Wuhan Virus . . . Watch QC Issues? Really?

Post by **Piloten** » April 5th, 2021, 12:10 pm

So, I have had a strange kind of year and I know I'm not alone.

However, this I wasn't expecting. Having gone on a bit of a spree, I wound up with a handful of mid range gens:

Ball Engineer Moonphase

Ball Explorer

Hamilton Converter GMT

I didn't really pay a lot of attention for a couple of reasons but, all of them were stiff hand winders and two of them were tough to get to the first click. I finally had the one open caseback in view when I turned the crown and to my horror (not exactly a DH Gate special, after all), the rotor spun when I turned the crown. So I put my ear up to the casebacks of the others and heard the same spinning rotor.

All three of them, sticking reverse wheels. All three of them, badly or not at all oiled out of the factory.

I just.

Yeah.

I don't have these problems with the microbrands of the year. Aragon, awesome. Ianos, just mwaa!

Sigh

Post by **Piloten** » April 5th, 2021, 12:12 pm

Reply from Hamilton (paraphrased)

"OH MY GOD. WE ARE SO SORRY. A MAILING LABEL IS ON THE WAY IF YOU CAN SEND IT TO TORONTO, WE WILL FIX IT."

Reply from Ball (paraphrased)

"Yeah, so what, shit happens. If you send it to us at your expense, we will see if you're lying."

Phaedros · Post by **Phaedros** » April 5th, 2021, 12:55 pm

Aaahh, quality control! I wonder if they pick the applicants for these jobs from the trash bin sometimes...

Just a couple of days ago I had a nice talk with a german official, head of justice department for parental leave and payments. After basically accusing me of fraud, she said: „I can totally understand you’re angry sir, but that’s how we roll. You could sue, I‘m only two years from retirement - I won’t see the verdict“ - made my day.

Post by **Yoda** » April 5th, 2021, 12:56 pm

Oh my God, someone at Ball could benefit from a course in good customer service.....

Post by **Mellons** » April 5th, 2021, 1:35 pm

Not good.

Thrasher · Post by **Thrasher** » April 5th, 2021, 4:07 pm

I have had more than a fen genuine quality watches with spinning rotors and I think they all had a 2824 or modified 2824 as the foundation. Most recently and this is just the tip of the iceberg, New Oris Divers 65 spun and then the whole movement locked up. Hamilton Murph spinning and clicking crown both went back under warranty as these problems occur in first 3 months of ownership.

P4GTR · Post by **P4GTR** » April 6th, 2021, 4:32 pm

Yoda wrote: ↑April 5th, 2021, 12:56 pm Oh my God, someone at Ball could benefit from a course in good customer service.....

Add Breitling to that list.

Post by **unreformed66** » April 7th, 2021, 7:38 pm

Yeah. I love Ball watches and own several. That being said from what I've heard about their customer service I'm damn glad that I'm a watchmaker. I don't have any first hand experience with them obviously but I hear complaints fairly often. They still tout it as an American brand but it's made in Switzerland and owned by Asia Commercial Holdings from Hong Kong.

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