Wrong Hands

[zippofan]

I recently bought a 24hr Aviator from a forum sponsor and it came on Friday. Instead of the flat black style hands and blue second hand, it came with silver hands and a red second hand (same as Michele's experience below). I don't mind the second hand, but the silver hands look terrible. It should have looked like the attached image.

The dealer has yet to respond to my inquiry but I have a feeling that it will be difficult (and expensive) to ship the watch back to Russia.

What do you think I should do? 1. Ship it back and incur the return shipping and insurance costs, plus the possibility that it may be "lost" in transit, 2. Live with the terrible silver hands, 3. Try to obtain the correct hands and have my watchmaker install them.

I was also thinking of sending it off to Kent Parks of Everest Watchworks and have him do his magic. I have a Poljot chrono to go to him as well, nice watch but there is no dial lume!

This is my second bad experience with Russian watch dealers. I think this may be the last one

Thanks,
Griff

[Pete Fiandra]

I hate when that happens. When a seller sends you an item not like the one pictured. I think Everest Watchworks would be the best bet at this point. Regardless of what you do, it ends up costing more money then you intended.

[zippofan]

I hate when that happens. When a seller sends you an item not like the one pictured. I think Everest Watchworks would be the best bet at this point. Regardless of what you do, it ends up costing more money then you intended.

I know, that is the bummer. I still haven't heard back from the seller either.

Thanks Pete

Cheers,
Griff

[WNUT]

I recently bought a 24hr Aviator from a forum sponsor and it came on Friday. Instead of the flat black style hands and blue second hand, it came with silver hands and a red second hand (same as Michele's experience below). I don't mind the second hand, but the silver hands look terrible. It should have looked like the attached image.

The dealer has yet to respond to my inquiry but I have a feeling that it will be difficult (and expensive) to ship the watch back to Russia.

What do you think I should do? 1. Ship it back and incur the return shipping and insurance costs, plus the possibility that it may be "lost" in transit, 2. Live with the terrible silver hands, 3. Try to obtain the correct hands and have my watchmaker install them.

I was also thinking of sending it off to Kent Parks of Everest Watchworks and have him do his magic. I have a Poljot chrono to go to him as well, nice watch but there is no dial lume!

This is my second bad experience with Russian watch dealers. I think this may be the last one

Thanks,
Griff

Hey Griff.
I would probably sell the watch, (at probably 70 - 80 percent cost) and then buy another - from a different seller...someone more reliable - and closer! Second choice, for me, would be to send it to Everest.
Either way it's going to cost more. But hey, "We feel your pain!"
Dave

[zippofan]

Hey Griff.
I would probably sell the watch, (at probably 70 - 80 percent cost) and then buy another - from a different seller...someone more reliable - and closer! Second choice, for me, would be to send it to Everest.
Either way it's going to cost more. But hey, "We feel your pain!"
Dave

Hi Dave,

I have been thinking about selling it. I asked the seller for the correct hands but have had no response as of yet. I also posted under the "Parts Wanted" thread in case anyone has a spare handset.
I have my "Pol-hart" and a Vostok to go to Everest. I will wait a week to see if the original seller responds. After that I will email Everest. If that is a no go then I may be posting it for sale.

It was awhile since I bought a Russian (after I got the Pol-hart with no lume I was turned off), I was concentrating on Seiko/Orient/Citizen affordables. It figures when I went back to my "first love" so to speak that I would have more trouble <sigh> Russian watches got me into collecting in the first place because of their great value.

Cheers,
Griff

[michele]

Hi Dave,

I have been thinking about selling it. I asked the seller for the correct hands but have had no response as of yet. I also posted under the "Parts Wanted" thread in case anyone has a spare handset.
I have my "Pol-hart" and a Vostok to go to Everest. I will wait a week to see if the original seller responds. After that I will email Everest. If that is a no go then I may be posting it for sale.

It was awhile since I bought a Russian (after I got the Pol-hart with no lume I was turned off), I was concentrating on Seiko/Orient/Citizen affordables. It figures when I went back to my "first love" so to speak that I would have more trouble <sigh> Russian watches got me into collecting in the first place because of their great value.

Cheers,
Griff

Too bad, Zippo The same thing happened to me too, as you already know. I'm sending a lot of e-mails to my seller, he is very slow in replying (3 days minimum to obtain an answer). However, he says that he is disposed to change the watch if i send my watch back to Moscow, he found the right one.

But he omitted to say if he will send the original Volmax-Aviator box too (he sent an horrible, non-original, croco-style blue box, made in cardboard).
These evasive replies make me fear about sending back the watch. I'm thinking to resell it, then to buy it again with the correct hands.

Anyway, it seems that many recent pieces have been made with those chrome hands. The fact is not necessarily related with the nationality. The sellers who don't change the pics, are definitely guilty.

[WNUT]

Hi Dave,

I have been thinking about selling it. I asked the seller for the correct hands but have had no response as of yet. I also posted under the "Parts Wanted" thread in case anyone has a spare handset.
I have my "Pol-hart" and a Vostok to go to Everest. I will wait a week to see if the original seller responds. After that I will email Everest. If that is a no go then I may be posting it for sale.

It was awhile since I bought a Russian (after I got the Pol-hart with no lume I was turned off), I was concentrating on Seiko/Orient/Citizen affordables. It figures when I went back to my "first love" so to speak that I would have more trouble <sigh> Russian watches got me into collecting in the first place because of their great value.

Cheers,
Griff

I was thinking...why don't you post it for sale here on WUS? Explain the story and have two photos - what you wanted and what you received (and are selling). Maybe there's someone here who will like the "new" hands and will jump at the chance to purchase from someone reliable and safe.
You ARE SAFE, aren't you Griff?
Make a little event out of it, you know? Worth a try.
Dave

[zippofan]

Hi All,

I have heard back from the seller:
"As for the hands, sorry. Factory must have changed the model."

The Volmax site clearly shows the Aviator 24hr watches with black hands.

I guess one has to inquire if the manufacturer changed the design from the picture on their websites.

I am quite disgusted now. If I knew the watch was to come with chrome hands I never would have purchased it. If you want one with the advertised hands, don't use Rugift.com.

Yes Dave, you can trust me, I have 100% feedback on eBay on 288 transactions

Cheers,
Griff

P.S. The first image is the hands I should have gotten, the second image is the hands that I received.

[WNUT]

Hi All,

I have heard back from the seller:
"As for the hands, sorry. Factory must have changed the model."

The Volmax site clearly shows the Aviator 24hr watches with black hands.

I guess one has to inquire if the manufacturer changed the design from the picture on their websites.

I am quite disgusted now. If I knew the watch was to come with chrome hands I never would have purchased it. If you want one with the advertised hands, don't use Rugift.com.

Yes Dave, you can trust me, I have 100% feedback on eBay on 288 transactions

Cheers,
Griff

P.S. The first image is the hands I should have gotten, the second image is the hands that I received.

You know I was kidding, don't you? Of course you are a trusted member of WUS.
You can always take the movement out of the case and carefully paint the hands. That's the kind of hair-brained thing I would do.
later,
Dave

[michele]

Hi All,

I have heard back from the seller:
"As for the hands, sorry. Factory must have changed the model."

The Volmax site clearly shows the Aviator 24hr watches with black hands.

I guess one has to inquire if the manufacturer changed the design from the picture on their websites.

I am quite disgusted now. If I knew the watch was to come with chrome hands I never would have purchased it. If you want one with the advertised hands, don't use Rugift.com.

You should ask for a refund. Rugift is a good seller, and it should totally refund the price, or send the right watch.