[loz_the_guru]

In the december of 2005, my then girlfriend bought for me an incredibly nice Tag Heure Aquaracer Chronograph. Since then its been my everyday watch, and as such has got quite a few scratches. Last week the battery stopped, which i have to admit surprised me a bit, as its only just over 2 years old, and annoyingly out of warranty.

Now my question to you is this: Firstly, is their any chance I can get Tag to replace the battery for free, since its gone flat in such a short space of time. Unfortunately I don't have the original receipt as its with my ex, but I do have the warranty card stamped by the jewelers (Goldsmiths I believe)

Secondly is it worth me sending the watch off to be serviced, being as its scratched from being worn every day?

[njp]

Why would you expect the battery to last longer than 2 years (especially as it will have been running for an indeterminate amount of time before you acquired it)?

[gorge]

Servie will cost a couple of hundred quid. Battery life of 2 years is normal if you use the stop watch on occasions. You won't get a new battery on warranty. sorry for the bad news!

[loz_the_guru]

Wounder, I do use the stop watch on occasion. I must admit I did expect the battery to last a little longer, but I suppose this is just how it goes with these things.

I dont suppose anyone could give me an idea of prices to get the battery replaced, or the watch serviced? Does a service include a battery change?

[Mr_Wistles]

The service would be around £150-£200 and yes it would include a battery change.

[Ed Selley]

My last battery change on its own was a snip at £48 . I question the need to service a two year old watch.

[GW43]

Originally Posted by Ed Selley

My last battery change on its own was a snip at £48 .

My last watch was only £21

[loz_the_guru]

hmm does it pay to shop around then? I presume both of you had your watches sent off and the batterys replaced by Tag?

Do you mind me asking what model each of you have?

[njp]

Originally Posted by loz_the_guru

hmm does it pay to shop around then? I presume both of you had your watches sent off and the batterys replaced by Tag?

Do you mind me asking what model each of you have?

I may be wrong but I thought GW43 was pointing out that his entire watch cost less than half the price of changing the battery in a Tag...

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by loz_the_guru

hmm does it pay to shop around then? I presume both of you had your watches sent off and the batterys replaced by Tag?

Do you mind me asking what model each of you have?

Yes- sent from Goldsmiths in Salisbury to Tag. Price is for a 1988 1000 Series.

[hornydragon]

A mate has a tag and i am sure he said it was £85 for battery may be wrong tho, depend sif the jeweller has onsite staff or sends it away, Gold smiths usually have staff as do some watches of switzerland that can do the bettery in house. usual thing get some quotes.....

[la gran siete]

The best cure for a Tag is hammer I reckon

[russ123]

The one in my Kirium chronograph only lasted 6 months! It was an end of line model so it could have been that it had sat in the box for a long time. I certainly expect a lot more of the new one. Anyway had mine done in H Samuel and was £40. The cost is not the battery itself but the fact they have to then pressure test it to check the case is still watertight. The one near me had the equipment in store so it only took a few hours.

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

The best cure for a Tag is hammer I reckon

And the best cure for free roaming gardeners is land mines, what's your point?

[jayxbee]

Try this guy.

http://www.chealwatch.com/

I've had a TH Formula 1 for over ten years. Needs a new battery every 3/4 years. I think I got number 3 put in end of last year. I get it servuces at the same time.

This guys is v reasonable and he seals and pressures tests to 200m (or as marked on the case). Service is good too.

You could get a battery v cheaply elsewhere but it won't be water tight afterwards - depends if that bothers you?

JB

[RMCF]

Are you people wise?

200 quid to service a watch I would struggle to pay that for a car service.

And 40 quid for a battery

Time you got yourself a good Casio

And if I owned a watch worth so much, I'd like to think I could spell the name correctly

[njp]

Originally Posted by jayxbee

You could get a battery v cheaply elsewhere but it won't be water tight afterwards - depends if that bothers you?

That's not quite right. It won't have been proven to be watertight, which might turn out to be an expensive mistake later on.

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by RMCF

Are you people wise?

200 quid to service a watch I would struggle to pay that for a car service.

And 40 quid for a battery

Time you got yourself a good Casio

And if I owned a watch worth so much, I'd like to think I could spell the name correctly

It can be expensive but you can look at it this way.
(personal case)

1997 Buy watch used- £155
2001 Needs battery £40
2008 Needs battery £48
Total= £243

Thats a total cost of just over £22 a year which is pretty good. Also unlike the casio, the watch is now worth £350. I don't feel wise but I don't feel a mug either.

