Comments:
PANERAI Service Issue
Hi All,
I have been collecting Panerais since 1997 & have collected fair amount of pieces including lots of Special Editions. I must admit the boutique purchase experience has been excellent all this time and staff is very forthcoming and helpful in securing some rare pieces in the past. As the watches are getting older off course they require service & in some cases watches are either loosing time or gaining time. Recently i gave in my PAM197 rose gold 8 Days watch for complete service & care and gave a free hand to the boutique manager to do the best job possible and pre-approval from my side for any estimate to speed up the process. After a month the watch was ready & i happily went to the boutique and paid a hefty price for the service and in that too they changed the hands though there was no need. Since i gave a free hand so i had no choice but to accept the hands change etc. The watch was perfectly polished and looked as good as new. Loved it!!
But after 5 hours of wearing i realised that it had lost 15 minutes and as a benefit of doubt i re setted the time and checked again after an hour and so and found that again it lost 9 minutes..I was shocked and i own several watches with mechanical winding and automatic movements but never seen this kind of deviation. Totally unacceptable. I immediately sent a SMS to the boutique in charge and notified him about the problem however he claimed that he had wound the watch in the boutique and had tested the good time keeping for 3 days. Nevertheless he told me to send it back. Funny thing is that when i was picking up the watch the manager was praising about their new service centre & how the new service staff is trained etc etc. In my record this is my second unpleasant experience with Panerai and to me i have been seeing the prices of Panerai inflate over the years with little or no improvement in after sales services. In fact the service bill came with a piece of declaration from quality control department stating that watch was carefully checked etc..
I have no issues sending back the watch but it upsets me for the fact that it is the second time around with two different watches serviced thru same service centre. Panerai must take service seriously and actually do good quality control.
Ovi
sorry to hear....some questions
Given that you're such a good client of the AD, I doubt that the
Such a delay in time (of your watch slowing donw) is usually related to a problem of the gear train (in my experience, with the dial side gears, either the hour gear is
manager would be pulling your leg about checking the quality of the watch before handing it over to you. but that might
be the case... or somebody might have checked it for her/him and didn't do their job properly.
But it sounds like something might have happened to the watch between the service center and the AD. Something of the
handling of the watch.Maybe the box was dropped by the currier, or maybe at the AD they dropped the box, etc.
I mean, it would be very werid for a watch to have escaped all the different processes involved with servicing it...
Such a delay in time (of your watch slowing donw) is usually related to a problem of the gear train (in my experience, with the dial side gears, either the hour gear is
not in proper place, etc.) or maybe of magnetization.... so maybe the watch was dropped and the manager of the AD did not know of this>
Either way , whatever the story is, you have every right to complain!
Sorry to hear this happened...
S
Re: Iam a boutique client
& offcourse aim not doubting his claim. I have noticed that watch stops functioning completely & after several jerks starts again and that explains the time loss. i wonder why it stops..
ovi
It is plausible there was a "drop" along the way.
As noted above is seem like it left the service center in good condition and it was dropped along the way.
However this does show a flaw in the boutique system that highlights the fact that they should recheck the watch as they said they did for several days to make sure the watch is delivered perfectly working. Even though he said the checked it there is no record and that is the flaw. The boutique should have a start time and end time with a record over the period and a signature from the boutique staff who tested the watch. This would at least be a justification of the proper procedure and it would insure you get the watch in good order.
Please give us an update.
Bill
However this does show a flaw in the boutique system that highlights the fact that they should recheck the watch as they said they did for several days to make sure the watch is delivered perfectly working. Even though he said the checked it there is no record and that is the flaw. The boutique should have a start time and end time with a record over the period and a signature from the boutique staff who tested the watch. This would at least be a justification of the proper procedure and it would insure you get the watch in good order.
Please give us an update.
Bill
Thanks Bill , i will keep you all posted
The watch was not dropped or anything. Its simply a case of negligence of the service centre of Panerai. I think boutique staff is not at all responsible for this and should not engage in verification and quality control. Its the job of the brand to ensure the workshops are strong and capable to execute the task. There is no rocket science in servicing watches. I have gotten my perpetual calendars, minute repeaters and even double split function watches serviced & did not encounter such a challenge.
Ovi
you're right
I agree completely. I hope it gets taken care of soon, and in the right way.... I would hope the manager at the AD will be your advocate in this.
S
I agree with you however.
The unfortunate reality is that the Boutique staff interface with the client and whether they are at fault or further down or up the line a simple measure of running the watch prior to delivering to the client will effectively help the client perception of the brand and highlight the fault at service.
To me it is not blame the simple fact is your watch was not working and they are at fault but a simple system to ensure reliable deliver could avert the negative implication you faced as a valued customer. The customer experience is the key to long brand success.
