Here is my worst watch repair experience ever – top this:
In late January of 2008 I posted a note on a Yahoo watch repair group board asking for someone who could machine some stainless backs and install a glass or mineral crystal in up to 30 backs. I received only 2 replies and 1 backed out. The offer came from John DiDonato at Farfo on 1/25 to do 20 at a set price. I said I would prefer to have just one done to see how it looked. He agreed at a higher price and told me to send the payment with the back (1st red flag) but since I had seen his business name several times in the past I didn’t think it would be a problem. I also asked that it be competed by 4/1 so that I could use it for photos. So on 2/8 I sent the back and payment. Here is the timeline of the rest of the story:
2/13 – John receives the case but says the payment is not there. Later found in the packing.
2/14 to 2/17 – discussed crystal size, eventually settling on a 22mm size but only after he had put me off for nearly a month.
2/25 – in a discussion with one of my regular repair customers, I was informed that he had some pretty bad experiences with Farfo and would never do any business with him again (red flag #2). His assessment was: “he was a real ___* ___* all the way in the end.” *(Not for reprint in this forum).
3/17 – I asked at this point when I could expect a completion date since I had not heard from him.
3/26 – He says he has the parts and “it won’t be long now”.
3/31 – John informs me that during machining the case back buckled and that he need a case so he can “straighten it out” and refit the back (Red flag #3). I told him that did not make me have a warm fuzzy felling so far but that I would send the case.
4/3 – I sent the new case plus an old used case that used the same back (so he wouldn’t scratch the new one).
4/11 - Asked for an update.
4/14 – says he has the cases and is working on it now. Same day I replied “Good, in need them ASAP – this is holding up the entire project”. He replies that he can’t work any faster? I ask him again for a delivery date stating that “so far this has been a waste of my time and money”.
4/15 – he replies that “this has been a waste of my time and money also” and that he will send the case back plus my original payment.
4/21 – asked again if has shipped the case.
4/24 – he says he is looking for another back to fit the case and that if he doesn’t find it, he will ship it on Monday 4/28.
5/5 – sent another note stating that the case had not arrived yet.
5/6 – asked for my address.
5/8 – the case and my original payment refund arrive. NO backs of any kind included. No apology or explanation – nothing.
So in the end it was 3 months of wasted time and I ended up with a case with no back – something that I cannot replace as these are NOS cases from the 60s.
I don’t think I need to say anything more other than I would never even come close to treating one of my repair customers this way.
So lets here those bad watch repair experiences – there are probably some that would top this. Craig