Reply With QuoteI actually prefer the new one.
But can understand you not being happy.
Are they suggesting they upgraded your movement as part of the service? That seems strange.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[/URL]
Evening all,
Apologies for radio silence over the last few years, but I'm back with a whinge. After my AP Diver (on the right) went to AP themselves for a three month / £800 service, it's come back with a new date wheel. But not a good date wheel, a bloody horrible one! The previous date wheel's font matched my Bumblebee (on the left) - flat fours and tiny serifs. The new date wheel looks like it's done in Helvetica: if I saw it in a shop, I'd think it's a dodgy fake.
According to AP:
I have spoken to the Manufacture and there has been a slight alteration to the design/appearance of the date disc. However the alteration is linked to an improvement to the functionality of the movement and unfortunately the old one would not refit due to the upgrade of the movement. I apologise for any inconvenience that this alteration has caused.
What's worse - when the diver returned from service, the screws on the back weren't properly tightened and one dropped out (luckily on my bedside table).
Does anybody have any thoughts on the date wheel?
Cheers,
Simon
I actually prefer the new one.
But can understand you not being happy.
Are they suggesting they upgraded your movement as part of the service? That seems strange.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
In my opinion the date wheel is a good fit for the watch. Looking at other AP Diver's on a google image search I can't tell the difference.
I hope you find peace with the change or a resolution from AP :s
A 'first world problem' I think. The font more closely matches the bezel font and that's got to be better for an overall balance hasn't it ?
Should be a flat top 4 to match the dial font, so it's nowhere near a close match.Originally Posted by Manxdiver
Being honest, I'd prefer the original, but if there's an improvement in other elements, I'd accept the change.
Good to have you back on Simon, there's not enough members with your eclectic taste!
Cheers!
I guess it's pretty subjective and, of course, in the grand scheme of things, it's not the end of the world. But since Rolex owners get passionate over their open sixes, I feel slightly justified in wanting my old font back.
Maybe it's a sign - I've had the diver for three years, so perhaps it's time for a change ;)
simon
Simon, I understand that the slight change to the movement eliminates the 'jump' of the minute hand when setting the time. It's a bloody shame they didn't stick to the same font for the so-called upgrade though.
The previous characters definitely had more character.
I think it looks ok, but it's an unplanned / unwanted aesthetic change which really is a bit annoying. Also despite liking it, I do think the new font is a bit weedy and fine for such a chunky watch. I'd be a bit annoyed, but hey - would it have stopped you buying it in the first place had it come like that new?
Well personally I think the new one is much nicer? Sorry.
However if I send a watch away for a service or repair and it comes back noticably different in any way I would be raging; fair enough upgrade the range on new pieces if you must but do not apply to current watches without consultation, that feature may have been the reason/appeal in the first place, such as your case.
Is some of this due to manufacturers not keeping spare parts? They have to use the new bits, because that's all they have.
The new font is too dressy- more like for the 15202. The whole point of the diver is it displays it's up for a bit of rough n tumble.
I'd make sure the service wasn't done by a contracted third party. AP are known to do that now but still charge AP prices.
They can't use the old wheel because it doesn't fit the adjustment to the movement.
I think it looks garbage mate, let me take it off your hands free of charge and dispose of it for you!
Whether you like the change or not I think it's quite poor it has been changed at all without your consent. It's quite a bit different and not a minor detail that only watch collectors would notice. Personally, I quite like it though
Have to say I think it looks better than the one on the bumblebee, but then it's your watch and I never saw it before the change.
What I'm less keen on is the date wheel in the bumblebee, it's looks wrong to me.
Simon
You buy cheap you get cheapbut in truth mate you have every reason to be peeved
AP "serviced" the watch and it only took 3 months and £800
What more do you want?
Rolex datewheels get worn out (especially on 30XX calibres) and have to be replaced too now and again... it's a nightmare when you get an open-6-customer...
So deal with it, I say :) If they upgraded the movement that should take priority.
So nobody is concerned about the sloppy work on the screw? What about possible issues with WR in case you wouldnt have noticed in time? The service center would be definitely hearing back from me...
That's rather interesting, I checked mine just now, went back to AP at the start of the year for a service and I also had the date wheel changed. (Fortunately, took a pic of the original font, so can confirm the change)
But as to what the changes/improvement to the movement were is beyond me, since the minute hand still has a mind of its own.
That sterile new version looks like a computer default — which it is — and robs the watch of personality.
The previous version was a great example of skilled custom lettering, in either colour:
It's a shame that so many companies don't pay attention to this type of craftsmanship any more; it's details such as these that add charm and make a watch special.
Just be glad that it isn't Arial, which is the license-fee-dodging Windows knockoff of Helvetica that ruins so many watches.
They've offered to re-tighten all the screws - I just need to pop down to Brooks Mews when I can.
Belligero - thanks for those images too. The AP mail servers bounce image emails, otherwise I'd be sending those too.
Gents, thanks for all your input. I'm really not happy with the new look date wheel, but I suspect getting the movement downgraded to the previous version isn't going to happen.
I'm going to drop their head office an email tomorrow to see if that has any effect - although I'm not sure how they can rectify it if they're buying their date wheels from some dodgy Chinese factory :)
I'll let you know how I get on. In the meantime, I'm going to cheer myself up and hunt down a 216570 with a "proper" date font!
