topic Re: My Judith Ripka Watch in Jewelry

My Judith Ripka Watch

ECBG — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 03:55:27 GMT

I had taken my J. Ripka watch to Kay Jewelry for a battery. In 4 months, no time! I took the watch back to Kay, and they put in a second new battery which quit working.

Batteries were tested first, then put in, no time.

The watch has been sent in to be reworked after they looked at it at corporate. $140.00!

This is the SECOND watch that has died on me! I like this one better. I may not have the other redone.

I will buy no more J Ripka watches!

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

Venezia — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 04:38:20 GMT

@ECBG - I have an expensive Barry Kieselstein Cord alligator watch that I absolutely love. BUT the battery quit on me after several months and I took it to a jeweler to have it replaced.

He said it should never have quit after such a short time. But guess what? The new battery also quit after even less time. No idea what was going on, as I never went back to get it replaced again. At some point, I will, but there's no reason a battery should quit that fast.

I have several Timex watches that are more than 10 years old and the battery in my favorite one just quit two days ago! And I wore that watch almost every day, swapping out the band to match my outfit. Never pulled the stem out, even when I wasn't wearing it.

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

Foxxee — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 05:39:59 GMT

How old are your watches?

Whenever mine act up like this, I have them cleaned inside. Usually works for me.

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

ECBG — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 14:22:27 GMT

@Foxxee wrote:
How old are your watches?

Whenever mine act up like this, I have them cleaned inside. Usually works for me.

@Foxxee The one being fixed oval face) is about 3 years old. The round face quit 3 years ago and was maybe 5 years old at that time.

They are both sterling silver watches, white faces, diamonique around the face.

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

Jersey Born — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 14:50:07 GMT

@ECBG - I have had the same problem, and it saddens me that just replacing a dead battery with a new battery is not enough to revive these watches for me for very long at all. I have no explanation as to why this happens, but perhaps the internal mechanisms of these watches are somehow being damaged by the person who changes the batteries, due to some kind of design defect? Does just opening the case back destroy something in the watch, or weaken it so that the watch stops functioning just a month or two after battery replacement? I have only had the batteries replaced at reputable jewelry stores known to perform this service, so this perplexes me.

Were you told exactly what was wrong with the watch, and what, exactly needed to be reworked and why? That cost. $140, is very high considering the watch probably didn't cost much more than that when purchased new. I have one JR watch that I would pay $140 to fix, and it is the very first one I purchased from her line. I loved that one the most. I guess I just should have fixed that one and kept wearing it.

I actually had to purchase a Bulova watch, that I liked, to wear every day instead of my Ripka watches. I have never had a problem after replacing a battery from a Bulova watch (and that was the very first brand of watch I ever had as a young teenager). I also purchased a Citizen watch with a solar battery that allegedly lasts a lifetime with proper light exposure, in case the battery from my Bulova stops working and needs replacement. I do like wearing watches, and I am not one to check a phone for the time.

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

ECBG — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 22:56:40 GMT

@Jersey Born

When I went to the jewelry store the other day, the manager was the one that handled the watch.

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

Jersey Born — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 22:59:31 GMT

What, in particular, was wrong with your watch? Did the entire internal mechanism need to be replaced, or was there one vulnerable or faulty part to it, in particular? I am so curious about that.

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

ECBG — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 05:09:33 GMT

@Jersey Born wrote:
What, in particular, was wrong with your watch? Did the entire internal mechanism need to be replaced, or was there one vulnerable or faulty part to it, in particular? I am so curious about that.

@Jersey Born

Very sorry. I didn't see your post. Two watches bought 4-5 years apart. Both insides need to be redone!

Re: My Judith Ripka Watch

Jersey Born — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 12:17:23 GMT

I have no doubt about that recurring issue @ECBG, and it is a shame that it happens, because the watches are so lovely on the outside. I just find it odd that once the battery dies and is replaced, then the problems begin. It is either critical parts that don't age well due to their construction or their materials, or a design defect where just removing the case back damages a key component of the watch, due to its proximity to the backing. Either way, it is a shame-- for both of us. LOL.

Sorry you have suffered similarly with these timepieces. Once it happens to more than one of these watches, it is no longer a fluke. That's why I gave up on them.