Does service matter?

Sometimes you can't help but buy the watch because you really like it... and hope for the best!

Would you not buy a Vostock just because the customer service is non-existent? I buy it anyway 😉

I’m currently in the process of putting my watch in for service and so far it’s 💪🏼. Link below.

https://www.watchcrunch.com/DH_NYC/posts/the-day-i-ve-dreaded-is-finally-here-225517

For me I think it would depend on the movement. For example, a watch with a Seiko NH35 movement I would buy.

I used a well known AD in the UK to buy a Speedmaster, a Tudor black Bay Chronograph, a Tudor black Bay bronze, and a Tudor Pelagos. Each time, the service was great.

Unfortunately, the Pelagos developed a fault within 6 months, and trying to get it resolved was extremely frustrating. The manager and staff members told me contradictory stories about who checked the watch and it's 'perfect' condition, and then there was a problem rejecting the watch because the area manager was on holiday.

I had to name drop the CEO of the company with the offer of emailing him directly to request authorisation for the return before a miraculous solution was found and an exchange took place the next day!

I haven't set foot in that shop since.

In my opinion, the service only matters when a fault is resolved. Anyone can smile and offer you a drink as you hand over thousands of hard earned pounds/dollars.

I wanted to buy a Smiths watch like a year ago, but the reviews from people complaining about the poor timefactor's customer service put me off, not to mention their poor QC, etc.

Depends on the watch, but I generally stay far away from known bad service brands

Lifes too short to have to deal with companies who treat their customers poorly.

Yup, I avoid Yema and Smith's & rarely look at microbrands.

Exactly that. I can see a Farer in my future or other British microbrands, but it's import tax and potential difficulties if there's owt wrong that puts me off non-domestic stuff.

Good Luck 🤞🏻👍👍

If the customer service is good, I will view their product in a more positive light. I’m not just buying an object, I’m buying the whole experience. There’s a reason why I will only admire a Smiths watch from afar.

Yes I agree about Yema. I wouldn’t buy directly from them again despite liking their designs, that’s why I bought 3 in quick succession a few years ago. (But I’d possibly pick up a used Flygraf at the right price as it’s the only watch I kind of regret selling, and I’ve sold quite a few).

id buy the watch but ill have my watchmaker service it on a later time; albeit if the dial or the qc is off the charts, then thats a bummer since after sales might be bonkers --- there are some risks involved, of course!

i.e., id rock a yema sometime in the future and ill hope for the best with the qc and everything!

I tend to scale my expectation depending on the price of the watch. For a $200 Seiko, I don't expect much. I'll turn to a local watchmaker. And if the cost is too high, more likely to replace than fix.

But if it's going near $1k, then I expect stellar service! That's what you're buying right?

I answered (A) but there is a caveat: I mostly collect lower-end (sub $100) watches, so service is a moot point anyway. In many cases, it is cheaper to buy another of the same watch, than it is to have your existing one serviced.

That being said, watches are strange and curious objects; and we, as watch collectors, often form sentimental attachments to them. When that happens, we often ignore logic in favor of sentiment. For example, I have a watch that cost $125 from Dillard's back in 2005. Today, you can find that same watch, used, but in like-new condition, on EBay for between 45 and 60 dollars, USD. Over the 18 years that I have owned it, this watch has gotten its share of bumps, dings, and nicks. I recently paid $60 to have the crystal replaced, even though I could have bought another complete watch for that price. Why did I do it? Because that watch was the first piece of jewelery that my wife ever bought me. No other reason besides that. So now, I have $185 invested in a watch that's only worth $60. A car dealer would say that my trade-in was upside down. Nevertheless, I will never part with this watch while I still draw breath, lol. 🤣

I am a big Invicta fan, even though they have horrible customer service. They basically out-source their service department to a separate entity, and the terms of the warranty for their watches are so narrow, that 9 times out of 10, you end up paying for the repair. And they charge a huge shipping fee as well.

But the build quality for the watchcase, and the fact that you're getting a Seiko movement most of the time, more than makes up for poor service. Most of the time, the cost of the movement (around $60 for an NH35A) is 90% of the watch cost. For example, the Grand Diver Model 3044 is sometimes available on Amazon for as low as $75, and it has an NH35A movement in it.

In any case, I continue to buy Invictas , and I do so with the knowledge that if something goes wrong, I will be taking it somewhere locally to have it fixed, rather than sending it off through the mail. The repair cost is about the same locally, and I don't have to wait 6 weeks for it to be dragged through the postal system.

If there is a company that treats their customers horribly, I would not support them one bit. Even if the risk of me being victim to any of the multitude of possible things that can go wrong is minimal, I still wouldn't support them. There's something about treating our fellow human kin with respect and compassion that has been lost in the world in recent years. It tells a lot about how a brand is run if the owner personally gets in touch with you or someone is always available to chat and discuss things. If I ever start my own watch brand, it would be my goal to (metaphorically) sit down and have a polite chat with customers over some tea/coffee/good brandy if anything goes wrong or if anything goes right.

At the end of the day, I don't expect too much of this, because I buy in a fairly low price bracket. If I was dropping serious change however, I would set fire to anyone who messes up my luxury timepiece enjoying time.

I want to see the venn diagram overlap between people who purchased a Rolex in the last 5 years and people who voted A & C.