Patek Philippe - Scratch during Patek service not acknowledged

Scratch during Patek service not acknowledged

May 10, 2024,10:39 AM

Hi forum,

I am hoping to get some opinions on the following particularly if anyone has had similar experiences as well as suggestions.

I believe my watch case back was scratched during service or handling somewhere between the Asia service center and Geneva where the watch had to be sent. The watch has never been polished and I requested no polish during service.

My question is whether it's even worth it to spend any more time on this matter, have other owners / customers experienced similar and had success getting Patek to look into their own (although small in the grand scheme) issues such as this?

Additional Background:
I have an electronic copy of the Repair Receipt which shows pics taken by the Asia service center in Jan 2024. The case back shows no noticeable long scratch (pic 1 is repair receipt and pic 2 is same but zoomed in).

The watch was returned to me in May 2024 with a long L shaped scratch on the case back. I mentioned this would be unusual for me to miss or not notice such a scratch when I sent the watch in for service but could not prove it at the time.

However, I had also asked for archive extract application photos to be taken to be done at the same time as service in Geneva as Asia center was not authorized by HQ to open or service the PT950 5738 Ellipse model. These pics were sent to me by Patek in March 2024 about 3 months after I had dropped the watch off in Asia in Jan 2024.

I did not look closely at the time but now I see the March 2024 photos show the same long L shaped scratch though not as noticeable in the photo lighting conditions (pic 3), which was not in the Jan 2024 Repair Receipt photos.

Asia service center did offer to polish the case back without asking for any charge which I appreciate but the damage is done in that this was previously an unpolished watch and I want to keep it that way.

I am not looking for compensation even though resale value is arguably impacted but as a matter of principle and having owned a number of Pateks, I am hoping service center can look into this matter and correct any process or human error so these things don't happen in future. Again, I am past trying to get any compensation but at least would like some acknowledgement by Patek.

Jan 2024 repair receipt:

March 2024 photos taken by service center (presumably Geneva not Asia) showing L shape scratch which is faint in these pictures but very noticeable at an angle or if you max screen brightness)

This message has been edited by India Whiskey Charlie on 2024-05-10 14:46:44

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience. 😥

By: GLau : May 10th, 2024-10:44

I would suggest you write to the Patek distributor in your region with a cc to your AD. Patek is responsible to this type of matters based on my own experience. Let us know what you decide to do and best of luck !

Looks like a very easy fix while you wait at the service center.

By: enjoythemusic : May 10th, 2024-11:50

Think of it this way...

By: chap : May 10th, 2024-12:04

Originally, the back was handpolished to become "new." The worker could've finished it a micron thinner or thicker, as is done with each. In this particular case - ya got lucky - its a flat surface, and the scratch doesn't look too deep. I think I'd let t...

+1 ...it doesn't seem like removing this apparently minor (i.e., not deep) scratch

By: vitalsigns : May 10th, 2024-12:59

will result in any of the negatives of having a polished watch. If it bothers you, I'd just have Patek remove the scratch and move on.

That’s a great way to look at it!

By: westrop : May 10th, 2024-19:12

Bummer. There's always risks when a watch is sent in for a service. It would bother me more to see that every time I pull that watch out than to know the back had to have a light

By: InDebtButOnTime : May 10th, 2024-15:04

resurfacing done by the manufacturer. I would let them correct it.

It would seem simple enough for Patek to do the right thing and...

By: mdg : May 10th, 2024-16:32

...replace the back...

+1

By: Derreck : May 10th, 2024-17:01

Ask them to replace the case back.

By: Poky : May 10th, 2024-23:12

I wouldn't accept a polish even though it is superficial. Read "Service" under PP Values; they will have to change the case back as this is clearly their fault.

C-D Proelochs, late CEO of Vacheron Constantin, said a watch should be serviced only when it stops keeping time, because servicing inevitably damages a watch internally, if only superficially. Here is some external evidence.

By: kjkt3 : May 11th, 2024-08:01

I am in total agreement with him. My 5110P runs flawlessly for almost 20 years. I will not send it for service before it stops and really runs in a weird way.

By: amanico : May 11th, 2024-08:02

Erratum: Proellochs

By: kjkt3 : May 12th, 2024-00:32

It's thanks to Mr Proellochs' advice that I use a Timegrapher to track the performance of my watches, rather than sending them for routine service, as if they were cars.

By: kjkt3 : May 12th, 2024-00:33

Clearer pic (looks like watch tool scratch)

By: GS : May 11th, 2024-10:02

Thanks all for your views and comments it's always fun to hear from this watch community. At this stage I will not pursue it any further. I was ready to let it go / not pursue further at the Service Center since it would take another 4 months to send it b...

Mmm, these later photographs are quite shocking. If I were you, I would send them, with a brief explanation, to Patek Philippe in Geneva.

By: kjkt3 : May 11th, 2024-17:04

Thanks ... I will try to find the Geneva contact and write directly.n/t

By: GS : May 12th, 2024-04:38

Sadly I had the same experience after service of my 5119

By: Hiëronymus : May 11th, 2024-22:21

and I also asked not to polish the case. The PP watchmaker tried to open the caseback with a 'screwdriver' but the first series of the 5119 had a screwed caseback. Of course PP offered to polish the case and they did nicely, but that was not my intention ...

Thanks for sharing...

By: GS : May 12th, 2024-04:37

Yes - this is the type of unfortunate mistake that one would expect if serviced by someone not familiar with Patek. In my case I was told the PT950 Ellipse has a special case back with special tools needed hence it had to go to Geneva. And yet I suspect t...

Time is a healer

By: Hiëronymus : May 12th, 2024-20:05