My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

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thevorpalblade
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My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by thevorpalblade »

Hi Guys
I'm so disappointed!
Back in November '17 I decided to get a 'proper' mechanical watch and the 'COSC C7 Rapide Day Date' took my fancy.
Well what a waste of money. I'm not wealthy. To me £900+ is a considerable amount.

Initially it worked well, keeping good time as I expected a COSC watch to do so.
+/- 1 or 2 seconds each day - GREAT!

But then during the period May/June/July '18 is started to get slower and slower and eventually stopped.
It was sent for repair under warranty.
Estimated repair time was 5 weeks.

It was actually returned 11 weeks later! And was now losing 8 secs each and every day.
This was recorded on the repair card that was returned with the watch: apparently acceptable!
And I thought Christopher Ward was supposed to have a good after sales service reputation. NOT.
FYI: the face marker at the '7' position had initially loosened thereby slowing the hands, and ultimately coming free and jamming the hands near the '12' position.
To negate this problem I would set it 5 minutes ahead and then wait for time to catch up.

Suddenly, last week, it stopped and I've since discovered that the watch runs 'face down' but stops 'face up'.
It's now out of warranty. Any suggestions?

Juice it? Squash it?
No doubt this 'Lemon' would squirt me in the eye as I dispose of it.
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Mikkei4 »

Why is it out of warranty if you bought it in November 2017? 60 months warranty?

Obviously it's not performing correctly or as you expect so will need to go back to CW again but should still be covered under 60/60.
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry that you have found us in such disappointing circumstances with your C7 Rapide COSC Day Date.
thevorpalblade wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 9:33 pm . . . . . . .
Suddenly, last week, it stopped and I've since discovered that the watch runs 'face down' but stops 'face up'.
It's now out of warranty. Any suggestions?

Juice it? Squash it?
No doubt this 'Lemon' would squirt me in the eye as I dispose of it.
However, why do you think it is out of Warranty?

CW's 60/60 Warranty is one of the best available in the watch business i.e. 60 days to return and/or 60 months Warranty on the Movement.

Your watch, being new in Nov '17 is covered until Nov '22.

May I suggest you get straight onto CW, explain the situation and get the watch back to them.

Best method is to complete their on-line Service & Repairs form. If you do that this evening, it should be acknowledged during tomorrow.

Hoping this helps.

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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Macdaz »

I think before pronouncing that their customer service is poor, give them another chance to put it right.

They fixed your watch initially, as far as they are concerned it's fixed. They don't know it's broken again. I'd go back and give them the chance to do the right thing. They usually do. (The movement is still well within warranty)
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Paul Drawmer »

Did you get the watch back in about September 2018?
If it ran out of spec at that time, did you let CW know they had goofed?
What communications have you had with CW since it was returned from its initial repair?
There's always time for one more.
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by neilj568 »

- 8 secs is well out of COSC spec is it not (which is -4/+6 IIRC)?
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Mikkei4 »

Such a shame that we hadn't heard from the OP prior to this first post as the same useful and helpful advice would have been given prior to now. As fas as I can understand his watch shouldn't have left CW from the first period of warranty work if the repair card shows it was out of the COSC specification, because 8 secs is out of COSC specs as stated in 1 of the previous posts here.

However I would not have done what this OP has done by putting up with the problem, setting the time wrong, done nothing about a loose marker, not checking the warranty period etc whether the cost of the watch was £300, £900 or more. I'd have been onto CW straight way and made sure they knew of every problem because they can't fix what they aren't aware of.

It'd be nice to hear from the OP again to understand at what point it was thought that the warranty had lapsed and why. Is it only this Forum that's been told of "a lemon" and not the Customer Services at CW?
thevorpalblade
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by thevorpalblade »

Many, many thanks to all of you!

I miss-understood the 60/60 warranty.

Thank you for putting this frustrated CW owner straight: it is really appreciated.
I'll contact them now.

Best Wishes

Graham
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by PaulJS »

Clearly your experience has been what can only be described as 'pants' but the saving grace is that, sometimes despite appearances to the contrary, CW don't set out to c**k up their customer service! But on occasion they do manage to do so quite spectacularly.

As others have said, persevere and they will get it right sooner or later!

Good luck.
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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Jcalder68 »

I’m sorry to hear that you have had bad luck with your watch. There is some great advice in the above posts on how to produce from now - contact CW again and let them have another chance is my best advice.

My experience with CW customer service has been nothing short of exemplary. My returns have been dealt with within a few weeks, have been returned in perfect condition and their representatives have always treated me politely and efficiently. Contrast this to other manufacturers I have had to deal with - I had to return my (similar priced) Sinn 104 to the manufacturer for similar time deviations to what you have experienced and was quoted with a return of 14 weeks. When it did eventually come back to me (just 13 weeks later) it was returned as just the watch and not the full sales box, spring bar tool, warranty card and original sales receipt/paperwork that I sent them! I’m still trying to chase them several months further down the line...

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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Macca »

Should be covered but poor bloke is just having a rant, we have all been there, calm down everyone it’s just a commercial! I’ve had issues with a few watches and cw have really let me down a couple of times to be honest, forgetting to service my watch and charging me being one.. sending one back without a pusher was another lol god knows how that one happened

It’s a pricey piece and running out of spec so I’d be a bit cheesed off too

Good luck sorting it out OP


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Re: My COSC Rapide C7 DayDate is... a LEMON

Post by Markornot »

thevorpalblade wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 9:33 pm It was sent for repair under warranty.
Estimated repair time was 5 weeks.

It was actually returned 11 weeks later!
Had a similiar experience with MY C9 JH in that the “repair” did not address the issue at all on the first try but they did get it done on the second. I was told 5 weeks bench time on each separate return. One took 10 weeks the other over 12, not including shipping time. I actually don’t mind too much that they took that long, I would just prefer that if the self imposed turnaround deadlines can’t be met by the generic “5 weeks”, then properly convey that to the customer and of course, try to get right the first time.
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