My not so good, actually bad experience with Nikz

[SuperLory]

TL;DR It was a clusterfuck and I'm left with the shortest straw in hand

this is my lengthy (beyond my will as you'll discover by the intricacy of the episode) review of my experience with the well-known italian modder/watchsmith/maitre horlogiere Nikz19. Active in here and much more on RepTime in reddit.

Preface: I'm italian, but I've been living in Asia for the past 15 years. From time to time I go back to Italy, last one being last Christmas, and I had enquired with Nikz19 about plating service that he offers and for which he's highly rated and praised for all over the world. I'm italian mothertongue and italiano has been the language of communication all along. I have worked with many modders, being in the rep scene for almost 10 years now and, except for 1 episode long time ago with a notoriously difficult modder I have never had really bad experiences and I moved on if anything minor had occurred (and I cannot recall any honestly).

Unfortunately my two tone daytona 116503 arrived just a little too late for me to be able to bring it with me during Xmas trip to italy so on the 13th of February 2022 I messaged him on his biz Whatsapp account enquiring about plating of the sides of a rolesor noob bracelets midlinks. As you know, before latest BTF or VSF bracelets, all the two tones would show bare steel sides for the midlinks and endlinks. I wanted that to be addressed and Nikz19 confirmed enthusiastically and advised me on booking the job through his website.

So I did at this link https://thetimegarage.com/gold-plating/

I received the confirmation email which stated

Hi,
We hereby confirm your order #49. ETA for the requested service(s) will be around 15 days starting from delivery. ​

I sent the whole bracelet with clasp - i simply removed it from the watch-head and wrapped and packaged - with the note inside as per instruction on the 14th and had the notification of delivery to the recipient on the 24th of february. The bracelet is new, just tried at home. I pasted clear sticker on the clasp.

Knowing about all sort of nightmare stories with italian couriers I wanted to ascertain that the parcel had effectively been delivered to the man himself and not somewhere else, with the content intact within, so I messaged him on 25/2 politely asking if he had received the rolesor bracelet I sent.

No reply.

On 28/2 I re-ask "Hi Nik I only want to know if you have received the bracelet I sent you; just for confirmation"

On the 1st of March he replies "Arrived !"

21 days later on the 21st of March and 28 days later the delivery I whatsapped
"Ciao Nik, any news?"

No reply.

Mind you there are 6 or 7 hours difference from Italy to Singapore so I'm mindful of timings and message him during business hours generally if I'm hoping to have a quick reply. And so it was all along almost all of the times.

On the 26th i ask again "Ciao Nik any news ?"

He replies with a smiley saying that If there were news I would have been the first to know and that because of the "operation/surgery" everything is slowed down. but he would update me the next week.
I'm surprised: I didnt know anything about any surgery so I replied that I hoped was nothing serious and hope for the best.

I searched on reddit and rwi and found out he went for lasik. Ok fair enough.

17 days later, on the 12th of April I messaged him "Ciao Nik are you still KO ?"

2 days later on the 14th he messaged me stating: I think your bracelet is ready, I'm gonna call "my guys" now and let you know.

Now here is when I discovered he's not a one man show but there are coworkers, which is totally fine by me, but then I'm a bit puzzled how his lasik would have had my job delayed well over the promised 2 weeks and now dragging to almost 2 months, if he's not the one doing it..

No updates as promised so after 7 days, on the 21st of April i whatsapped
14:54"Good morning what do 'the guys' say ?"
22:39"Ready"
22:42"Ok give me the details so that tomorrow i can pay you, now i'm half asleep in bed"

Silence once again.

 

[SuperLory]

25/04 Hi, I'd like to pay so you can send it back to me, thanks"

Nikz: you forgot about Liberation Day (public holiday in Italy) eh ? Anyway Paypal or bank transfer ?

I honestly forgot about that public holiday so I apologise and tell him Paypal / wise / revolut

Nothing.

So the next day (26/04) it's me again: Ciao can you send me the details or the sum is too long to write down ? (i was being facetious to counter the discomfort I was obviously under at this point because of the lacklustre communication despite talking the same language)
I text him my paypal so that he could send me the payment there..let's try this way..

