Never again!

[champwhite]

Purchased 15400 on 26 Dec 14 (BNIB). Brought to AP Service Centre to size to my wrist on 29 Dec 14 and purchase 1.5 link (they removed a portion of the blue protective film on the bracelet to size and remaining factory stickers intact - means watch is new).

From 29 Dec 14 to 5 Jan 15 - wore it twice. Very careful when adjusting time and date. No shocks to it. Watch malfunctioned on 5 Jan 15 - a) stopped running intermittently b) date does not advance when hour hand is wound 2 x 12 hours c) manual adjustment of date have "resistance" on certain dates.

Brought to AP Service Centre on 6 Jan 15. Inspected externally to be perfect. Was told by their Project Manager and Regional Service Manager that such occurrence is very rare and they will check the watch thoroughly and provide a satisfactory resolution by 9 Jan 15.

Received their standard email reply that my watch is under warranty and will need 8 to 10 working weeks to be "serviced" - WTF?

Watch quality is crap. Service even more so. Just sharing so that you will know what to expect with this brand here.

[Choo Yao Chuen]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience Bro.

[tionghan]

it sure doesn't feel good when a brand new watch had to go in surgical room to be open up and service.... is there other option like refuse to have it repair but replace with another set instead?

[Ender]

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate situation.
It must be real painful given the good monies paid for the watch.
Any chance of getting a new replacement? Based on what you said, sounds like you got a lemon ...
8-10 weeks - are they sending it to HQ to check and repair?

Ender

[aceivan]

Not sure if is a standard reply template.
cos mine also replied 8-10weeks for a minor rectification.

[champwhite]

UPDATE:

Received an apologetic email from their service staff that the email was sent in error, it was not meant for me. Then why is the reference number similar to that of my acknowledgement letter for the watch? Then, another email, this time from the project manager with apologies to explain that the watch is faulty (date spring?) and they will replace the component and have the watch to me within 2 weeks plus an extended warranty. Should I accept this given the watch malfunctioned within a week?

Then comes the best part - I received another standard email to inform me that my watch is under warranty and will take 6 to 8 weeks to be serviced (???!). Totally no coordination within the company! I think I need to escalate this matter further as the local service centre has been a very disappointing experience. Anyone knows who else I can speak to in AP HQ? Has anyone gotten a one for one replacement timepiece given the short time between purchase and malfunction?

Thanks for your opinions / suggestions.

[satch]

My 15400 date got stuck, couldnt advance. Sent it in and they had to take four weeks at least. I could see a few more scratches on the watch after that. Lucky it wasn't a brand new piece like yours but I feel your frustration. Good that u escalated this.

[satch]

If they're giving extended warranty to 5 years that'll be great.

[champwhite]

Have my new watch malfunctioned and opened up for repair due to their poor craftsmanship and incompetence in exchange for an additional 2 years warranty? That's cold comfort.

Anyway, the Project Manager and Regional Service Manager both have no authority and their GM seems to think that engaging customers is not worth his time - can't even get a name or him to contact me. Goodness...

[taxico]

i think AP's doing what they can to rectify the fault.

at this point, i think it's premature to speculate on what might happen and how long this might take.

wait until your watch is fully fixed and ready for collection, then decide what course of action you should adopt.

if you are not satisfied with their recovery by that time, don't collect the watch. then PM me to get their boss' boss' boss' email address. he's a good guy and will help you out.

if he doesn't help you, let me know again and i will text him to ask why...

you must realize AP/PP/[insert luxe brand here] simple calibres are way more fragile than Seiko/citizen/ETA/rolex... some times even if the watch is super well crafted (like in your 15400), it can f##k up. that's just how micromechanics work out to be.

i know of at least one sky-moon that went back to PP 1 day after payment and pick up... imagine your million $ watch going back for a few months after years of waiting for it to be built.

what is important is how they take care of you when things go wrong.

remember: none of us here will likely know how high your watch is placed on the totem pole. watches in warranty have priority, but there is still a backlog of watches to be taken care of.

[Choo Yao Chuen]

try this brand call rolex
you will flush AP down the toilet after that

[aceivan]

LoL....
never tried RSC before but, still i like AP better. I have rolex too but dont wear it after gotten AP.

[champwhite]

Hi Taxico,

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions. Appreciate it.

I think they have reduced my waiting time to 2 weeks and extended my warranty to 5 years. But that is not accepted by me. What I am not satisfied about is this watch was worn less than a week and started to malfunction. AP service centre has attested in an email that the malfunction was not due to me. Yet, they refused to replace my watch. Principally, it is wrong - if they stand for their brand values, such occurrence should not have happened. This is a 15400, not a complication model. Am not sure how they can cock up an automatic with a date function only.

I have exchanged several emails and have gotten nowhere with their Project Manager and Regional Service Manager. Service levels similar to their watches - so if you could help me out here, that'll be great.

I have owned other mainstream luxe brands and their mechanism are way more robust than AP. My 5980 never gives me any issues when accorded similar levels of care. This is the first time I have encountered such a poor quality issue with a luxe brand. It is off-putting and has me sworn off APs beyond a foreseeable future. I really do not think they deliver, despite the hype they generated.

[caution]

Hi Taxico,

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions. Appreciate it.

I think they have reduced my waiting time to 2 weeks and extended my warranty to 5 years. But that is not accepted by me. What I am not satisfied about is this watch was worn less than a week and started to malfunction. AP service centre has attested in an email that the malfunction was not due to me. Yet, they refused to replace my watch. Principally, it is wrong - if they stand for their brand values, such occurrence should not have happened. This is a 15400, not a complication model. Am not sure how they can cock up an automatic with a date function only.

I have exchanged several emails and have gotten nowhere with their Project Manager and Regional Service Manager. Service levels similar to their watches - so if you could help me out here, that'll be great.

I have owned other mainstream luxe brands and their mechanism are way more robust than AP. My 5980 never gives me any issues when accorded similar levels of care. This is the first time I have encountered such a poor quality issue with a luxe brand. It is off-putting and has me sworn off APs beyond a foreseeable future. I really do not think they deliver, despite the hype they generated.

Bro might I suggest you write directly to the AP in HQ. Maybe it will help.

[WatchRUs]

Anyday will take AP over Rolex whether issue with service centre. No offense but Rolex very dated, mass production and these days only old men wear Rolex