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Swarovski Bino warranty? (1 Viewer)

SurfinBigBird

New member
Hi All!
I wanted to start off saying that you guys have been very helpful in my search for some binoculars.

I'm looking at some Swarovski EL 10x50 or 12x50. I hope to be able to test some out this weekend and get them ordered next week!

But....
I was under the impression that Swarovski had a lifetime warranty on their optics, but the warranty information for the EL line says its only 10 years now.

Seems kinda crazy since lots of mid-tier optic companies have lifetime no-question warranties now.

When did they change it up?

I'm in Canada if it makes a difference for warranty.
 
It shouldn't, but I'd suggest you call Swarovski Optik North America (SONA) and ask them about it. You may be looking at binoculars they didn't import into North America, i.e., "grey market." The serial number tells the story.

Let us know what happens, please.

Good luck,
Ed
 
Its definitely not any grey market stuff. The info is direct from Swaro. If you click the Warranty drop down at the bottom of the page for any of the binoculars, the downloads all state 10 years.

From the Canadian site:
https://ca.swarovskioptik.com/hunting/el-50-c20011003/el-10x50-p5222918

And from the US site as well:
https://www.swarovskioptik.com/birding/el-50-c21011003/el-10x50-p5222918

I've checked a few binos and spotters and they all come up with the same 10 year spiel.

SBB,

You are correct. The "10 year" warranty is granted from Absam, Austria and carries a global "10 year warranty" on all of their optics!

However, the last statement area, "Remarks for the United States of America", clarifies that if purchased from SONA..."For Further Information, Please call 1-800-426-3089!

Any qualified SONA dealer here in NA (and there are MANY) that obtains their products through SONA, these purchases will carry the SONA Lifetime-Transferable Warranty! Just Call and Ask...:t:

My 1991 Swarovski Habicht 6X30 porros (I'm the 4th owner, but original purchase was through a qualified US dealer) needed service...sent to SONA, came back "like new"...only had to pay to ship them to Rhode Island!! :king:

Hope this helps...;)

Ted
 
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Ahhh I didn't know that SONA and Swarovski Austria acted sort of on their own.
I'll give them a call this morning.

Thanks a lot for the help everyone!
I'll report back with what they say, and if they have it in writing anywhere.
 
Ahhh I didn't know that SONA and Swarovski Austria acted sort of on their own.
I'll give them a call this morning.

Thanks a lot for the help everyone!
I'll report back with what they say, and if they have it in writing anywhere.
The bottom line is you will not find better service than what Swarovski offers. We sent an 8X32 SV in for an almost imperceptible dull spot seen only against a perfectly blue sky. The bin came back in a few weeks and it's absolutely perfect. When my older 8.5X42 SV developed a minor diopter problem I sent them in. It was returned fully reconditioned and, if truth be told, better than new. I recently purchased a 7X42 SLC originally manufactured in 1996. Less than two years ago Swarovski fully reconditioned it with upgraded optics, prisms and mechanical fixes. It has a new serial number to reflect the upgrades. All these repairs (mine and the used SLC I purchased) were performed free of charge. Need I say more.:t::t::t:
 
I just called SONA.
Mystery solved!

Customer service told me that the reason you see a 10 year warranty when looking at the item on their website is that when you purchase the items directly from the SONA website, it comes with the EUROPEAN 10 year warranty, not the SONA limited lifetime warranty.

If you buy through a SONA registered retailer, in the box will be a card spelling out the limited lifetime warranty.
So long its a defect, and not you dropping it off a cliff, they will repair the item if they have parts.

He also told me that they will clean and re-do the nitrogen purge on their optics free of charge, you just pay shipping and insurance to them, and they'll even cover the return shipping.

What a ridiculously fantastic company to deal with.
Hope this is helpful to someone in the future.
 
I just called SONA.
Mystery solved!

