Girard Perregaux

mustbeinsane
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A warning to watch lovers - GP Service Horrors !

Please do not think this someone just having a grumble for having had a bad day - I am a pretty placid and mild man - but nothing angers me more than dishonesty and poor service and I think if you can prevent fellow collectors and watch lovers from suffering the same anxieties,then I think this really is the forum to do it.
If you follow the start of this thread you will know I recently had some problems with a stiff winding crown on my GP HF Gyromatic.
I thought I was extremely lucky to track down a seemingly competent watch repairer in the UK,familiar with GP having worked for them at some time.I was even more encouraged to receive a nice had written quotation stating the problem and cost of repair.I sent off the cheque for the repair and sat back and awaited the results.The first sign there might be problems,was when I asked for periodic updates,but I struggled to get any responses to my messages - okay,I am used to watchmakers working at there own pace,but I would send emails and only get the odd response - after say six emails.I began to feel uneasy,so I decided to Google -  Michael Allen Watchmaker and was horrified to find someone had had the same experiences   -   tz-uk.com    -  and was wondering just if I would see my watch again ! - okay so now I began to press for answers - eventually a package arrived after a month and opened it in anticipation - Imagine my horror to open the package to find another watch inside - another GP - that looked like it had been used like a ice hockey puck ! - I immediately emailed Michael Allen and sent pictures and asked for an explanation - he said he had five GPs in for service and had mixed them up ! - what bothered me as well is the watch was bubble wrapped - but there was nothing to protect the bracelet from scratching the caseback and it made me concerned for my own watch.
I asked the repairer to send my watch back asap,having had to pay special postage to return the wrong watch - although offered,I still have not had the postage refunded for his mistake ! - anyway,it took two more emails and a phone call to press him to send my watch out.The watch arrived back today - I unpacked it - yes there was nothing between the recently polished caseback and bracelet - ahhh! - on top of that,the crown is still as stiff as a board - and what appeared to be a watch part (crown type wheel) fell out of the bracelet snap band.Okay - so what do you think has been carried out on the watch then - are you thinking what I am thinking ? - .I am mad - also,as per the previous guys post on tz - no letter,or receipt,or anything to state the work had been done ! - should I ever wish to sell the watch on,as serviced - no proof anything has ever been done ! - Contrast this with Watchdoctors,whom I cannot praise enough - they are fantastic at communication,tracking,updates etc and not only return the watch well packaged and protected,but sent the old worn parts back and provided a full receipt and guarantee - I wish I had used them - oh how I wish I had used them - they have repaired both my Patek Philippe and a complex ultrathin Audemar Piguet - so what to do ? - I will be sending this watch to an Independent BHI Watch Maker and asking them to appraise the watch and to photograph the movement and report what the status of the watch is - to be honest,I am fully expecting them to report the watch is in need of a service and there may be problems with the Winding Crown and I can assure you the matter will not end there.

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