DO NOT LET THIS MAN TOUCH YOUR WATCH!
Today I took in three vintage watches to get new batteries. All three watches had been in good working order until the batteries died. I took the batteries out to prevent damage but otherwise the watches are in excellent, as new condition. Two are late-80's Swiss-made Swatches. The other is my wife's Longines Opposition (a watch valued at more than $500), also Swiss.
When I handed the shopkeeper the watches he took them in the back and started banging on one of them. I've never had to bang on them to open the case. Perhaps he didn't have the correct tool. Regardless, he came back a couple minutes later, unceremoniously handed me all three watches and said they were "bad watches". I said they all worked and he said, no, they're bad and then turned his back on me.
When I later checked the condition of my watches I found that one of the swatches has had the stem bent so badly that I can no longer pull it out to adjust the hands. It's also offset by about 4 or 5 degrees. The case back is also not properly seated.
Then Longines is OK on the exterior but I worry about damage to the movement after being banged on the counter when he tried to open it.
It was a mistake to take my collectible watches to that Impeccable Jewellery. I will not give them any future business. Going forward I will go to one of the more reputable jewelers in Victoria. read more