Shop might have broke my watch?

Loonie

I brought my watch to a chain repair shop to replace the battery. When I got it back I didn't take a good look at it, but a short while later I realised it wasn't working. So back I went, and the sales person told me she'd noticed a small piece break off the side of the battery, and that the battery wasn't being held in properly. She suggested it'd need a new movement, leave it with them and it would be sorted.

Then the other guy there took a look, said no, it's nothing to do with the battery but the watch has been water damaged and it's my own fault. The girl then denied that she'd broken anything, and refused when I asked her to write down the problem. I got a refund on my battery, and left, fuming. The guy had quoted 130ish to replace the movement... So nearly the price of a new watch (Tissot bought about 5 years ago for 150 I think).

The thing I did notice is that while they were checking the watch the second hand went forward a full 45 seconds. I think this from them pushing the battery back into place. If I bring it to another jeweler (a Tissot dealer) they should be able to tell if it's been broken? Or have I any other course of action at this stage?

Loonie

A small update this morning, I have set the watch and put it face down and it's ticking away, keeping time just fine. I'm fuming. I'm heading to a different jeweler today to confirm that the battery holder has been broken. Then I'm going back to the first location and sitting in their shop telling everyone what they've done until they replace the watch.

Wibbs

Sounds like one of the metal(or plastic) tabs that secures the battery broke alright. With water damage I doubt it would run in one position. Good luck in getting somewhere with the shop.

hi5

how can you be so certain that it was the battery in the first place?

Loonie

Thanks guys. I've been stewing on this for the last 24 hours but thankfully a quick resolution. I brought the watch to Rocks in Stillorgan for a second opinion. They replaced the battery clip for 10 euro, and said otherwise the watch is fine, no visible signs of water damage. Now he only had it for half an hour so he didn't do a full inspection, but the guy who originally said it was water damaged had it for about a minute. The watch is now in front of me working just fine.

So, I'm sure you all know this already but Fast Fix (Dundrum) can't be trusted to do so much as a basic battery replacement. And Rocks in Stillorgan will be getting all my business

Menas

Glad to hear that you had a good result.

The shop you mention are indeed to be avoided IMO. A buddy of mine dropped a watch in there to have 2 links removed from the bracelet and was charged €30.

I kid you not. 2 minutes work.

Wftablueboy

The problem I'd have with this if it was my watch is this , say your watch stops working in the next few days who do you bring it back to ? If you bring it to Rocks and they can't get it working they'll say what do you expect we only did a quick repair and only charged you a tenner , you need a new movement and its 200 quid ..... By reading what you've said I'd say your watch is a Tissot chronograph watch and the reason the sweep second hand moved 45 seconds was that the watch wasn't recalibrated when the battery was fitted , I have 3 Tissot watches myself and always change my own batteries and I know for a fact that none of the watches have battery clips , their all ETA movements G15.211 , so if Rocks fitted a clip into a place where it's not supposed to be it could cause more damage .... Plus if you bring it back to the Fast crowd and they see a clip where it's not supposed to be it might negate any claims you have against them .... Anyway hopefully this isn't the case and your watch keeps running.....

Loonie

I'm happy that there is no water damage, and that the movement does not need replacing. The watch is a Tissot PR50 and I saw the battery clip myself (a tiny gold coloured piece of metal at either side of the battery). The sales person in Fast Fix *admitted* to breaking it, it was only when the manager got involved did talk of water damage come into the picture, and the horologist in Rocks saw no signs of it - the manager in Fast Fix is not a horologist. He was just trying to cover himself for fear that the tiny clip breaking required replacement of the whole movement. It didn't, and if he'd let the sales person send the watch to the horologist as she wanted it would have been fine.

Anyway it's still ticking away without any more problems.

corpo3030

Yeah, FastFix are brutal. Definitely to be avoided. I've had my own horror stories with them. I just try and do it myself now (battery replacement, strap adjustment) Anything else I shop around for good experienced watch repairers.