Finally back from service, almost one year later.
This was my first experience having a watch serviced and it started off pretty rough, but eventually ended on a good note.
I dropped my LeJour off at a highly recommended local watch maker, so I thought, in June 21. I picked it back up in August 21 and immediately noticed some issues. The crown was changed to a signed Heuer crown, because mine was worn out. Fine no big deal. But I looked at the caseback and I could see the oring sticking out and the minute counter sub dial still wasn't working correctly, which was the main reason for having it serviced. I emailed the watchmaker and found out that I had actually left it with his apprentice that was "still pretty new" and "shouldn't have taken a chrono job." I ended up taking the watch back to the watchmaker directly and the conversation didn't really go well, he seemed to think I wasn't winding the watch enough and constantly playing with the chrono function and thats why it was acting up.
I was about to just give up at this point but I convinced him that there was an issue with the watch and after about 20 minutes, I was able to replicate it. I left the watch with him and he was going to make it a "learning experience" for his apprentice. This was mid November 21.
He took the watch apart and determined that a pin had bent/sheered off of the main plate and that was causing an issue with the gear train, and I needed a new main plate. He and I searched and chatted fairly frequently via email but we couldn't find a Vajoux 17 jewel 7750 main. This went on for months until a few weeks ago when one popped up on ebay Italy so I quickly snagged it. It showed up and of course it was wrong, but he was able to push a pin out and use it on my main.
A little short back story on the watch, because this is a lot of trouble for something that isn't worth a ton. I wore this watch in the hospital when my twins were born and my wife had their birth times engraved on the caseback. Not my most valuable watch, but its my most loved.
After almost a year, I picked it up Tuesday. So the whole experience was kind of a nightmare, but the watch is running great and I feel like I have a new buddy. I'll probably drop my Omega Great white off in a few weeks, I hope it doesn't take a year to get it back.
IG:southern_watch
Just a dude into watches, posting from my cubicle at work. @southern_watch on IG.
That's not cool. If you thought you were leaving it for the senior watchmaker to work on and it wasn't disclosed to you that it was the junior watchmaker working on it, I'd be furious. Moreover, who knows whether or not the apprentice actually caused the issue with the mainplate. Hopefully the watchmaker refunded you at least a portion of the service costs.
That's not cool. If you thought you were leaving it for the senior watchmaker to work on and it wasn't disclosed to you that it was the junior watchmaker working on it, I'd be furious. Moreover, who knows whether or not the apprentice actually caused the issue with the mainplate. Hopefully the watchmaker refunded you at least a portion of the service costs.
He offered me a full refund for the service and the parts. He rarely works on watches himself since he purchased a second shop and mostly runs that. Rather than the refund, he is going to discount my next service and personally work on my watches. Its hard to find anyone around me that is competent so that is better deal for me.
Unfortunate about the first mishap with the apprentice. I get it that they need to learn somehow and I wouldn’t mind them working on my watch, but clearly needed more oversight and instruction on quality control. All that said, glad the watch has finally come home to you as its absolutely priceless from what you shared (genius idea from the wife with the engraving!). Appreciate you sharing and fantastic photo as well 🔥🔥🔥
Sucks that it took so long, but nice to know that it ended well. Great looking watch, BTW.
Very cool, glad you got it back in good shape.
What's the relationship between this and the porsche design chronograph 1?
They look identical 🤓
Very cool, glad you got it back in good shape.
What's the relationship between this and the porsche design chronograph 1?
They look identical 🤓
I believe Orfina sold the design to Heuer, LeJour, Sinn, etc etc during the quartz crisis.
I believe Orfina sold the design to Heuer, LeJour, Sinn, etc etc during the quartz crisis.
Awesome, I need to look into one of these because I'm having the hardest time finding a Porsche design/orfina.
What's the lug width on it? Have you considered sourcing a PVD bracelet?
Awesome, I need to look into one of these because I'm having the hardest time finding a Porsche design/orfina.
What's the lug width on it? Have you considered sourcing a PVD bracelet?
It is a 19mm lug. 19mm lug pvd bracelets are hard to find. There are some cheapo ebay ones that are awful(I have bought them all) and I have the Strapsco one in the photo that is okay. I might try a Hadley Roma one that has the springy endlinks, 18-22mm or source a Sinn 144 pvd bracelet and shave it down from 20mm to 19mm. If you can find one on the oem bracelet, that is the way to go.
It is a 19mm lug. 19mm lug pvd bracelets are hard to find. There are some cheapo ebay ones that are awful(I have bought them all) and I have the Strapsco one in the photo that is okay. I might try a Hadley Roma one that has the springy endlinks, 18-22mm or source a Sinn 144 pvd bracelet and shave it down from 20mm to 19mm. If you can find one on the oem bracelet, that is the way to go.
Wow good info. I'm confused because it looks like the Heuer Pasadena had 20mm lug width. I thought they were the same cases just rebadged 🤔
Wow good info. I'm confused because it looks like the Heuer Pasadena had 20mm lug width. I thought they were the same cases just rebadged 🤔
They should be the same case, maybe Heuer milled the inside of the lugs out to fit an off the shelf bracelet?