Luminox Warranty?

[glang]

Hey fellow watch folks,

I have run into a problem with my Luminox and I was hoping someone might be able to help.

I have had my eye on a getting a Luminox for some time, mostly because they seem to be one of the more solid and affordable tritium watch brands on the market. I had decided on purchasing the Black Ops 8400 model A.8401 when I next saved up enough discretionary income to go watch shopping. To my great surprise, the watch showed up as a lovely gift from my kids on father's day (woo!). Unfortunately, it showed up DOA (damn). No movement whatsoever.

Thinking it was just an old battery in need of replacement, my wife (the purchaser) and I went to the local shop to have the watch checked. They replaced the battery and the watch started working long enough for us to get home and go to bed. The next morning, the watch was dead again. When gently shaken, the sweep hand would begin to run, but would stop at :35 and wouldn't restart. So we decided to go back to the shop.

Once there, the clerk said they could have a look at it. We asked if they could just replace the watch with a new one. He said no. We asked (politely) why? He said, "because it has a scratch on the back of the case." Of course, I had never worn the watch (due to the DOA problem). I (politely) pointed out that the watch had never been worn, and that the battery was replaced by one of their clerks just 24 hours ago. Isn't it possible that the scratch could have happened during the battery change? Couldn't he give us the benefit of the doubt?

"Um, no. That's not store policy."

"Well, ok. Can you fix it?"

"Sure, we'll have a look at it"

So now two weeks has gone by, and I get a call today telling me that the watch can't be fixed by their shop, and that I will have to send it in for warranty.

"Can't you guys send it in for warranty?"

"We can, but it will cost you $30."

"Um, why?"

"Because, (wait for it...) that's store policy - its better for you to deal with your own warranty issues."

Good lord.

"You can come pick it up any time, we are located in Metairie"

"But the store I dropped it of with with is 30 miles away in Mandeville!! Can't you bring it back here so I don't have to drive an hour to pick up my broken, DOA, warranty-it-yourself watch?"

"Sure, you can pick it up anytime after Tuesday of next week."

(At this point, I almost had to physically restrain my wife from driving to Metairie to set fire to the building)


So now I am the point of asking you folks for help:

Should I try to find another local Luminox dealer that isn't so consumer un-friendly, and see if they might be willing to help? (I live near New Orleans, can anyone recommend a good dealer in this area?)

Or should I suck it up and send it in to Luminox for warranty? (has anyone had any experience with Luminox warranty?)

Any information you have would be certainly appreciated. I am anxious to get the watch, because I really do like it. But I don't want this to become some 12 week long ordeal.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or ideas.

-g

[ecalzo]

i wrote many times talking of my personal experience about the facts that the luminox customer service / warranty sucks.... sorry

[glang]

i wrote many times talking of my personal experience about the facts that the luminox customer service / warranty sucks.... sorry

Well, that would be in line with my experience so far, I'm going to try to get something accomplished but I don't have much hope.

Thanks for the reply,
-g

[Francis Drebin]

I have had my Luminox 3000 series for 2 years and out of the 2 years I have owned it, it has been in the shop at Luminox for 7 months.

The first time the crystal cracked while I was deep sea fishing and that took 3 months and $120 to repair. The second time was the same problem that you are having, it would just randomly stop or seem to get stuck on a certain number. That was another 3 months but they did cover it under warranty. The 3rd time the bezel broke and after another $60 and 1 month, it arrived with a completely different bezel than it left with. I did not like the new bezel but they claim to no longer make the original.

To add insult to injury, took my kids to the pool and the watch is full of moisture. After calling Luminox and speaking with numerous people up there, I can send it back to them and for another $90, they can repair it.

It now resides in a box in my closet, I bought a G-shock Gulfman and could not be happier.

I have never in my life dealt with a company like Luminox before. Every time I spoke with them they told me the repair should take no longer than a week.

I just don't believe the watch I had could stand sitting on a Seals or some other soldiers arm without breaking. I still have another Luminox that I wear to church but when it breaks, I will be in the market for a new brand.

It is a real shame, in my opinion, their watches are some of the sharpest looking on the market.

[Tom Carey]

I am hear to tell you this is really very common. First off don't go to these locale hacks to have your battery changed. They will not do the job properly and most likely you will get a sub standard battery that will last a whole year.

The proper way to have replace the batter on these is to put in a new case back seal. Replace with high quality battery like a nice Renata that will last. Pressure test to insure your watcher is resistant to OE spec. They should also guarantee their work. If they don't I would not let them touch your watch. The fact is 99% will not do that.

You may find that the battery was replaced with something cheap that leaked and ate your movement.

Most stores for most items watches or anything else will tell you that you have to go to the manufacture for warranty service.

Hey fellow watch folks,

I have run into a problem with my Luminox and I was hoping someone might be able to help.

I have had my eye on a getting a Luminox for some time, mostly because they seem to be one of the more solid and affordable tritium watch brands on the market. I had decided on purchasing the Black Ops 8400 model A.8401 when I next saved up enough discretionary income to go watch shopping. To my great surprise, the watch showed up as a lovely gift from my kids on father's day (woo!). Unfortunately, it showed up DOA (damn). No movement whatsoever.

Thinking it was just an old battery in need of replacement, my wife (the purchaser) and I went to the local shop to have the watch checked. They replaced the battery and the watch started working long enough for us to get home and go to bed. The next morning, the watch was dead again. When gently shaken, the sweep hand would begin to run, but would stop at :35 and wouldn't restart. So we decided to go back to the shop.

