Cartier — Local services in London

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!

If you’re considering trusting Cartier with your watch – don’t. My experience has been nothing short of appalling and utterly unworthy of a brand with Cartier’s supposed reputation.

I entrusted my Santos DLC to Cartier in July 2025 for a simple issue: the crown was slipping. What I got back was a watch in worse condition than when I handed it over. Most shockingly, the dial was replaced without my knowledge or consent – a fundamental alteration carried out in complete secrecy. This wasn’t disclosed on the service invoice, nor by the staff who returned the watch to me.

When I noticed FURTHER FAULTS (a misaligned calendar wheel that wasn’t there before), I emailed Cartier THREE times. No reply. I CALLED and was told someone would contact me within three days – no one ever did. I had to go to the Old Bond Street boutique myself just to have my concerns acknowledged and for them to finally admit what had been done.

Since then, I’ve chased Client Relations repeatedly for a total of FIVE TIMES and been met with copy-and-paste, condescending replies. Despite being told the matter was escalated to boutique managers and they could contact me right away, not one of them has had the decency to contact me, not even as much as an acknowledgment email. Out of desperation, I even raised my complaint directly with Cartier’s UK CEO, Laurent Feniou. Weeks later, I am still waiting for a reply……

This isn’t just bad service – it’s a complete collapse of basic professionalism, transparency, and respect for customers. Cartier have shown they can alter a watch WITHOUT consent, cause further damage to a watch, ignore multiple written and verbal communications, and then hide behind a wall of silence.

Avoid this store like the plague. Cartier’s handling of this situation has been nothing short of disgraceful, and I wouldn’t wish this...

We joined the short queue outside, 35 minutes before closing time, and were greeted by a friendily and upbeat member of staff, who told us that there was a chance that we would not be able to be seen before closure but that (and I quote): "if we can get you in before 6pm, then we'll see you and it'll be fine" - this strongly suggested that even if we could get in at 17:59, they would make some time for us and simply cut the queue there.

We waited and reached the front of the queue and then waited some more. At 17:50, we saw everyone who was in front of us leave the shop, while the staff who served them were then free, but simply sitting around and staring at us blankly from their chairs inside. Then at 17:59 the same lady came outside to tell us that they would not be able to see us that day, as it was 1 minute before closing time.

1. We could have been told this ~10 minutes earlier, when all the staff were clearly free but unwilling to serve any more customers. This would have been better and less rude and awkward than just blankly staring at us for those 10 minutes.

2. The staff were in fact free, but simply chose not to make time for us.

3. This was in direct contradiction with the lady's words which suggested that as long as we could come in before 6pm, we would be seen.

4. We would not have wasted 35 minutes of our Saturday evening standing outside, had Cartier's staff been more attentive and honest with us.

This is not the kind of service I would expect from a luxury brand's flagship store in London. I will most certainly not be spending thousands of pounds on jewellery from a luxury brand that is only luxury in price but not in basic courtesy towards customers. Judging by some of the other similar negative reviews here, Cartier may like to reconsider what brand image they are giving off from their flagship store's treatment...

One of the worst customer service and sales experiences.

Background is I purchased 2 platinum rings for myself and my partner from a wonderful representative at the Short Hills, New Jersey boutique. Upon receiving, the 72mm size I ordered for myself was slightly too big.

I contacted Julia and told her I was moving to London, to which she advised exchanging for a smaller size at the Bond St, London boutique.

From the time my partner and I entered the Bond St location this afternoon, we were treated dismissively - when the boutique manager, Caroline, or Carolina approached us, she had an extremely condescending and rude manner, telling us they would not accept an exchange from the United States - NO WHERE in the Cartier exchange policy does it stipulate this.

To compliment things, when I called Julia from the Bond St store, she informed me they don't accept OR SEND items from/to overseas addresses....the only option I was given was to have the ring resized here in London with Cartier and wait over 2 months.

For a global high end brand like Cartier to treat a paying customer so poorly without offering any viable options is not only puzzling, but very frustrating and off putting. I am second guessing ever purchasing not one but 2 rings from Cartier.

The experience has put a cloud over what should have been a joyous celebration marked by presenting my loved one with a beautiful Cartier platinum band.

I have reached out to Cartier customer service and the representative, Tawny (sp?) was lovely and apologized for the rude sales manager in London - she hopefully will come back to me with an acceptable resolution. I will look forward to her response in a couple of days, but in the meantime, DO NOT spend money at this ungrateful and unpleasant...