Simon
Interestingly, the two recent AP divers for sale in the SC:
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...light=audemars
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...light=audemars
....both use the same, new font (the one I don't like). So, it looks like I've got a brand new movement for £800, so maybe I'll just shut up and be happy. Shame I didn't get the display back too ;-)
Simon
Wow that's quite a proposition - assuming the entire movement has been replaced, I can't help thinking that it's now substantially not the watch you submitted for servicing, and arguably no longer 'original' - approaching a Ship of Theseus scenario.
No big deal, perhaps, with a lesser watch, but I wonder if anyone sees this as an issue with a piece such as this. After all, we hear a lot round here about Rolex replacing hands, repolishing cases etc. unbidden, to which many owners object.
Last edited by DMC102; 23rd August 2016 at 16:52.
Sorry, but did this did make me laugh!AP "serviced" the watch and it only took 3 months and £800
What more do you want?
I would be torn in your position OP. I actually prefer the new font but I would be very annoyed that they'd just taken it upon themselves to change it - especially given the cost and timescales involved.
That’s because yours isn’t a 15710, it’s a 15703.
Moreover, you haven’t had the movement exchanged, you’ve just had a few parts swapped that were necessary in order to be compatible with the replacement datewheel.
Audemars would have no need to change the movement as everything was working just fine – it’s still an A3120, only updated to the revised version.
If they had exchanged the complete movement, you’d have been billed at least 3 times what you paid, in all likelihood.
I used to have a titanium Offshore and loved the date font.
I own a rose gold one now with the newer font and it just takes getting used to.
It's unfortunate that AP decided to revise it on the later ones...think it happened around 2014 but happy to be corrected.
I'm quite shocked that 1 caseback screw fell out after a service though.....
Very kind of them
The new date wheel's an improvement - the old one just looked like that from a bog standard ETA 2824-2 or just about any Swiss watch for that matter.
Nonetheless, if it was my watch I'd prefer it to keep it's original appearance.
Sent from my XT1562 using Tapatalk
Are you saying that he is now the proud owner of a franken?
I would not be surprised if they replaced the movement. It makes perfect sense, I am sure they have quite a few movements in stock and it is a lot easier than all the faffing around involved in taking the old movement apart, carefully cleaning it, putting it back together again and making sure it works correctly. They can still charge 800 quid, so they will be celebrating. Instead of all that laborious work they can all go out and have a nice lunch! It would have been kind of them to tighten the screws though.
Frankly, I wouldn`t get steamed up about it. Date wheels do get damaged; the teeth can get chewed and a replacement is the best option. If they've changed the font slightly, so be it......would you prefer a date wheel that developed a fault after a while?
I like watches as much as anyone, but I marvel about the way people can be concerned about the font on a date wheel! Provided it works Ok I really couldn`t care.
Paul
Prefer the older font too, but parts get replaced with "updated" versions all the time. I'd have been upset if the custom font on my IWC's date wheel was replaced with a generic one. I can see why you're peeved.
On AP, I went off them a little when my friend's Bumblebee broke after very light use (he is a collector, barely wore the thing, bought the watch after a personal tour of the factory) and AP demanded it needed a full service. Can't help but think they could have been a bit more accommodating, but I guess they know their customer profile.
Paul
They sure do ;)
At Seiko they do this, for sure. Not at AP though, a movement has a higher book value than £800 so no chance. Seikos are cheap tho so makes sense just to bin the junk and replace.
"Book value", what a joke. You sound like a typical AP cash cow, I mean customer. I suppose they must be doing good business, since the world seems to be full of chumps who believe their stuff is actually worth whatever they say it is.
Knew I'd hit a nerve. And I know I'm right too, and so do you ;)
Ouch! Well, this chump won't take offence :)
Here's the latest response from AP:
First and foremost, we would like to thank you for the passion you have for Audemars Piguet and we do apologize for the trouble you are encountered with the new date disc indicator of your Royal Oak timepiece mentioned above.
Indeed, a new date disc indicator with a design slightly different has been produced and fitted to avoid any problem linked to the calendar function.
For technical reason we cannot use the old one, this, in order to ensure the future perfect functioning of your timepiece.
Simon
Well there you are.
Does this mean that those with a normal offshore who give it in for a service (with the older date wheel) will get a newer style one too?
Surely not...hmmm
I'm pretty sure that is the case. I've suggested to them in my reply that they warn their customers first!
Simon
Last word, I promise.
Both my 15703 and the newer 15710 have the same calibre 3120 movement, but my last email from AP says:
Please be assured that the exchange of this new date disc indicator doesn’t lower the value of the movement of your timepiece. All watches equipped with the calibre 3120 will benefit of this new date disc indicator to improve the reliability.
I understand that to mean that any new watches coming out of AP with a 3120 movement will get the new date wheel and, I assume, any watches with a 3120 going into service will get updated to it too.
So, AP owners, be aware!
Cheers all,
Simon
Which service?
No need, after twenty years It's still running fine and I have enjoyed a few holidays instead of service costs.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Theyre great at quartz, I know.
Are these automated responses or do AP really employ people to type that rubbish?
I would be more concerned about the screw and just having those tightened wouldn't leave me confident that they'd got everything else right....
Yeah, great indeed, at everything!
What a company!, you should try and get a job there if you are really serious about your watches.
Sorry for the thread spoiling, I'm out.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Posting Permissions
