[curiousMan]

FC has been intriguing me for some time - a brand blessed by Watchsnob , referred for their quality and a best modern technology used to manufacture their watches. I picked this model since the movement is FC and ornate enough to provide details. Although this model has an interesting design flaw - time is quite difficult to read and between 3 and 6 almost impossible due to a lack of scale (yeah, they put screws there . BTW it seems to be replaced in the current collection, I guess, also due to this "feature" But let's not get distracted. Just one more disclaimer - the watch is from Amazon (~$3.7k), although it doesn't show any sign of wear or being opened/messed with, it came without FC warranty, booklet and so on.

Pics from Amazon:

and details follow. Summary - I couldn't find anything too serious. So called "human touch" is clearly on the minute hand at the cannon pinion, the calendar hand on the top seems to be scratched a bit, a wheel in the back not polished enough. My impression: except the blued steel splinter on the cannon pinnion - very good work!

 

[bluloo]

This series is making me wonder if the Amazon (and possibly other non-AD) pieces are "seconds" of one sort or the other.

Some finishing is very nice, some not so much.

 

[curiousMan]

This series is making me wonder if the Amazon (and possibly other non-AD) pieces are "seconds" of one sort or the other.

Some finishing is very nice, some not so much.

well, just thinking, what would be a benefit for the brand if lesser quality versions are sold to customers through non-AD channels?

 

[jason_recliner]

Very good, maybe the best one yet. So these are blue coated hands and screws, as opposed to flame blued?

 

[curiousMan]

Very good, maybe the best one yet. So these are blue coated hands and screws, as opposed to flame blued?

to be honest I tried to look whether it is a paint or a scratched blued metal, but I don't know. How does a scratched blued steel look like?

 

[Dave0944]

Another good one! I really look forward to these threads. Keep'em coming! Now if someone would just loan you a Patek or ALS you'd really be cooking! Great job as usual!

 

[Lavaine]

Well, that puts the Zenith to shame, doesn't it? Is the finishing better on the FC because it is actually higher quality, or does the Zenith merely show the effects of a hand-assembled movement vs. a movement primarily machine assembled?

 

[curiousMan]

Well, that puts the Zenith to shame, doesn't it? Is the finishing better on the FC because it is actually higher quality, or does the Zenith merely show the effects of a hand-assembled movement vs. a movement primarily machine assembled?

the argument I hear is that that Zenith could be damaged by a bad service and tried to be sold via unsuspecting Amazon. I must say that Amazon acted amazingly professionally - sent UPS guy to pick the package, a free return shipping and refunded everything back, no questions asked.

One question I still have is whether even ADs could be (re)selling such goods?

 

[mpalmer]

I'd sure take it. ;-)

 

[AsAnAtheist]

I know that some AD for higher end brands will do repairs on defective watches themselves via a trained watchmaker, using genuine OEM parts...
PS: That's an AD and if they have a watchmaker they will have access to OEM parts.

Imagine someone like Amazon whom cannot get access to those parts. What do you think they do with a $8,000 Zenith defective chronograph? Send it to Zenith and pay several thousand dollars to service? Or Send it to a local watchmaker, using generic replacement parts?

 

[curiousMan]

I think Amazon is just a middle man here even though they provide some warranty

 

[skywatch]

Imagine someone like Amazon whom cannot get access to those parts. What do you think they do with a $8,000 Zenith defective chronograph? Send it to Zenith and pay several thousand dollars to service? Or Send it to a local watchmaker, using generic replacement parts?

I'm not a retail expert, but don't you think Amazon would have an agreement with their providers to take back defective merchandise? Likewise I could expect a watch company to perform repairs on flawed products at their own cost, then possibly turn them around and resell them. Most people don't look at their watches with a microscope. I must say that the FC looks beautiful except fot that little scratch on the hand.

Martin, I hope Amazon doesn't catch onto this little project of yours... that could be expensive. :think:

 

[AsAnAtheist]

I'm not a retail expert, but don't you think Amazon would have an agreement with their providers to take back defective merchandise? Likewise I could expect a watch company to perform repairs on flawed products at their own cost, then possibly turn them around and resell them. Most people don't look at their watches with a microscope. I must say that the FC looks beautiful except fot that little scratch on the hand.

Martin, I hope Amazon doesn't catch onto this little project of yours... that could be expensive. :think:

Who would their providers be when high end and even lower end brands ONLY give merchandise to Authorized dealers. And authorized dealers aren't allowed to sell them under certain costs?
I doubt an agreement could be made, an Authorized dealer could get in serious trouble if such a lawsuit should occur over an agreement ( lawsuits in the USA are public).

It's known that grey market dealers have to get their watches from Authorized dealers.
This risk is why it's called grey market.
It is not white, where contracts are made and standards are upheld and it also isn't black market where it is illegal.

It's a grey area, and Grey market dealers must understand there are risks involved.

Do you really think AD's do NOT sift through their inventory and try to ensure they keep the better portions? I am sure they do, but I am also sure manufacturers have a low % of defective watches thus even if you buy grey market chances are you should get a good watch, but chances are too that most of the bad watches that did make it out of a AD were given to Grey dealers.

Once again chances are high a grey market dealer will not go through a reputable route to repair a watch (certified watchmaker, using only genuine parts).
An AD can do this, specially for some higher end brands where they may have their own watchmaker.

It's my understanding that some high end AD makers sometimes choose to repair defective watches themselves because sending back to an AD may take way way too long.

 

[curiousMan]

well, since the original warranty is not there and often even manual is missing my guess is that those would be returned pieces to AD for some reason (here we can speculate) and AD instead of investing into fixing the problem sell watches to the grey market. There are some big players and perhaps made a deal arrangement with Amazon

 

[usc1]

awesome pictures man. you must have an equally expensive camera and lenses.

 

[curiousMan]

awesome pictures man. you must have an equally expensive camera and lenses.

thank you! I just have an access to such instrument