care instructions lacking for expensive watch

charfield_2

Hi,
I wonder if anyone can help me with this one since I cannot find anything at all on the net!

I recently bought a rather expensive watch for my dad's birthday present. It was on the Gadget Show and was highly rated for its durability. I knew dad wanted a tough work watch, so I thought I'd get it for him as an extra special present. The watch is waterproof to 100m.

After six weeks of wear, condensation appeared behind the watch face. I contacted the retailer- to cut a longish story short, their policy of free returns 'expired' after 31 days, so they refused to pay return postage. I since found out that I am entitled to have this paid as well as a refund/exchange and it is the retailer's responsibility to ensure this happens.

Anyway, this 'dispute' continues, but I then called the internet company I bought it from and asked to speak to someone more senior. He mentioned something about the 'crown' perhaps not being screwed home, which could allow water to penetrate the watch. I asked him whether this was stated in the care instruction booklet which came with the watch. He said yes, but on reading the very short booklet cover to cover, it only has a diagram of the watch face, with labels indicating the different hands. The label for the crown, simply says 'normal crown position (screwed crown).'

In the instructions on the facing page, it tells you how to set the time and date. It states for each only to 'push crown back to normal position'. Nowhere in the booklet does it state that the crown must be screwed in, or water will get in. Not even in the warranty section at the back. No other documentation came with the watch and according to the website I bought it from, this booklet was the only documentation.

My dad had no idea about having to screw this crown right in- he simply, like me, read the instructions of how to set the time/date as this was all there was. My fiance has had many waterproof watches- all have had push in crowns. How on earth were we supposed to know about this if it wasn't in the care instructions? I am really upset about this, as this watch was not cheap.

Have I got any comeback, since the care instructions are seriously lacking?

thanks

transient

Make and model of watch?

vuvuzela

Does it still work fine and is the only problem the condensation ? If so, pull out the crown to position 2 (the hands changing position), get a sealable tub and either bury the watch in dry rice or put some silica gel packets in it, then put the lid on the tub and leave in a warmish place for a few days. This should help draw the condensaton from the watch.

charfield_2

The watch is a Ballistic Extreme Chronograph watch.

The watch is not working at all, so that little ray of hope about the silica gel/dry rice has just fizzled out.:(

oldagetraveller

"The watch is waterproof to 100m." No, it's water resistant - there's a difference, i.e. probably no guarantee it will not let water in. I don't think it's allowed to state a watch is waterproof, not for a long time now.
As you say it's only recently been bought, I'd take/send it back to wherever it came from, screw down the crown first, as faulty. There's nothing to say it might have even leaked through the chronograph function pushers?
I've looked but can't find anything which describes it as a "screwdown" crown. However, as you say it mentions this in the booklet then that's exactly what it means.
I'm actually wearing a mechanical Ollech & Wajs "Cougar Professional" 660ft/200m watch now which has a screwdown crown. http://www.westcoastime.com/owcougbeadbl.html .

charfield_2

Yes, you are right- it says 'water resistant to 100m'.

I think I have no choice but to send it back. They have said they want to test it, but have said if they find it doesn't leak, I won't get any money back and they'll assume the crown wasn't screwed down properly.

My only point of dispute will then be to insist it was screwed down and/or the point that it isn't indicated properly in the care booklet.

What ever happened to 'the customer is always right'? With everything I ever buy in the UK that might have something go wrong with it, I basically have to get a police report to prove I am not trying to 'pull a fast one'! You should see the difference in the USA! (sorry- a little rant, but I am properly gutted, especially as this was a birthday present).

thanks for the responses- any more ideas/opinions out there?