Disappointed on Steinhart & Gnomon Watehes!!!! I'm very angry!

[rckh]

Dear all fellows:

I'm very sorry my first post on WUS is a complaint & problem thread...........
I ordered the Steinhart Ocean 44 GMT Black-red on Gnomon Watches – Watches + Accessories + Emotions in Singapore on monsday 29/8 for my brother brithday gift on coming Saturday. Super fast delivery by UPS from SG to Hongkong(SAR) only 1 day & I received it lastnight.

After I unpacked the package I found the box is something wrong. Outer white box didn't have Steinhart logo. The Black inter box also didn't have the Steinhart and I never saw Steinhart using the kind of box....OK, No problem; I can get along with it. My little brother wearing the watch not wearing the box,right? Also, I only found a tag & stamped manual inside the box. I wonder is there any warranty card should provide by Steinhart? Without the warranty card & the serial no; How can they provide warranty?





Next, When I check the functionality of the watch. I found the GMT hand is mis-align & shifted 15minutes. No problem at all; I knew it's a simple fix for my faithful watchsmith just re-install the handsets & it will work fine.
BUT, when I going to check the lume; I found the 6 o'clock index is Green rather than Blue as the others. Last as I use my maglight torch to check the lume; I found there are many tiny dust inside the sapphire crystal.







I already contact Mr.Ander Tan on Gnomonwatches. He told me this is the last Ocean 44 Black-red they have. So, I need to send it back and have my refund. Mr.Ander Tan told me he will arrange the international UPS express to pick up the return package; so I'm just sit here and wait for them. Only 2 days left for me to source a new Steinhart for my brother; I'm getting enough of trouble now.

Maybe I'm a very unlucky, But I doubt why GnomonWatches didn't do the QC check before they ship? Why & How come they're not send me the original Steinhart inter/outer box? A replacement unnamed box? Is it truth Steinhart didn't provide warranty card & serial no? What do you think, fellows?

Best Regards,
Raymond

[Pakz]

Hello, Raymond,

I understand your frustration with the fact that time is short and there are dusts on the crystal (that has happened to me on a Omega, and whatever the price you pay, it's never a welcome sight on a new watch).

The lume... well, I would have liked it... A mix of colours, just like on the Rolex Milgauss... that's nice and funky... (Even if it could have been better yet with, say, 12, 3 and 9 in green as well)

As for the warranty card and serial number, no, Steinhart never gives that. Only thing you get is a small paper booklet which indicates the movement in the watch, the watch model and the date at which you purchased it.

And lastly, the box. At some point in June or July, Steinhart ran out of their branded boxes and therefore used these new "croc covered" boxes. They don't show the brand's name, but are, in my understanding, just as well (if not better) than the normal boxes. If you had bought directly from Steinhart, you wouldn't have gotten that box, since they have restocked the branded box sometimes ago. Obviously, going through Gnomon, which has to maintain an inventory etc. you got the "older" replacement box.

I hope that the problems you have resolve quickly... Still, if your caught by the delays, believe me, giving a card with a picture saying "you'll get this watch when it arrives" is close to be as good as receiving the watch itself. Happened to me in the past and I was very happy with it!

[rckh]

Dear Pakz:

Thx for your input & it really make me a little comfort.

I had collected swiss wristwatches 6 years already. This is the worse experience I even have; still can't believe such a swiss watchmaker couldn't hold the QC such like this. I heard Steinhart become more famous & growth rapidly in their business; that's why I get the Ocean 44 GMT for my little bro as a gift with confidence.
I owned Rolex Daytona, GMTII ceramic, Omega Planet ocean Chronograph, Cartier Santo 100XL, IWC 3717 & 3714, Hublot Big Bang, Panerai 111 & 026 & the latest AP Diver.
All they work perfectly & such UN-believeable QC problem. Don't mis-understand me; I'm clearly understand Steinhart is not at the same level as the others. But, the problem I've encounter shouldn't appear on any price, any brand level.

GMT hand shift & the day change at almost 12:35am; obviously it's the problem of craftsmanship of Steinhart's watchsmith. The most un-acceptable for me is the lume problem. Steinhart don't do the QC the check before they ship; AD don't do the QC check before they ship & the outcome are make their customers disappointed & frusture. I think both Steinhart & dealer should take the equal responsibility. Also, for the box; why Steinhart not going to make an official annoucement on their web-site? At least they should let their customer know about that OEM packing arrangement.

