Seiko Service Center

I used to like Seiko watches. My parents and two of my grandparents wore them. When I was a teenager, long ago, I even bought my mom one. But because their service centers here and in Canada are so bad, I can’t imagine buying a Seiko again.
There are many negative reviews online and particularly on watch forums (where several members are extremely experienced). How I wish I’d listened to them. Despite such warnings, I foolishly I sent them a complicated old automatic…
Unfortunately:
If you call during business hours, there’s a 50% chance someone will pick up.
If you get someone on the line, there’s a 50% chance that person will say to call back when someone who can answer the question will answer.
They will take much longer to repair the watch than they say. In my case 3 months instead of 2 – 3 weeks.
This alone would not have merited one star. But, short story:
They broke my watch case and would not acknowledge responsibility.
Here’s the long version:
When the watch was returned to me, I noticed three things pretty quickly:
1) the watch seemed to keep time and the crown moved smoothly — neither of which was true when I sent it in.
2) new hands were installed and the old ones were included in a clear bag.
3) there was a wide, deep crack through the case that almost severed a lug.
The first couple were great. The third was not. I immediately checked the cardboard box: no signs of damage. Then I opened up all the paperwork and found that my watch was being returned unrepaired since some parts are no longer available. In compensation, I could have a 40% off suggested retail price of a Seiko or Pulsar, excluding the Astron, Ananta, Grand, Credor and Spring Drive.
This seemed strange for many reasons. (1) I had been told over the phone before I sent the watch in that they had all the parts to repair this watch (a Bellmatic). (2) I was sent an estimate detailing repairs the watch needed, with no mention of any damage to the case. 3) My watch had in fact been repaired, or at least opened up and improved upon.
So it seemed to me that the watch had been repaired, and as the technician was tightening the back, he turned too hard and broke the case. Instead of acknowledging this fact, someone (technician or supervisor) decided to say the watch was unrepairable and slip in the little sheet.
I took pictures and sent an email to Seiko asking for a refund of the repair fee and for the case to be replaced. Their reply a few days later was to ask me to call. The manager wasn’t in the first couple times I tried, so I asked if I could leave a message. She returned my call quickly and said the repair fee had been refunded, but she tried to claim that I could have sent the watch in damaged. I said that was not the case and that it didn’t seem possible that they would miss such a big problem doing the estimate. She said it might have been damaged on return to me. I replied that that didn’t seem possible as the cardboard box was in perfect condition (I’d sent pics of all sides in my email). She told me to send the watch back to them. I said I would first like to know that they could either replace or repair the case (I’d since read about laser welding). She said she could not know if they could do this until I had sent it in. So I sent it in.
They called me a few days later and told me they could not repair or replace the case. They offered me a free watch. I said I appreciated the gesture, but declined, saying I’d prefer to get the case repaired or replaced elsewhere and have them reimburse me. She said they couldn’t do that, and the best they could do was provide me with a free watch, but just one option. It was similar to mine in that it had a black face and a steel bracelet. It was different in that it didn’t have an alarm and it only worked with that steel bracelet, due to the unique (and ugly, imo) shape of the case/​lugs. It was one of their Seiko 5s (MSRP on that model was about $ 200 but it actually retailed for $ 60 – 70 in several places). Since that was my only option, I said I’d take it.
The watches (mine and the 5) were returned to me. But this time the Bellmatic would not run and they omitted the old hands. This was very unfortunate, as I’d planned to put the old hands back on and sell the new watch for the $ 50 I figured I’d need to get it welded or find a used case.
I was so irritated that the Bellmatic no longer ran, that I stuck it in a drawer and gave the 5 to a friend who had some sentimental value for them. (His first watch was one.) But later, I bought a used Bellmatic on ebay. I took both to a local jeweler who combined the two and performed some other service on the movement. I’m glad to have a working watch again. But this is the last Seiko for me.

My experience with SCA was terrible.
I needed to send a Seiko 5 field watch in for service after the watch was dropped by airport security and the rear crystal shattered on the tile floor.
After I FedEx’d the package along with the SCA repair form (on which I have typed my address information) the issues began.
Among the issues:
— The service center never acknowledged receipt of watch for repair or provided an estimate of repair cost
— After several weeks, I called to ask after the watch, I was told that they had attempted contact via email. When asked which email they had used the customer service rep with whom I spoke read back an entirely different email than I had provided on the repair form
— After my initial call, I was promised an email of the service invoice. It was never provided
— After calling and providing payment information for a verbal quotation for repair, I was told it «…would be a couple of weeks» until the work was complete (For a crystal and waterproof test? Really?)
— I was promised and never received tracking information for the watch after repair. When I followed up with a second call, I was given tracking information and learned that the watch had been shipped out for return — to an incorrect address. Again, my return shipping information had been provided to SCA on their repair form, typed, not handwritten. I still have not received an explanation as to how they could not read it correctly.
— I requested repeatedly to speak with a supervisor and have left 2 voicemails for a person I was told works in that role but have not been able to speak with anyone.
The lesson here is to save your time, money and sanity and take your watch to a neighborhood jeweler.

I think they should call or email to confirm when they receive a package and/​or process it. The actual service is good, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t get a response to my emails asking them to keep me posted, and when I finally called them today, it was like, «We already got everything done and shipped your stuff back a couple days ago.» I checked my email and there was a reply to the same effect, but it was sent not even 20 minutes before I called. It’s nice to know that everything got taken care of, but I would have liked knowing that earlier and not days after the fact.