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Old 25 August 2021, 12:27 AM   #61
pandrew6l
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[QUOTE=london_v;11660112]Update from my side.

Having slept on it, I wasn’t happy with the outcome. I spoke with my AD who kindly escalated the issue to the MD of GS.

As an outcome, they’ve offered to take my watch back and issue a credit voucher to use on any other GS reference. The voucher is £900 less than what I paid for the watch and their reasoning is they need to send the watch back to Japan to get it in a resaleable condition. I don’t understand why this cost is passed down to me when its their watch that's defective.

Anyhow, that’s the outcome and I’m heading in to speak with my AD later this week. Not sure how I feel about this, it’s a sad situation and the watch has remained in the drawer as I can’t unsee the bubbles (which have now appeared in more places)!

This GS MD offer makes me even more disappointed at GS , worst than doing nothing and stick to their " within spec " defense.

The Big Cheese from GS wanted to ding you $1,200 to buy back your SBGW 231 as a "used watch", instead of honoring the commitment to qualify and customer service. To make it worst, the credit voucher ids only food for another GS product.

Shaming them more maybe an option !
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Old 25 August 2021, 02:53 AM   #62
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Update from my side.

Having slept on it, I wasn’t happy with the outcome. I spoke with my AD who kindly escalated the issue to the MD of GS.

As an outcome, they’ve offered to take my watch back and issue a credit voucher to use on any other GS reference. The voucher is £900 less than what I paid for the watch and their reasoning is they need to send the watch back to Japan to get it in a resaleable condition. I don’t understand why this cost is passed down to me when its their watch that's defective.

Anyhow, that’s the outcome and I’m heading in to speak with my AD later this week. Not sure how I feel about this, it’s a sad situation and the watch has remained in the drawer as I can’t unsee the bubbles (which have now appeared in more places)!

If I do accept the offer, I don’t know what to replace the 231 with as the dress option to my Explorer 124270. I do love the quartz version of the 231 (SBGX319) but not sure if my AD can source. Maybe that + a Seiko Diver? Who knows, for now I’m done thinking about GS.
You should kindly try and work with your AD to get a full credit amount on any watch that your AD carries and not just GS. There should a cost to all of the hassle and dissapointment as a consumer of a high end product. And on another note, does GS sell refurbished watches?
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Old 25 August 2021, 03:04 AM   #63
london_v
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It’s a GS Boutique so no other watches other then Seiko and GS.

I’ll see what they say, I feel the offer is a poor one as my wedding watch is not finished well, and I’m tied to buying a cheaper watch within the same brand as a replacement. Makes no sense.

My AD has been great throughout this process and I’ve got a good relationship with them, but it seems they are at the mercy of head office. And I thought GS was a brand that stood for quality and integrity.

Good point about selling refurbed watches. I’ve not heard that they do! Hmmmm…
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Old 9 September 2021, 05:38 AM   #64
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Update. I wrote directly to the MD of Grand Seiko and received a reply shortly after. They have now offered a full credit of £3,900 to spend on any other watch but have said I have until the end of October to use it. A much better result but the time limit is a bit weird.

I can replace with another 231 but if the bubble issue returns then I’m stuck with it. This worries me tbh. I’ll have a think of what other model complements my Explorer 1.
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Old 9 September 2021, 07:24 AM   #65
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That’s better indeed.
You also have to make sure it doesn’t affect other models from GS before making your choice.
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Old 9 September 2021, 09:25 AM   #66
pandrew6l
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Time to move on , use your full credit to buy a Spring Drive , and take your wife out for nice dinner. Life is too short to beat this horse anymore.
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Old 9 September 2021, 10:38 PM   #67
southcarolina1801
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I recently purchased the same watch and found bubbles in my crystal as well. I do suspect it's something to do with how the crystal is attached to the watch.

One you see it you can't unsee it though, ending up returning it at my AD and exchanging it for another watch.
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Old 10 September 2021, 09:01 AM   #68
PJitz
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This might be the best looking watch I've seen. Such a shame it's killed by a glaring defect.
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Old 11 September 2021, 01:24 AM   #69
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This might be the best looking watch I've seen. Such a shame it's killed by a glaring defect.
Wow, quite a few bubbles from the 40 to 55 marker ! Do they grow over time ?
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Old 11 September 2021, 04:03 AM   #70
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Interesting (my SBGW035 shows this and I still adore it).
I wonder if the three new Genbi valley models that GS just announced will suffer from this. Since they only differ from the SBGW231 by their dials, I suspect they will.


Having a great time…..
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Old 11 September 2021, 02:18 PM   #71
PJitz
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Wow, quite a few bubbles from the 40 to 55 marker ! Do they grow over time ?
Not that I've noticed. It was this bad from the start.


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Interesting (my SBGW035 shows this and I still adore it).
I wonder if the three new Genbi valley models that GS just announced will suffer from this. Since they only differ from the SBGW231 by their dials, I suspect they will.


Having a great time…..
Unless they've change the assembly process, I imagine they will have this issue.
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Old 15 November 2021, 11:33 AM   #72
pandrew6l
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Hi all,

Have just taken delivery of the GS SBGW231 and firstly let me say this is a stunning watch.

However, I'm disappointed that it seems my example has what appears to be a not-so-insignificant QC issue. I'm not entirely sure exactly what's going on; but it seems there's either some markings on the rehaut that are being magnified by the crystal, or some condensation under/embedded in the crystal.

Has anyone here seen this issue? Do you have any opinions on how to proceed?

