Hello all,

I was hoping you will be able to offer some advice with an ongoing issue I am having.

I own a vintage reissue Heuer Monaco, which I sent off to Tag for a service some 10 weeks ago, via the Tag Heuer Boutique (I have since discovered is Watches Of Switzerland).

When it was returned 6 weeks later, the secondhand for the stopwatch fell off that same day. As you can all imagine, I was rather annoyed, so contacted the boutique. They asked me to drop it back for a warranty repair, which I did.

Last weekend I picked the repaired watch up, and initially I was pleased. The watch is running fine and all seemed well, until today when I flipped the watch over and noticed Tag had taken it upon their selves to replace my Heuer Cal. 11 with a Tag Heuer Cal. 12.

I am absolutely furious, because I believe I now own a 'Frankenstein' watch and it's basically worthless. My intention is to return the watch, tell them to stick it and demand a new replacement Heuer Vintage Monaco Cal. 11.

Do you agree with my reaction and request, or am I being dramatic?

Also, is the serial number on the case back also on the movement to match?

Anyone else had similar issues with the Tag service?

 

Yeah that’s not cool. Calibre 12 should have the crown on the right in any case so this would affect resale value. I would def ask them to fix this.

 

Thanks for your reply, definitely not cool.

I wonder if the rotor has been replaced, rather than the whole movement then, as the crown is on the other side of the Tag Monaco, as you mentioned.

 

I'd be furious too! They need to fix that!

It is quite strange about the rotor, I don't see why'd they replace it unless it was worn. Was it originally in just for routine service?

 

It was a routine service. I doubt the rotor was worn as I don't wear the watch very often, as like most of us, have a collection and a daily wearer, which this isn't.

Do you think it's simply a mistake, made when putting the watch back together?

 

I'd guess it was more likely a mistake of replacing the wrong rotor than the entire movement. But it does make one wonder if someone else has your Calibre11 rotor in their Calibre12 watch. I don't believe TAG Heuer replaces parts for routine service unless some component needs a replacement, but who knows? Regardless, it shouldn't have happened and they need to make it right.

 

I do have my concerns dealing with them after this fiasco. Clearly they couldn't put it back together right the first time, then the wrong movement or rotor has been put in my watch the second time. Really shouldn't happen at a prestigious watchmakers service department.

 

Did it have the right Calibre11 when it came back the first time? If so, that's even more strange, because reattaching the hand shouldn't require touching the rest of the movement.

I'm not familiar with Watches of Switzerland, could it be they're using their own service and not officially TAG Heuer's?

 

The honest answer is, I don't know. I know it was a Cal 11 when I bought it in 2014.

It had crossed my mind they were using their own service department, but I was reassured it went off to Tag. The renewed 2 year warranty backs this up.

 

My guess is there is someone else out there who got his cal 12 Monaco back with a c11 inside it, a simple human error where movements were mixed up and put inside the wrong watch.

 

I've not personally had any issues with TAG Heuer's service, I'm in the US. But there have been other instances of screw ups.

One member had to send his watch back several times to get it right. https://tagheuerforums.com/threads/02-movement.137797/
In this case, the watch was sent in for a repair and came back with the wrong colored date wheel.

 

With the crown being on the wrong side, I'm guessing this can't happen? Maybe just the rotor?

 

My thoughts exactly, I'm guessing it's just the wrong rotor.

 

Maybe my case isn't as rare as I thought....

 

Do you or anyone know if the movements and cases have matching serial numbers, if the movements have a number at all?

 

When I sent my watch in to TAG for service, I explicitly asked for no case polishing. Of course my instructions were missed but they did own up before the watch was sent back. Thankfully they did a good job on the polish and by way of compensation, refunded half the service cost and threw in a new strap too.

 

Thanks for the input. I will keep you all posted on how I get on. It's all kicking off 9am Monday morning...

 

Since you mentioned Watches of Switzerland, can we assume you're in the UK? @Snowydelrico (who got the wrong date wheel) and @imagwai are also in the UK. Could just be coincidence, or perhaps a trend showing that LVMH/TAG Heuer UK can be sloppy with their service.

 

A cal11 is just a sellita mounted in the ooposite direction, turn it around and put the crown on the right side and you have a c12. Both use the same dd chronograph module so I think it is possible to get the sellita movement base mixed up and attached to the chrono module.

But sure, parts could have just gotten mixed up after cleaning and the rotors could as well just have been mixed up.

 

How do rotors wear?
If they can screw that up I’d be concerned about their ability to do more complex things, one technician to one watch surely not several in bits on the bench at one time, mistake corrected and refund needed here.