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TAG Heuer service experiences
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Aquagraph
·Swiss like to talk about and market this glorified idea of a watch that can live forever and be passed on to coming generations but in reality they will often not touch a watch that is 20+ years old (exception that some offer mega expensive service for vintage pieces)
#connectedtoeternity
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Aquagraph
·I thought about using a random watchmaker to fix it ... as I am guessing that isn't much different than getting TAG Heuer to fix it at this point. I mean, its not like it is under warranty, right? (However, it is a special watch to me, and so I really want it to work ... and am hoping TH has the ability to get it going again, whereas maybe a local watchmaker might not??)
I doubt it will make any difference, but if you are happier then go for it.
The bezel might need to be "fixed" ... but it is actually just as difficult to move / turn today as the day I got it brand new. I remember when I took it out of the box, and tried to move the bezel and it would not move (it takes a lot of force and leverage to move it). At the time, I figured I would leave it alone as maybe I was doing something wrong ... I wasn't, and it was just very hard to turn. But all these years later, it is in the same condition.
Interesting. Usually they go floppy and spin, which is especially annoying on a 4000 because it's so obvious. In fact I used to have a WF1111 that someone had glued the bezel down to stop it moving. 🙄
Yeah, that was my guess too ... although, while that does make some sense, I would also think that they would have something come up when certain numbers were entered. Maybe not as much info as a current watch, but maybe lump all those old numbers together so that it just says something generic, like "4000 Series" or something. I just figured they wouldn't want people coming to the site and trying to use it, only to come up empty like I did. (But then again, I understand that that just takes more work on their part when it is probably not worth it to them.)
Yes I can see your point, it would be nice to do that, but I guess the idea of entering millions of numbers for no physical gain is probably not that appealing to them. You have to remember their primary concern is selling new watches and what happens to them once they are out of warranty is not really their problem. Plus you can tell they don't exactly lavish love on the website, just compare it to the Breitling one (example below) and it comes up ridiculously short.
However, part of my thinking here is based on "emotion." I have always been a brand-loyal TAG Heuer guy; and I was always the first to say that one of the best things about getting a TAG Heuer is that they will take care of you if something ever happens to your watch. In fact, I did send it in for servicing maybe 10 years ago, and the experience was great ... but now, I am seeing that maybe they don't care once your watch has gotten pretty old and while I understand that to a certain degree, it doesn't sit well with my brand-loyal brain. Oh well, I will call the phone number that was posted and report back any positive or negative experiences.
Unfortunately this is true. Perhaps as part of their drive to push themselves upmarket and become more respected themselves they need to learn to respect their own history beyond what came out between 1962 and 1975.
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Jim Dollares
·
Wow I had no idea swiss watch companies could do a website this informative!! 😲 Well done to Breitling! If their watches didn't suck I would have considered one just to support their website innovation
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Aquagraph
·They really do suck. Look at this garbage I saw in Watches of Switzerland last weekend
🤮🤮🤮🤮
🤮🤮🤮🤮
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Aquagraph
·That last one was hilariously big, must weigh about a kilo.
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imagwai
·Only had one Tag serviced (UK). My CS3110 Carrera reissue chrono. I sent it in with instructions not to polish the case (it didn't need it). Took 2-3 months. When it was time to come back, I received an apology saying that it had been polished. I was naturally a bit upset at this, given I'd been told my request not to polish had been accepted before. Simply a case of them not reading the instructions properly.
I accepted their reasonably generous offer of half the cost of the service back, and thankfully the watch hadn't been ruined. It was a very good polish job and the integrity of the case was intact.
However, not quite the end of the story because it wasn't keeping time in spec (was about 25 secs fast I think from memory). I had to send it back again to be regulated. It did come back OK this time, and with a new OEM strap as compensation for the additional problems.
At least I found the people I spoke to were polite, apologetic, easy to contact and deal with.
My CS3110 is now with Abel Court to sell (I am buying another piece from him so he took it in part exchange). Upon examining it, he found a couple of small issues with the watch. As far as I'm aware this watch has only ever been opened by the Tag Heuer service centre and they were certainly the last place to do so. Abel told me that he saw some small toolmarks on the movement, not noticeable to the naked eye, but even so, we think they must have come from Tag Heuer service centre. But worse than this, he said that there was still a part of the old gasket on the caseback when they fitted the new one. Obviously he will rectify this before selling but apparently I was lucky I didn't get humidity or water in the watch. Doesn't exactly fill you with confidence in the quality of service from Tag Heuer, does it?
