Cartier ballon bleu issues

KensingtonUK

Member
Jun 13, 2014
1,002
532
Hi everyone,

I bought a new BB automatic watch last year and I have had a lot of issues. Personally I think it must be a lemon so I am curious to see if you guys have had these issues and what you recommend

Since buying it, it has gone into repair 4 times. 3 times that said they needed to demagnetize it however that didn't seem to fix the couple seconds a day slow down, once was because the screw loose and the whole strap fell off and it took 6 weeks to repair and they did a full Inspection repair. Now it runs 30+ minutes behind a day which is just insane.
 
Hi everyone,

I bought a new BB automatic watch last year and I have had a lot of issues. Personally I think it must be a lemon so I am curious to see if you guys have had these issues and what you recommend

Since buying it, it has gone into repair 4 times. 3 times that said they needed to demagnetize it however that didn't seem to fix the couple seconds a day slow down, once was because the screw loose and the whole strap fell off and it took 6 weeks to repair and they did a full Inspection repair. Now it runs 30+ minutes behind a day which is just insane.
I have had my automatic ballon bleu for almost five years and have never had any issues. I would be very upset if I had as many issues as you have had. Don't give up. Once they know you aren't going to go away quietly, they will fix it! Good luck!
 
Magnetization is normal but if it's happening to you a lot you can ask the service department to put in a soft iron casing ring. They're anti magnetic and it should help.


A SA mentioned this. Will it look different? Why wouldn't they do this to all watches? I would hate for my watch to loose value and not have original. For what we pay for these watches, and I just bought a cartier love as well, I can't believe how many issues I have had within 1 year especially since close to 1/4 of the time it has been siting in Texas getting repaired
 
No it won't lower the value or look different. Magnetic fields are normal but it really isn't an issue that a lot of people have. Do you keep your phone by your watch a lot? Work with computers? There are some things you could try and be aware of but magnetic fields are everywhere. And automatic watches are more obvious to show the magnetization than a quartz. I would get it put in just so you don't have to worry anymore :smile:
 
I noticed my Ballon would fun faster than normal! By the end of 5-7 days it was 3-4 minutes faster! I would wind it back to the correct time and wanted to make sure it wasn't wrong, but after several times I noticed it was moving faster than normal! I took it in and it has been working fine. I'm assuming it was traveling issues due to airports with there magnetic fields and stuff. Cartier said they demagnetized my watch. I would talk to the store manager and make a formal complaint. If that does not get resolved then write a formal email to corporate! There was a thread someone posted awhile back about some service they received from Cartier and they made it up to that person. try doing a search. Although I am curious if you do travel a lot or work in place that has magnets? GL

here is the other post. but your watch is under warranty!

http://forum.purseblog.com/the-jewelry-box/cartier-watch-service-complaints-and-kudos-877512.html
 
Thanks for your advice. I do work on a computer all day but I would think that would be the norm for most people. I also fly roughly once or twice a month but again I would expect that to be he norm. All my friends who have rolex and fly 2-3 times a week never have issues. Kind of frustrated!! Thank goodness I bought a new watch so that it still is under warranty.
 
I wear a Seiko Automatic, and have since early June. I sit next to several computers all day almost every day, travel, and have my cellphone nearby and the only times I lose time or experience any lagging (by maybe 2 minutes), are on the rare occasions I didn't wear the watch for more than 2 days and didn't wind it.
 
I wear a Seiko Automatic, and have since early June. I sit next to several computers all day almost every day, travel, and have my cellphone nearby and the only times I lose time or experience any lagging (by maybe 2 minutes), are on the rare occasions I didn't wear the watch for more than 2 days and didn't wind it.


I keep hearing stories like this! I can't believe for a $6k + watch can't work properly.
 
Yea that's not acceptable for a watch of that caliber. My watch was like $350 shipped from Japan to me in the states (it's a Japanese exclusive seiko) and so far I have seriously had no issues. I wear it daily, and the only time I've left it off more than two days was after I had my car accident and was laying in bed on muscle relaxers and ice and heat packs. I just had to wind it up after that and it has been fine since. At most it's "lagged" no more than two minutes, and really, since I set it about 2 minutes ahead anyway, it's usually right on time.
 
It doesn't stop running. Just runs really slow and falls behind. Called and spoke to the AD I bought it from and he was beyond nice and helpful so big rave for Guvberg. Said it was unacceptable and that it isn't the norm so that was good to hear. He is going to reach out to his cartier rep and I also returned the watch to the cartier orlando store and they are shipping it in but the supervisor is also going to write a letter because she agrees that it shouldn't happen and thinks it much be a lemon. Fingers crossed I get a working watch. :smile:
 
wow, this is an eye-opener.
My trusty citizen Eco-Drive has never missed a beat in the eight odd years that I have had it.
Even put it aside for very long periods...no problems.
Love that watch!!!

HOpe you get all your problems quickly solved, Kensington.
 
Hi everyone,

I bought a new BB automatic watch last year and I have had a lot of issues. Personally I think it must be a lemon so I am curious to see if you guys have had these issues and what you recommend

Since buying it, it has gone into repair 4 times. 3 times that said they needed to demagnetize it however that didn't seem to fix the couple seconds a day slow down, once was because the screw loose and the whole strap fell off and it took 6 weeks to repair and they did a full Inspection repair. Now it runs 30+ minutes behind a day which is just insane.
Hi,
I have had my BB automatic watch for nearly 3 years. It was always running a few seconds fast every day, which I just put up with it but then 4 months ago it suddenly started running 5 mins slow in every 24 hours. I was unable to take my watch into the store to have it checked over straightaway which isn't helping my situation. Anyway, I took it in last week and the assistant immediately said I had magnitised the watch.......which I apparently I hadn't following his checks. He then said it could be fixed but I would have to pay to have the watch re sealed at a cost of £150. I pointed out that the only reason it would have to be re sealed is because the watch needs opening to fix it. I wouldn't expect such a time piece to lose time at all so then why was I being charged anything. I seem to have a real battle on my hands and am on my third person of contact within the London store.
I cannot believe that I have paid over £4000.00 to have a high quality watch that clearly is worthless. I bought it to tell the correct time, it isn't fit for purpose. I am so disappointed with the watch and the customer service. I want my money back so that I can buy a watch that actually behaves like a watch and not just a bracelet.