Any experience with IWC service center in the US, located in TX?

Sorry, but this forum is not the place for discussion of service issues. We have no way of evaluating your claims. You need to work this out with your AD. Whether or not you are responsible for dinging your watch is just not something we can evaluate.
Over the years there have been many first time complainants about service issues. I have no doubt that you are upset about your watch problem. But this is not the venue for your issue.

I understand. This is a very different answer from the vaguely accusatory one you gave before.
One comes to a forum to hear answer and discuss in a polite and civil matter. A bad experience can be useful for IWC, as I wrote, as well as to other customers.\

I would have expected notes of concern, maybe clarifying my excessive expectations or simple questions about the details. Not a dismissive one liner.

For me it ends here. No hard feelings

Michael, see above.

Best regards

Giovanni

I've just had my 3714 overhauled by a registered IWC service agent in less than three weeks from drop off to pick up. I have two a year service warranty and the service agent was approachable and helpful. I can't speak highly enough of the service in my country.

Does this raise a separate issue on the fragility of IWC watches. I do not plan on playing golf or tennis, though riding a bike or playing a game of pool on a lazy day off would be nice. There also maybe the time when I may accidentally knock it against a door frame, I am a burly sort of chap and usually tired when I come off working night duties. I am not after something bullet proof though would expect a watch to take some rumble and tumble. Would this be too much for a mechanical watch?

Kind regards,

Paul.

I don't think it is, Bassmanog, especially if your timepiece is a "sporty" one. Apparently, though, you need to be extra careful because this is a point the service dept of IWC does not recognize easily.

Compared to other high-end Swiss brands I dealt with, I am not impressed with IWC service support so far: No notification upon receiving the watch at the Service center, no ability to communicate over email, internal tracking system seems to be outdated, etc. That said, when I call, people seems to be helpful. It seems to me that the "customer service interface" needs overhauling. It could very well be the general problem with the Richemont group, because I had some minor issues with Panerai.

I have had four watches serviced by IWC. Service was great. Each watch came back looking like it was brand new.
But I printed out a detailed description of what specific work needed to be done and submitted it with each watch. That way there was no chance for misinterpretation.
My AD contacted me after a watch was inspected and advised what work was required and the cost. I then approved the work by email before it proceeded.

Thanks, Alan! Interestingly enough, this is the first time I am dealing with the Service Center directly: My AD is no longer an AD. I am sure things would have been a bit smoother had the watch been handled through an AD. I guess we all want IWC to be top-notch in every aspect of watchmaking and service. I hope our feedback helps them.

Marvelous!

Well, got my watch back. Everything was fixed under warranty. Funny enough, I called to inquire about the status and was told the watch had already been shipped back to me. So, I am very pleased with the service. That said, if the Service Center had any ability to do web-based tracking and phone/email notification, things would have been simply outstanding. I am sure IWC can get it done relatively quickly, which will further enhance the value of the IWC after-sale services.

UPDATE:

I have to give credit to IWC for trying to fix the absurd situation that I experienced.
Celena called me and she was courteous, informative and understanding showing exactly the kind of behavior I expected in the first place. Thumbs up.

Now, I don't know who is the person I talked to in my first interaction, but obviously she did not have either the power or the will (or both) to deal with an end customer so there still is evidence of some internal communication problems. However, it is good to see that the company reacted in an appropriate way to the original wrongdoing.

The solution I was offered is in my opinion a fair one. Now I can't wait to wear my Portuguese again!

UPDATE 2:
I am happy to say that today I received my watch back and the work done on it was outstanding.

So this is a good ending of a story that started not so well.
Again, thumbs up for Celena, I wish I interacted with her from the beginning and the frustration would be avoided.