Then it gets a bit confusing for the next leg, bear with me.

On the 27th at (my) 2AM he messaged me saying he needs my address to check on the shipping costs - the bracelet job is 250Eur

I send him the full address

"Damn it's 68Eur !"
He says also "Or do you want to send me the label ?"

Which i do not understand at first so i clarify with him if he means I arrange the shipping from here. Which he confirms. With UPS.

He says he might be cheaper if I do so; as soon as I have some time i check myself and I get the same with UPS, 52 Eur with DHL. And 35 with Poste italiane - the italian state carrier. But I can't book that because I'm not registered on their website, but my father could eventually help. He replies" With Poste i have to go there ! I send to your dad" (implying poste is not an option)

I show him the screenshot where Poste says they do pick up not that he has to go; ok 15Eur great

I still do not have his paypal tho...8 days after asking him the first time.

Few days pass by and because I wanted to have it back asap I told him on 04/05 to send me the payment at my paypal shipping to Singapore included.



On the 9th He finally sends me the long awaited paypal and says it's 320Eur only F&F no notes . (For a two tone bracelet..silly me) We don't have F&F in singapore so I make sure i pay the fees and he gets 320EUR.

I send him the screenshot of the payment, re-state my full address. And add this sentence

"I just want to say that I haven't seen one photo; i do not know how you normally work, but, as a feedback, I would have appreciated seeing at least one, if not 2 photos."
"Ah tomorrow I send you prepacking photos. I dont ship without.(smiley)"

Guy has an attitude, no doubt.

Next day he sends me 1 photo which doesnt show me the sides of the midlinks so I ask him specifically for that.

"You paid me just for that ?"
"Yes"
smileys..
"I finish my lunch then i send you"

Lunch was a long one. Photos arrive 6 hours later when I'm well asleep on the 11/05

I reply as soon as I wake up thanking him and saying Well done.

On the 12th I message him again "Ciao just le me know when you ship or have shipped, thanks."

On the 16th Nikz messages me saying today we are closed and we leave the parcel at the UPS access point the next day
https://www.ups.com/WebTracking/processInputRequest?tracknum=1ZT7EU426739832519&loc=en_US

On the 19th the tracking still says that the parcel has not being picked up, so I ask Nikz if that's normal.

He says it is normal because the access point is 60km far from the UPS dispatch and they pick up once a week only.

On the 25th (my) morning, 12 days after the label was created I checked the shipment and it still shows:

Your package is currently at the UPS Access Point™ and is scheduled to be tendered to UPS.
Milano, Italy

I'm enraged. I paid 70EUR for UPS and it's slower than a pony express ??? After all this shithousery happened all along this is the last drop.

 

[SuperLory]

I vent my frustration at Nikz saying "paying 70Eur for this shit is a robbery !" Mind you I re-read my message many times and i can show it to whomever wants to (in fact I had shown to Kilowattore before posting). I have never ever stated "NIK YOU CHEATED ME" I meant to tell him that if he was aware of such possible scenario - and turns out he was well aware - he should have informed me ! Because paying 70EUR for UPS implies a 3-days delivery in my books and experience.

He says yeah lately they (UPS) have been slow and for example to send to Australia it took one and a half month. "But at least they never lost anything"
I then reply such: "To say that I'm disappointed, doesnt quite cut it. Nothing personal, but I've been in this circle for 10 years and i have tried all of them (implying the modders). You have to improve, by a long shot, your communication. One pays 70Eur for shipping to have a next day delivery, not one and a half month. You should have told me. Poste Italiane with 35Eur delivers in 3 days. DHL same price maybe not Next day delivery but yeah 3 days"


He gets obviously very defensive and says that he cannot accept that, that he's not a courier, that if I say his job sucks he can accept but i can't blame him for a courier mishaps.
He ships everywhere in the world and "3 days is science fiction, you are totally out of your mind"
I, in fact, state that I'm not blaming him for the courier ruckus, but for the communication mishap. In the whole of these 3 months. On his skills I have nothing to say or I wouldn't have paid 250EUR to plate the sides of a bracelet without batting an eyelid. 3-4 days everywhere in the world is the norm for an express courier. Not "sci-fi".

