Cartier complaints!! (and a question about polishing)

M

mix101

Member
Jan 20, 2012
77
10
#1
So I got a Cartier Roadster for my birthday (used) and it was fairly scratched. I called Cartier to get it polished and was told the fee for polishing a bracelet is $150 - sounds amazing! I live quite far from the Cartier in Toronto but made the drive down to drop the watch off.

When I got to the store, the sales rep told me there had been a mistake in pricing. I mentioned that I had spoken to X who turned out to be the manager. How does the manager make a mistake in pricing? And in that case shouldn't they honour the price?!

Anyway, I went along with whatever the lady at the desk told me - she took my watch on July 5 (a Thursday) and told me she would call me on Monday with an estimate as to how much it would cost to get my watch polished - which, FYI couldn't be done without a "minimum" service $365. The watch that I had purchased was bought from Cartier in 2010.

By July 16, I still had not received a call from Cartier. I called and the lady said that my watch had gotten a quote with an estimate (ok, so why had they not called me?) and the watch needed a FULL service which was around $600+tax.

Why would a watch that was a year and a half old need a full service? And why can Cartier not simply polish the watch? Anwyay, I'm very disappointed with ther service I was given. Additionally, it is July 20th today and my watch STILL isn't back in the store.

I am totally done with Cartier's service - wishing I had bought a different watch type because if anything does go wrong, the service I will be receiving will be poor.

Anyway - my question after all of this is: do you know where I can go to get a Cartier watch (stainless steel band) polished? Do you know approximately how much I should expect to pay?

Also, has anyone else experienced poor customer service from Cartier?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
#2
I just wanted to mention that a typical turnaround time for Cartier service is about 4 weeks and you sent your watch in just over two weeks ago. Most popular, high-end watch and/or jewelry stores have that sort of turn-around time. Tiffany polished my necklace and even that took 4 weeks.
 
#3
Turnaround time can take a few weeks. You asked for the price of a polishing over the phone, so the technicians had not inspected the watch/opened it yet. I understand your frustrations, but know that this is part of owning a high-end timepiece. It will need servicing and maintenance, just like a car.

vhdos said:
I just wanted to mention that a typical turnaround time for Cartier service is about 4 weeks and you sent your watch in just over two weeks ago. Most popular, high-end watch and/or jewelry stores have that sort of turn-around time. Tiffany polished my necklace and even that took 4 weeks.
Click to expand...
 
#4
mix101 said:
So I got a Cartier Roadster for my birthday (used) and it was fairly scratched. I called Cartier to get it polished and was told the fee for polishing a bracelet is $150 - sounds amazing! I live quite far from the Cartier in Toronto but made the drive down to drop the watch off.

When I got to the store, the sales rep told me there had been a mistake in pricing. I mentioned that I had spoken to X who turned out to be the manager. How does the manager make a mistake in pricing? And in that case shouldn't they honour the price?!

Anyway, I went along with whatever the lady at the desk told me - she took my watch on July 5 (a Thursday) and told me she would call me on Monday with an estimate as to how much it would cost to get my watch polished - which, FYI couldn't be done without a "minimum" service $365. The watch that I had purchased was bought from Cartier in 2010.

By July 16, I still had not received a call from Cartier. I called and the lady said that my watch had gotten a quote with an estimate (ok, so why had they not called me?) and the watch needed a FULL service which was around $600+tax.

Why would a watch that was a year and a half old need a full service? And why can Cartier not simply polish the watch? Anwyay, I'm very disappointed with ther service I was given. Additionally, it is July 20th today and my watch STILL isn't back in the store.

I am totally done with Cartier's service - wishing I had bought a different watch type because if anything does go wrong, the service I will be receiving will be poor.

Anyway - my question after all of this is: do you know where I can go to get a Cartier watch (stainless steel band) polished? Do you know approximately how much I should expect to pay?

Also, has anyone else experienced poor customer service from Cartier?
Click to expand...

It does sound outrageous that you would need full service on such a new watch. However, I do agree that the turnaround time is fairly normal.

I own a few Cartier watches and have never been pleased by Cartier's "customer service." I've always been promised a call and never ever received one; I've been chastised for having minor scratches on my watch bands; and I can't get over the attitude that associates give.

But alas, I still buy their watches and jewelry, so the joke's on me, isn't it?

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I'd imagine a higher end jeweler could polish your watch for you. (p.s. my roadster is from 2004, I wear it at least 3-4 days a week, and I've never been told that it needs "full service." I worry you're being taken advantage of...)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
#6
I have had a horrible time with the Cartier boutique on Bloor !

it is a nightmare trying to purchase anything from them - no way I'll ever go back to that place ! Thank goodness there is now a Cartier at Yorkdale!

Errrrmh, maybe I should ask before I continue my rant..
are you having trouble with the Bloor boutique or yorkdale ?
 
#7
I've also had horrible customer service with the Bloor Cartier. Called a few times on trying to order a piece was promised a call, never got one. Another time, an SA gave me some info and then I was waiting on some forms she needed to send me. After 2 weeks, I followed up and not only did i never received papers I was expecting, the information I got was conflicting. Kind of a turn-off. And it sucks that there are very limited stores here in Canada.
On a side note, I did get amazing customer service from the Cartier hotline.
 
#8
^ I bought my love bracelet at the bloor store and from the moment I walked I I felt like I was trespassing in the store and they were doing me a favour by helping me find the right size :storm:
 
#10
Any jeweler should be able to polish. I've taken mine to one which charges about $150.

Recently my Roadster stopped working so took it in. They said a minimum of $500 to fix, polish, full service. Ended up only needing new battery. Still did the service. Total was $4something so they credited me the difference. Its over 5 yrs so it was time for service anyway.

The battery alone would have been $65. Which I will take to Cartier to be replaced because I had my tank battery replaced by jeweler and it leaked inside watch and cost me around $300 to fix at Cartier.
 
#11
Any reputable jeweler should be able to polish your watch. Frequent polishing is generally discouraged, perhaps that's why they group it with a service. I hope that your watch comes back quickly!
 
#12
I'm just amazed at the whole cost and awful service!! You are right, why does a watch that is 18 months old need a service? My Panthere is over 12 years old, worn ever single day, no apologies - I'm not careful with it at all.. And it works perfectly well without ever having it serviced! The only thing I have done is change the battery a few times. Once I even had it done at one of those kiosk type places in a shopping centre and it's just fine!

Cartier are taking you for a ride. Perhaps speak to an authorized Cartier dealer or a good jeweler for an opinion and a quote.
 
#13
I had a wonderful experience with Cartier customer service. They promised the watch back in 4 weeks and it was. The watch came back looking gorgeous and keeping proper time.
I don't think that service maintenance on a used watch is that out of line and the time frame seems appropriate. However, in the future, if you just want the watch polished, simply take it to a reputable jeweler in your area:smile:
 
#14
Cartier lost a class action lawsuit regarding their watch repairing service. Numerous watches were deemed requiring a complete overhaul when in most cases all that was needed was a simple battery replacement. As for the turn around time, it sounds very reasonable. My glashutte watches take over 4 months to have serviced, but then again they have to be sent back to Germany for servicing.
 
#15
vhdos said:
I just wanted to mention that a typical turnaround time for Cartier service is about 4 weeks and you sent your watch in just over two weeks ago. Most popular, high-end watch and/or jewelry stores have that sort of turn-around time. Tiffany polished my necklace and even that took 4 weeks.
Click to expand...

That's strange it should have only taken 1 week 2 tops!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back