Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether IWC Schaffhausen may improperly restrict or void warranty coverage when watches are serviced, repaired, or opened by independent watchmakers.
IWC’s warranty materials state that certain defects or damage resulting from service or repairs performed outside the authorized IWC network are not covered. However, IWC’s U.S. and Canadian warranty conditions also state that failure to comply with specified warranty conditions can void all warranty rights. An IWC instruction manual has similarly stated that warranty or liability claims may not be accepted if a watch is opened by unauthorized persons. Pasted markdown
IWC also offers extended warranty coverage that can reach eight years, making the effect of an unauthorized-repair restriction potentially significant for owners who still have many years of coverage remaining. Pasted markdown
Migliaccio & Rathod is investigating whether IWC owners have been told that otherwise harmless independent servicing, such as regulating a movement, replacing a gasket, or performing routine maintenance, could void their remaining factory warranty.
Owners May Have Experienced:
- Being told that independent service would void all remaining IWC warranty coverage;
- Avoiding an independent watchmaker in order to preserve an extended warranty;
- Paying higher prices for authorized IWC service;
- Having a watch opened or serviced by an independent repairer and later being denied warranty coverage;
- Losing warranty coverage for a problem unrelated to the independent service; or
- Being told that unauthorized opening of the watch eliminated future warranty rights.
Potential Claims May Include:
- Violations of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act;
- Improper warranty restrictions;
- Breach of warranty;
- Unfair or deceptive trade practices;
- Recovery of excess authorized-service charges; and
- Recovery of repair costs associated with denied warranty claims.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- You purchased an IWC watch covered by a factory or extended warranty;
- Your watch was opened, serviced, adjusted, or repaired by an independent watchmaker;
- IWC told you that the independent work voided your warranty;
- You chose authorized service specifically to avoid losing warranty coverage;
- You paid substantially more for authorized service than an independent repair would have cost; or
- An unrelated warranty claim was denied because of prior independent work.
If you have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call.