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Old 16 January 2021, 05:30 PM   #1
bh_horology
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AP Boutique polishes watch without asking

I sent my 10-year-old Royal Oak Dual time for service through the local AP Boutique. I take very good care of my watches, but still, there were scratches on the bracelet which I don't mind. I explicitly told them that I did not wish to get the watch polished. Lo and Behold the watch comes back after 2 months fully polished!

I am so upset about this and I refused to take the watch home. What is the recommended course of action? What should I do?
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Old 16 January 2021, 05:41 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bh_horology View Post
I sent my 10-year-old Royal Oak Dual time for service through the local AP Boutique. I take very good care of my watches, but still, there were scratches on the bracelet which I don't mind. I explicitly told them that I did not wish to get the watch polished. Lo and Behold the watch comes back after 2 months fully polished!

I am so upset about this and I refused to take the watch home. What is the recommended course of action? What should I do?
Pictures? Sucks that they ignored instructions, but I have seen ROs that were polished into blobs and I have seen decades-old bezels and cases that looked factory-fresh after service.
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Old 16 January 2021, 05:44 PM   #3
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I'm pretty sure AP charge extra for polishing. Did you inadvertently accept a quote including polishing?
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Old 16 January 2021, 05:49 PM   #4
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I will go back to the boutique and take pictures. I was just so upset that I just left. I do recall that the watch looked like "factory fresh". I don't know if the brushed finish on the original bracelet is now gone or not. This is the "before" picture.

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Old 16 January 2021, 05:49 PM   #5
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Nope - I declined and only agreed to the service. Polish was $400 extra and I declined it
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Old 16 January 2021, 05:56 PM   #6
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I think you need to go back there, and at least get photos of the watch so you understand what you are looking at specifically, and then decide on what kind of resolution would make you happy.

A guy on here recently had Rolex give him a new case complete with serial, after a similar mess up.
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Old 16 January 2021, 06:05 PM   #7
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If your watch was in good condition anyway and the scratches were minor then the polishing required will have been minimal which is good news. It’s unfortunate that your express wishes weren’t conveyed to the factory but if you play this forward I don’t see how not taking your watch home has a beneficial outcome for you because at some point you’re going to have to go back and get your watch.

JMO but if 2020 taught me anything it was realising what is important in life.


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Old 16 January 2021, 06:35 PM   #8
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I’ve had a few pieces serviced and every time I ask for no polishing. This instruction is written on the servicing receipt, along with the price quote, that I need to sign when dropping off the watch and before any work is done by AP

What does your receipt say? My understanding is that a full servicing includes polishing. If it doesn’t say no polishing then the mistake is with the SA


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Old 16 January 2021, 06:48 PM   #9
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Hard to believe that they would do $400 polishing job without your acceptance but it has happened.
Their mistake their problem.

Good luck with the outcome.
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Old 16 January 2021, 07:09 PM   #10
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Out of curiosity what are you expecting/hoping?

Without us seeing the change it’s hard to comment.
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Old 16 January 2021, 08:16 PM   #11
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Unfortunate and tricky to resolve.

Assuming it was a light polish and the watch looks ok you might argue that the polishing reduced the value of your watch by say 5% or 10% (as it can only be polished a few times before it'll turn "round") and that they should waive the service cost to make you whole.

If it has been polished "round" (which I cannot imagine) you could argue for a new case (and bracelet possibly too) but I can't see that happen TBH.
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Old 16 January 2021, 08:39 PM   #12
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Unless the servicing order says no polishing on it there’s nothing for AP to resolve. Standard definition of servicing includes polishing.

If the SA didn’t write it on the servicing receipt/order then take it up with up the SA. But even there it’s ultimately on the owner as the owner needs to sign the servicing order

If AP ignored a written no polishing request maybe they make it up to you with some kind of gift. But don’t expect much.


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Old 16 January 2021, 08:41 PM   #13
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If your watch was in good condition anyway and the scratches were minor then the polishing required will have been minimal which is good news. It’s unfortunate that your express wishes weren’t conveyed to the factory but if you play this forward I don’t see how not taking your watch home has a beneficial outcome for you because at some point you’re going to have to go back and get your watch.

JMO but if 2020 taught me anything it was realising what is important in life.


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Agree with every bit of this.


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Old 16 January 2021, 10:19 PM   #14
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Indeed a shame they didn’t follow instructions

But really - once the initial disappointment at that wears off it’s probably not such a big deal.

Assuming the polishing job has been done right, what have you really lost ?

Some history in the scratches - I get that, but you can quickly add more to it again

Some loss of longevity in the times it can be refinished - no big deal as you probably still won’t want it polished in another 10 years

What I have noticed with my case finishing is that the exceptionally crisp and sharp edges have smoothed off just through wear and tear.

So assuming APSC haven’t turned it into a bar of soap, then the original crispness will be restored and it’s factory fresh again.

It’s still your watch, just refreshed.

