Horological Meandering

This is a post about my experience with the Linde Werdelin customer service and timepiece service. Somehow I felt that I needed to post this as this experience drastically changed my view on the Linde Werdelin brand.

Let me start of by saying that I love the brand since a few years, they are always able to attract me with each piece they produce. The fact that I love their design and the whole brand image made me purchase a Linde Werdelin.  I was able to buy a limited edition of 29, the Oktopus Moonphase which is one of my favourites they ever produced. The combination of the microbillé finished case combined with the rose gold bezel and the octopus dial with realistic moonphase, it’s a great piece.

However, when I had this piece for a short while I went shopping in the city center. I always use my bike since it’s 5min. away. When I came home I noticed that the lume from the bezel was gone. It must have popped out. It upset me quite a lot since it’s not a cheap piece to acquire and I expect a high quality finish/control from a high-end luxury brand.

Picture of the lume that popped out:

I contacted the LW company and asked if it was under warranty since I bought the timepiece second hand. Apparently when buying a Linde Werdelin second hand it’s not possible to use the warranty anymore. I chose to pick a full service and paid the full amount required. My piece was going to the LW spa and I was expecting it after 8 weeks like new.

After the service, movement overhaul etc, Linde Werdelin informed me that a few parts were replaced and that the lume was applied again. I was a happy man and could not wait for it’s arrival.

The package I received was exactly the same packaging I sent it in, an old cardboard box which they re-used. I’m not used to experience this but I did not care.

After receiving the timepiece and inspecting it I was very disappointed with the service. There was dirt on the dial what looked like fingerprints and I noticed dust on the inside of the crystal. The hands were dirty too and showed smudges.

I immediately contacted the LW aftercare department. After paying a high price for the service I was very upset about this matter. LW advised me to ship it back. After a week they completed the service again. The watch was received in full working order and looked like new again. But I felt bad, very bad. Linde Werdelin did not offer any compensation, although they did offer an apology.

However, the whole experience made me decide to sell the watch. It completely changed my view on the whole brand.

In my opinion when entering a high-end luxury market the thing that needs to be there 200% is customer care and customer service as well as proper quality check. Linde Werdelin might be a fairly new brand on the market but I feel these points are very important to generate customer satisfaction.

I still like the brand and their pieces but I’m not sure if I will ever buy one again. Nor will I advise to buy one if I’m completely honest.

What are your experiences with the brand and their Quality Check and Aftercare?

Best,

Stijn

Mistakes happen, and they solved the issue in a week without any fight. I personally can't fine fault in the outcome, although the dirt and smudges on the inside of the crystal and dial should clearly have never happened. As to the initial lume issue, who knows how the first owner treated the watch? Probably not badly since the watch was likely in good condition when you bought it, but one never knows. A polish and clean up can cover up much damage. Even a drop on a soft wood floor, which may not visibly damage the watch, could loosen the lume. Sorry this turned you off the brand, but I don't personally find fault in how Linde Werdelin handled the situation, save for the poor quality control in leaving dust and smudges on the dial, which they promptly resolved.

John

Seems like you're taking this all very personally. You shouldn't. People make mistakes. They are human. Yes, QC at Linde Werdlin should have caught this. They didn't, but then they VERY promptly corrected the mistake. It's not an affront to you.

I am human. I occasionally make mistakes when providing services to my clients to whom I charge a lot of money to get things right. But I make every effort to confess to them and correct them promptly without cost to the client. I'm thankful that not a single client has ever expressed an expectation of further recompense for an error. But then again, I provide services mostly to normal people, and not to Kings and Princes.

John