Then he says: You probably been away too long and you are probably not used to talk in your mothertongue anymore (!!!): I understood very clearly, you said you are disappointed cos you have not received your bracelet - I DIDN'T SAY SO ! - UPS is an express courier and I work ONLY with them. DHL comes during lunch time. Poste italiane i can't be bothered to waste my time on. Since when I asked you to create the label it took you 5 days for you to reply to me (THE AUDACITY REALLY, THIS FELLA). I understand your frustration but shipping delays are beyond us.
Also you say 3 months but you have to understand I had an eye surgery which was public information on all platforms. Anyway when you get it you let me know.

Sure ok.

5 days later, 30/05 Nikz messaged me: Just received the parcel back. that's why it was slow.

On the 31st he adds: I called UPS they have reimbursed me the shipping fees, so do your own label "super-mega" fast (he keeps rubbing it in because he clearly has no end to the bottom of his ego). Give me your paypal that I reimburse the shipping.
I say ok and send him - once again - my paypal.

I ask him the full address and if there is any info on why it has been returned so i do not make the same mistake.

he shows me the screenshot of the reimbursement where he states there's an invoice missing.

Ok I call my father and he gets the dice rolling to pick it up from him via poste italiane express courier.

On the 4th I messaged him that I have not received any shipping fees reimbursement in my paypal if he had done so.

I receive 60EUR the next day. (10 less than what I paid..)

I go fast in here: my dad gets it from his shop via poste italiane then arrange an UPS to be sent from his (me dad) house to me - my dad is in northeastern Italy, about 300KM far from Nikz. Not in a different country.

the UPS from my dad's house to my house takes 6 days to be delivered of which 4 from creation of label to pickup and clearance for export. So yes from 13/06 17:10 at UPS in Vicenza (IT) to 15/06 19:14 delivered to my doorstep. Guess what ? 2 days. Sci-Fi (cit.).

I was out for dinner thatnight so I brought the whole parcel with me to the office the next day. Everything is sealed properly, no squashed corners etc, all looks fine and I can't wait to mount the bracelet on the watch head again after a whopping 4 months clusterfuck.

Least I knew..the best has yet to come...

I open the inner bubbled envelope and i take out 3 bubblewrapped items. 2 bracelet sides with end links, 1 clasp. I unwrap the sides, check the plating on the sides, looks ok, one link has one scratch, ok i dont care..I had enough of this I just want to wear the watch. I did not take any photo of the unpacking because I was done with it. Hope you understand the exhaustion level I reached here. I thought I was done.

Sides mounted. I unwrap the clasp.

THE FUCKING FOLDING CLASP IS MISSING !!!!



I'm fuming.

I message him even tho I know it's early for him.

"Good morning, received the bracelet. The folding link is missing !" (with photos)

couple of hours later he replies" The [bracelet] ? That my coworkers sent you 2 bracelets you don't tell me ah ?"

Me: You are confusing me with some other here, I had 3 bubblewrapped items in my envelope, 2 sides 1 clasp. I can count the links when I go back from lunch break"
Nikz: 100% sure. I have the photos. I realized so, but no worries our mistake..I get photos taken every time we ship a parcel"

I'm flabbergasted. Took me few seconds to even understand what he's saying.

Me:"I'm sorry but I have zero interest in making up stories here after all the issues we had and furthermore, at the end of the day, I can't even wear my watch cos the link is missing. I can ask my father if the UPS courier has opened the packet or something. But I can assure you I had received 3 items. And then, excuse me, it was returned to you !"

I mean he allegedly sends me a parcel with 4 sides and 1 clasp. He finds out the mistake. Never tells me anything. THE PARCEL GOES BACK TO HIM ! He still doesn't do anything about it. Sends it anyway. Doesn't say anything again. Does this make sense to you guys ??? It makes zero fucking sense to me.

