Dishonest dealer - BEWARE or better...
I will not be going back to this shop again while this guy still owns it. Buyer be VERY aware of what you are getting dealing with this guy.
Story below:
I inherited a pocket watch from my grandfather when he passed away. The watch seemed to be working just fine (keeping time, timer with split time works) but has been in storage a long time.
I take it in to be looked at/appraised (as he deals in pocketwatches of all kinds). He tells me it is mostly working, but it looks like there should be a chime on the hour and for the timer. Tells me the approximate age of the watch is 1950's-1960's with mixed parts (some from Swiss, UK and USA companies). He says he will have his watch guy take a look and see what it would cost to fix.
He calls me later with a quote to fix the watch, ($200) and I agree. Weeks later I go to pick it up, pay him and set the time to one minute before the hour to hear the chime. He now says there is no chime on this...
I will not be going back to this shop again while this guy still owns it. Buyer be VERY aware of what you are getting dealing with this guy.
Story below:
I inherited a pocket watch from my grandfather when he passed away. The watch seemed to be working just fine (keeping time, timer with split time works) but has been in storage a long time.
I take it in to be looked at/appraised (as he deals in pocketwatches of all kinds). He tells me it is mostly working, but it looks like there should be a chime on the hour and for the timer. Tells me the approximate age of the watch is 1950's-1960's with mixed parts (some from Swiss, UK and USA companies). He says he will have his watch guy take a look and see what it would cost to fix.
He calls me later with a quote to fix the watch, ($200) and I agree. Weeks later I go to pick it up, pay him and set the time to one minute before the hour to hear the chime. He now says there is no chime on this watch, it isn't a "repeater" watch. Now he says it is from the 1800's (I don't believe it is this old, my dad is pretty sure my grandfather bought this after the war).
Cliff notes of long conversation: I ask him what was repaired on the watch, costing me $220. Apparently some part (that needed to be custom made) was replaced, and the watch was cleaned. This mysterious "part" hasn't changed the functioning of the watch one bit.
When I asked if there was some reason why he didn't mention that there was no chime to be repaired on the watch in our phone conversation, he gave no answer.
I ask him if there is any kind of work order or invoice that I could see to verify this repair job. He had none. He starts to get irate at my questions, and tells me "don't be a baby, stop making me look bad I got you a great deal".
I have been to this shop multiple times, and the ONLY times he has ever been friendly are when I have cash in hand to buy something, or am wanting to sell something to him. He got me this time, but it will be the last. Good riddance.
Julia is bar none the nicest coin dealer in Edmonton. Highly recommended for stamps, coins and paper money.