BULOVA Led Gold Drivers Watch - eBay.de - Usick

[esteban_morientes]

Hi,

a week ago I bought this nice 70's watch on eBay.

The seller stated that the watch didn't had scratches and was in perfect working condition.

There are some scratches however, but worse, the watch doesn't work at all.

I went to a specialised shop (the best one in Brussels), and they told me such a Bulova is impossible to repair because there are no pieces to repair these watches.

I'm really, really disappointed, and don't know what to do now. I paid a lot of money for it and now I have a useless watch.

The seller's name is Usick (eBay.de) by the way, does anyone know this guy?

I'm trying to reach the seller, I sent several emails, but I got no response. Not one single email :(

What do I have to do now? Could anyone help me out?

Thanks in advance!

Steven

[retroleds]

esteban:

Your experience is unfortunate AND slightly unusual. Probably anyone who has been dabbling with LEDs for long knows of Uli - he has a very solid reputation for carrying high-end items - maybe not cheap, but generally very nice. I happen to know that Uli has been out of town for a few days but he is getting back today[I believe]....so sit tight, I doubt he would simply avoid you. Since you are new here and possibly new to LED watch collecting, I will tell you that all who sell LEDs have a problem with people receiving watches and then claiming they don't work; when actually, they pulled out the working module and swapped in a dead one. This is why almost everyones' ads say there is no guarentee it will be working on arrival!! All we have is our reputations and good word of mouth.

The Bulova can probably be fixed(worse case sscenario it gets a good module out of working "dogger"...$110-150) - your jeweler probably only works on mechanical timepieces and hates anything electric. I do LED repair for others, as do a number of other forum members, but again, wait a few more days for Uli to respond back. He will.

And you are sure there are batteries in it, properly installed? Sometimes a watch "leans" agains the packing during shipping and drains the batteries. Similar problem sometimes occurrs in winter - batteries get cold during shipping and stop providing power, then they warm up on another leg of the delivery and go right into a setting mode which drains them dead. IF you jeweler grabbed the wrong batteries(it uses AG13's, also known as 357's)....the same diameter battery AG12/386 is about 1 mm to short and won't make electrical contact, ditto on the AG10/389. This is a very common problem...can't count the number of "dead watches" that have arrived on my doorstep with batteries that click around in the case...like expensive wrist maracas. AH-HAH!!

Best of luck with it....it is a very nice looking driver's watch.

[Seer Taak]

Little1up is right, most importantly when he says Uli has a good, no excellent, reputation. Ihave dealt with Uli a few times, and, in my experience, he is a considerate seller. What I suggest is 1) wait a little while, to allow Uli time to respond, 2) Don't try to open the case, and fix the watch problem yourself, and 3) Don't rush to leave negative feedback. this should always be a last resort if the seller is totally un cooperative, and rushing to leave negative feedback can really put a seller off of trying to help.

I actually swapped a watch with Uli, for a very similar NOS Bulova sideview, and it works perfectly. I don't think Uli has deliberately set out to con you, and will be happy to work out a ssolution. Best of luck,and it would be good to hear what happens :)

[holly35]

i also swapped watches with uli (a novus and concord ) all done by mutual trust on the Internet through e mails.i was delighted with the watch i got in the transaction and i think he also was pleased.i have send various e mails since and wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone.
his watches are excellent!!!
cheers uli!

[fronzelneekburm]

I also know Uli as one of the worlds most honest sellers - and regarding LED watches this is for sure quite rare.

Try sending him emails AND via ebay contact seller form. I am sure he will not let you down. Maybe he is just at vacation so he can't reply as fast as usual, he is definitely worthy of giving him a few more days - I only know him as a person you can rely on.

[esteban_morientes]

Hi,

I reached Uli in the meantime; he was away and the auto-response he set didn't work, so I didn't get any answers on my emails. As it was the first time I dealt with him I got a bit anxious, seen some negative experiences on ebay in the past.

Steven

[esteban_morientes]

Hi all,

as you all are Led collector & led watch freaks I feel the need to inform you about my deal with Uli (user Usick on eBay).

I bought the watch from him on eBay. He told me it was a mint watch in perfect working condition.

However, the watch didn't work when it arrived.

