Fastwong's experience with Jaeger-LeCoultre service during the 2020 lockdown offers a timely look into the complexities of luxury watch maintenance. His detailed account highlights the challenges collectors face when entrusting highly complicated timepieces for service, particularly when navigating regional service centers versus direct manufacturer intervention. This discussion remains highly relevant for anyone considering the long-term care of a JLC complication.
Wohoo! My Duometre is finally back from service after having spent most of the covid lockdown at the service center in TX. I dropped it off back in January or February after noticing they did a crap job remounting the time PR and foudroyante hands during service, they agreed, and it was waiting new hands from Switzerland when the shutdowns occurred. Apparently the Richemont service center has been open this entire time but with JLC in Switzerland closed they just had to wait. I'm happy to say the watch has come back with the previous issues corrected and the movement is super clean even under a loupe. Unfortunately, it also came back with a new issue, the minute wheel for the digital minute counter is off 30 seconds. WTF Richemont. I give up with them for now. I'd rather keep the watch and maybe one of these days I'll have to fly to Switzerland, go to JLC, and drop the watch off myself.
FWIW, the NYC boutique is now open but by appointment only. They offered to have my Duometre delivered to me but since I needed to send my EL2 in for service it seemed easier to stop by the boutique. It sounds like they've been busy during the lockdowns corresponding with customers remotely and having items delivered even while the the storefront was closed. It's great to hear they've been active and continuing these past few months. One thing to note, they now require gloves so bring your own. They have disposables but only in a size M so if you have chubby paws like me, it's going to be funny. Bring lube.
On a side note, they asked if I was interested in the new Memovox Timer and I told them it looks beautiful and I think they really nailed it but I'm saving my pennies for an Extreme Lab 3 or a Split Seconds Duometre. They said they didn't know anything about future releases but if a split second Duometre did exist it might be a 2021 release and they would call me when the "new sports watch" comes in later this year
Oh, no custom straps for the Extreme Lab 2 no matter how many we order. Boo.
