Thanks Abel,
That's very useful information, and good to know.
I'll wait to hear back from them. It certainly is not good service. They didn't even inform me. I'm just glad I took close up photos to prove my case.

Stewart

: Hello Stewart,

: Well...that's not so good news. Probably the original got broken
: while lifting it off from the movement. Or another possibility
: is that when putting it back after the service has been done and
: the dial is refitted...the central seconds hand didn't had
: enough tension anymore so that reset to zero was not possible
: anymore...I thnk the second option is more likely.

: Anyway, a very unpleasant situation for both you and the
: watchmaker. But please beware there's always a risk involved
: with taking a central seconds hand off a watch. How professional
: and trained a watchmaker can be...this can even happen a
: Master-Watchmaker with years of experience!

: Ofcourse, when replacing a hand...it has to be identical to the
: original one. And that's where they seem to have failed untill
: now.

: Good luck!

: Cheers,
: Abel.