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Thread: Is this meatball watch surgery?

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    Misunderadjustimated dbakiva's Avatar
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    Nov 2014
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    Is this meatball watch surgery?

    Sorry, I can't post pictures for this, but let me describe the situation:

    I purchased a watch, new, from a boutique manufacturer, and wore it for a while on a strap. After a while, I decided to put on the bracelet that came with the watch. Couldn't quite get it on, so I took it to a local jeweler who had done some work for me in the past. He got one of the end pieces on, but told me that something was wrong, and he couldn't put the other one on.

    So I took it to a local watch repair shop, who has done some minor work for me in the past; service on an ETA movement, a regulation of a couple watches, fresh battery and water pressure test, and a de-magnification, the latter done gratis. He looked at the watch, and told me that the holes were drilled incorrectly. So he re-drilled the holes, put the bracelet on, and gave it back to me. It fits just fine. Tight, without gap or wiggle, though I don't know what it will look like with bracelet removed, nor how it will take to springbars and a strap.

    I suppose I could have stopped him had I been watching him work over the counter but he was in the middle of doing it before my synapses clicked in and said, "hey dummy, he's putting new holes in my watch." At the time, my intention was to wear the watch for a while and flip it, but this presents a problem; I'd have to let a prospective buyer know this. The watch was neither cheap, not very expensive; roughly in the $1K range, a bit over. It's also a limited edition.

    Although I'm wearing the watch, I like the watch, and he did a good job (at least from appearances with bracelet on), I think what he did, without running it past me, has surely impacted on the resale value of the watch, or if not, on its salability.

    I think this was meatball watch surgery, and he had no business doing it without approval. Although I'm not sure if there were any options other than returning the watch (after a couple months), or asking for a warranty service which may either consist of essentially what he did, or (who knows how likely) replacement of the case.

    I'd be interested in your thoughts. Also if you have similar experiences.
    Last edited by dbakiva; Nov 18, 2014 at 06:03 PM.

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