Thanks for that - it definitely makes sense. Next time i buy a watch it will be from a watch manufacturer. Perhaps Hugo Boss only make their watches as clothing accessories, ie not to be used as a watch!!!!!!!

I have written to Ernest Jones voicing my concerns and am waiting for their response. Depending on what they say my next step will be trading standards as i intend to take this further.I am sick and tired of big companies who try to back out of the warranties they offer - its the customer who always loses out and its not on.

Hugo Boss do not make watches. Neither do Armani, and a whole host of other 'quality' brands. They simply have them made, to their own design, and branded. Often that £300 watch could be bought (without the BIG brand name) for £20, which is why they simply do not perform well in the price bracket they sell at.

I have worn Seiko and Omega forever. They are virtually bombproof, and represent real value for money over the long term.

If you want a good reliable watch, you buy one from a firm whose main business is similar, not from a tailor!

In your case, the product was not fit for purpose, and your next step is trading standards. In my humble opinion.

Bought Hugo Boss watch (cost £300) from Ernest Jones the jewellers (Xmas 08), adjusted the time on holiday abroad (5 months later) but the manual wind up knob fell off. Returned it to the shop who sent it off to Hugo Boss under the warranty. Ernest Jones phoned me days later to say that Hugo Boss said i had to pay £60 as the warranty did not cover the fault as they said it was accidental damage. I refused and after several phone calls and to-ing and fro-ing they [Hugo Boss] eventually dropped the fee. 3 weeks later Ernest Jones have phoned me to say that Hugo Boss have now said that an internal fault has been caused by the wind-up knob coming off and that the watch now needs a service which will cost me £40! I have told Ernest Jones that I am not paying. I have put my complaint in writing to Ernest Jones and told them that the ability to adjust the time on a watch by using the manual wind up knob is a necessary function of the watch and if this function does not work then the watch is not fit for purpose. I have explained this to Ernest Jones complaints dept on the phone but they keep passing the buck saying that they are just stating what Hugo Boss has said to them ie that it is accidental damage caused by my being too forceful. I have conducted an experiment with the £30 Timex watch i am now wearing - i have used the utmost force to try and pull the wind up knob off and it will not break! The motto is "[supposedly] quality brands are not all they are cracked up to be, they just use this as an excuse to charge high prices''. But also, what is the point of a manufacturer or a shop offering a warranty on goods, when neither of them will honour it. I will never buy from either again. I am £300 down and watchless (apart from my cheap [unbreakable] Timex)! Has anybody else had similar experience with Hugo Boss products or with Ernest Jones the jewellers as these companies need to be named and shamed?