I bought a C60 Atoll in early May and the bezel felt, to me, quite loose, with a noticeable gap when turning or even touching it. It had a lot of lateral movement The first Customer Service rep I contacted said yep, that's an issue, and I returned it.

Later, CS said they would all be similar, and an exchange may not be any better. I actually asked them to check a few out, and send me one that was less loose - or perhaps less "wobbly" - than my original one. It's coming next week.

I'm hopeful it's better. I get that there's a certain degree of tolerance, but I simply wasn't happy with the one I received. Looking on youtube you can see that some are looser while others are more solid.

So yes, it seems some people get ones that are more loose than others.

Pretty cool you got an individual to check different watches though


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zgrabill wrote: ↑Sat Jun 01, 2024 3:05 am Pretty cool you got an individual to check different watches though

Haha, it is pretty cool, huh? Maybe I have a way with words??

I guess we'll find out next week if they DID actually check. I'd like to think so - the CS person I was last dealing with said she was on leave but saw my email and had passed all the details on to a colleague. Like Mulder, I want to believe.

Will update when the time comes.

Update - the replacement watch turned up yesterday after it was waiting for a plane out of the UK for several days. The bezel was indeed much better. Only a tiny gap, tiniest amount of lateral play - completely acceptable. So, I'm pleased with that. 10 points to customer service there.

However, there are other problems. When screwing the crown in, it's making a click sound every rotation. According to a search of the webs, this problem seems to pop up every now and then with SW200-1s. It could be that something's not disengaging or there is an issue with the crown tube set up, I don't really know.
Also, that inner minute ring is misaligned just a bit. Probably 'within tolerance' but enough to annoy me on a watch I paid well over $1000 for.

Sigh. I've technically owned this watch for over a month, have only had it for about five days, & I've not been able to wear it. Meanwhile the Traska Freediver, a watch with similar specs that I could have bought instead, is now out of stock. (It's not as pretty but the size is right and the case hardening is a nice bonus...)

Ha! It's really a first-world problem, but I'm annoyed and disheartened. Anyway, I'm just having a vent. Thanks, forum. Will see what CS advises.

One of my two watches with a rotating bezel is my 2+ yr old Omega Seamaster 300 Heritage. I’ve always noted a smidgen of misalignment at 12 and now that I’ve heard this fuss about play, there is a bit of play in it as well. Certainly within acceptable tolerances for me. These are not issues that get in the way unless I specifically look for them in obsessive fashion, hence the understandable acceptable tolerances from manufacturing variations. In an effort to sort this, you now end up with a crown winding issue. I think, in your quest for perfection within the areas you’re checking, from a £1000+ piece, you may be in for disappointment and frustration. Good luck!

Well, I see what you're saying. However, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect things to line up & not be loose or have a lot of lateral play, especially at this price point. It's a lot of money for me to spend on a watch.

What I like about watches is the brilliance of engineering, the precision, how a bunch of tiny springs and gears can come together to beat away day after day. It's remarkable they can constantly perform their little dance and keep anywhere near accurate time.

For me, the wonder at such precision spills over into the execution and things like case, dial & bezel alignment, and fit & finish. I may be asking for a lot, but to me that's what watchmaking is about.

I'm glad that you enjoy your Omega. I'm sure it's fantastic with just a barely noticeable misalignment. Thanks for sharing your perspective.