Here's someone who has encountered the same issue:

https://www.watchprosite.com/seiko/d...73501.9309536/
https://www.watchprosite.com/seiko/w...4151.11550366/


And here's my example (see especially 8 - 11 o'clock on the inside of the bezel): https://imgur.com/a/j6Co2gU


Would love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers
Bump to the top
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Old 20 November 2021, 04:38 AM   #73
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Old 21 November 2021, 11:05 AM   #74
southcarolina1801
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This might be the best looking watch I've seen. Such a shame it's killed by a glaring defect.
Yeah I agree, I was so disappointed by mine. I really loved it!
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Old 5 October 2022, 05:57 AM   #75
teckel12
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Sorry to dig up this old thread, but this thread is very specific, with some history and research so a new thread seemed inappropriate.

After someone informed me about "bubbles" on the SBGW231, I took a loupe to my couple year old 231 under harsh lighting. After a lot of VERY close inspection under just the right angles, I could see some very small lines which look like rough surface right were the crystal contacts the case. If I use the box crystal to distort these lines, I could make them into little dots instead of lines.

What I see isn't bubbles at all, I see a very slightly rough surface on the lip of the case where the crystal is glued to the case. The box crystal then works like a magnifying glass to increase the apparent size. The box crystal can also be used to distort this rough surface so "bubbles" appear.

Anyway, I highly doubt they're bubbles at all, looks just like a slightly rough surface. And it makes sense if they're gluing a crystal to the case that they would (on purpose) make the surface slightly rough so the glue would adhere.

In the attached picture you can see this slightly rough surface. It looks much wider because the box crystal is magnifying it when you view it at JUST the right angle. A few mm off and they're gone. Also, in this pic towards 6 o'clock you can see this rough surface better. I can go around the entire perimeter of the crystal (under a loupe at JUST the right angle) and see this VERY faint rough surface.

So is this the "bubbles" people are reporting? I believe this is a "is the dress white and gold or black and blue" type of thing. Some are seeing bubbles, I see simply a rough surface where the crystal is glued to the case.

In any case, if you get a loupe out and go looking, you're going to find an imperfection on any watch. Oh, and the dress is while and gold. ;)
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Old 23 October 2022, 09:51 PM   #76
PJitz
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Sorry to dig up this old thread, but this thread is very specific, with some history and research so a new thread seemed inappropriate.

After someone informed me about "bubbles" on the SBGW231, I took a loupe to my couple year old 231 under harsh lighting. After a lot of VERY close inspection under just the right angles, I could see some very small lines which look like rough surface right were the crystal contacts the case. If I use the box crystal to distort these lines, I could make them into little dots instead of lines.

What I see isn't bubbles at all, I see a very slightly rough surface on the lip of the case where the crystal is glued to the case. The box crystal then works like a magnifying glass to increase the apparent size. The box crystal can also be used to distort this rough surface so "bubbles" appear.

Anyway, I highly doubt they're bubbles at all, looks just like a slightly rough surface. And it makes sense if they're gluing a crystal to the case that they would (on purpose) make the surface slightly rough so the glue would adhere.

In the attached picture you can see this slightly rough surface. It looks much wider because the box crystal is magnifying it when you view it at JUST the right angle. A few mm off and they're gone. Also, in this pic towards 6 o'clock you can see this rough surface better. I can go around the entire perimeter of the crystal (under a loupe at JUST the right angle) and see this VERY faint rough surface.

So is this the "bubbles" people are reporting? I believe this is a "is the dress white and gold or black and blue" type of thing. Some are seeing bubbles, I see simply a rough surface where the crystal is glued to the case.

In any case, if you get a loupe out and go looking, you're going to find an imperfection on any watch. Oh, and the dress is while and gold. ;)
Thanks for your contribution. Your analysis definitely makes sense. Though even if the visual defect is caused by a rough surface rather than the crystal itself, I still don't think it's justifiable as something that is within tolerance. This is something that's clearly visible at a normal viewing distance when on the wrist.

I haven't gotten around to making inquiries at a GS service centre, but I intend to at some stage.
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Old 24 October 2022, 01:04 AM   #77
teckel12
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While it's visible, it wasn't till I went looking for it (knowing what to look for and at a precise angle). Also, it's only visible because the crystal is magnifying the rough surface (which I believe is there on purpose). So it's not really a defect, it's been given a rough surface on purpose so the glue will adhere.

In any case, I'm not worried about it, I'm not looking for it so I never see it under normal wear.
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Old 24 October 2022, 01:46 PM   #78
pandrew6l
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GS is all about perfection ! If you closed your eyes and pretend not to see, any one can be a pretty young lady !
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Old 24 October 2022, 01:56 PM   #79
teckel12
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If you look close enough, all watches by all brands have "defects". The crystal is just being used as a loupe to kinda see something that wouldn't normally be seen without a loupe.

There's no such thing as perfection. To believe this is of any brand is a total farce.
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Old 24 October 2022, 01:59 PM   #80
pandrew6l
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Sorry, it is all in the mind !!
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Old 6 November 2022, 12:33 AM   #81
PJitz
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While it's visible, it wasn't till I went looking for it (knowing what to look for and at a precise angle). Also, it's only visible because the crystal is magnifying the rough surface (which I believe is there on purpose). So it's not really a defect, it's been given a rough surface on purpose so the glue will adhere.

In any case, I'm not worried about it, I'm not looking for it so I never see it under normal wear.
Whether deliberate to ensure glue adherence, or due to manufacturing error, this is absolutely still a -visual- defect. There is clearly visible roughness/bubbles/whatever from standard viewing distance on random, inconsistent parts of the outer crystal on what seems to be a sizeable percentage of these watches.

More power to you if you can accept this and not let it ruin your experience of the watch, but I can’t.

Cheers
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