Patek Philippe

I truly put a lot of thought before posting the following. But I think I should share.

Few weeks ago, I posted a message talking about my 5960 which stopped all of a sudden and it has been almost 2 months that it is still being fixed.
At the end of the day it is watch and even though it might be rare, "sh*t happens". I posted my message because the wait is too long.

Two weeks ago, I had my *0th birthday and I am proud to say, my wife got me a 5980, which I wanted to have. At the very same night, my father showed me the unfortunate.
He pulled out his 5101, which is few months old, to wear it. He noticed that something looked really different. He looked again, he couldn't tell the time.
It was the minute indicator. It was not in its place. The indicator was totally unscrewed from the center. Any angle you turn the watch the indicator was moving and was free from the center.

This is completely unacceptable. This is not a complicated movement problem, this is a simple problem! I am staggered such quality problem happening with a PP, nevertheless with a Grand Complication PP.
I am very loyal to PP and it is by far my number one choice.
But I think it is time for PP management to turn their big magnifying loops on their QC.

The truth is that few here really wants to read messages like this - that have become rather more common on this site of late. & these are tales of very poor service, as well as basic maufacture. Personally, I have no 'in' with the powers that be in Geneva, but no doubt there are some reading here that do...

I find it impossible to believe your Father's 5101 will have the minute hand fall off (if what you mean by the "minute indicator"). If possible, upload a pic for us to see.

And for a watch like 5101, any AD will treat it with respect.

And I hope you are telling the truth about the poor service you experienced, and not trying to tarnish Patek. I also find it difficult to believe. In 3 countries I have experienced Patek Philippe service, they are NOTHING BUT PRISTINE.

Larry

Larry:  The post is not about you.  To say you have had good experiences so you find it hard to believe others could have bad experiences is being insensitive and self-absorbed. 

the minute did fall off. You understood it correctly.
But I think you have misunderstood my message about the service.
I never complained about the service, I was not happy with 3-6 months wait time, for the watch being fixed.
By the time my watch will be fixed, the warranty period will end

Thanks for reading the post.

Actually, the warranty period (HSWA) is one year from the date of the last service if the watch has been repaired under warranty ( I had a 3940 repaired twice under the covered period, the second was three years after purchase). I believe any repairs done outside of the warranty period are covered for either ninety days or six months (I am not sure which). If someone has more concrete information it would be appreciated.

Mike S.

This up Larry. What could the OP have to gain? I bought a Brand new 5098 that came sealed and when I unsealed the watch the watch would not wind at all, so some watches do come straight from the factory broken. I think anyone that deals with watches long enough will eventually experience a brake down. The true test is how well its handled once its discovered. I'm sure PP will remedy will fix the problem, but don't expect it to be fast.

Good luck to you and your father

It is sad to hear when such a huge and pretigious brand sometimes lack in things as simple as this.

But please, do keep us updated here on the forum!

Stephen

I'm looking into brands for my next dress watch. PP is on the short list; stories like this help me assess the brand's current status.

To the nay sayers, many great brands have suffered reversals - the only way for the improvement dynamic to play out requires vocalizing instances where the brand story falls short of the buyer's experience.

Regards,

Lee

Disappointing story for sure. Such things can unfortunately happen to all, even the best brands.

I'm sorry for you and your father.Could you please show us some pics?

I'm sure your Patek Philippe AD or salon will handle the situation.

Please keep us informed.

Cheers

Dje

Jerome,

I wanted to take a picture immediately, unfortunately the next day I forgot and my father already left the country. We live in separate locations.
I think, He already took it to the service, if not I will ask him to take some and send it to me.
Long time ago I have posted some (bad) pics of his watch when he first got it.
I can post some as soon as he gets it back.
About these things happening, I totally respect your opinion but I have to disagree with you on the minute hand being fallen off.
It is too much to handle, we are not talking about any brand here, this is PP. I am very disappointed, because I give so much credit to them.

Regards,

Jerome - you are diplomatic as always, but perhaps you could help us with this? As you are aware, on this site we have seen numerous basic mechanical problems with various Pateks (5980’s that lose time and others where hands ‘fly free’, a 4936 where the numerals fall off, just to name a couple). Do you see this with Le Coultre watches for example?

 

(With regards to service - just ask Mutsu!)

 

Paul

 

 

I know 3 people who have one or more JLC and 2 of the had problems, 1 with a JLC extreme world chronograph, the other guy with his Master compressor géographique

JLC is a good brand I guess it wad coincidence

Hi,

i don't remember the details but I remember some 5980!

I remember some problems with some JLC EWC too!

I can just say I've never had myself a problem with a new watch! I'm just lucky!

I just trust the big names to handle the bad situations if it ever happens!

In that case they shall handle, we shall wait!

Dje

ps: I don't consciously intend to be diplomatic! I just hope to relieve some pain.

it would be a grave misjustice if we were to presume that the thread by simplycomplicated was in bad faith.

pps are made by human beings and as such are fallible and for people to believe otherwise is surely delusional at its best.  pp have had problems and will continue to have problems just as an aston martins battery will last only a few days without being attached to a battery charger...part and parcel of exclusivity!!! the more complicated the more temperamental the are. i wear pp but i do not believe that anyone has been appoinetd pp's spokesperson on this site and thus has to class any accusation of quality control as trivial. 

photographs would be appreciated so as to see the entity of damage (purely out of curiousity) but otherwise i will take his word for it.