Still working hard to source a new one for my little brother; as Steinhart still show out-of-stock for the Ocean 44 GMT series,is there any reliable dealer can recommend?

Best Regards,
Raymond

[romeo-1]

The lume situation is very strange...I'm not even sure how that would be possible. Now, if it were the 12:00 marker that was lumed differently I would think that it was purposely done and an innovation for for the 6:00 to be lumed differently on what is effectively a dive watch is just wrong. I'm a big fan of multicolored lume but only when it serves a purpose and is purposely done.

Dust and the misaligned GMT hand are unfortunately what should be expected or at least anticipated. It's unfortunate but true nonetheless.

I've got "issues" with my Ocean 44 but nothing that I wasn't expecting and nothing I can't live with. There was dust under the crystal including a speck on the seconds hand but the pluses of the watch far outweight the minuses...plus I made my watch "mine" by modding it with an MoD handset making it my absolute favorite and ideal watch.

[Ed.YANG]

hopefully you had been following on the recent discussions on the hiccups on order processing which Steinhart is facing, as well as some quality issues with their GMT movements.it is not only Steinhart is facing some difficulties, their distribution channels are facing the same short supply and quality issues of the GMT watches as all the stocks, be it from Steinhart germany or Gnomon Singapore are all from the same factory/assembly plant.pls share with us... how long does it take from the day u placed ur order till the day u received ur watch?

[Pakz]

hopefully you had been following on the recent discussions on the hiccups on order processing which Steinhart is facing, as well as some quality issues with their GMT movements.it is not only Steinhart is facing some difficulties, their distribution channels are facing the same short supply and quality issues of the GMT watches as all the stocks, be it from Steinhart germany or Gnomon Singapore are all from the same factory/assembly plant.pls share with us... how long does it take from the day u placed ur order till the day u received ur watch?

Gnomon having their own stock (and maybe doing some stuff to the watches as well, see the gnomon caseback that can be seen sometimes) the shipping is quite different from what happens direct from Steinhart.

And the OP says that he got the watch in 1 day and a few hours... Ordered on August 29, received on August 30... Singapore to Hong-Kong, so yeah, that's fast.

[Ed.YANG]

...And the OP says that he got the watch in 1 day and a few hours... Ordered on August 29, received on August 30... Singapore to Hong-Kong, so yeah, that's fast.

Ouch... how can i missed that? Yep... Clearly stated...
As for your words on Gnomon doing some stuff to the watches... one thing i can confidently confirm with you is that... the Gnomon team is much more smaller than Steinhart. On the 2 watch i previously get from them, the Gnomon in charge, Mr. Anders TAN, personally adjust the links for me. The other staff i saw are 2 other sales girls.
The Gnomon case back you may see, are strictly available in their special release only... not all models.

[rckh]

hopefully you had been following on the recent discussions on the hiccups on order processing which Steinhart is facing, as well as some quality issues with their GMT movements.it is not only Steinhart is facing some difficulties, their distribution channels are facing the same short supply and quality issues of the GMT watches as all the stocks, be it from Steinhart germany or Gnomon Singapore are all from the same factory/assembly plant.pls share with us... how long does it take from the day u placed ur order till the day u received ur watch?

Is it mean all or most steinhart GMT model have the same misalign problem?

Best regards,
Raymond

[Ed.YANG]

Is it mean all or most steinhart GMT model have the same misalign problem?

Best regards,
Raymond

Not really all... but the most recent batch...
If you had read other threads... it's not only the "PEPSI" GMT you have are affected, the Vintage GMT are also fallen victim. Some Ocean Black GMT are also in the list...

[Pakz]

By the way, the GMT movements do not have problems... It's the setting of the hands that "slips" in transportation, I believe. Other than that problem (I'll check some local watchsmiths to see the prices they'll charge for setting the hands right) my watch is an astounding time piece. It's gorgeous, very well finished, and I set the time last Saturday at noon... Today, Wednesday evening (21:26 local time) the watch is but 4 seconds fast compared to the atomic clock... +4 seconds in 4 days and 9 hours, that's great, I'd say. Particularly when taking into acount that it was 4 seconds fast Saturday midnight, then has oscilated between +5 and +3 all the rest of the time.

So after having "set in", this is a movement that I can says is within +/- 1 second a day... well within COSC limits, better than any of the watches I have and have had...