Has anyone else had a loan watch offered to them from cartier or other brands?

The reason being, I sent my santos carree for a service with cartier back on 18th September and with it being 30 years old, the serial number on the caseback was faint, but legible under lighting when sent.

After getting the watch back I noticed the watch and caseback had been refinished and brushed accordingly which I did agree to the complimentary refinish but it now meant as a result, they removed the serial number completely by performing the refinish on the caseback.

After a call with cartier, they said it would take 2 to 4 weeks to engrave. Happy with that I gave the go ahead. 4 weeks yesterday I got a call and was told it was a miscommunication and now will take 22 weeks to complete the SN re-engraving but will offer a complimentary loan santos of the current range to wear In the meantime

I'm thinking nearly half a year to re-engrave a number onto a caseback? That's a bit excessive right!
In my mind, it's simply done via a computer and laser engraving machine which should take not long at all.

Anyway... agreeing to wait 22 weeks now (already been 4) figured if I ever want to sell in the future, the new buyer may wonder why the SN had been removed and cartier said they were happy to do it for me.

A little frustrated why the person didn't see that performing this caseback refinish could completely remove the number and refrained doing it In the first place.

Has anyone else had other examples of loan watches from the brand?
I'd be afraid of scratching, dinging the loan piece

Ta