Nikz: I will send you the photos of the 4 parts plus 1 clasp; my employee was convinced you sent 2 and this is one of the reasons why he's now been fired. We sent it exactly like we received it back from UPS. Don the last link into the clasp, it'll work anyway..I'll send you one link at the same address"

Me:"Do you have the photo of the folding link"
Nikz: they're all wrapped, no way we can check"
Me:"So you think someone opened the parcel took 2 sides and the folding links?"
Nikz: No way, one would just take everything no ?. I have probably 30 bracelets not a problem (in fact the client who had the one sent to you, had a replacement already) I didnt tell you on purpose (WHY ??? WHAT PURPOSE???). In the photo we can clearly see 4 items.

I'm lost for words.

Me: "I really don't know what's more surreal in this story"
Nikz: Either YOU threw it away or it has to be there. I worked with a couple thousand clients and nothing similar has ever happened.
Me: Sorry what advantage would I take from this - i.e. hiding an extra bracelet - ??
Niks: one extra plated bracelet which I would have let you have anyway...I know what you got in there, but again, our mistake, so no problem.
Me: Look, I'm really disheartened I hadn't take a photo of the unwrapping because I wasn't really expecting such turn of events. Incredible.
Nikz: Sorry but I dont think it has disappeared in transit on a plane. We didnt even touch the envelope we got back from UPS.
Me, now out of my mind really: Excuse me, you do not know who i am and what I do for a living, but a quick search would easily show I do not really need a fake bracelet worth 100Eur. If money was an issue I'd have asked you the 10EUR you took for yourself on the shipping you reimbursed me. You made fun of me on the 3-days shipping, but then reality slaps you in the face. If I ever received that link you supposed to send me thanks, but I have to find an alternative now anyway. I'm going back to the office to show you exactly what I received last night."
Niks: the maddening thing is you keep blaming me for a UPS disservice. Tripping"

Then there is some more rubbish talk going on; he clearly never apologise for having fucked up every single bit of this conversation, i show him the photos of what i got, he closes saying
Ok the photos are clear, let's close it here, really ridicolous.

To which I reply that the one who got the shortest end here it's me, he thinks I got a deal with an extra bracelet. I tell him again that he knew since the beginning he sent me 2 bracelet and never say anything ?

Nikz: I do not understand if you are kidding me here, i have 170 orders I have no time for this..

 

[SuperLory]

Things to bring home here:
- it was an unfortunate series of events, no doubt;
- Nikz should learn customer management; he clearly lacks on that;
- for the price he charges, one should expect better treatment;
- he charges 70 Eur for shipping with UPS but you have to understand it's not the UPS we all know of; probably Ultimately Pretty Shit or something.

I think I was polite and reasonable all along, money was and is never an issue for me and I ended up being accused of stealing. He states I have 2 bracelets, but reality is I can't even use the one I received. And i paid 355USD from my paypal.

What a deal !

 

[Time_and_again]

Sorry to hear bro. The frustration is palpable.

 

[2fast4lust]

I hope no one has to go though this type of experience.

I can't imagine if you were speaking to him in English instead of Italian.

Sent from my SM-G985F using Tapatalk

 

[Chiko Corleone]

Sorry you had to go through one hell of roller coaster despite his “stellar” reputation. Can sense your frustration when you ranted the other day…

 

[alvinado]

Really? This is quite bad

 

[Nikz19]

A mile long message to rant about a bad service from UPS, because that’s when stuff started getting out of hand. Dude paid for a label, UPS sent the package back to me after a month, all while he complains I give bad customer service. No word about no answering for a whole week after getting payment details uh? Why is this part of the tale missing in the whole thing?
Totally fine with it, but at least report the whole story if you’re complaining me “being silent”.

I also offered to ship a “missing folding link” free of charge.

Again, I get you’re upset, what I don’t accept is getting words for shipping agents delays or when life goes in between (surgery).

Should I apologize for UPS sending the package back for we don’t know which reason?

Should I apologize for them not meeting your “next day delivery” expectations?

I do accept a bad feedback for a badly done work- it may happen, and that’s why we offer a warranty. However this is not the case.