I sent him several emails; he told me that the button could be depressed by the plastic foil in the box; however, this was impossible, seen the fact the watch was in a original hard plastic Bulova box.

I went to friends in D?sseldorf, Germany this weekend. I was pretty happy when I put Uli's address on www.mappy.com, and saw that he was only living 10 km away from my friends.

So I drove to his house; after waiting half an hour on a terracce in front of his house with my girlfriend, I saw somebody arrive. I went to him and asked him if he was Uli. He told me yes, and wherefore I needed him. I just showed him the watch, and saw his face making grimaces. That moment, I know something was going on.

We went inside, and I asked him to open the watch in front of me, and to try to repair it. My girlfriend and I were astonished to see the inner work of the Bulova was totally oxidated! No way the watch perfectly worked a few days earlier, when he sent it to me. That moment, I felt very decieved. He knew very well why the watch didn't work the moment he sent my his emails. I saw four different inner works of the same model of Bulova watch on his table, and replacing it only took him a minute of two! The watch works fine now.

I know he has little negatives on eBay, but he has negatives, he has neutrals, and he has a number of mutually retracted feedback. Moreover, he always tries to work something out afterwards.

I feel cheated, surely since I was in his house and saw him. My girlfriend, who knows and owns a lot of vintage watches, too. She was angry when we went out of his house.

I'm very, very decieved in this person.

Steven

[Seer Taak]

Thanks for the information Steven, although it's a little harsh to call any collector a 'freak'.

I hav to say, I have a bit of a problem with the NOS Bulova driver model I swapped with Uli, a couple of months ago, even though I've not worn it. I'm currently making sure it's not simply that batteries need changing, etc, but if I have to, I will contact Uli. I would like to think he will sort things out, if it gets that far, but it's good to have the knowledge of your experience to quote to him, if I need to.

[esteban_morientes]

The watch doesn't work now, I feel very, very decieved.

My girlfriend just bought a near mint Bulova on eBay (almost the same model) for just the half of the price in the UK. She recieved it fine and it works perfectly.

Out of my 300 transactions on eBay, this is definitely the most negative one.

[retroleds]

Steven:(esteban). So you are saying that Uli installed another module, and this one only lasted a week? I'm thinking that is awfully bad luck, but Uli really shouldn't help you any further, it goes against the whole idea that these vintage pieces are sold "as-is" due to the number of people who switch modules out of good working pieces. 2 dead in a row with same customer handling the dead body... hard to say who seems more suspect. :?

The "human element" of this drama: would you go to your doctor's personal residence on a Sunday afternoon if you weren't feeling well? Or your mechanic's house if your car started running rough? I'm thinking that showing up at the man's house unannounced/uninvited is a bit abrupt. Well, at least you guys aren't in the USA, here an incident like that could quickly escelate badly, since many small business owners legally carry firearms for personal protection. Like me.

[retroleds]

Moreover, he always tries to work something out afterwards.

I feel cheated, surely since I was in his house and saw him. My girlfriend, who knows and owns a lot of vintage watches, too. Steven

How would you know he tries to work things out, and why should being in the man's house and seeing him make you feel cheated? That he had more watch parts than you? That he knows :? more vintage watches than you and your girlfriend? I for one am thinking this is sounding more and more like one-sided charecter assasination. Uli doesn't come here to see what people say so he will never even try to refute your claim - dead thread.

[Seer Taak]

Uli does check this forum out. Maybe he doesn't make any comment, but as this thread suggests, it's not the way to sort out a private transactions.

Re: replacing and fixing watches; I agree with little1up. There cannot be an unlimited support. If A watch I bough from anyone didn't work, I would appreciate the offer of a replacement, or a refund, and acept the consequences of my choice.

[esteban_morientes]

First of all: my visit at his house wasn't unannounced, I emailed him two days before

Second: he sold the watch in perfect working condition (see the above ebay link). But: the inner work was fully oxidated, it's impossible the watch worked fine two days before, when he sent it.

As a dj I don't sell records on eBay as Mint (unplayed) for 4x the price, to sent someone a unplayable record. That's theft.

[retroleds]

First of all: my visit at his house wasn't unannounced, I emailed him two days before

Second: he sold the watch in perfect working condition (see the above ebay link). But: the inner work was fully oxidated, it's impossible the watch worked fine two days before, when he sent it.

