Jeweler scratched my case back

[gpsman]

The victim is a ~2000 Seiko 6M20/7T32.

Took it in to the local jeweler for a battery, did not examine it
before leaving. A little later I notice this new scratch.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9PeVZUsevpA802QKYfJuYv5KnhcJF_mmkIMdQJY3XDE?feat=directlink

Or http://tinyurl.com/seikoscratch

Is there an... industry protocol for this type of damage... other than
the good ol' "go fuck yourself"? I know the watch isn't worth
anything but it still seems I should at least get my $10 back...

Right...?
-----

- gpsman

[Knot Important]

Post by gpsman
The victim is a ~2000 Seiko 6M20/7T32.
Took it in to the local jeweler for a battery, did not examine it before
leaving. A little later I notice this new scratch.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9PeVZUsevpA802QKYfJuYv5KnhcJF_mmkIMdQJY3XDE?feat=directlink
Or http://tinyurl.com/seikoscratch
Is there an... industry protocol for this type of damage... other than
the good ol' "go fuck yourself"? I know the watch isn't worth anything
but it still seems I should at least get my $10 back...
Right...?
-----
- gpsman

I am still waiting for someone to scratch my back......

[Fraser Johnston]

Post by gpsman
The victim is a ~2000 Seiko 6M20/7T32.
Took it in to the local jeweler for a battery, did not examine it
before leaving. A little later I notice this new scratch.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9PeVZUsevpA802QKYfJuYv5KnhcJF_mmkIMdQJY3XDE?feat=directlink
Or http://tinyurl.com/seikoscratch
Is there an... industry protocol for this type of damage... other than
the good ol' "go fuck yourself"? I know the watch isn't worth
anything but it still seems I should at least get my $10 back...
Right...?
-----
- gpsman

That isn't a scratch. It's a gouge. I'd be pretty pissed off. I'd go
and see them and ask them to put it right.

[dAz]

That isn't a scratch. It's a gouge. I'd be pretty pissed off. I'd go and
see them and ask them to put it right.

nah! that is a scratch, a gouge is much deeper, it can be spun up on a
lathe with an emery stick buff out the mark and put the grain pattern
back, the downside is the stamps for the serial # and the rest will be a
bit lighter.

a lot of 'jewellers' don't have a watchmaker on staff, so in this
respect a lot of jewellers would be no better than the mall battery
changers.

[gpsman]

Post by dAz
it can be spun up on a
lathe with an emery stick buff out the mark and put the grain pattern
back, the downside is the stamps for the serial # and the rest will be a
bit lighter.

It's value is proportional to weight, so it hardly seems worth that,
especially considering I don't even like the watch, rarely wear it.
I'll let myself be satisfied with the 10 bucks.

Post by dAz
a lot of 'jewellers' don't have a watchmaker on staff, so in this
respect a lot of jewellers would be no better than the mall battery
changers.

Oddly enough, the first battery change was rather clumsily performed
before my eyes by a Wal-Mart drone, who somehow managed to inflict no
damage.

Thanks, everyone, for weighing in.
-----

- gpsman

[Frank Adam]

Post by gpsman

Post by dAz
it can be spun up on a
lathe with an emery stick buff out the mark and put the grain pattern
back, the downside is the stamps for the serial # and the rest will be a
bit lighter.

It's value is proportional to weight, so it hardly seems worth that,
especially considering I don't even like the watch, rarely wear it.
I'll let myself be satisfied with the 10 bucks.

Actually, that is pretty good at 10 bucks. At the jewellery stores i work for
you'd be paying twice that for a neat scratch like that. ;-)

Post by gpsman

Post by dAz
a lot of 'jewellers' don't have a watchmaker on staff, so in this
respect a lot of jewellers would be no better than the mall battery
changers.

Oddly enough, the first battery change was rather clumsily performed
before my eyes by a Wal-Mart drone, who somehow managed to inflict no
damage.

A lot of staff i've seen only use two prongs of the case opener(it is
extremely time consuming to set the third one you see, could take seconds) and
thus tend to slip off the back if it is a bit tighter than usual.

