Tag Heuer Carrera - No Water Resistance

[bad company]

My son bought this watch from a Tag Heuer store in Florida in October. It was supposed to be water resistant to 100m. It leaked the first time he wore in the swimming pool. No problem or quibble, they exchanged it for a new watch. Since then he’s made a point of keeping the new watch dry - until yesterday. He forgot to take the new watch off and went for a swim again. The new watch leaked just like it’s predecessor.

So what now. Should he request a refund, repair or another replacement?

[guards red]

That will dry out, if he wants to keep it. My experience of watches without screw down crowns is that they aren't happen with any activity like swimming or even wearing in a shower.

If he wants a watch that will do that, get a diver's watch or at least one with a scew down crown.

Other experiences might differ....

[gregs656]

That's poor.

[Saleen836]

Did you mean 100m or is it 100ft? if the latter then a quick google shows this....
100ft water resistance is 30meter or 3atm. Watches of this level of water resistance are basically water resistant enough to protect against rain, splashes from the sink, or the random unplanned accidental short term submersion ( if the gaskets have been checked regularly.).

[bad company]

Saleen836 said:

Did you mean 100m or is it 100ft? if the latter then a quick google shows this....
100ft water resistance is 30meter or 3atm. Watches of this level of water resistance are basically water resistant enough to protect against rain, splashes from the sink, or the random unplanned accidental short term submersion ( if the gaskets have been checked regularly.).

It’s 100m.

[Emily's dad]

I had an Omega that let in water, the only obvious sign was a misting on the rear of the glass.
Very quickly afterwards it stopped working properly.
Fortunately it was soon after a service and was dealt with very well by Omega.

However the amount of parts changed (and given back to me afterwards) that were corroded was unbelievable.
A small amount of water appeared to cause a lot of damage with my watch.

I’d be taking this up with Tag.

[anonymous-user]

guards red said:

That will dry out, if he wants to keep it. My experience of watches without screw down crowns is that they aren't happen with any activity like swimming or even wearing in a shower.

If he wants a watch that will do that, get a diver's watch or at least one with a scew down crown.

Other experiences might differ....

Agree about the screw down crown being better for water resistance, but disagree strongly about drying it out and keeping it. Once its had water in it like that, it will be buggered unless it gets fully disassembled, dried, and serviced. The moisture will slowly be corroding the moving parts, spoiling the dial, and causing other issues. It will just keep corroding internally until it just stops one day, and probably be too far gone to repair without replacement parts.

I would give it back to TAG and ask for a full refund, or change it for one of their dive watches.

gregs656 said:

That's poor.

It is absolutely dreadful.

I’ve owned a few fake watches previously, along with homage stuff like Pagani Design, and none of them had any issue whatsoever with being worn in the sea, jumping in a swimming pool etc. For a brand like TAG to be misting up like that after a dip in a pool is absolutely shocking!

[bad company]

I’ll just add that I have a 30 year old Omega Seamaster which is water resistant to 120m. I’ve worn it while scuba diving down to 50m without a problem.

[mickyh7]

bad company said:

I’ll just add that I have a 30 year old Omega Seamaster which is water resistant to 120m. I’ve worn it while scuba diving down to 50m without a problem.

I guess the Tag cost sub 1k
Your Seamaster, probably 4k + to replace.
Different leagues, quality wise.
This is his second Tag to leak in shallow water!
Better off with a Seiko Diver and a load of change.

[bad company]

mickyh7 said:

bad company said:

I’ll just add that I have a 30 year old Omega Seamaster which is water resistant to 120m. I’ve worn it while scuba diving down to 50m without a problem.

I guess the Tag cost sub 1k
Your Seamaster, probably 4k + to replace.
Different leagues, quality wise.
This is his second Tag to leak in shallow water!
Better off with a Seiko Diver and a load of change.

List price for the Tag is $6050 but my son would have got some discount. I think the Omega cost something like £1200 but that was 30 odd years ago.

[mickyh7]

Wow! My apologies.
6k for a watch not fit for purpose.
Trousers down springs to mind.
Seamaster prices are silly now, as are most watches.
My Seamaster is one of the cheaper ones, but is waterproof to 1000ft

[gregs656]

Letting it dry out and being ok with it is not good advice. Screw down crowns don't do a great deal for water resistance, like screw down pushers it's more to do with removing a chance of accidental operation. If the seals are no good it makes no difference at all whether the crown screws down or not.

Needs to go back to Tag.

[mickyh7]

gregs656 said:

Letting it dry out and being ok with it is not good advice. Screw down crowns don't do a great deal for water resistance, like screw down pushers it's more to do with removing a chance of accidental operation. If the seals are no good it makes no difference at all whether the crown screws down or not.
Needs to go back to Tag.

I agree, however 100 meters (6ats) water resistant is pathetic for an expensive watch.
Kinetic pressure would have it leaking in a pool again just by surface swimming!
This is the second time-why would the third time make a difference?

[originals]

I wore my Rolex DSSD (rated to 12800 feet) in the deep end of a swimming pool once.

[GCH]

Send it back. No way would I be keeping it.

Also.... SIX GRAND? Jeeez

[gregs656]

mickyh7 said:

I agree, however 100 meters (6ats) water resistant is pathetic for an expensive watch.
Kinetic pressure would have it leaking in a pool again just by surface swimming!
This is the second time-why would the third time make a difference?

Sealing chronographs is tricky, and often brands don't bother. A Speedmaster Pro has 30m of water resistance. Many expensive watches have little water resistance.

You're just incorrect about 'kinetic pressure' (not what this term means).100m rated watch should comfortably exceed the requirement for the vast majority of people, including recreational divers.

[SturdyHSV]

Is it actually a legit store?

Only ask as I don't recognise that carrera style with Heuer 01 movement or at least with it printed on the face like that?

Also, I have a carrera very much like that, also 100m water resistant, and have showered with it hundreds of times and swum with it with no problem at all.

[anonymous-user]

SturdyHSV said:

Is it actually a legit store?

Only ask as I don't recognise that carrera style with Heuer 01 movement or at least with it printed on the face like that?

Also, I have a carrera very much like that, also 100m water resistant, and have showered with it hundreds of times and swum with it with no problem at all.

[r159]

gregs656 said:

mickyh7 said:

I agree, however 100 meters (6ats) water resistant is pathetic for an expensive watch.
Kinetic pressure would have it leaking in a pool again just by surface swimming!
This is the second time-why would the third time make a difference?

Sealing chronographs is tricky, and often brands don't bother. A Speedmaster Pro has 30m of water resistance. Many expensive watches have little water resistance.

You're just incorrect about 'kinetic pressure' (not what this term means).100m rated watch should comfortably exceed the requirement for the vast majority of people, including recreational divers.

Even a £30, 100m rated watch with a push in crown and push on case back, easily copes with an open water diving course in my experience. The whole swimming/pressure thing is a myth.

[mickyh7]

r159 said:

Even a £30, 100m rated watch with a push in crown and push on case back, easily copes with an open water diving course in my experience. The whole swimming/pressure thing is a myth.

Clearly, it's not?