Third time is charm?
Just before Christmas my Wife of 43 years bought me a Pocket Watch from Kay’s Jewelers. It was a pretty watch, not battery power but a wind up watch. I know, you are wondering where I get the energy to wind the watch daily. It is due to superior upper body strength that I, a retire person can manually wind the watch daily. I know someone wants to know where my wife got the money to purchase this watch and I will tell you. Early each morning she goes for a walk and she takes a bag with her. She walks along the road picking up aluminum cans which she sells. She saves this money to buy presents for me. People see her picking up cans and they think she is being civic minded.
About mid-January the pocket watch (let’s call it #1) broke; it would no longer wind. I took it back expecting to hear comments like, “you must have over wound the watch”. I know how to wind the watch and I did not over wind the watch. They gave me a new watch, no questions asked, because it was within 30 days of purchase. The second watch (#2) kept better time than the first, so I was happy for two months until #2 broke. This time the winder would wind but when you let go it would unwind. I had been even more careful with number two watch when winding it. There was a warranty purchased so I took it back. This time they had to send it in for repair.
I had bought another pocket watch from Wal-Mart for $12.99. This watch was battery powered and kept excellent time. My intent was to use it when working around the house and the more expensive watch at other times.
19 days passed and I had heard nothing from Kay’s. I initiated the call to them and the salesman said, he was thinking about my watch this morning; he would check and get back to me. 10 minutes later he returned my call and said the watch was there I could come and get it.
I wondered how long my watch had been at the store. I went in and he gave me the watch saying, “it was a new watch (#3) and the 2 year warranty was now void”. If I want a warranty on the new watch I would have to pay for it again.
At this point I began to explain to Frank (the salesman) what I thought about a two year warranty that is void if they have to replace the watch. Not being happy I allowed my non-existent Ford temper to slightly come to the surface, I call Frank Fred, and I took the time to explain that I knew his name was Frank. I pointed my finger at him while I explained that I thought a good business, those that cared about their customers, would not sell a 2 year warranty that expired before the two years were up especially when they were selling watches that were obviously inferior in quality. He attempted to explain to me that it was in the warranty document, but I interrupted him explaining that they should explain the warranty better when a customer purchases it.
I took the watch home and as of now it is still working. To make a short story longer, I contacted the home company of Kay’s and after a couple phone conversations they gave me a 2 year warranty on watch #3. If there is a need to replace watch #3, that would void the new warranty.
In the mean time I like the cheap watch from Wal-Mart so I decided to purchase another but this one would be a gold tone, still costing $12.99. Gold tone #1 broke the first day so I returned it and they gave me #2. The Wal-Mart #2 watch broke three days later and I will take it back today. Hopefully third time is charm.
The first watch I purchased from Wal-Mart is still working.
From the watchful and charmed mind of Don Ford
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