Having said that, that scratch happened on opening, not closing, so it also
depends on the guy who fitted the last battery. Some twats(and i'm pointing at
mall guys here specifically) believe that if you tighten the case back using a
5 foot extension pole, the watch back will seal better and the customer will
not be back with fog inside their watch. By the time the next bloke gets the
watch, that case back will be frigging hard to remove even when using a case
holder and a pair of seasoned watchmaker wrists on the Jaxa.

[dAz]

Post by Frank Adam

Post by gpsman

Post by dAz
it can be spun up on a
lathe with an emery stick buff out the mark and put the grain pattern
back, the downside is the stamps for the serial # and the rest will be a
bit lighter.

It's value is proportional to weight, so it hardly seems worth that,
especially considering I don't even like the watch, rarely wear it.
I'll let myself be satisfied with the 10 bucks.

Actually, that is pretty good at 10 bucks. At the jewellery stores i work for
you'd be paying twice that for a neat scratch like that. ;-)

Post by gpsman

Post by dAz
a lot of 'jewellers' don't have a watchmaker on staff, so in this
respect a lot of jewellers would be no better than the mall battery
changers.

Oddly enough, the first battery change was rather clumsily performed
before my eyes by a Wal-Mart drone, who somehow managed to inflict no
damage.

A lot of staff i've seen only use two prongs of the case opener(it is
extremely time consuming to set the third one you see, could take seconds) and
thus tend to slip off the back if it is a bit tighter than usual.
Having said that, that scratch happened on opening, not closing, so it also
depends on the guy who fitted the last battery. Some twats(and i'm pointing at
mall guys here specifically) believe that if you tighten the case back using a
5 foot extension pole, the watch back will seal better and the customer will
not be back with fog inside their watch. By the time the next bloke gets the
watch, that case back will be frigging hard to remove even when using a case
holder and a pair of seasoned watchmaker wrists on the Jaxa.

hmmm my general purpose screw back tool only has two prongs :)

but if I feel the back is too tight for that then I use the Bergeon 5700

as for how tight the back has to be, well with o-ring seals the back
only has to be tight enough to compress the seal, with older types that
have flat rubber gaskets I tend to fit the back firmly,

with divers type watches I do fit the back firmly with the 5700, for the
rest I just use the hand tool, mind you I can fit the back fairly tight
just by holding the case with my fingers and the hand tool :)

as for the mall twats, one around here screws the back on and if the
gasket pops out he nips it off with a razor, or he will leave the gasket
out and on one he put the gasket inside the case.

[Frank Adam]

Post by dAz

Post by Frank Adam
A lot of staff i've seen only use two prongs of the case opener(it is
extremely time consuming to set the third one you see, could take seconds) and
thus tend to slip off the back if it is a bit tighter than usual.
Having said that, that scratch happened on opening, not closing, so it also
depends on the guy who fitted the last battery. Some twats(and i'm pointing at
mall guys here specifically) believe that if you tighten the case back using a
5 foot extension pole, the watch back will seal better and the customer will
not be back with fog inside their watch. By the time the next bloke gets the
watch, that case back will be frigging hard to remove even when using a case
holder and a pair of seasoned watchmaker wrists on the Jaxa.

hmmm my general purpose screw back tool only has two prongs :)

Shop girl ! ;-)

I know. The one i have for the large cases is also a 2 pronger, the difference
is in the application. You and i will usually not place the prongs at 10 and 2
and we possess and apply more than 1 brain cells to the process.

Post by dAz
but if I feel the back is too tight for that then I use the Bergeon 5700
as for how tight the back has to be, well with o-ring seals the back
only has to be tight enough to compress the seal, with older types that
have flat rubber gaskets I tend to fit the back firmly,
with divers type watches I do fit the back firmly with the 5700, for the
rest I just use the hand tool, mind you I can fit the back fairly tight
just by holding the case with my fingers and the hand tool :)

Even when i had access to the 5700, i only used it to open cases.
Divers get the case holder treatment for that extra bit of twist. Like you, if
i tighten a back firm just by hand, it will be tight. That is probably fitting
to every watchmaker who had been in the trade for more than a few years.

Post by dAz
as for the mall twats, one around here screws the back on and if the
gasket pops out he nips it off with a razor, or he will leave the gasket
out and on one he put the gasket inside the case.

Heh wish i had thought of that ! I have shoved the seal back under on
occasions for customers who absolutely don't want anything but a battery. Pain
in the arse. I should charge more for not replacing the seal than for
replacing it.