Yet another new c.33xx problem post...

From the TimeZone Omega Forum:
(http://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=tree&goto=1058579&rid=146)
3303 failure after 6 weeks on ACC Ti - MarkEg - Dec 05, 2004 - 07:50 AM

I noticed today that the 30 minute and hour recorder dials have stopped working properly. The watch was bought new from a main high street jeweller on October 19th near London. I have worn the watch every day since then and used the chronograph about 5 times per day or less..

The second hand still starts, stops and resets but the 30 min dial goes immediately to just under 1 minute and sticks there after that – (it resets to zero with the second hand) the hours counter does not move.

Apart from that the watch is still keeping great time.

I went into this with my eyes open and although disappointed would now like to get the problem fixed in the best way and would like some advice about my options,,,,

Is there anyone in the UK who has gone through this too?

Posting from here to Switzerland is not expensive but the insurance for this value can only be bought from a carrier like DHL or other and this all adds up to quite a lot..

So I intend going back to the dealer I bought it from tomorrow and let them deal with it. I imagine that they would send to Swatch UK, who then might send on to Omega in Switzerland.

As a matter of interest, should, I be entitled to a full refund? I do like the watch but just wondered if I should push for this, there are plenty more fish in the sea, and having now read more reports of watches having to go back twice I am a considering that this may be the way to go?

Any thoughts gratefully received

Best regards,

Mark
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Mark already formulated a course of action (by a couple of minutes) by the time I posted my reply, But I thought I'd include my reply:

http://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=tree&th=404564&mid=1058934&rid=146&rev=&reveal=
I would be lying if I said I was surprised... - Chicagoland Chuck Maddox - Dec 05, 2004 - 01:14 PM

I would be lying if I said I was surprised... I won't recap everything that has traspired since the introduction of this dubious calibre, but the whole affair leaves a very sour taste in my mouth and I've never owned one.

Mark, you've sought counsel... The real question is what do you want? I can see the following possibilities:

• Full and Complete Refund
• Exchange for identical item or store credit

• Replacement
• Repair

• Legal action (up to and including the UK flavour of a Class Action Lawsuit)

You liked the watch enough to buy it, do you still like it enough to live through any of the last three (perhaps repeatedly)? If the answer is no, then you'll have to decide if you wish to push for a full refund or "store credit/Exchange".

If you still want one of these damned things [Chuck rolls his eyes, and shakes his head sadly] then you'll have to decide which of Repair/Replacement you wish to push for.

And probably your last recourse if you can't get satisfaction otherwise is legal action.

I'm not going to speculate as to your chances for any of these options. I'll mention that Store Credit is not desirable as you are limited to what the store sells and you are not in a strong bargaining position for gettting a good deal on anything else since the dealer already has your money. I'll also point out, that if you go with an Exchange for the same model of watch you might get another watch with all of the old known faulty parts. This is why Omega SHOULD pull all of the existing dealer stock and replace the faulty parts within them. It might be better to have the watch shipped to Bienne with a very strongly worded letter demanding that ALL of the retrofit revised parts be replaced in this watch.

This sort of thing will continue to happen until someone holds Omega's feet to the fire, either by not buyng these movements, or by forcing them to take the necessary steps to fix all of them.

I don't envy your situation. I would really rather these problems be over. I know that I've done everything in my power to get word out about this movement. Buying a c.33xx remains a gamble and in my opinion the odds do not favor the purchaser nor is the payout worth the risk.

I hope you find an acceptable resolution to this issue, and I hope Omega fixes the sorry state of affairs before they have irretrieveably ruined what's left of their reputation.

[sigh]

-- Chuck Chuck Maddox (Article index @ http://www.xnet.com/~cmaddox/cm3articles.html) Chronographs, like most finer things in life, only improve with time…

Here is Mark's planned course of action...

Thanks for all the advice, here is what I am going to do. - MarkEg - Dec 05, 2004 - 12:59 PM

I have emailed the contact at Omega, who by coincidence sent me the COSC certificate for this watch yesterday.

I am asking for a replacement to be sent to the dealer so that I can exchange the faulty watch for a new one directly with them, or if this is not possible, for them to issue a full refund.

In my view they need to address issues like this quickly, the watch I bought was probably older stock and had been with the dealer for a while. It could have been recalled and fixed before it was sold?

If a car, or Childs toy, has a safety issue, once this is identified the dealers / shops will not sell existing stock until the problem is fixed and also the previous sales are recalled to get this fixed.

A watch failing does not represent a health hazard so someone at Omega must have made a decision to only address the problem when it occurs – not good - but if this is the case they need to take some responsibility and a refund or replacement does not seem an unreasonable request to me.

Still love the watch and hope for the best…

Cheers

Mark
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I'll be watching the Omega forum for updates on the status of Mark's situation...

-- C