Esslinger and (esslinger.com) is a supplier of watchmaking and jewelry repair tools, crystals, movements, and related equipment for both professional and hobbyist watch restoration. This page displays verified customer ratings and reviews to help you assess the company's product quality, pricing, and customer service reliability before making a purchase.
Esslinger and Reviews
What Shoppers Say About Esslinger and
Esslinger and has a deeply polarized customer base. The small group of satisfied repeat customers praise the company's prompt shipping, protective packaging, and reliable service across professional watchmaking equipment and vintage watch parts. However, the overwhelming majority of reviewers report serious problems: excessively high prices (with identical items found elsewhere for a fraction of the cost), defective or incomplete products upon arrival, a complete absence of accessible customer support (no phone number readily available, calls unanswered, emails ignored), and an unresponsive return policy that some shoppers say the company has begun refusing. Multiple reviewers describe being ghosted after reporting defective items, leaving them without recourse.
The company's fundamental issues appear to center on poor product quality relative to pricing, nonexistent customer service infrastructure, and a unwillingness to stand behind defective merchandise. For shoppers seeking reliable support and fair pricing on watchmaking supplies, the high failure rate and communication breakdown documented in these reviews suggests significant risk.
Customer Reviews (12)
Sorted by: Most recentAvoid this company. As someone new to buying and restoring vintage watches, I need to try different crystals, pins, and parts to find what fits, so I return items frequently. It's the fastest way to get the right size. I always send back items in original condition and pay for return shipping myself. But now they've decided they won't accept my returns anymore because I've returned too many things. Their policies never mentioned any limit on the number of returns allowed, so they basically made up a new rule just for me. Not shopping here ever again. Plenty of other sellers out there.
Bought a universal watch back removal tool for $19.99. It's complete garbage and doesn't work properly. I found the identical product on another site for under $5. Not worth the money at all.
I spent $109 on a protective film for my watch. What arrived was incomplete and missing parts. When I tried contacting the company, I got nothing but silence. Complete rip off and a waste of money.
This is ridiculous. There's no phone number listed anywhere, but I tracked one down through the Better Business Bureau and nobody picks up. So basically they have zero customer support. I tried placing an order and my bank said yes, but their system rejected the charge twice. I actually know what the problem is with their setup, but since they can't be bothered to answer their phones, I'm not going to help them figure it out. Everything here can be found cheaper and faster from other retailers. Save yourself the hassle and shop elsewhere.
I've been a repeat customer of Esslinger & Co for quite some time now. I've bought everything from professional jeweler and watchmaker equipment to pocket watch crystals. Every single order has arrived well protected and shipped promptly. Very satisfied with their service.
The delivery wasn't particularly fast or slow, but the real problem was their response to a defective watch movement I received. They questioned how I determined it was defective, I explained, and then they ghosted me. Go somewhere else where the company actually cares about making things right.
I purchased a Bergeon mainspring winder set from them and they sent me the wrong model. Initially their support team was responsive. They promised to ship out the correct ones but those never showed up. When I tried following up about the missing replacement, they basically told me it was my problem and stopped responding to my messages. This was one of the worst customer service situations I've ever had.
I rarely leave reviews, but I had to share my experience. I ordered ring remover spray and paid over $50 for overnight shipping. The package took two days to arrive instead of the next day. When I finally got it and tried the product, nothing happened even after using the entire bottle on my ring. I reached out to customer service for help, and the representative was extremely dismissive and rude. Rather than help, he suggested I go to the emergency room, which wasn't necessary. No refund, no replacement, no apology. Really disappointed.
Great experience overall. Shipping was really quick, prices are reasonable especially on spring bars, and the site is intuitive and looks professional. Would shop here again.
They market themselves as selling professional tools but charge premium prices for knockoff products. I ordered what was supposed to be a quality tweezer and received a cheap knockoff instead, all while paying $90. The company is not honest about what they're selling and refuses to respond to customer concerns or complaints. Stay far away from this business.