Dear Mori-power,

If you look at my track record, I am nothing but a fan of PP. I would never want to harm the brand in any shape or form.

I don't see why someone would even take the time to do that by posting threads, let alone I have a small but beautiful collection of PPs 3970R, 5960 and a 5980.(I will get you a picture tonight) The only reason I have posted my thread; is to share and maybe make a difference at PP in a constructive way, not destructive. Because, I don't think our PPs should have such simple problems.

BTW, 5101 has already been submitted to the service and sent to Switzerland. I am sorry but no pics, if we receive a repair report, I will post that along with the fixed watch.

Thanks,

I have seen the picture of your dad's 5101 in previous post so I know you do have one.
As for flaws in Patek watches, it happens and I have seen it before on a brand new 5970 before.
The watch was freshly unsealed and with a loupe, I can see big dent/scratch on the dial.
Actually, you don't need a loupe to see it but it just happen that I was looking at the dial with the loupe.
I dunno how that pass the QC department too.
I guess things like this happen to all brands, hope your wonderful 5101 returns safely and quickly
Cheers...CL

And I hope that both problems are sorted out sooner or later.

Like somebody has stated. We are all human and occasionally a "Bad Watch" does get pass QC.

But lets not forget that PP produce on average approx 48,000 watches per annum.

So I'm sure that some watches will get pass the final inspection.

But I agree with what you say and hope that this maybe read from somebody within PP who can do something about the QC.

From Left in order: Submariner 50th Ann., Daytona Rolex Movmnt, the new Deep-Sea, FM Crazy Hours 1200 case rose, FM Stainless Steel King Conquistador crono, PP 5980, PP 3970R and our very missed member of our family 5960P is in the hospital, had a major stroke, the whole body was paralyzed, It's creators are working on a very serious operation to get him back in shape. We are patiently waiting

Happy birthday and congratulations on the new watch.  Mrs. Zheeeem seems to think that I would prefer new socks and underwear for my birthday than a new PP.  Sigh.

You have my sympathy for seeing multiple Patek failures in such a short period of time.  One can only hope that this is one of those coincidences of extremely high statistical improbability.  I, for one, am consistently amazed that hand made mechanical things like watches even work at all.  Indeed, this is doubtless what attracts me to them.  But that they should work year after year in frequently difficult conditions does astonish me. 

I hope Patek addresses your problems promptly and successfully.

i enjoyed my 5167A for only a few weeks before it had to be sent back to Geneva for repair. Surprisingly it came back in about 6 weeks. My next watch, the 5980, was only on my wrist for two days when it stopped. That took three months to get back. Despite a problem with two consecutive pateks purchased, i am now saving for a 5140. My biggest problem is justifying this crazy habit to my family. They cannot understand why I pay such high prices for a brand that to them manufactures unreliable watches.

 

 

I know its but true and have come across a lot of people in my daily life that have had a problem with this manufacturer.

What I dont like is that they can get away by doing this...they think its not their fault if a watch turns out defective and all it does is that it shows on their Brand...

With the current market situation I am sure there will a lot less people buying Pateks...

Any ways at the moment and I hope PP guys are reading this I have moved to AP and Lange...if they did not create a big deal about one watch they would have still got me as a customer...

I dont care about the value as I dont sell my watches.

PP did make good watches but now I think they need to take a good look into watching their QC which is pretty low as I gather.

Patek Philippe people read these posts. I have had 2 out of 3 of my brand new Pateks (5035 and 5146) failed within the first few days of purchase. Both watches were repaird satisfactorily but like the other posts here, I have lost confidence in your claimed quality. 

I WANT to believe in the Patek brand so get your house in order 

There are more complains than I expected. I makes more sense "the 3-6 months of wait time" to fix your watch. You have to wait for your turn to come, rather than "it is a very complicated watch, they have to find what the problem is. It takes a lot of time"(AD rep.)
Very sad.

Patek is a old brand and has been making watches for over 105 years...if they cant get the watches right after so long its a sorry situation!

Its not Rocket Engineering..... you know its a watch... and is made by many brands... with out defects...

Pathetic .....

sorry over 150 years

......................... unacceptable.

My total and complete sympathy lies with Larry, who I completely believe and take at face value for both problems, with his watch, and his fathers. I sincerely hope PP does the needful, does it quickly, and replaces whatever it takes including the entire watches to have a customer smiling again and with his watches back to as good as new.  

I am compelled to respond after reading a post about someone w/ a 5970 in the bank with no intention to wear it, and then quality problem w/ PP's that's actually on people's wrists.

I had a few PP myself, a 5070, 5056, and a few others. All perfectly functional, though my wife's 4857 had a few issues. Was a happy camper until my 5056 was back from service. After paying over 3K USD to have the honour of the highly trained Swiss watch makers to service my beloved 5056, the watch didn't come back in perfect condition. They didn't polish my watch. Hairlines, scuff marks were still there. My wife's 4857 came back looking ugly. No proper polishing done. The watch looked uneven.

To add insult to injury, the local agent insisted that PP never polish the watches during service (right, like that's the first time I sent my watches back for service). If not for the sheet of glass between us.....

Needless to say, save those I bought for my wife and my mother, I no longer own any PP. And won't again. The only way one can pass the watch to the next generation is to do  what the 5970 guys do, leave it sealed, and lock it in a vault.