That was your punishment for lieing to your MUM!!!😅
It’s sad that they resort to these types of sales tactics, even sadder that I was naive enough to believe them! Lesson learned the hard way!
Once I started reading your post I was fully invested, you have a great way of telling a story! I'm glad everything worked out in the end. A beautiful watch with great memories can now be enjoyed again.
You sir, win the kindest comment 🥇 award! Thank you!
What a great story. Happy your Tank is in its full glory.