watchestolove
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Reacquainted love: IWC Le Petit Pricnce (including horror story)
After close to 3 months of wait, the AD called me upon the watch's arrival. My excitement was quickly let down when I saw the watch: there was some damage on the strap, as if the surface of the leather was scraped off. The AD promised me a free replacement strap, which I'm fine with since that means I would have a spare. Here's a photo:
The night that I took the watch home, to my surprise, I found quite a bit of issues under the crystal:
Several specs of dust, here are just a few
A small paint chip on dial, revealing the silver base coat. Really obvious when rotating my wrist, as it would flicker when hitting the light at the right angle.
Paint blotch on day wheel
And also really scratched up lugs- at this point I'm certain that some amateur swapped out the strap somewhere from the factory to the AD, and did a terrible job, causing damage to both the lugs and the strap.
At that point I was appalled with the watch and horrified by how all this could've passed IWC's stringent QC check. All those issues under the crystal were easily spotted by the naked eye under regular lighting. So of course I called the AD the next day and asked them to send the watch off to IWC to have these items fixed.The next day I got a call from the AD's manager telling me basically that I'm too picky and she assured me IWC won't even touch those defects because apparently quote "they are too small and passable by IWC's QC standards." She offered me a full refund and suggested I take it, because she said outright that they rather send the watch back for refurb than to even try and ask IWC to fix these items for me. They said if I wanted a more perfect watch I should look at Seiko or Casio. I felt like I got a slap in the face because they didn't want to deal with a picky customer like me and the watch isn't expensive like Patek (still not inexpensive), which they also carry, to be taken seriously. I happily took the refund, and boycotted the AD for good. Definitely the worst watch purchasing experience thus far and I lost faith in IWC for a long time.
~Interlude~ Thank you for bearing with me thus far with the story!
Fast forward to present day, I keep seeing beautiful photos of this watch on IG and realized that my love for this piece has never died down. Upon speaking with another AD in the US (i'm in Canada), I got a great deal and received the watch by FedEx the next day. Amazing!
Perfectly laid out dial
My faith with IWC has been restored, and I am thoroughly enjoying this piece. I only wish I could pull off the Big Pilot, but unfortunately it is too clunky on my wrist.
Thank you guys for the patience to read through this post! HAGWE!!
ps. Is there a reason why we don't have an IWC section?
Reacquainted love: IWC Le Petit Pricnce (including horror story)
Around last year end of summer I briefly owned the IWC Le Petit Prince Chronograph for a few days. Really loved it, the blue dial is some of the best in the business and absolutely love the layout of the dial. However all this was short lived, as I discov...
I feel so happy for you, Kevin.
This is one handsome pilot chronograph! As for the absence of an IWC section on this site, please see the posts here .
Thank you so much Luis, very happy to have this one back!
Also thanks for the information on the IWC forum, good to know.
I had a similar experience to yours, with IWC
Very depressing. I'm hoping time will heal the wounds! Nice photography, I'm glad everything worked well for you! It is a very attractive pierce
Thank you very much!
It was definitely quite depressing first time around, but happy everything worked out now=)
Those who wait...
Glad all ended up good for you Behavior of AD is truly horrible and we don't gave IWC forum cos IWC doesn't wanna us to have it...they have their own forum. Cheers D
Thank you! That AD is absolutely terrible.
The sales were nice enough, it was the manager with the attitude. Was happy to take the refund and never enter that store again. Thanks for the info regarding the IWC forum. Cheers.
Happy for you if everything end nicely after such a painful story. Even if it wasn't the main goal of your pics, I want to congratulate you for the quality of your macro shots 👍
All (good) things come to those who wait as we usually say. So, now, enjoy and wear your lovely IWC in the best of your health. Best wishes Alkiro
Thank you for the kind comment, Alkiro!
Glad everything is behind me and enjoying the watch every minute on my wrist. Will post more pics soon! Cheers!
Unfortunately your story is not unique
Poor quality watches passing through the QC is becoming the norm. I have had the first hand experience of it with Panerai (probably one of the worst IMO) and Patek. You did the right thing to get a full refund. I feel sorry for the poor soul who got that ...
I agree with you, for amount of money we spend these watches should be pretty darn close to perfect.
I come not to expect perfection anymore, small dust particles under crystal are "acceptable" depending on how obvious it is. But scratches on dial, paint problems on the date wheel are utterly unacceptable. I sincerely hope IWC fixed those problems on tha...
glad that your IWC is back in pristine shape
I have read also some probs with IWC quality control too but glad yours are solved permanently. I am myself eying for a vintage yacht club. Have a nice week end regards
Thank you!
I have too but I never expected such obvious cosmetic issues to pass the many stages of QC. Mechanical issues are harder to spot due to many moving parts and I have more understanding for. Cheers.
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The first one definitely is a bad example. I'm amazed how someone could mess up the inner lug like that, you have to be a rookie to do that.
Exactly, even my first time changing straps I did not mess up that badly.
I wonder if it was one of the technicians/sales in the AD or somewhere in the distribution chain.