I was very pleased to receive a nice automatic Swiss watch for my birthday last year. I would like here to name and shame, it was a Raymond Weil of Geneva, which I gather is part of the Swiss Watch group. Now less than one year old, it has been back for repairs twice already. Second time they claim they fitted a new mechanism. After reasonable good timekeeping, I now, in the last few weeks, find that it is gaining about 2 minutes every week. To cap it all the "carbon fibre" strap has split and will soon need replacing (Not covered by warranty).
My rant: Why do people buy Swiss watches at extortionate prices when the quality (in my experience) is not what one expects.
Does anyone else here have such an experience with Raymond Weil?
What should I do? (I assume there are no Lemon Laws in Switzerland)
well to be honest it sounds like they're doing what they can. Get them to fix it and verify the accuracy.
I've had three leather bands on a Tag in 12 years but I'm not complaining. It also stopped working and cost 240 francs to fix at six years of age. Mind you, I don't take care of it really.
Maybe so, but not good enough in my opinion. Each time it takes 6 - 8 weeks, during which time they have ca. CHF 5000 of one's personal investment in their hands. If I take it back again that will be more or less 6 months out of the first year that they have had my watch in their workshops or in transit. I'm thinking of charging them interest.
As for the time-keeping: is your watch chronometer certified? If it isn't, 2 minutes per week for an automatic watch really is within a range I'd consider normal. If it's a chronometer, however, it's too much and should be re-calibrated.
Automatic watches arent as accurate as electronic watches. A normal automatic is usually accurate to within +30/-5 seconds a day, depending on the quality of the movement. So gaining 2 minutes every week sounds acceptable ( I have a Breitling Navitmer, it gains about the same).
I like my - admittedly cheaper - Weil a lot. Been under countless seas and oceans, flown gazillions of miles, bashed about on yachts and bikes... and only needs adjusting every six months or so. It's beautiful. CHF5000????
I used Swatches for years but I got tired of the built-in obsolescence. It seems that the straps last for less than a year.
CHF 5000 is a lot for a watch. What is its depreciation/resale value like? I keep promising myself a Blancpain if I get another contract renewal, one day maybe in the fullness of time, after first buying a new house and new liver...
Re the expense, I also find it amusing when people spend eg chf 5000 on a flash ultra-light-weight mountain bike, and then immediately put a big heavy lock on it to stop it going walkabout. Kinda defeats the purpose of spending lots for lightness...
Right! The first problem was that it stopped and refused to start-up again. They "repaired" it and when it came back the same thing happened again. i.e. they hadn't repaired it! The new mechanism only stops if I have had a particularly sedentary day (and not wound it up enough). The running fast only started recently. Up until a couple of months ago, it kept more or less perfect time. This worries me as it indicates something has changed in the mechanism. I have yet to discuss this with the dealership.
To be honest I'm sick of the darned thing and will never again get a Swiss watch based on this experience.
Have you insisted on a replacement instead of them fixing it? I wonder if they would do this? It seems either the problem is more important than what they fixed or they caused the new problem.
I'm not sure it's fair to condem the whole Swiss watch industry because of a problem with one watch.
PS, I'm not sure what you mean by "Right!". Are you being sarcastic? I was only trying to help. I didn't get that your problem was one other than the accuracy issue. Give me the benefit of the doubt...
I bought a Raymond Weil watch on a BA flight about 10 years ago. I didn't think they made such expensive watches (they are probably called 'timepieces' at that price). Mine was £120. It still works perfectly and has only needed a new strap...
yeah, that's what I'd go for, too - AFAIK you can ask for a replacement or your money back if the watch still hasn't been fixed after 2 attempts. That doesn't only go for watches, of course - they had several features on that on Kassensturz - usually they're about cell-phones.
Sorry it does sound a bit on the sarcastic side but not meant I assure you. I merely meant "correct" - it was returned for something other than running fast.
I have had a Raymond Weil for about 5 years and to date, I have not had any issues with it other than a bit of water ingress after the battery was last changed in a shop in Montreux. I have contacted the official RW repair shop in Biel and they are going to give me a quote for the repairs to the seals and drying it out.