Patek Philippe

I got this watch three years ago and have worn it for less than 5 times. Then this happened.... I am totally baffled. Any advice on what I should do? ...  

Possibly moisture damage? Do you store the watch in a moisture controlled environment when not in use?

notice where the problem is. it’s around the pinions for the hands. also moisture should not affect enamel like this. for a $250,000 watch should not occur.

Perhaps the moisture, or whatever it is, is coming up through the hole for the pinions? Do you have a picture of the case back? Under any circumstance, I am really sorry to see this .

If you enlarge the picture you will see the damage

Sorry, now I see the problem. Do not have the knowledge to give an opinion of what the cause is or how it can be fixed.

but I could not spot the problem apart from a photo taken not at your usual high standards!

I see it now. How could this happen and I am curious how Patek will rectify this? A new watch will certainly not go amiss!

strange nevertheless that it happens to enamel

So perhaps some lubricant that leaked *on* the enamel from the movement? In any event, I'd advise you to bring it immediately to your AD or to a service center, so a Patek watchmaker can look into it....For sure, nothing you've done could have caused this... 

With all due respect, but if I were the owner of that watch, I would have worn it many times in those 3 years. Hope PP will find a satisfactory solution.

Since the blotches are exactly around the pinions and also from the edge of the dial, I suspect this may be the lubricant leaking. Even that is surprising since these are synthetic lubes that stand all rigors of variation in temperature within a given ran... 

No, sorry to see that...I will be super pissed for that to happen and will send it back to get an answer, root cause and prevention....if it's not your storage issue.

I am confident PP will resolve and clean your entire watch.

In the entire watch there are only very few tiny drops of lubricant and they wouldn’t migrate to the dial. I can only suggest a flaw in the dial making process OR excessive humidity in your storage. One of my GS dials looked like that and the previous own... 

Although I bought the watch in Europe, I took it to the official distributor in Hong Kong because it was the most convenient channel. The service personnel there said they had to send the watch back to Switzerland but if I decided not to proceed after a q... 

that watch and what's worse, the arrogant customer service. I have been saving my entire life so that one day I can afford a PP. I think I can start looking at other brands now. Good luck.

I hope you realize customer service receives instructions from their manager/AD/Patek Philippe. She has to follow a procedure, that's it. If anyone is arrogant, it's Patek Philippe. It's a sad thing but that's how a lot of companies work nowadays. If this... 

...but if someone spends that much on a watch, they should be kissing your ass big time : ) Btw, I assume the warranty had expired?

Libertas Limited! I hope Thierry Stern reads this (or his staff) and takes some action of the horrible customers service being exhibited here.

Not sure what Patek would say after examination. Good luck.

Hope Patek can fix it at no or minimal fee since it is not your fault.

Maybe you washed your hands for one monent "carelessly"? Maybe Patek thinks the same? Another mistske is: taking pictures of the watch in the snow: water and moisture is sucked into the case, when the case cools dow too rapidly, as the air inside the case... 

I'm disappointed to read the response so far.

I would have to subscribe to the theory of moisture intrusion. But i would expect PP to take into consideration this is not an abused watch. But like any item of value maintenance has a cost. Not saying this is your fault but the if they will return the w... 

The technique involves grinding colored glass or enamel pigments to a talc-like powder, mixing it with water or oil (Patek Philippe usually uses lavender oil), and painting the resulting paste meticulously (sometimes using a brush as fine as a single hair... 

by flawed baking of the coat, and natural humidity inside the case?

Hope there is a satisfactory soloution

From my understanding and what was explained to me at the Salon in Geneva the dial is polished enamel. So it is beyond me how this could happen. Did the enamel glass separate from dial base? Is it something sitting on top of the enamel? As you say, humidi... 

With others who have said it seems to be a lubricant leak. Best of luck

Very unlikely due to moisture.. Regardless I think it’s unreasonable to charge you for what is likely a manufacturing defect.. I think it’s good practice to give the watches a wind every 3-6mths when not in use for long periods of time... This also makes ... 

of course PP will replace the dial for a collector like you.... Best, mahesh.,

barely wore it, kept it in pristine condition and despite this a problem arose. The greatest likelihood is that the watch left the factory with a problem. But regardless of that and whether or not technically the warranty has expired, Patek should not be ... 

My suggestion would be to approach Patek directly in Hong Kong. I imagine Patek would have a direct presence in Hong Kong, with Hong Kong being such a major watch market and will many heavy weight watch collectors. The only definitive answer would be when... 

That’s a severe issue and one that should be covered by Patek whether the timepiece is under warranty or not. I find the PP boutiques better at resolving such issues than the AD’s. My 5370 jammed after only 3 years ownership too, they claimed I had overwo... 

Start watching at about 3:25 and the video is self explanatory, even though this is in Cantonese posted by someone in Hong Kong. Many will be shocked with Patek’s poor quality. There’s a new 5711 olive dial in there too.

I don't understand Cantonese but that doesn't look like a genuine PP; everything about the date wheel is wrong.

has a new date font - I think the watch is genuine In any case we all know that the finishing of PPs watches (actually, most other brands) are quite substandard these days - mad rush to crank up production to meet the demands of a speculative bubble

That is moisture damage. I guess it would be difficult to determine whether the seal had been faulty from the beginning or the crown perhaps wasn't pushed in fully at some point. As high as the price for the repair seems to be but that is the going rate t... 

After raising this issue on this site, my AD also offered to send my purchased 5370P back to Switzerland for checking. There was no particular problem, but I entrusted it to my AD. It came back in about 3 months with the crown and pusher replaced with new...  

Glad to hear that Patek has dealt with the issue in the correct manner and ensured customer satisfaction.