Montblanc

Yesterday, after more than a 4 month process, my broken 1858 Tachymeter was returned from Montblanc factory service. I promised to conclude the service experience, so here it is. A box within a box, this looks good. Ahhh... let's not get ahead of ourselve...  

I can see no reason why the watch came outside of that "box". Sort of amazing. And I am also with you on the generic paperwork. How this is expected to convey a peace of mind is beyond me. Thanks for sharing your experience. Best, Dogu

And it's it's a relief that the service center did not do a polishing job and respected your wish. The packaging and the written statement are a joke, though. I can fully understand your hesitation to let it go, and I fully understand your mixed feelings ... 

I would like to see this watch adjusted at noon/midnight to see if they're correctly adjusted or not. Unbelievable if it's not the case 😳 Best wishes Alkiro

That is one of the first things I check on any new watch or serviced watch. Believe, if that were wrong I would post it for sure! ...  

Best wishes Alkiro

I read the paperwork before removing the piece out of the plastic bag. I knew it would have been taken apart to fix the movement, it was pure hope they would get it back together,and correctly.

As you say, the return parcel as a whole is a joke. If ever MB should have broken their standard printout for a return, this was it. More opportunity lost.

BUT how Montblanc can send back a timepiece like this in just a plastic bag and in a parcel without no more protection? May be I'm rude but... are they stupid? For me, it's just unacceptable, it's not a banana they had put in a parcel but an expensive wat... 

I put the box back for the photo. Astounding. You are not rude - whoever placed the watch in the outer box is a stupid person. At least there was the other single layer of foam.

Best wishes Alkiro

That image of the watch tucked in next to an empty box is almost comical. Awful. But the watch is beautiful; you need not question your initial decision to buy it. I'm sure you'll make the right decision about its future. Cheers, Brandon

I did the same for my AP Royal Oak, and I will soon post on a Chopard experience (all positive so far). I think we can be an asset to each other here on the forums by being honest. This is not about slandering a brand. On the contrary, do things correctly... 

First sorry to read about what you have gone through. I was close to buying this watch but hesitated as I felt the size was not for me. But otherwise the design, movement ticks all the right boxes and I have been thinking about it again. But after your po... 

It is a killer, that is why I selected it. I would tell you be very weary of using Montblanc to service it. Surely there are others who can work on these Minerva movements.

very happy for you that the watch is finally back and working! As for the packaging, I have to say, kind of hilarious, really made me laugh An inside foam box used as a...space filler which the watch chucked in to the side of the box. Oh boy, these guys n... 

Again, if you have read the posts up until now, why in the world should I have had any confidence about what would be inside? And then the first impressions, not even in the correct box... frankly, I credit God for all great things in my life. And I credi... 

before opening it, I was 99% sure something was f... up. I'm just happy for you that the watch is 100% okay. This should have been the case without needing prayers!

I can almost recall how much I loved wearing this watch. I am taking it to the bank while I decide, I am likely you sell it. I'm afraid to start wearing it and fall in love again.

I am assuming the watch was under factory warranty - that's why you sent it to them. Yes? The fact is that this is a large and somewhat uncomplicated chronograph...as chronographs go (and, I think it's as stunning watch as well). This is not a super compl... 

I am likely to sell it and won't ever have to make that decision, but for sure, if it ever needed anything and was out of warranty, Montblanc would be the last place I would send it.

Good luck.

The packaging is hilarious indeed! But what strikes me too otherwise, is the standard letter speaking of battery change!! They might at the least have two different sorts of standard letters, one for quartz, one for mechanical watches!! Not at all the sam... 

Obviously Montblanc has some talented watchmakers. OK, great. But this Davide Cerrato guy, obviously no accountability from him. I was told he would reach out to me, never a single word. Not a message here, or an email. I do not like working with people w... 

"replacement of battery if quartz blablabla" statement leaves a bit puzzled about the level of service management in the MB... one like the other, more or less! Anyway, " re-assembly of the watch" is the cherry on the cake: almost as if writing: "returned... 

We could go on and on. I guess I should count my blessings for the "re-assembly".

That aside (no pun intended), its good to at least see the watch back in intended condition. Now the conundrum of what you'll do next ... Regards, skyeriding

I once declared it on the same level as my favorite AP, and while the watch itself might be, the brand itself is one of the poorest I have ever worked with.

I, for one, can say I am very happy you now know exactly what was wrong with your watch. NOT! Any idea? (Have to say it looks great, though.)

Last November, the crown on my beloved Royal Oak came loose. I still remember the short feeling of the sinking heart, but right after knowing it would all be OK. Just needed a service. Look at the letter that came back with my repaired watch (and door to ...  

AP Clearwater is too high a standard to hold any service center to - they are beyond amazing

Because even that would make this brand a helluva lot better than they are now.

And MB didn't even offer to update the 2 year warranty. As if nothing was wrong, just a regular service. You have every right to be frustrated. And pissed.

You might think, after first their watch failing and second treating me in such a poor manner, they might accommodate this request, but nope, not to be had. As it has been stated in this thread, at least they did return it to me, and it does work correctl... 

It is ridiculous indeed. Had the sam experience with AP though when my Extra Thin Royal Oak turned out to be a DOA. Got a standard service letter with it when it was returned. That also pissed me off. Things can break down. Shit happens. But acknowledge t... 

