Yeah, sounds like one of those horror stories of buying a lemon. I don't know if the OP bought their watch new or used; if new, then it is obviously a major lapse in quality control, and if used then it sounds like it was dinged quite hard to...
Back in the olden days (say 10 years ago), Christopher Ward had a stellar reputation for their customer service. I guess part of being a small brand that relies heavily on word of mouth within the watch community is the real need to focus on...