Thanks Nicola, It is a sad day for such companies if they respond to legal threats only and not to customer grievance. Such an approach is not good for their brand as the image of quality and service will quickly become tarnished. Frankly I feel I have wasted enough time on this already - more that the value of the item justifies. My motivation in pursuing the matter with Rotary was as much to let them hear of a customers experience and understand their customers sense of grievance, as it was to get the defects rectified. Their response was so poor that I fear Rotary must actually be disinterested in customer satisfaction. I have seen no evidence that my complaint has risen upward through their organisation so it might be that they also have a cultural problem relating to such issues. I once had a much lesser problem with piece of Japanese fishing tackle which i returned for repair (not under warranty). They identified the problem as being 'abnormal' and repaired it free of charge, returning the item almost the next day. Needless to say I have great confidence in that brand, have bough numerous other items from their range and consistently recommend their products to others. What a difference between Daiwa and Rotary!

Hi, glad you appear to have bottomed out you complaint. You might see my rather similar story (as regards poor service). Maybe I have been directing my unhappiness to the wrong part of the organisation. Do you have an address for the `operations director'? thanks

Martin, many thanks for your quick and helpful response. The watch cost over £150 (not their dearest range I know!). Your fourth point is a good one, I hadn't thought about that as I knew the watch to be working perfectly when I sent it to them. It was only the bracelet that had a problem. My doubts about its condition as they dispatched it back to me make me wonder if that is why they chose to package it so simply. As you say it is amazing how poor the customer care is from a brand that is promoted as prestige. Perhaps I will return the watch to Head Office so they may be aware of my concerns of their repairs facility with a letter as you suggest.

I have a Rotary watch which had been very little used except for special occasions. Just outside the 12 months warranty a piece of the bracelet clip fell off making it impossible to remove the bracelet from my hand. I went to a Rotary outlet who kindly removed a link from the bracelet to 'get me out'. I then reported the matter to the original vendor (a provincial specialist watch retailer). He was unable to obtain a replacement fastener for the bracelet and advised me to approach Rotary myself. I did this and they advised that they do not sell spare parts and I must send the watch to them for assessment and repair. I did this and received a quotation to service the entire watch and replace the fastener at a cost of about a half of the original retail cost of the watch. The watch itself looked and worked like new so I did not require it to be serviced. I requested that they simply replace the catch as I had requested which they did, they sent the watch back in a Jiffy envelope (not carefully boxed in bubble wrap as I had sent it!) Looking at the watch it had stopped working. I took it to my local 'proper' watch repairer asking him to fit a new battery. The watch did not work even with a new battery and he said that the movement would need replacing. Obviously it is now my word against the repairers but it seems an extraordinary coincidence that this new fault should occur in the post. My concern is that a technician may have 'sabotaged' the electronics when I refused to accept the repair quotation. I contacted Rotary Sales office who referred me to the repair centre who said send the watch back again (adding extra postal costs to those I have already experienced with no firm prospect of resolution) possibly costing me more money on what is already seeming an expensive and regretted purchase. Their response did not appear contrite or helpful. Is this a common situation or what hope do I have to bottom the issue out? I am minded to bin the watch rather than pursue the matter.