IF he knew you were coming, you sure kept that detail in your pocket....which makes me wonder why he would "grimace" and more importantly, why your second one is dead? Sir, you are indicating that Uli gave great service by replacing a module despite being under no obligation, and you left his house with a fully working one that you saw him install. "AS-is" is as-is, and you left his house with it working. Incidentially, the Bulova sideview rarely gets ruined by battery "pus" due to it's "offset from the batteries" design.

[embelton]

Esteban:what more do you want Uli to do?

[esteban_morientes]

Nothing. Drop it.

Anybody willing to buy this thing? All bids are welcome!

[Seer Taak]

I'd keep hold of it esteban_morientes. It may seem fairly worthless now, but it is still (I guess) a mint and boxed bulova. If you keep it, its value will increase anyway, even though it will be less than a working watch, and you could fairly easily pick up a working module in a worn condition watch for ~$100 on ebay, on a good day. You may wish to bring the whole thing to a close, but using your rational thinking, these particular models have consistently risen in value over the years. If you want to be rid of it, I imagine a few people on this forum will give you a fair offer.

[USICK]

Hello to anybody here in the forum. I'm surprised about the things esteban_morientes writes here about me and that Bulova transaction.
Unfortunately that's only half of the truth. Although I'm sure (and I got proven by your defence) he can not harm my reputation in any way I would like to tell the truth here. Of course I can proof anything by the original email conversation.

1) Steven bought the watch on ebay.com on 30. Aug. 2006 05:30:00 by winning my auction number 190023619216. The reserve price was already met by the previous bidder and he outbid him. He has put in his high bid voluntarily after the reserve price was met. So why does he claim the watch was too expensive. NOS Bulovas sell that high.
Good luck for his girlfriend she got one cheaper ? maybe that one didn?t work and they put the bad module in my watch ? who knows?

2) The Bulova was absolutely new old stock like other ones of the same stock I have sold to some of you before. Superficial hairlines are normal for bulovas even if the are new in box
Of course the watch worked correctly when shipped.

3) I was away for a few days and couldn't answer to his emails when claiming he received the watch in non working condition.
Besides the watch can't be new alik I assured sicne there came no warranty card with it?
For some reason my autoresponder failed. He mailed me about 5 times in 5 days with his voice rising from mail to mail and told me I was in danger of him visiting me personally...
At the same time he opened an ebay item not as described complaint.

4) I have immediately offered a full refund through the ebay dispute form. But he didn?t take that opportunity because he wanted a working watch.

5) On Friday night he mailed me that he intends to come to my house on the next day. I didn't read that message since I was in bed early because I had to leave the house at Saturday morning 5:45.
I had to go to a flea marked. He lies when saying it was an appointment as he wrote me 2 days before. No confirmation from my end was given, so ? no appointment!

6) When I returned on Saturday afternoon with my car packed with goods from the flea market (Tons of Omega LEDs, P1 and so on :)) Steven waylaid me in front of my house.
So even that guy harmed my privacy and showed no respect to me I treated him politely as he had his girl with him.

7) So I had no choice other than looking at his watch immediately and with his presence. I tested the watch with different batteries and removed the module from the case.
When turning the module I saw some oxidation on the hidden side of the module. Well, it was my mistake not to check that before selling the watch ? as much is true.
However I put in another 100% clean module and then after a few attempts the watch worked. In the meantime I had a bad battery which caused me changing the module once again.
Can anybody imagine how inconvenient it is doing that kind of work while two people who don?t know anything about what you?re doing are watching you?
In the end the watch worked and could be set correctly.
For the troubles they had I gave him several sets of new batteries for free.
I?m very annoyed hearing now that they feel disappointed when they left my house with the working watch?!
What is this?
So why didn?t he leave the watch here and take his money back?
Of course I didn?t have $720 in the house on weekend but I could have bank-transferred the money on Monday.
Maybe that man thought I would keep the watch and his money then ? or what?

8) After a few days he mailed me again yammering about how unhappy he was with the watch and it was still not running correctly because he didn?t know how to set it.
And the watch ? it was that expensive!
And besides he don?t know how old the exchange module is and how long it was in use and he still haven?t got the new watch he has bought.
He was moaning like a sheep ? so much money and so on.
Again I offered him ? no that?s not the right word ? I kindly asked him to return the whole watch for a refund!
Anybody knows I don?t stand for something like that. I have no time for such bullshit!