Once there, the clerk said they could have a look at it. We asked if they could just replace the watch with a new one. He said no. We asked (politely) why? He said, "because it has a scratch on the back of the case." Of course, I had never worn the watch (due to the DOA problem). I (politely) pointed out that the watch had never been worn, and that the battery was replaced by one of their clerks just 24 hours ago. Isn't it possible that the scratch could have happened during the battery change? Couldn't he give us the benefit of the doubt?

"Um, no. That's not store policy."

"Well, ok. Can you fix it?"

"Sure, we'll have a look at it"

So now two weeks has gone by, and I get a call today telling me that the watch can't be fixed by their shop, and that I will have to send it in for warranty.

"Can't you guys send it in for warranty?"

"We can, but it will cost you $30."

"Um, why?"

"Because, (wait for it...) that's store policy - its better for you to deal with your own warranty issues."

Good lord.

"You can come pick it up any time, we are located in Metairie"

"But the store I dropped it of with with is 30 miles away in Mandeville!! Can't you bring it back here so I don't have to drive an hour to pick up my broken, DOA, warranty-it-yourself watch?"

"Sure, you can pick it up anytime after Tuesday of next week."

(At this point, I almost had to physically restrain my wife from driving to Metairie to set fire to the building)


So now I am the point of asking you folks for help:

Should I try to find another local Luminox dealer that isn't so consumer un-friendly, and see if they might be willing to help? (I live near New Orleans, can anyone recommend a good dealer in this area?)

Or should I suck it up and send it in to Luminox for warranty? (has anyone had any experience with Luminox warranty?)

Any information you have would be certainly appreciated. I am anxious to get the watch, because I really do like it. But I don't want this to become some 12 week long ordeal.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or ideas.

-g

[Tom Carey]

Well, that would be in line with my experience so far, I'm going to try to get something accomplished but I don't have much hope.

Thanks for the reply,
-g

If you want to get anywhere you need to contact the service center. http://saltzmans-watches.com/

Chances are they are going to tell you the warranty is now void because the seller of it is not an authorized service center. The stealer should have told you that if they replace your battery. It will void the factory warranty and the watch may no longer be water resistant. Most likely they did not do it.

If it's just a battery the service is most likely going to charge about $40.00 for the service and return shipping. They will warranty their work for one year though.

[Tom Carey]

Did you personally send this into the factory service center or did you take it to your dealer? In my view that first crystal should have been covered under warranty.

If all that work was done by the service center they should be repairing it as clearly the watch leaked after being serviced by them.

Email me at blackjack@verizon.net with the whole run around you have been through and I will see if I can help you. I have helped out two others in the past that were given the run around. Both having bought from the same dealer in Singapore off Ebay. So if your thinking of getting a cheap priced Luminox from someone in Singapore on Ebay. I hope you don't have trouble. =)

I have had my Luminox 3000 series for 2 years and out of the 2 years I have owned it, it has been in the shop at Luminox for 7 months.

The first time the crystal cracked while I was deep sea fishing and that took 3 months and $120 to repair. The second time was the same problem that you are having, it would just randomly stop or seem to get stuck on a certain number. That was another 3 months but they did cover it under warranty. The 3rd time the bezel broke and after another $60 and 1 month, it arrived with a completely different bezel than it left with. I did not like the new bezel but they claim to no longer make the original.

To add insult to injury, took my kids to the pool and the watch is full of moisture. After calling Luminox and speaking with numerous people up there, I can send it back to them and for another $90, they can repair it.

It now resides in a box in my closet, I bought a G-shock Gulfman and could not be happier.

I have never in my life dealt with a company like Luminox before. Every time I spoke with them they told me the repair should take no longer than a week.

I just don't believe the watch I had could stand sitting on a Seals or some other soldiers arm without breaking. I still have another Luminox that I wear to church but when it breaks, I will be in the market for a new brand.

It is a real shame, in my opinion, their watches are some of the sharpest looking on the market.

[Francis Drebin]

I bought mine from a local jeweler that is a Luminox dealer. When I sent it in to have the crystal repaired, which was not covered under warranty, I took it to my local dealer and they mailed it to the Luminox Service Center.

The second time I mailed it myself to the Luminox Service Center, hoping for a quicker turnaround time. It still took forever.

The third time I mailed it myself to the Luminox Service Center.

Speaking with the service center is hysterical because the lady who answers the phone, always says, "it will only take one to two weeks." I would respond back to her that they have had my watch and my money for over 1 month and she would reply, "the only time we keep someone's watch for longer than one to two weeks is if the customer fails to pay up front for the repair or if a part is on backorder." (Neither of which was the case either time I returned the watch)

It leaks around the stem and possibly threw the back of the watch. LUMINOX has opened it so many times that one of the four phillips head screws is completely stripped out. Now if Luminox was worth anything, they would have put new screws back in.

Any help you could offer would be great but at this point, too much time has passed.

Instead of Luminox doing the right thing, they chose not to so I am doing what I can as a customer. When asked my opinion of Luminox, I am honest about their product and how I was treated.

Don't get me wrong, I love both my luminox watches and believe they are good looking and comfortable. But, at the end of the day, I wanted a watch that good take a beating and still work well, so I bought a couple of G-shocks. Today I ordered a 3rd G-shock, the Mudman.

While the G-Shocks don't look quite as nice as the Luminox watches I had (that is my opinion) they just work and don't, for lack of a better word, wuss out.

[Raza]

Wow...for a brand that seems to advertise their quality and use "Navy SEAL" as a testimonial, I've heard many bad things about their quality and now customer service. Time to cross them off my list.

Sorry for your troubles, and best of luck, g.

[ecalzo]

Wow...for a brand that seems to advertise their quality and use "Navy SEAL" as a testimonial, I've heard many bad things about their quality and now customer service. Time to cross them off my list.

Sorry for your troubles, and best of luck, g.

yes,,, it's bad but it is true... i did it some times ago'.... sorry mate...