I had no idea either, and like you I'm planning on buying one in a couple of years for my 21st. Thanks for the great info everyone, you can always rely on tPF members for bringing you up to speed! That charge is good to know about in advance.
Beware Of Catrier Watches!!
- Thread starter Beach Bum
- Start date
I had no idea either, and like you I'm planning on buying one in a couple of years for my 21st. Thanks for the great info everyone, you can always rely on tPF members for bringing you up to speed! That charge is good to know about in advance.
Oh Jill, you are so right! And a battery change alone is like $70! I can go down to Sears and get a battery change for $5, but they tell you if you don't get it serviced thru them they won't work on your watch. Whatever. lol
Usually once its out of warranty,you can take it anywhere for a new battery,and Cartier should service it for you at a later date,after all you will be paying them! The only problem I encounterd with this was not having the watch seals pressure tested while the battery is being changed,as then you don't know if your seals have stopped working and it will let in water(THAT costs a lot to sort out!) I have also known of the seal on the back of the watch to get 'pinched' out of shape if its not put on properly,and again let in water. Its generally safest to get it done by the manufacturer,however here in the UK,we have Goldsmiths which is a big chain of jewellers,and if they have Rolex within a store,they will have a Rolex Tech that can do battery changes and pressure testing,it may have changed price structure slightly but it used to cost about £45-£50 Uk sterling. The Rolex Tech I know is authorised by all the big manufacturers to work on their watches,maybe in the US you have something similar? That info may help Uk ladies,but for all the US ladies I'm sorry I don't know,maybe one of you has come across this sort of thing in one of your high end jewellers?And you could share it on here?XXXXXXXX
Have a look at Simpleplans tread on Tiffanys Service and new ring thread,it could prove very useful to some of you,I really hope so as it sounds as though a lot of you have been unfairly put in the position of not being pre-warned about these charges when you bought your watches.Lots of SA's are worried about losing sales if they mention this at point of sale,but it causes more bad feeling long term if they don't.Silly really as whenever I sold a high end watch,part of the sale for me was educating the customer correctly about this sort of thing and what to expect etc,I never had anybody turn down a watch once this info was passed to them,but when I did see them at a later date they only said they were going to miss the watch while it was away and never really mention the cost! I found if someone was really lusting after a highend watch,nothing would put them off and it was my duty as a good SA to make sure they knew as much as I could pass over to enjoy it to its fullest,after all I would'nt want to be the cause of someones anger and distress at a later date.
Read my reply #36.
Sure many wear his/her watch everyday or once a week, but some of my hand me down watches (over 100 years old) are automatic and in the safe.
If I were to give my kids my battery watches, they'd have to make sure the battery doesn't die and if it does die, they have to remember to take the battery out. Otherwise, leakage and it's instant death to the watch.
Does it run on batteries (quartz) or movement (automatic)?
If it's working fine, let it be. If you need new batteries, then you'd need to do this.
Mine is about 8 years old without any problem. Maybe I'll do that 400 dollar tune up when the big 1-oh hits. That'd be a present to the watch. well done, my partner!
