Luxury Watch: Controversial Conversation Piece

Key Points from the Discussion

• The community largely supported the author's right to openly discuss their watch's quality control issues, emphasizing that customers should be able to share both positive and negative experiences without censorship.
• Ming's official Terms & Conditions (updated Jan 2021) explicitly state that the brand will arrange for a prepaid return label for warranty work, indicating that customers should not bear the cost of shipping faulty watches back for repair.
• There was a perceived inconsistency in Ming's application of its warranty policy, with some customers, particularly early 17.06 owners, reportedly having to pay for return shipping, while a later public service announcement indicated Ming would cover these costs for the 17.09 model.
• Several members expressed shock at any brand, especially one selling luxury goods, asking customers to pay for return shipping on a manufacturing defect, noting that even companies selling much lower-priced items typically cover these costs.
• The author noted that Ming's initial public response to the issue was perceived as unprofessional and exacerbated the situation, suggesting that a direct acknowledgment and ownership of the problem would have been more appropriate.
• One member shared a positive experience with their Ming 17.09, noting no alignment issues and successful self-adjustment of a minor hour hand play, indicating that not all watches from the brand experienced these specific defects.