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by RMCF

Are you people wise?

200 quid to service a watch I would struggle to pay that for a car service.

And 40 quid for a battery

Time you got yourself a good Casio

And if I owned a watch worth so much, I'd like to think I could spell the name correctly

its not the owning of it as such but the bragging about it.I have a Casio too which colour cordinates very well with my Whirlpool dishwasher and Bosch electric drill

[itsonlyme]

I would get my old TAG services every 2-3 year, cost £150 about 10 yr ago. But they do take all moving parts out and you get a 12month warranty.

[Noggin1980]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

its not the owning of it as such but the bragging about it.I have a Casio too which colour cordinates very well with my Whirlpool dishwasher and Bosch electric drill

No one was bragging on the thread, simply asking for information that was kindly provided.

A significant percentage of the discussions on avforums are about luxury products, people don't need 50" plasmas, 2 grand amps, high definition movies players but they get pleasure from them and so come to discuss with others who share a similar passion, in this case someone was asking for information on a luxury watch, nothing wrong with that and no bragging involved.

Go grab a cookie Mr Troll so that we don't have to feed you.

[RMCF]

Originally Posted by Ed Selley

It can be expensive but you can look at it this way.
(personal case)

1997 Buy watch used- £155
2001 Needs battery £40
2008 Needs battery £48
Total= £243

Thats a total cost of just over £22 a year which is pretty good. Also unlike the casio, the watch is now worth £350. I don't feel wise but I don't feel a mug either.

Yeah when you put it like that it doesn't sound so bad.

I was more hinting about those that spend money on one brand new - to me that just would not make sense.

As for the servicing - is this really necessary? I would have thought that if it was a quality timepiece made to a very high standard then it should last a lifetime.

[loz_the_guru]

its always nice to have nice things, as im sure anyone can agree. if life was just about the bare essentials we'd all be eating smart price beans on a regular basis and living in caves. and apologies for the typo, sorry if it offended you. The watch was a present, so it cost me approximately £0, and as ive already said I wear it every day.

to everyone else, thankyou for the info, ive just got quote ranging from 35-45, but all of them wanted to send it away for around a month which id prefer to avoid. Jayxbee, will have a look at the site in a min so thanks for pointing it out.

As for having it serviced, that was my mistake, I meant refurbished e.g. polished to get rid of all the scratches etc it has accumulated, which im told will cost around 80 + whatever the battery costs.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by njp

That's not quite right. It won't have been proven to be watertight, which might turn out to be an expensive mistake later on.

Not a truer word spoken, actually my Omega Speed-master has just been in for a full re-build, I did not bother to have it serviced(well in the last 6 years anyway) and the seals failed and let in sea water £350.00 later and a bag of bits and it's now as good as new. Be warned

[shahedz]

Originally Posted by RMCF

Are you people wise?

200 quid to service a watch I would struggle to pay that for a car service.

And 40 quid for a battery

Time you got yourself a good Casio

And if I owned a watch worth so much, I'd like to think I could spell the name correctly

well there's people here who don't struggle to pay £200 for a car service and can afford to spend a lot of money on a nice watch and that is there perrogative

[shahedz]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

its not the owning of it as such but the bragging about it.I have a Casio too which colour cordinates very well with my Whirlpool dishwasher and Bosch electric drill

LGS - the OP is here was asking for advice not bragging about owning a Tag, do you not get bored of spouting out your views all the time, not everyone lives their life in tracksuits bottoms not giving a monkey about their appearance

[RMCF]

If I was offered one, I'd take it as well, so perhaps I'm just jealous

But I never imagined that top quality time pieces would have to be serviced regularly.

[shahedz]

even a nice car that can cost hundreds of thousands needs to be serviced regularly

[itsonlyme]

Originally Posted by RMCF

If I was offered one, I'd take it as well, so perhaps I'm just jealous

But I never imagined that top quality time pieces would have to be serviced regularly.

A Ferrari will get serviced very regular

[Juiceloose]

The official UK service agent for TAG is LVMH Watch & Jewellery Ltd in Worsley, Manchester on 01204 861168. The number is actually a Bolton number though.

Give them a ring and get a quote. They have serviced mine twice in the past four years. Last one just over eighteen months ago was £105.