Customer service told me that the reason you see a 10 year warranty when looking at the item on their website is that when you purchase the items directly from the SONA website, it comes with the EUROPEAN 10 year warranty, not the SONA limited lifetime warranty.

If you buy through a SONA registered retailer, in the box will be a card spelling out the limited lifetime warranty.
So long its a defect, and not you dropping it off a cliff, they will repair the item if they have parts.

He also told me that they will clean and re-do the nitrogen purge on their optics free of charge, you just pay shipping and insurance to them, and they'll even cover the return shipping.

What a ridiculously fantastic company to deal with.
Hope this is helpful to someone in the future.

Thanks for taking the time to call SONA but this surely cannot be correct even if it comes directly from a CS person.

The idea that different buyers in the USA get different warranties depending on how they purchased their bins seems to run counter to everything I have heard about Swaro warranty support for years.

Especially, the suggestion that if you buy direct from SONA (off their website) you don't get the SONA warranty, sounds particularly improbable.

Lee
 
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Who would buy off the website at full MSRP?
And the reason for "limited" lifetime warranty in the U.S.? They stock parts for 10 years after a model has been discontinued, then they'll do whatever they can to repair with whatever they have left.
 
Who would buy off the website at full MSRP?
And the reason for "limited" lifetime warranty in the U.S.? They stock parts for 10 years after a model has been discontinued, then they'll do whatever they can to repair with whatever they have left.

Thats true PP and SONA can't sell at significantly less than MSRP without starting to compete with their own dealers.

But do they really only stick those lifetime warranty cards only in the boxes they send to dealers and not into boxes they sell under their own name, and at full MSRP? If they do then like selling at MSRP maybe not including the lifetime warranty is another way of not competing with their dealers. In which case why do SONA bother selling direct at all?

Lee
 
I just called SONA.
He also told me that they will clean and re-do the nitrogen purge on their optics free of charge, you just pay shipping and insurance to them, and they'll even cover the return shipping.

What a ridiculously fantastic company to deal with.
Hope this is helpful to someone in the future.
How do you ever know if the bins need purging and nitrogen replacement?

I agree on the "fantastic company" comment. I have had four pairs of Swarovskis, including their very first model which had to be replaced quickly with a similar but newer model. One minor warranty service on the third pair (sticky focus) got me all new external lenses without my asking for them. Each time service was fast. Service on Leica bins has taken 3-4 months.
 
I now have 3 Swarovski products and the old Gray Ghost scope was repaired quickly with in a week back to me. I just had my 10x42 Swarobrights get a new fast free center hinge cover with an eagle on it even! The Swarovision 10x42's are getting a new eye cup assembly also fast and free. Don't hesitate to buy used as SONA will back you up. Amazing service and for me the view quality is truly much better than the HG Nikon or Vortex I've tried. The Swarovisions are TO ME much brighter and more pop wow color than the Swarobrights that are also stellar.
 
I own a few EL SVs and I would not say that the view quality is "much better" than the Monarch HG, I have no idea on vortex, don't own any. Additionally, there are also brighter glass out there than the EL SVs.

Andy W.
 
Here in New Zealand, the warranty is 10 years.

From gossip, I suspect that they generally run it like the American warranty without actually saying so. Leica binoculars used to come with lifetime warranty. That dropped to 25 years and is now down to 10.

In NZ, we have a piece of consumer legislation that says that warranty obligations must last as long as is reasonable. If I were to ever have an issue with a product like this, I would simply point at the US warranty and say "you clearly think that lifetime warranty is reasonable in the USA, so why do you not warrant the same product equally here?" and that would probably be that.
 
But do they really only stick those lifetime warranty cards only in the boxes they send to dealers and not into boxes they sell under their own name, and at full MSRP? If they do then like selling at MSRP maybe not including the lifetime warranty is another way of not competing with their dealers. In which case why do SONA bother selling direct at all?

Lee

Don't know why but my rep tells me they do sell quite a few accessories on their site because a lot of dealers don't stock a lot of the extras.
 
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