10) He wrote me he can not return the watch since it has been scratched on the top by a watchmaker who wanted to change the batteries.
The watch has to be grinded off on top and the being gold filled again.
Folks, did he tell you that when offering the watch to you here in the forum?

So in the end that guy who is such kind of irreverent and impolite I have never experienced before, managed to turn down that beautiful 30 year old baby
Which was new when received, into a peace of junk within only 10 days.
I?m sure anybody will agree that I was dealing 100% correctly when I offered a full refund after I have got his first complaint.
And I even offered a full refund a 2nd time.
Unfortunately, from time to time in life you meet people you can?t get along with doesn?t matter how honest you are and how hard you try.

Regarding my feedback I think I have done a good job with my quota only 9 negatives at 2600+ total in 7 years of membership.
I'm not sure but I think all of them are form computer sales and not from watches.
Steven (ebay: vinylvis ) has 6 negatives at 226. He has to hide the comments behind a private profile. Needless to say more.
So how does that person dare to be censorious about my feedback???
I?m very surprised he still hasn?t left a negative feedback for me but is telling lies behind my back here in the forum?
Shit ? I have spent one hour of my rare time now for writing this instead of making new watch auctions. I have a lot of watches for sale this autumn and winter so keep your money
I don?t stand for all of this but it I was very happy seeing how you guys defence me and I thank you for that.
Hence I though I should tell you the truth to prevent you from dealing with that guy.
Yours fellow collector Uli

[esteban_morientes]

Dear Uli,

I really don't have time to respond on your 'letter' (though I could easily invalidate half of your arguments).

The only fact is that the watch couldn't have worked the moment you sent it. My girlfriend knows a lot about it (she specialised one year in jewelry and watches and has hundreds of old watches) and she told me she was 100% sure about this.

Anyways, she is happy with her mint Bulova (which she bought for half of the price) that is working perfectly, and I will sell mine on eBay (with a honest description). People who are interested can also sent me an offer. For 300 euros it's yours (I bought it 560 euros).

We're pretty friendly people, and we were at 10 kilometers away from your house, visiting friends in Germany (I'm half German). I didn't want to harm your privacy (though an office is not so private for me), I only wanted to get what I've paid for.

Succes with your business, and please examine expensive watches better before sending them. I have approx. 1500 feedbacks on 8 different record sites; no record ever returned to me because it was scratched.

Regards,

Steven

[embelton]

but Uli still switched the module for you,you cant get more than that.
AS IS...remember?
I guess you had bad luck and so did Uli...I know about the shame when selling a watch that shortly after fails.

All led?s are more expensive when bought in a "store".
look here! http://www.rarewatches.net/index.php?pa ... p&Itemid=6
and here http://www.millermilitaria.com/collecta ... /WA022.htm

[USICK]

Yes Steven, I collected all of my feedback through the years beacuse I have been waiting for YOU to screw YOU of your laughable 700$.
I mail you a defect watch after I have temporarily put in a working module just for taking the pictures (like I always do ), and then when receiving your complaint I offer you a full refund through ebay. Though you and especially your girlfriend are watch specialists what you have pointed out once again you need to go to a watchmaker for having changed the batteries at a Bulova Driver's watch. Even though you had several sets of batteries I gave you. This sounds very consistent to me.
Sorry, I don't mean to offend you but I'm sure you have been smoking too much bad stuff. However, I'm done with this matter.
Everybody understood what has happening and I don't care any more about what you are saying. That's it.

[gjlelec]

Steven, assuming your version of events is correct and Uli did supply you with a watch with internal corrosion problems, the fact that the guy offered you a full refund should indicate to you that he's honest.END OF STORY i know that the fact you would have to return the watch is dissapointing but not as dissapointing as having a corrosion filled mess and no refund!!. You are purchasing a 30 year old item, sometimes there are problems. Would you take the module out of every watch you sell to check the "hidden" side? i don't think i would. I have to date never purchased any thing from USICK but after listening to both sides of the story, i wouldn't hesitate to do so