If everything you have described is correct and

Oct 12, 2013,09:59 AM
 

how you wore or treated the watch had no bearing on the problems you encountered ... then your disappointment is certainly understandable.

Yours is not the first post of this nature and others have had issues with watches that ultimately result in mounting levels of frustration only exacerbated by delay after delay. And these delays are long delays now.

When buying the watch, a multitude of superlatives are used to described how wonderful the piece is ... only the finest materials, the finest finishing, built for the next generation ... and on and on. And, you feel excited and happy to have made the purchase until .... you have an experience such as you have described.

So, what is reasonable to expect from Patek with respect to manufacture and service? When 50,000 watches are produced at the highest level, what is a reasonable percentage to have problems and on the service end, what is a reasonable percentage to have problems. 1%, 4%, 7%?  I guess those numbers would be within a statistical acceptable range .... as long as it's not my watch. When it touches us, then reason is sidelined regardless of what others may say and your pride of ownership turns into something altogether different.

The key to this is your AD. They should have asked questions to determine if possibly the problems may have resulted from you or if it was a manufacturing issue. Maybe they forgot to tell you how to wear the watch or maybe during the sales talk, you didn't hear it. They are in the position to help you, they can better relay the issues to Patek's service after you have fully explained to them the issues you've experienced.

Being in the jewelry business, I make it a point to inform clients how to wear their jewelry (and watches as well) and what they can expect if they don't. Even with that, I see clients on the golf course with their Pateks on and when they come in because of an issue and saying that this watch was so expensive and shouldn't have a problem not to mention they shouldn't pay for it, then I remind them of seeing them tee off on the 15th tee and all of a sudden, things die down, the truth comes out and the service is done. And still, I see them on the golf course! Go figure.

Patek is not a heartless firm, even though their lack of communication may make you think so, they want and need their customers to be satisfied.  They just need to know they are making it very difficult to do just that with experiences as yours.

My suggestion, have the AD handle it until it is right and when you get it back, you may look back as say it was worth it afterall.

   

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Comments: view entire thread

 

Neglect and Disappointment

 
 By: gabriela.figueiras : October 11th, 2013-11:27
I have always heard about the legendary Patek Phillipe, worldwide known as one of the best and most traditional brands of the whole sector, watches that were made to be passed from one generation to another. Considering its lengthy trajectory of success, ... 

Preliminary questions

 
 By: diogo : October 11th, 2013-12:32
Hello Sergio, welcome to Puristspro. First of all, please answer two questions, so we can understand better your problem: 1 - How many seconds this delay represented in one day/ 24 hours? 2 - Did you actually weared the watch or just hand winded it / used... 

Hello and please upload some fotos of your watch

 
 By: EDJA : October 11th, 2013-12:49
Who exactly you was writing your letters at Patek? By email or by old school post? And what is the reason to post your model details? It's confidential by the way. And I am so sorry about feeling you have about your watch

Pathetic

 
 By: Timertom : October 11th, 2013-13:15
There's no two ways about it, Absolutely horrifying treatment from Patek, is all that can be said of your case, with no excuse being acceptable. Patek service has touched an all time low, period. I experienced a similar, unethical shabby treatment from th... 

ServiceAttitude

 
 By: Timertom : October 11th, 2013-13:22
I'd like to add, Its not the watch problem which is so wrong, for that could undoubtedly be very minor, or even an individual use issue, but the attitude towards service, wherein you don't get your own watch back for months, or replied to when mailing in ... 

From where you know its the same company?

 
 By: Fricks : October 12th, 2013-08:24
there was no mention of the name in the post. Whats the point of spitting poison. Which proof do you have on what you are saying? Its too easy to just spill poison like that. You think you will dirty patek's image? Or make us stop loving their watches? Wa... 

Maybe you have a chronic problem within your home...

 
 By: patrick_y : October 11th, 2013-13:23
Maybe you are consistently leaving your watch exposed to a magnetic field within your home. I had a friend who once did that on accident. He bought a new speaker with a beautiful large top wood surface that he ended up using as a kind of a table where he ... 

please describe exactly the real issue!