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Jim Dollares
·That last one was hilariously big, must weigh about a kilo.
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Podunk21
·I have an update to my service experience with Tag Heuer...
My CS3110 is now with Abel Court to sell (I am buying another piece from him so he took it in part exchange). Upon examining it, he found a couple of small issues with the watch. As far as I'm aware this watch has only ever been opened by the Tag Heuer service centre and they were certainly the last place to do so. Abel told me that he saw some small toolmarks on the movement, not noticeable to the naked eye, but even so, we think they must have come from Tag Heuer service centre. But worse than this, he said that there was still a part of the old gasket on the caseback when they fitted the new one. Obviously he will rectify this before selling but apparently I was lucky I didn't get humidity or water in the watch. Doesn't exactly fill you with confidence in the quality of service from Tag Heuer, does it?
Man ... I really don't want to read or hear about this !! LOL
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Podunk21
·Interesting. Usually they go floppy and spin, which is especially annoying on a 4000 because it's so obvious. In fact I used to have a WF1111 that someone had glued the bezel down to stop it moving.
Yeah, I have seen that too. I have always been shocked that mine was the total opposite. However, now that I am sending it in and having them look at it, it will probably work correctly ... but then eventually go floppy and spin. In other words, "be careful what you ask for; right?"
... Plus you can tell they don't exactly lavish love on the website, just compare it to the Breitling one (example below) and it comes up ridiculously short.
It is funny that you should mention this. My father has had like 4-5 Breitling watches and he had to send one in for service a while back. So, when I told him that I had to send my TAG Heuer in for service, he said something like: "Oh, that should be easy ... I sent my Breitling in and they ... (fill in the blank with how amazing the experience was)." So, based on that, I figured the TAG Heuer experience should be somewhat comparable (at least on some level).
However, the one thing I notice that was glaringly different was that Breitling gave my father an address for where he was to send his watch for service. The location did not mention anything about Breitling, watches, jewelry, or anything of value. In fact, the address/location where his watch was mailed seemed rather benign or non-descriptive. He was told that this was for security reasons, so that someone might not try to steal it from the mail. This made sense; as someone might take the package if it was addressed to "BREITLING" (and obviously contained a watch worth a couple of thousand dollars).
So, I figured TAG Heuer would do the same thing. However, yesterday, when I called their 1-800 number, the person I talked to said they would email me the address where my watch should be sent. They also helped me get online and fill-out the service request form. They told me that when I was done with the service request form, I should print it out and mail it in with my watch. (Seemed easy enough.)
The address that was sent to me via email was for: "LVMH After Sales" (at a New Jersey address). However, when I completed the online service request, it told me to send the watch to: "LVMH Watch & Jewelry, N.A." (at the same New Jersey address). It is probably not a huge deal, as the actual addresses are identical other than the addressee. However, I found it odd that they would want me to address it to "WATCH & JEWELRY" (which is something Breitling specifically avoids).
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Podunk21
·Most of the things I've seen about TAG's US service center have been more or less positive.
Well, I guess that is a good thing, as I am in the US and I am about to send my watch to their New Jersey address for service. I will report back as I find out what happens.
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Mspeedster
·The address that was sent to me via email was for: "LVMH After Sales" (at a New Jersey address). However, when I completed the online service request, it told me to send the watch to: "LVMH Watch & Jewelry, N.A." (at the same New Jersey address). It is probably not a huge deal, as the actual addresses are identical other than the addressee. However, I found it odd that they would want me to address it to "WATCH & JEWELRY" (which is something Breitling specifically avoids).
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Aquagraph
·The address that was sent to me via email was for: "LVMH After Sales" (at a New Jersey address). However, when I completed the online service request, it told me to send the watch to: "LVMH Watch & Jewelry, N.A." (at the same New Jersey address). It is probably not a huge deal, as the actual addresses are identical other than the addressee. However, I found it odd that they would want me to address it to "WATCH & JEWELRY" (which is something Breitling specifically avoids).
That is dumb as hell, you might as well take a photo of the watch and stick it to the outside of the box.
