SWISS WATCHMAKER

7/23/23- I took an old clock that belonged to my mother in to Swiss Watchmaker to see if they could fix it. The clock is a Jaeger ‘Petite Neuchateloise’ from the 1950’s and has some considerable value – both sentimental and monetary. The associate, Susan who took my information and $50 deposit explained that she would obtain an estimate for repair and advise on service. 9/18/23- after nearly two months, I had not heard back from Susan about the possibility of repair. I called the store and spoke with someone else and left a message inquiring about my clock. Later that day, I received a text from LWH informing me that the clock was ready for pick up, but didn’t give any info about repair. A few minutes later, I received a text from Susan saying: ‘I have one more repairer to ask about your clock because he specializes in restoring music boxes; so wait until I hear from him, OK?’ I replied and said “yes that sounds good to get another recommendation from a specialist, thank you Susan!” Susan replied: “I got 2 cookin’!” 11/1/23- After almost 4 months, I still had not heard from anyone at Swiss Watchmaker about the status of my clock. I went into the store and asked –the person in the sore did not have any information- but said he would give Susan a message that I’d stopped in. 11/4/23- I did not hear back from Susan so I texted her to ask for an update and what she had learned from the specialist she mentioned in the previous text. I got no response from Susan. 12/8/23 –after another month of no communication from the store, I went in to ask about my clock. The woman in the store said she didn’t know where my clock was but would leave a message for Susan. Later that day I went into the store Susan was there and said she’d have an answer for me tomorrow, the next day. I told her that she had assured me that she would update me but never did. 12/10/23- Two days later, I had not heard back from Susan. I went into the store and asked Susan for an update- she said she was unable to take the clock to the specialist as she had promised. I said that I didn’t want to wait for yet another promised update and that I wanted to take my clock. Susan said that the clock wasn’t in the store but in her car in the parking lot and that she couldn’t go get it. She asked me to wait another day and assured me she would have some news about the repair. I felt that I had no choice but to say okay, and asked her to promise to update me the next day. She replied “you’re on my mind. 12/11/23- I received a text from LWH at Swiss Watchmakers informing me that the ‘cost of repair would exceed the value of the clock’ and that if I chose ‘to pursue restoration, we will require an additional fee of $125.’ I replied that I would pick up the clock that week and would not pursue restoration 12/13 – I went into the store to get my clock. I saw Susan and told her I was very disappointed in the lack of customer service, and that I didn’t feel like a valued customer. I asked for my $50 deposit back since she had my clock for 5 months during which time I received no communication. She said she ‘you have a beautiful clock and I’m sorry if you aren’t happy with what we did.” I asked if there was someone else I could speak with and was told no, that they don’t give deposits back. I am extremely disappointed in the service at Swiss Watchmaker and will not be returning. Over the years, I was a loyal customer and trusted their workmanship and spent a lot of money on repairs and battery changes. I would warm anyone not to trust Swiss Watchmaker with anything other than a battery change. They used to do great work, but this recent experience has destroyed my trust.

I want other people to be aware of a very bad experience I had with SWISS WATCHMAKER in Cambridge, MA @ 58 Church St. I went in to have a battery replaced for my old everyday Coach watch. The dealer kept it a day, rather than put the battery in immediately, and then, the next day, told me my watch was broken. I believed him. He then sold me a NEW watch for $135., when that watch stopped working recently I went back to return it. On a hunch, I then took the OLD watch to another excellent watch store, Watch Hospital, Boston, and they put in a $9.95 battery in ten minutes and the watch was working perfectly again. When I told this to SWISS WATCHMAKER, he just snarled at me, "I've never seen this watch before," and no $135. refund was given or offer of free repair. I saw on his website that others have had the very same experience. BEWARE OF THIS MERCHANT.

It's hard to communicate how strange this experience was. When the salesman asked me "how are you?," I answered "fine thanks, you?" His answer was something like "Good enough to help you": quite a jarring thing to say to a customer.
All I wanted was a watch band, and the salesman helped me find one efficiently. However, after they started putting it on the watch, another salesman started a heated (albeit whispered) argument with the first salesman about the quality of the watch band. Things seemed to get very tense, and the salesman came back to me to double check about the decision. 
In both cases, the motive behind the actions seemed good: the first salesman wanted to greet me; the second wanted to be sure I got a good watch band. But the actual greeting, and the actual discussion about the quality of the watch band made me very uncomfortable and eager to get out of the store.
I had a bad experience here 20 years ago, but I figured enough time had gone by so I should give them another chance. I'll wait 25 years this time.

I took in an old watch (and valuable).  It needed a new crown and movement, but replacement parts are no longer made because of age.  So I bought another watch just like it that was working, but cosmeticly challenged.  The second watch had a brand new crystal, the original crown and a working movement.  They said two weeks, spent almost two months, never returned phone calls (although they were always sincere as they promised to call me back with an update).  They said they could not use the original crown from the old, and would put a "fitting" one because they understood how important it is to retain the value.  The one they put on was a JOKE, too small and delicate and ornate for a large divers watch.  They charged me an extra $100 for this crown and lost the original (which I could have sold on ebay for a couple hundred).  Also, when the watches were returned, it looked like the had vised the faces of the watchs, or used pliers with teeth, as both crystals were completely scratched up!  They claimed to have pressure tested the watch, but only mentioned that when I challenged the payment through AMEX.  I sent the watch to a Heuer expert in Oregon, and he said it did not pass a pressure test.
Complete waste of time and money.  They are hacks and crooks!  It cost me more to get the watch fixed right, and decreased the value of the sacrifice watch signficantly.  I would never ever go there again.  They make me SICK.

People at this store are thieves. They changed my watch's battery but broke the winding pin and did not take responsibility for that, asking me additional $ to fix it!!! I was outraged by their service or better "disservice". That was by far the worst service I have ever had in my life. Be aware and read online reviews about them before taking your expensive watch there.

The whole thing took forever. Electric watch went fine but less than 1 year later the watch is dead (after many years on previous batteries, and no cleaning). I left the self winding watch for the woman to have assessed for service, and - when I'd heard nothing for 2 weeks - went in to check on it. She was unable to find it! Oops. I came back later that day (she assured me she'd track it down) and - still - no go. Eventually she found it (a few days later) but hadn't managed yet to get an estimate for me. I took the watch home before they lost it again.

When I first went to pick up the watch I was told by a rude man that I should have received a call. I told him that the woman told me when I dropped it off to come in to pick it up the week before and because I was out of town, I said I would come the week after. He barely looked for it and sent me away without it. When I came back 2 days later the woman gave me the watch and charged me $95. Because they only cleaned and oiled it. The man in front of me had two watches repaired, bought a new leather strap and was charged a total of $56.00. I was taken advantage of because they knew I would spend up to $125. So, even though I only had the watch cleaned, she charged me $95.! I believe that getting a hard price up front is necessary with this shop and if they are going to do any work other than what was agreed upon a call must be made and get it in writing.

They replaced a watch battery for me. I dropped it off and returned later the same day to pick it up. I've been going to them for at least 10 years.

THEY CAME TO MY HOUSE ON A SATURDAY AT 7PM TO PICK UP THE CLOCK AND GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE. A FEW WEEKS LATER THEY DELIVERED IT IN THE SAME MANNER. THEY KNOW THEIR BUSINESS.