If you look down at it and remember the angst of the experience, well then not worth keeping - since it will not bring you happiness to wear it. If you look down and see the killer dial and amazing movement and the service experience is just in the back o... 

Someone - hopefully a fellow Purist - will get a great deal on my watch. As I have said, the watch itself is beyond debate. I never was upset over it failing. My goodness, it is an extremely intricate mechanical object, and these things happen. I am upset... 

BUT this watch is such a stunner!

Cosmetically fine, winding fine, keeping accurate time (only 24 hours so far but a good start), and the chrono works. Needles and handles all correctly aligned. When I sent it in, the watch was dead. If the most important aspect of the entire process is f... 

I would expect this kind of level of communication/packaging from (insert generic retailer) but not from a company dealing with a clientele that is spending thousands on a luxury item (and that can easily take their business elsewhere). The form letter an... 

I like this watch enough that I probably still would have bought it, but at least I would have understood what I was getting myself into. I guess I assumed they would be / should be on par with other "high end" Swiss brands, but clearly I was wrong to ass... 

I would have thought I knew more than her about watches ;-)

Mine has been perfect since day one. So I am gonna write it down as unlucky....maybe try to keep for sometime and see if it is working perfectly. Best of luck, Horo ...  

Further validation for me that I selected very wisely, when I see the other owners ;-) Definitely my advice to you, if it ever needs anything, find a qualified watchmaker. Do not send it to Montblanc.

The packaging and the service report are hilarious. Fully understand your feelings. Best, Volker

The watch is beautiful. And the feeling when winding it is so great!

I won't give it away, but I'm happy to take a loss and move on. If that loss gets too big, I am seriously considering the Dr. Kol method of disposal. My 338 Win Mag would leave no evidence at all... I would probably scale down a bit on diameter and power,... 

Nevertheless: DON'T BLAME THE WATCH It's such a nice watch.

More often than not in my personal experiences recently. The crown issue on my 15202, and for whatever reason my Chopard 8hz went from being spot on accurate to losing +20 seconds / day. That one is also being worked on, but Chopard cannot be compared wit... 

they should stick with making pens and cuff links.

All perfect. The movement was existing and I expected it to be bulletproof. I do not mind that it failed, I mind the Montblanc experience in correcting it.

Watch brands need to get their acts together. I'm still recovering from my IWC experience. If I need emergency money or can't afford a watch I want, that would be the first on the chopping block! Despite the lack of value retention.

Imagine that it is really better to not let them touch their own watches after sold. Now, whichever watchmaker actually worked on my piece - OK, I credit him or her, because the watch does in fact work correctly and is keeping solid time. But getting the ... 

I had a similar experience with AP15202 as you have had with your MB. The additute - or better put - the lack of let me to sell the watch straight-away. Still waiting for the extra link though, which I have ordered roughly 3 months ago😂

problems to mine and have posted on them. With AP, the US Service Center in Clearwater is quite possibly the best facility of any brand in any part of the world. But other regions like Singapore report much differently.

The 15202 is a very cool watch, one would not sell lightly. For a service experience to be so bad that you lose the love for the jumbo... that's something. I like my Portuguese, but it's not a cheap watch. It doesn't perform as well as less expensive watc... 

I was expecting more of AP, especially given that I'm living in Zurich a can directly deal with their Boutique (although run on a franchise by Bucherer). I would have had absolutely no issues if removing the dust of the dial of a 4 months' old watch that ... 

These people are delusional! Like I know it's 'just' dust and it's 'just' a warranty issue, but how hard can it be?! You'd think that a business based on luxury customer service could at least do a bare minimum reasonable job...

The most important thing is that the watch is with you again and that the service seems to have fixed the issues, without adding new ones - like the scratching or polishing you were worried about. The packaging is simply bizarre and the papers anything bu... 

They can't even put it back in the correct box? The whole point of double boxing the watch is for the protection. To include a second box and not utilize it is a failure beyond comprehension. Now, I wonder... Is Vacheron Constantin this bad? They also go ... 

Are you kidding me? The paperwork is just staggeringly shocking... Goodness they couldn't use a more generic paper. No pride taken in the work whatsoever... Not even pride. But can't even meet the bare minimum. I took a First Class flight on United Airlin... 

Hi Michael, I, as many others, have been following your fortunes. I find this story astonishing. To put the watch to the side in the box is supreme incompetence towards levels of criminal negligence. It's some kind of bizarre final irony no-one could make... 

I was told he would be in direct contact with me. All of my information was included with the service, and I even have my own email address on this website. But nothing, nada, zilch. So that tells me that the head guy does not care at all about the people... 

... which in fact reflects a rather frequent way to protect expensive watches from thieves who open the package whenever recognizing it comes from a luxury watch brand. The box is a mere decoy to fool thieves into taking that. Normally, they do not spend ... 

And it has nothing to do with thieves. The only think separating my watch from the outside was a single layer of cardboard, and a thin plastic wrapped around the watch. That is all Marcus. Maybe that is sufficient for a quartz watch. But a watch like this... 

... for shipping the watches. Even Breilting uses them. Marcus

I suspected you would agree with me If I were in Cerrato's position, and I knew of this situation (which he does), I would have personally seen to the logistics of the repair and return. None of us needed a second nightmare of the watch being damaged in r...