 

[Picasso74]

Bro… follow your story step by step in the meantime that happen, but read now all toghether is impressive….

thanks for sharing

 

[SuperLory]

A mile long message to rant about a bad service from UPS, because that’s when stuff started getting out of hand. Dude paid for a label, UPS sent the package back to me after a month, all while he complains I give bad customer service. No word about no answering for a whole week after getting payment details uh? Why is this part of the tale missing in the whole thing?
Totally fine with it, but at least report the whole story if you’re complaining me “being silent”.

I also offered to ship a “missing folding link” free of charge.

Again, I get you’re upset, what I don’t accept is getting words for shipping agents delays or when life goes in between (surgery).

Should I apologize for UPS sending the package back for we don’t know which reason?

Should I apologize for them not meeting your “next day delivery” expectations?

I do accept a bad feedback for a badly done work- it may happen, and that’s why we offer a warranty. However this is not the case.

Oh yah your typical 7am message lacking basic text comprehension.

I'll go one by one, cos I'm being factual.

1. A mile long message to rant about a bad service from UPS, because that’s when stuff started getting out of hand.

From the day you received my full link, fully working bracelet 24/02 to the day YOUR GUYS (not you) got it ready on 21/04 when you messaged me "ready" it's 56 days.

F I F T Y S I X

No comment on that ? Is that normal when you state "about 2 weeks" ? Service was not fine before the UPS foofoo

Ok let's go to


2. Dude paid for a label, UPS sent the package back to me after a month, all while he complains I give bad customer service.

Same carrier, took 6 days to deliver to the same (mine) location. Something is wrong with the sender, not the courier.

3. No word about no answering for a whole week after getting payment details uh? Why is this part of the tale missing in the whole thing?
Totally fine with it, but at least report the whole story if you’re complaining me “being silent”.

You are digging your hole deeper and deeper: i was the one waiting weeks every time for having one simple reply.

From 21/04 when I asked for payment details to 09/05 when you finally sent it to me it's again another 18 days.

My payment was shortly after. Talking about 11 hours considering you messaged me at 2AM my time that day.

And you are saying I'm not mentioning this particular (which is not true, clearly) ???



Again, not a single apology for having EFFED UP EVERY SINGLE THING in this. Even the plating has one link scratched...so I'd have something to say about that as well.
Not a single apology for the missing link. Not a reimbursement. On the contrary stole me of 10 Eur in daylight.

Oh yah you will send me that link..yeah sure you can't send anything to Singapore anyway, since I learnt I'm not the only one here having such deal.

 

[guanaco]

A mile long message to rant about a bad service from UPS, because that’s when stuff started getting out of hand. Dude paid for a label, UPS sent the package back to me after a month, all while he complains I give bad customer service. No word about no answering for a whole week after getting payment details uh? Why is this part of the tale missing in the whole thing?
Totally fine with it, but at least report the whole story if you’re complaining me “being silent”.

I also offered to ship a “missing folding link” free of charge.

Again, I get you’re upset, what I don’t accept is getting words for shipping agents delays or when life goes in between (surgery).

Should I apologize for UPS sending the package back for we don’t know which reason?

Should I apologize for them not meeting your “next day delivery” expectations?

I do accept a bad feedback for a badly done work- it may happen, and that’s why we offer a warranty. However this is not the case.

I'm thinking more of the lack of appropriate response times, communication and lack of care is what's rubbing him the wrong way, if what he posted is true (I'm not siding with anyone yet until I see a clearer picture) then UPS is not the real issue here.

 

[SuperLory]

I also offered to ship a “missing folding link” free of charge.

LOL YOU LOST IT FFS !

 

[Nikz19]

Oh yah your typical 7am message lacking basic text comprehension.

I'll go one by one, cos I'm being factual.

1. A mile long message to rant about a bad service from UPS, because that’s when stuff started getting out of hand.

From the day you received my full link, fully working bracelet 24/02 to the day YOUR GUYS (not you) got it ready on 21/04 when you messaged me "ready" it's 56 days.

F I F T Y S I X

No comment on that ? Is that normal when you state "about 2 weeks" ? Service was not fine before the UPS foofoo

Ok let's go to


2. Dude paid for a label, UPS sent the package back to me after a month, all while he complains I give bad customer service.

