C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

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wils5467
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C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by wils5467 »

New here so be gentle please.

I have a C8 flyer quartz - the original model with the "CHRWARD" logo. It has just required its first new battery (amazingly long battery life). However, when I removed the back I was astonished to find a huge number of scratches on the black coating inside of the watch (see attached). This seems like very poor quality control to me and has stopped me wanting another CW watch. Is this anyone else's experience?
C8.jpg
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richtel
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by richtel »

Seriously? It's a spacer ring to centralise, mount the movement and dial. It's hidden within the case doing its job. Scratches on it affect neither aesthetics or function. Is it such a big deal?

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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by JAFO »

Many spacers are just fairly soft/flexible plastic. A metal spacer is much more impressive I think. It's hard to make out any scratches on your picture, to be honest.
wils5467
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by wils5467 »

richtel wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:55 pm Seriously? It's a spacer ring to centralise, mount the movement and dial. It's hidden within the case doing its job. Scratches on it affect neither aesthetics or function. Is it such a big deal?

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Not a big deal, I was just surprised to find something less than perfect at this price point.
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by wils5467 »

JAFO wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:17 pm Many spacers are just fairly soft/flexible plastic. A metal spacer is much more impressive I think. It's hard to make out any scratches on your picture, to be honest.
On the black spacer - you can see brass / gold coloured scratches (particularly near the top of the image). I realise it is hidden inside the watch but I would have expected attention to quality even where it is not on display.
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richtel
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by richtel »

wils5467 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:32 pm
JAFO wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:17 pm Many spacers are just fairly soft/flexible plastic. A metal spacer is much more impressive I think. It's hard to make out any scratches on your picture, to be honest.
On the black spacer - you can see brass / gold coloured scratches (particularly near the top of the image). I realise it is hidden inside the watch but I would have expected attention to quality even where it is not on display.
Ah, that's the back of the dial. The scratching through the paint is possibly where the feet of the indices has been ground flush. Not a problem and certainly not unusual- if you google even some high end watch dials, the rear is often unpainted brass with plenty of scratches.
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by Viognier »

Feedback provided as you asked. IMO a complete Non-issue, inside a sealed casebook, that is opened once every three years to change a battery.
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by JAFO »

richtel wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:54 pm
wils5467 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:32 pm
JAFO wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:17 pm Many spacers are just fairly soft/flexible plastic. A metal spacer is much more impressive I think. It's hard to make out any scratches on your picture, to be honest.
On the black spacer - you can see brass / gold coloured scratches (particularly near the top of the image). I realise it is hidden inside the watch but I would have expected attention to quality even where it is not on display.
Ah, that's the back of the dial. The scratching through the paint is possibly where the feet of the indices has been ground flush. Not a problem and certainly not unusual- if you google even some high end watch dials, the rear is often unpainted brass with plenty of scratches.
So it's actually a step above a common-or-garden spacer, then.
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by johncolescarr »

wils5467 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 1:38 pm This seems like very poor quality control to me and has stopped me wanting another CW watch.
The truth is that CW, like most watch brands outside of the very largest outsource their manufacture to various suppliers, oftentimes a rather small group of suppliers. Details such as finishing of dial backs are not controlled by CW but their parts manufacturer.

This means you’ll get the same from other similar, albeit more expensive brands.

It’s an early model and CW have changed suppliers a few times so maybe small details like this will no longe longer be the same.

For me, I would not be too upset by a detail like this if the rest of the watch is flawless. As far as I’m concerned I’m more interested in design, quality of finish (eg polishing, case and bracelet fitting, quality of materials etc. I’m my experience of about a dozen CW watches this has always been flawless except for a couple of instances where CW have sorted for me. I might add that I buy mine usually off of eBay used so am buying others problems!

If you love the watch otherwise I wouldn’t let it put you off and I would also not let it stop you buying other CW as it would be a shame to pass up on watches that you really like.
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by Lavaine »

Seems like a bit of a non-issue. If I bought a Mercedes and found the floor in the boot under the carpet wasn't as nicely finished as the outside of the car I wouldn't be refusing to buy another one. Especially if that was the only issue I encountered in many years of use.
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by strapline »

I wouldn't say that you have too much to worry about there in truth. Is the spacer plastic or metal, it looks like you can see brass-coloured metal showing through the paint? More important is the ronda movement, complete with some Jewells encasing pinions, it looks to be a good quartz movement. Elliot Brown do a really good job with their movement spacers/housings in their quartz watches. Not only are they made from metal, and branded, they are also suspended from rubber elastomers so the movement effectively floats in the caseback thus reducing shocks. Below is a picture...
3DF6738E-9636-405D-BCE8-198E1702381C.jpeg
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by wils5467 »

Thanks for all the replies. A mixed set of views but nobody seems to share my disappointment at the lack of attention to detail where it can't be seen.

Maybe I'm just too fussy. I have a large collection of what I call mid-price watches - £350 - £600 (a mix of auto and quartz) and I've never seen anything like this before. If you've ever taken an Apple product apart you will know that they pay as much attention to the inside as the outside.

To Strapline - the Ronda movement has kept very good time and the battery lasted about 7 years! I had not heard of Elliot Brown until you mentioned them. There are a couple of watches on their site I like the look of so I shall be ordering something today I think - many thanks.

Anyway, with its new battery installed it will be telling me the right time for another 7 years I hope.

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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by Thermexman »

I wouldn't let these scratches put you off a watch that you've been happy with for 7 yrs and I wouldn't let it put you off buying another CW watch.

I get it that you might be mad at them for jamming it in there, with those scratches but these things happen. :shock:

On the positive side, this issue has led you to join us after all this time so welcome aboard. Perhaps you'll stick around and keep popping in for a chat every now & then? :thumbup:
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by Thegreyman »

Welcome to the forum.

I agree that this isn't something that would bother me, particularly when it sounds like you have been more than happy with the watch in every other regard.
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Re: C8 Flyer Quartz Quality Control

Post by exHowfener »

Welcome aboard.

I'm in the "doesn't bother me" camp on this. Mainly because it clearly has no effect on performance or, up to now, your enjoyment of the watch. After seven years, most of my watches have more than a few scratches on the outside anyway - that's life. I've never owned an Apple product, much less taken one apart but scratches or not, I think your watch will outlast anything Apple make!

But, and it's a big but, it's your watch so yours is really the only opinion that counts. Hopefully you can replace the case back and carry on enjoying your watch for the next seven years.
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