TAG Carrera with water inside face

TAG Carrera with water inside face

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Discussion

Boozy

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

219 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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Long story short, paid a lot of money to have the watch serviced and repaired, came out of the shower three days ago and since then there's condensationon the inside of the face, tried leaving it ina bowl of rice which dried it out till I put it on then it's back to square one.

Is the watch permenantly damaged? when I get back from my holiday in the UK it's going back to the shop as it's meant to have been kept sealed, not happy but has anyone had experience of this?

Phunk

1,976 posts

171 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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Same thing happened to me, also ruined the dials, hands etc.

£435 to fix :O

Boozy

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

219 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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Did you have to foot that???

andibrook

46 posts

202 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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I wouldn't shower with a watch which hasn't got a screw-in crown regardless how w/r it's supposed to be. Good luck trying to get it sorted for free. As said above if it goes back to Tag they'll want to re-service it and more than likely replace the dial and hands.

langy

565 posts

239 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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Insurance ?

Boozy

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

219 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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So despite having the watch serviced and repaired by them, paying extra to ensure it's still waterproof, it's not actually waterproof?

I've showered with it every day I've had it since I bought it for the record.

andibrook

46 posts

202 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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Im not trying to be an arse mate, im just telling you what to expect. There wont be any problem fixing it (answering your question in your 1st post).
It's not water proof by the way!!! It's either 5 or 10 bar water resistant. Read the instructions and it'll tell you what you can do at different water resistancies.
To answer your 2nd question, yes I would be annoyed if I had just got my watch serviced, the seals changed and then water gets into the movement/case. But as I said your watch isn't designed to be showered. If you wanted a Tag to do that you should have got an aquaracer or link- 200-500m water resisitant. If you wern't told about the issues with water resisitancy when you bought it, I'd go back to the retailer and moan at them.

Edited by andibrook on Sunday 22 May 16:07

Boozy

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

219 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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So what does the 50 meters on the back mean then?

andibrook

46 posts

202 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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Still wouldn't take it any where near water without a screw-in crown, just a personal thing! As I said mate im not being an arse, just putting my point forward and telling you what to expect when you send it back to Tag. If you're sending it through a retailer i'd write a letter to Tag to go with the watch and try to deal with them personally, rather than the retailer working on your behalf.

Boozy

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

219 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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Ok was just asking thanks.

LooneyTunes

6,847 posts

158 months

Sunday 22nd May 2011
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I had water ingress to one of my watches last year.

Warmed some large silica gel pouches in the oven (low heat) to thoroughly dry them out and then put these + watch in small sealed food container (on a bright windowsill to get the temperature up a bit) for about a week.

Seems to have solved the problem and didn't leave any visible marks inside the glass/on face.

Ikemi

8,445 posts

205 months

Monday 23rd May 2011
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Boozy said:
So what does the 50 meters on the back mean then?
Technically: Suitable for everyday use and swimming but NOT poolside diving, snorkelling or water sports.

http://littlejewellers.co.uk/faq/waterresistance/

A 30m rated watch shouldn't even be used for swimming! A splash of rain is all that is recommended hehe

Did the jewellers definitely carry out a pressure test to ensure the watch was water resistant post-service? If so, I'd ask for the watch to be sent back to Tag Heuer, with all charges covered by the jewellers.

If they are not keen to do so, I'd simply state that you are concerned the movement may suffer in terms of accuracy and reliability now that it has been exposed to moisture. I'd also point out that you're going to be without your watch for another 8-12 weeks! See what they say?

Dempsey1971

383 posts

170 months

Monday 23rd May 2011
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I had this a few weeks ago with my Monaco. Serviced by the Official Tag Repair centre and condensation on the inside of the crystal after 1 night wearing it.

Watches of Switzerland sent it back, and Tag have given it another service, removed and checked all the mechanism and replaced all the seals. Plus they have given me a free service after 12 months to make sure everything is OK.

Was very pleased with response from WoS, and I'd say that's what you should be looking for from your dealer.

Boozy

Original Poster:

2,340 posts

219 months

Monday 23rd May 2011
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Thanks guys!! that's more what I was hoping to hear, I definitely asked for it to be sealed as I paid the best part of $900 to have it repaired and serviced, thanks!!

Durzel

12,267 posts

168 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
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Just experienced this myself..

Sent Tag Carrera Calibre 15 back for repair (in warranty) after the chrono feature stopped working. Only received it back last Thursday, after waiting ~6 weeks for it.

Wear it out in Amsterdam, it starts raining a bit (spitting) and now I have condensation that won't go away on both sides of the watch. I've never showered with it on, or been underwater, in spite of its apparent water resistance to 100m.

Ridiculous. Haven't yet tried a silica/rice solution because of circumstances, but who knows whether it will fix it and remain a lasting fix?

PJ S

10,842 posts

227 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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Fix?
The only way to prevent it happening again is to have it properly fixed.
It sounds like someone didn't do a pressure test before being declared completed and ready for return.

It's one of the main reasons Tags get little love on most watch forums – service experiences are typically negative.

Lorneg

228 posts

179 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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If you feel up to it, then unscrew and take the back off and leave it somewhere warm and dust free for a couple of days (airing cupboard) and the water will evaporate away. Don't heat it with a hair dryer or anything though as the lubricating oil will drain out.

50m water resistance is a watch makers term that means 'it's probably OK if you splash water on it'. Problem with showering with a watch is the hot water of the shower causes changes in expansion of the different parts of the case, opening potential leak paths. The soap in the water reduces its surface tension and allows it to penetrate smaller gaps that normal water would. Even with a fully waterproof divers watch you'll find the lug pins corrode after a while and the strap or bracelet suddenly drops off. Lug pins are made from stainless steel which most people think makes them corrosion free, but there's a clue in the name stain-less, not stain-free. Showering and hot baths are very dangerous for any watch.

PJ S

10,842 posts

227 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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Is that a reply to the latest poster's problem or was that a general soapbox reply?

On the presumption it was the former, did you not read that:
a) the watch is rated to 100m, not 50m
b) he's never showered with it on
c) only got damp through being out in a light rain shower

So is his problem soap, non-stain-free link pins, or possibly something Tag didn't do before handing the watch back?

Mr Daytona

221 posts

116 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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Somewhat uncalled for reply - I read that Lorneg was merely responding to the OPs original statement that he "came out of the shower" whilst wearing his Tag. Looks like Lorneg was merely trying to be helpful (as he has been on a number of occasions on other threads), which bearing in mind he manufacturers watches for a living does make his observations particularly noteworthy.


Lorneg

228 posts

179 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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I think PJ S has a general dislkie of anything I say. Probably something to do with his accusation that my watches are blatant rip offs of the Corum Romulus, and my response (in the very politest way I could manage) that he's a plonker