 
 By: abe : October 11th, 2013-14:13
its hard to respond without knowing exactly what the real problem is / was! did you buy t he watch brand new from an AD or was it an after market purchase? I have never heard a watch being sent away for service or repair for 10 months. Look forward to som... 

Opposite experience

 
 By: U3O8 : October 11th, 2013-16:53
I'm sorry to hear of your problems with the watch and with the Henri Stern Watch Agency in NYC. I purchased a 5127 in Zurich in 2011 and was disappointed when it was losing 20 seconds a day. I had read horror stories about Patek service and since I couldn... 

How should the AD and / or PP follow up in cases like this?

 
 By: agedpea : October 11th, 2013-22:31
I believe that in a case like this, where customer is complaining about the watch not holding the time, one of the first thing PP and / or the AD must do is to confirm if indeed such problem exist with the watch. If they find the watch is indeed losing ti... 

May I ask about your intentions?

 
 By: small-luxury-world : October 12th, 2013-03:55
It is your first post here, you share some of your bad experiences, some "private" details of your watch, some thoughts ... What was your intention for this first post? You need a "one-time-only" audience for your frustration? You expect us to support you... 

With due apologizes...

 
 By: Mally : October 12th, 2013-05:12
Oliver, much as I read your posts & admire your, both, in-depth & enthusiasm of our common hobby, I respectfully disagree with your comment. The post was an issue to seek an input (on an issue) from the gurus (sic) & I can only opine that such is the mann... 

Mally, thanks for your reply!

 
 By: small-luxury-world : October 12th, 2013-05:35
I get your points and I am thankfull for your reply. In general I agree with you, but when it comes to newbies/first-time posters I learned my lesson - the hard way. Today I try to be more carefull, before I offer (personal) support. There have been too m... 

Care & pleasantly surprised....

 
 By: Fricks : October 12th, 2013-08:17
... by the exceptional care i had when a problem happened on a piece i own. It was a much more complicated piece, a perpetual calendar. It took 3 month to fix it. On another issue, i wrote to geneva to complain about the treatment i had from an AD, they r... 

If everything you have described is correct and

 
 By: whit : October 12th, 2013-09:59
how you wore or treated the watch had no bearing on the problems you encountered ... then your disappointment is certainly understandable. Yours is not the first post of this nature and others have had issues with watches that ultimately result in mountin... 

Maybe I have paranoia but this thread is very suspicious

 
 By: EDJA : October 12th, 2013-11:55
Don't want to blame the topic starter though. But it's strange that after such expressions first post there is a silence from topic starter. Let's wait....

A HUGE +1

 
 By: moc : October 13th, 2013-04:03
Was waiting for a few days......after all that vigorous rant,not even a reply back? mmmmmm....as you said..lets see... Mo

Golfing?

 
 By: sam1234 : October 12th, 2013-15:26
Hi Whit, I realize that this strays off topic but was curious about the issues with golfing. Is this a problem with any mechanical watch or is the admonition specific to Patek? I've played many a round with a Patek strapped to my wrist without a second th... 

Golfing!!

 
 By: whit : October 13th, 2013-05:16
There are a number of watches that are built to withstand high degrees of shock, force, and severe motion ... and there are a number which are not built with those activities in mind. I was at HSWA about 25 years ago and speaking with one of the long time... 

whit, thanks a lot for that detailed reply.

 
 By: small-luxury-world : October 13th, 2013-05:29
I hope it will help to safe lot´s of high-end watches :-) Cordially, Oliver

Thank you

 
 By: sam1234 : October 13th, 2013-06:20
Appreciate the response. I never knew this and certainly my AD never offered this info with any of my purchases. I will definitley be more careful going forward. At the same time I'm surprised and disappointed to learn about the problems of golfing and hi... 

Another troll

 
 By: EDJA : October 26th, 2013-02:36
As expected - so I am not a paranoid man

This Doesn't Sound Remotely True?

 
 By: Mean Solar Time : October 29th, 2013-03:42
I've sent many watches out for service. Sometimes it's taken 2-3 months but nothing like what you describe? I also have I ever experienced the frank inattention you apparently claim from the dealer or PP? It's certainly sounds sensationalized.