I did not like the comment that the store said they tested as though you did something. That is where training staff to the highest level is essential.
Looking forward to a speedy and faultless return of your watch and the appropriate and attentive communication to form the boutique to you.
Best
Bill
To me it is not blame the simple fact is your watch was not working and they are at fault but a simple system to ensure reliable deliver could avert the negative implication you faced as a valued customer. The customer experience is the key to long brand success.
I did not like the comment that the store said they tested as though you did something. That is where training staff to the highest level is essential.
Looking forward to a speedy and faultless return of your watch and the appropriate and attentive communication to form the boutique to you.
Best
Bill
PAM
Things can go wrong. That's a fact.
But: The 2 new PAM's I ever bought at AD's (359 & 379) both broke down within 1 month due to runaway screws....(staring at me from behind the glas of the exhibition caseback).
Now I'm not a statistics expert, but I'm not that confident in Panerai technicians anymore. Is it the Italian influence (Lancia, Alfa Romeo, etc)?
This message has been edited by Arie on 2014-05-13 08:36:47
Oh dear...
I will NOT want to see the quality of Panerai be anywhere close to the quality of Italian sports cars... NO please...
Possibly Magnetized
I have an Omega that had similar issue. Turns out it had somehow got magnetized. You might check that out.
Nice watch ! Hope you get it running correct.
frustrating, yes
Not long after I received a PAM190, the SS version of the 197, it took a little tumble onto my hardwood floor. The watch stopped running, close inspection yielded what looked like a bent mainspring. For my repair (about a year ago), they had to send it back to Switzerland which I assume was because, apparently, no one in the Texas service center had the background to service it. It took 3 months. With a 1 month lead time it would seem that the Texas center "serviced" your watch. Maybe they were just trained in the JLC movement, or maybe they are a bit green with it. You can argue that any competent "watchmaker" can handle a disassembly operation, makes you wonder who's working there. Panerai service people, please chime in.
sorry to hear about your ordeal..
and i am sure it will be taken care of...
these things happen I guess..its just unfortunate that its with panerai (2X in your case)
I have had one issue similar to yours as I took delivery of a 339 from AD and it probably got knocked around in ship..I experienced the same kind of timing loss in the first 12 hours...Had to send it right back...
Sorry to hear your experience
I'm sure the watch was functioning perfectly fine as advertised when it left the Panerai Service Center. You do have that QC paper where it shows it was tested. So my guess, like what others have already mentioned above, is the watch either got damaged while in transit or it's simply got magnetized after you started wearing it on your wrist.
That would be my 2 guesses on what occurred. In any case, I'm sure Panerai will get you your beauty back in a hurry.
Cheers,
Anthony
If I had a dime....
for every complaint against Panerai's service, I've read in various Panerai fora, I would have a lot of dimes. Truth be told the brand has expanded so much, over the last few years and that, I'm sure, put the Service Centre under a lot of strain. Personally, after the original warranty expires, I believe one's better off having his watches service by indipendent, competent, watch repair shops. Only if any of my Panerai needed new parts, I would consider Panerai's service centre and even that..only..because the spare parts policy of almost all the maisons, prevents them from supplying original parts to indipendent entities. In case of "T dials" the indipendent watch repair shop is a MUST since Panerai would change the..dials :-(
Ciaooooo
Panerai service issue
I have three Panerais, including a PAM 317. I dropped the 317 and the case cracked. I took the watch to the Panerai boutique in dallas. Three weeks later I received a call from Steve at the boutique telling me the watch would cost $16,000 to repair! I was shocked that Panerai had the balls to charge me $16,000 after I purchased the watch for $25,000+..
I will never buy a Panerai again. I also own APs, Vacherons and a Richard Mille and I have never seen this kind of highway robbery before. It's a shame Richemont is ruining a good brand.
Completely agree with you Brian
Completely agree with you Brian.
Panerai should be change that.
Any way after reading all the bad reviews on Panerai Ceramic watches i would never buy any Panerai ceramic watch.
Update
Just to update all that watch is expected back from the service workshops of Dubai by the end of the month. Trust this time they will do a perfect job! Panerai style…
Ovi
No update...
They promised me watch will be done by end June and now no sign of when the watch will be ready. This is totally unacceptable ! Never expected this sort of service from the Panerai workshops...Panerai needs to spend less on marketing and invest more in good technicians ..
Agree w you, Panerai service sucks
Saw your post, and I feel for you. All my experiences with Panerai service in the US and all other Richemont brands IWC and Jaeger in the USA is pathetic. It's the same service center in Dallas.
Just because of this reason I stopped buying most Richemont brands. I now live in Singapore and the service is as bad as the US. The boutique people are nice and probably ashamed that their service centers are so bad, but I see no improvement either...
Richemont should be penalized for this lack of service to the customer...
R