Discoloration on Watch Dial

[BradBottle]

Hello All, 

I have a quartz Vacheron Constantin watch that started to develop a discoloration on the dial in the past two years. (Mainly on left side of the watch, from 5 to 11 on the dial)

It started really not noticeable and I haven’t worn it for almost all year 2020 because of COVID. It sat in my closet with my other jewelries with the desiccant pouches. And I'm in southern California where the humidity is low.

When I took it out in Feb 2021, the discoloration became very noticable. See photos attached. So I took it to the boutique and they send it to the service center for a check up.

The Sales contacted me and said the watchmaker in the service center said it’s due to humidity that caused the discoloration/stain and it can not be cleaned but only replaced and it will cost $1300 for the replacement of the dial. 
 

Background information is that, I purchased the watch in 2014/2015 and brought the watch for a battery replacement in Nov 2018. I never had any issues with the watch until after the battery replacement. I started to notice a small discoloration but I can't say for sure and thought maybe it was always there and I just didn't notice in the past. But now it became obvious, I was worried that it’s caused by battery leak but the sales confirm that the watch maker said it wasn’t battery leak and the mechanic part is not affected. The dial discoloration is due to humidity. 
 

Can you please help me take a look at this watch and see what could caused the discoloration? What are my options? There’s no fog or water condensation forming inside the watch ever, only issue is the discoloration of the dial. The watch didn't stop working and is accurate. I find it really strange and want to know if there’s anything I can do about it.

 

Thank you all in advance.

 

Edited March 13, 2021 by BradBottle

[Michael1962]

My first thought was battery leak. However, I am pretty new to all of this, but I cannot see how there could be enough trapped humidity in a watch case from a battery change. Especially if there are no other indications such as fogging etc.

I would be wondering if the watch has been accidentally exposed to some sort of chemical contaminant at the 2014/15 battery change though?

[rodabod]

It’s hard to see the discolouration from the photos. But on dials like that, my first guess would be a chemical reaction between the case/dial/dial batons. 
 

Has it been waterproof tested? It would have to be very leaky to suffer from humidity. 

[BradBottle]

I don’t have answer to that. I asked the boutique about it too but they say that they have a very controlled environment in their service center and basically saying it’s not due to anything they have done. I don’t have proof for anything that may did or did not do.
I bought the watch in 2015 and the battery replacement happened in Nov 2018. 
Wonder if there’s anything else I can do at this point. 
The boutique said that they could send the watch to another of their service center and have there check the watch again. Should I do that? I mean it’s their service center. Could that make a difference?
 

[BradBottle]

My thought was chemical reaction too. But the boutique is not providing any reports saying that it’s due to humidity. I really don’t think it’s due from humidity. 

[jdm]

Surely not  caused by humidity, rather a chemical reaction as suggested above already. No matter how expensive a watch is, it can happen over time. Unless the manufacturer will admit responsibility you will have to live with the blemish, or spend for it.

[Michael1962]

The other way is email VC themselves.

I would suggest that a watch company such as them would not be very happy if one of their service centres caused something like this? Worth a shot.

[BradBottle]

Thanks. I’ll try emailing VC. But the VC boutique manager is quite firm on what they can do at this point. 

Edited March 14, 2021 by BradBottle

[jdm]

8 hours ago, Michael1962 said:

I would suggest that a watch company such as them would not be very happy if one of their service centres caused something like this?

Per OP, the damage did develop while the watch was carefully stored at home, not at the shop.

[Michael1962]

Yes, but after the battery change.

[rodabod]

Was it purchased new in 2015? 5-6 years for a dial to deteriorate on a high grade watch is not acceptable. 
 

You need to consider your best angle of approach. Which partly depends on the law in your own country. 
 

Have a read of the attached photo which is from yesterday’s newspaper. 

[BradBottle]

Hi Rodabod,

Thanks for your reply. Yes it was purchased as new in Feb 2015. I brought it to the boutique in for a battery change in Nov 2018. The photo with the discoloration was taken in Feb 2021. 
My best angle of approach here? I don’t know what else I can do.  The manager in the boutique is not being helpful but only defending themselves.

VC’s warranty on watch is only for two years. I emailed VC’s customer service today too. 
VC’s service center is not providing a diagnose report on the discoloration. Is it something they should provide? The sales said they do not have such thing. All the communication is between the sales and me.

[rodabod]

The warranty does not void your consumer rights though. I don’t know what country you live in, but in the UK you would potentially have the right to claim that it was effectively defective from new, and that 6 years is not a reasonable amount of time before a defect occurs. 
 

What I am saying is, you need to establish what your consumer rights are, and then use this to base your decision upon whether it should be the shop or VC where you address your complaint. 

[BradBottle]

Just now, rodabod said:

The warranty does not void your consumer rights though. I don’t know what country you live in, but in the UK you would potentially have the right to claim that it was effectively defective from new, and that 6 years is not a reasonable amount of time before a defect occurs. 
 

What I am saying is, you need to establish what your consumer rights are, and then use this to base your decision upon whether it should be the shop or VC where you address your complaint. 

Hi RodaBod,

Thanks again!

I bought the watch in Hong Kong and I live in California, USA now. 

I’ll do some research on the consumer rights.