Once you get passed the initial feelings at them not following your instructions, give them a call convey how you feel and ask for some swag to compensate then go pick it up.
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Old 16 January 2021, 11:38 PM   #15
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I am sorry they did not do what you requested but there is nothing now that can be done to take the polish away. I would go back in and try to leave the emotion at the door and inspect the watch and see what kind of job they have done. If they polished the watch and it looks brand new then I would be less concerned than if they botched the job. Until you closely inspect the watch you do not know. I would express my displeasure either way and would ask them what they are going to do about it. If the watch is good other than the polish, I would tell them that I do not believe I should pay for the service as they did not do what was asked. If the watch is damaged by a bad polish then it needs to go back to AP and have them rectify the situation while consulting you. It will not help your case to get emotional and mad and storm off again. It is just slowing down the process of coming to a resolution that works for you. That does not mean that you are not upset but that you must put forth the best foot and try to get what you need to make this right. Good luck and let us know how this works out.
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Old 17 January 2021, 12:08 AM   #16
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I'm confused by this whole incident. I've had AP polish 2 of my previous watches and they looked completely perfect. The edges were sharp and all scratches removed.

Were you not polishing it because you think down the road it'll hold some kind of auction value like vintage pateks? That's not going to happen. I'm not sure why you are complaining about them making the watch look brand new again. You'll get more scratches if you prefer it with scratches on it.
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Old 17 January 2021, 12:22 AM   #17
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I don’t understand why you are so upset other than you getting charged for something you didn’t authorize. If you had your AP serviced in North America then it came to Clearwater. Those people are absolute pros. They are the only ones I would trust to polish my AP. I’m sure your watch looks magnificent and brand new. Since you didn’t authorize it you should get your money back and now you have a brand new looking watch.

However if you really loved your scratches and wanted it to stay in that condition I guess the only recourse for them to do is refund you everything and apologize. It’s not like they can take the watch back and put scratches on it for you. So if you are truly that upset about it I’m sure they’ll give you all your money back for the service plus an apology.
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Old 17 January 2021, 01:49 AM   #18
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JMO but if 2020 taught me anything it was realising what is important in life.
This
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Old 17 January 2021, 03:18 AM   #19
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I can appreciate why you’re upset but what’s done is done. I would move forward and think of a solution that would make you happy. Ask for big discount off of the service and AP swag. If AP polished it then I’m pretty sure it looks like new.
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Old 17 January 2021, 03:50 AM   #20
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sorry they did not listen.

that said polishing, by a brand's service center, is generally no big deal.

collectors over rate unpolished pieces. especially modern unpolished.
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Old 17 January 2021, 04:11 AM   #21
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I really would like to see “after” pictures...Otherwise nothing more can be said here.


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Old 17 January 2021, 04:57 AM   #22
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AP Boutique polishes watch without asking

Quote:
Originally Posted by bh_horology View Post
I sent my 10-year-old Royal Oak Dual time for service through the local AP Boutique. I take very good care of my watches, but still, there were scratches on the bracelet which I don't mind. I explicitly told them that I did not wish to get the watch polished. Lo and Behold the watch comes back after 2 months fully polished!

I am so upset about this and I refused to take the watch home. What is the recommended course of action? What should I do?

I would also be furious but likely nothing can be done. It’s highly annoying when people don’t listen or follow directions. If the order form says no polish, and it was polished, you have a real complaint. If the order form doesn’t specifically say no polish, your AD made a mistake and you didn’t catch it, what’s done is done.

There are only a few options if this was indeed their mistake and they ignored the order form. You could get the service for free, which i see as the most likely option. You could request a new case, but that seems like an awful lot of work. Or, you could get a full refund of the watch, also highly unlikely. It’s a real lose lose situation. You cause a huge issue and if you want other watches from them, you probably won’t get them. It seems like a situation you need to take on the chin and hopefully get something out of it, like a new piece you have been waiting for.


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Old 17 January 2021, 04:57 AM   #23
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What boutique? Are we sure this was done by APSC?
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Old 17 January 2021, 07:42 AM   #24
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I would also be furious but likely nothing can be done. It’s highly annoying when people don’t listen or follow directions. If the order form says no polish, and it was polished, you have a real complaint. If the order form doesn’t specifically say no polish, your AD made a mistake and you didn’t catch it, what’s done is done.

There are only a few options if this was indeed their mistake and they ignored the order form. You could get the service for free, which i see as the most likely option. You could request a new case, but that seems like an awful lot of work. Or, you could get a full refund of the watch, also highly unlikely. It’s a real lose lose situation. You cause a huge issue and if you want other watches from them, you probably won’t get them. It seems like a situation you need to take on the chin and hopefully get something out of it, like a new piece you have been waiting for.


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Thing is, and this is where it differs from a bad Rolex polish, there should be virtually no visible difference between a brand new case and an AP first time polished case.
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Old 17 January 2021, 08:51 AM   #25
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They all do that automatically. It’s up to you too let them know you don’t want any polishing.
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Old 17 January 2021, 08:54 AM   #26
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tell them you want the next 15202 they receive to make you whole :)
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Old 17 January 2021, 08:55 AM   #27
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They all do that automatically. It’s up to you too let them know you don’t want any polishing.

Yes. It was explicitly stated. I also reconfirmed again when they called me with the estimate.


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Old 17 January 2021, 08:56 AM   #28
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What boutique? Are we sure this was done by APSC?

100%.


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Old 17 January 2021, 08:57 AM   #29
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AP Boutique polishes watch without asking

OP are you certain that the case, bezel & bracelet have all been polished because you originally stated that the bracelet had a few scratches but in your ‘before’ photo the case and bezel appear to be perfect.


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Old 17 January 2021, 11:05 AM   #30
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Maybe I’m missing something but I don’t see how this is a big deal. Their mistake, they should take off the fee or provide something in exchange. IMO they did you a favor.
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