Same carrier, took 6 days to deliver to the same (mine) location. Something is wrong with the sender, not the courier.

3. No word about no answering for a whole week after getting payment details uh? Why is this part of the tale missing in the whole thing?
Totally fine with it, but at least report the whole story if you’re complaining me “being silent”.

You are digging your hole deeper and deeper: i was the one waiting weeks every time for having one simple reply.

From 21/04 when I asked for payment details to 09/05 when you finally sent it to me it's again another 18 days.

My payment was shortly after. Talking about 11 hours considering you messaged me at 2AM my time that day.

And you are saying I'm not mentioning this particular (which is not true, clearly) ???



Again, not a single apology for having EFFED UP EVERY SINGLE THING in this. Even the plating has one link scratched...so I'd have something to say about that as well.
Not a single apology for the missing link. Not a reimbursement. On the contrary stole me of 10 Eur in daylight.

Oh yah you will send me that link..yeah sure you can't send anything to Singapore anyway, since I learnt I'm not the only one here having such deal.

Again, I get you’re upset. I’m not going to apologize for delays caused by a surgery- 50 other orders got delayed. Been a month? Yeah, I know. It was unplanned and shared with everyone involved. Life sometimes get through, and you’re too many for me to send messages to each and everyone hence why it’s been shared on my platforms.

About the week you took for payment, that’s no issue- but don’t tell me you didn’t, you also have the conversation.

You got 2 bracelets -again, totally my fault, hence why you’ve been told to keep the additional one- but you keep saying you didn’t. Your word against mine, each one their own. Just remind I have no point in saying that, not I have nothing to gain in saying that.


UPS is still in the refund process, just so you know- I sent the €60 out of my pocket cause the latest SG shipping we made was that much and I sent them without a second thought. It’s not €10 I’m going to make a question out- in fact I just sent them to your paypal account.

Look, I get we can’t please everyone. Just please don’t blame me for a delay caused by reasons you know, nor keep saying the long shipping time is caused by the sender: label was clearly showing the package was dropped off and was in UPS hands. What was I supposed to do with a package NOT in my hands? I sent you the returned package pics: there was a cut on the envelope containing the customs documents. There’s also no way they were missing- UPS provides them during the shipping process.

A couple folding links will be shipped to your italian address as already agreed previously this thread has been made.

 

[Teamjlf]

A sad tale indeed…. I feel for the OP and I guess well done for documenting and keeping it as factual as possible. These things are so frustrating and we all know how important trust is… especially on these platforms where so many of us rely on word of mouth, trust and reputation when we send our hard early $$ to purchase things or get repairs done.

I hope this gets sorted honourably and amicably for both parties. If we don’t have trust and reputation to rely on then the whole REP / QC space becomes untenable and we all lose out.

good luck…

 

[Nikz19]

The customer has been made aware we’re available to refund the whole job cost, ship back a brand new unplated bracelet and get back the one he has, covering all the shipping costs. The bracelet he claims he never got (the double one) I’ll just forget it and call it a day, as said we messed up and we eat the cost. Up to his choice.

 

[wubsub]

Every business will have hiccups along the way, the important thing is how the issues are resolved at the end.

 

[DominicDecoco]

This is quite shit. Sorry about all that man.

 

[Garuda]

For gawd sakes SuperLory you been around the rep scene and should be drinking the kool-aid! They say patience is key in this hobby but you'd need to be a saint


I heard about touchless car washes, but touchless plating service! #SMH I read the words "Lasik surgery", "has people do the work", "still gets delayed." and have steam is coming out my ears!

€70 for express UPS and fails to tell you it's a weekly pick up? Sorry I shouldn't be laughing. :rollingonthefloor: I thought april fools was a few months back.

Nikz19 make it right and call it a day. "claims he never got" and "Up to his choice" paints a bad picture

 

[Nikz19]

For gawd sakes SuperLory

Nikz19 make it right and call it a day. "claims he never got" and "Up to his choice" paints a bad picture

Just FYI (and everyones not involved in the PM convo)- I did already. What was missing from it has been dispatched.