# Leaking G10 (18 Months Old)



## G10 Disappointment_ (May 20, 2008)

Hello, I'm after some advice from experienced heads.

I bought a new G10 from Silvermans about 18 months ago to use as my work watch. I seem to be a bit hard on watches, so chose a G10 because of it's reputation for ruggedness.

I've been very impressed, up until now. The watch has been knocked and bumped and scraped and not complained at all. However, two days ago I noticed condensation inside the case, and it's clear now that a seal has gone and there's water inside the watch. Bugger.

I phoned CWC to tell them about it, and ask what arrangements I should take for returning the watch for repair under the 3 year warranty offered at time of purchase (and still displayed on their website), they were really very cagey with me.

The chap I spoke with sounded very reluctant to make good under the warranty, telling me I'd had 18 months good use so I should be happy with that. I was asked if I had ever exposed the watch to water and truthfully said I regularly shower in it, but have never used it for swimming. I was told that I shouldn't shower in it, that the watch wasn't fit for that purpose, and that "it might be alright if you go out in the rain in it, once or twice, but you shouldn't expect more than that".

The watch is stamped as water resistant to 5 atmospheres, which from what I read should be fine for showering and hand washing. Am I really expecting too much?

Anyone have experience of Silvermans warranty service? Have I been unlucky and caught the guy in a surly mood?

I need a watch that can stand up to the knocks of my mechanical trade. I need a watch that can stand hot temperatures and high humidity (I'm currently stationed in Qatar in the Middle East). I need a watch that will happily stay on my wrist for months on end, without me having to fret about sticking my hand in a sink of water or climbing in the shower.

Do I need to buy something different, or have I been unlucky with my current G10 letting go. If I am asking too much from a G10, does anyone have a suggestion on another watch that will fit the bill? I don't want to spend fortunes (I already own a Rolex Submariner and Daytona), but will spend what is necessary and fair for a watch I won't have to nurse.

Thanks if you have advice to share.

Gareth.


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## Guest (May 20, 2008)

Don't take no for an answer and hound the buggers.

With regard to replacement watches - the Casio G shocks have a bloody good reputation around here for ruggedness. As a tool watch they seem hard to beat.


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

A friend of mine went swimming in his (pre owned and serviced) G10 almost every day on his holidays. My sister has a G10, again it's a pre owned ex services model and she wore it whilst taking part part in the Grim 8 challenge race in which you crawl under netting through mud and run through swollen rivers etc. Both their watches survived without any problems at all.

I advised them that they probably shouldn't have exposed the watch to such extremes but whether they were lucky or not is anyone's guess. You'd have thought that the G10 could stand a light shower given that it's designed for general field use but to be safe, I'd either go with the G-Shock suggestion or get a CWC RN Diver.

We had a very long thread a couple of years ago regarding the definition of water resistance and without wishing to open up that can of worms again, my advice would be not to get _any _of your watches intentionally wet unless they're rated to at least 200m on the case.

For what it's worth, I'd still pursue a replacement.

A.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

The G10 is not water resistant. It may be rated to 5 atm but in reality that means do not expose it to water. Did the instructions that came with it not make this clear?


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

I think the guy from Silvermans is being quite reasonable. I wouldn't expect a G10 that has been knocked, bumped, scraped and regularly showered in hot, soapy water to have a particularly long life.

The G-Shock suggestion is good, so is the CWC RN Diver if you want to stick with CWC. But, as you have a Rolex Sub, an O&W M-Series or Cougar might also appeal unless you particularly wanted to stick with quartz for your work watch.


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## G10 Disappointment_ (May 20, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm undecided about the fairness of my expecting warranty service.

I do feel that if the watch is sold as resistant to 5 atmospheres, it should cope with showering and hand washing. At the same time I realise the watch has a hard time living on my wrist.

What got my back up, and effectively means I won't ever spend any money with Silvermans in the future, was the guys attitude. He was instantly looking for an excuse to fob me off.

If his approach had been "of course, it has a 3 year warranty, send it on in and we'll look at it for you", then they'd rung me and said after examination they thought it was taking a bit too much abuse, I'd likely have said "no problem". Propably would then have written it off, and maybe tried an CWC RN Diver.

Companies who are happy to take your money, then at the first sign of being expected to stand by their commitments to after service start wriggling and whining and making excuses are a disgrace and they never get another look at my wallet. Anyhoo...

The G Shock recommendation seems good, so I think I'll try one of those. There's certainly plenty to choose from,m I'm baffled by which one to go for.

I'd wasn't aware of the O&W watches. Quite an interesting history from the little I've now read (the Breitling connection etc), but it's too close in style to my Sub to interest me as a tools watch, I'd like something different. Thanks for the suggestion though.

(My Submariner should be back from Switzerland all shiny and freshly serviced in a week or two. W00h00!)

Cheers all.


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## G10 Disappointment_ (May 20, 2008)

pg tips said:


> The G10 is not water resistant. It may be rated to 5 atm but in reality that means do not expose it to water. Did the instructions that came with it not make this clear?


Ah, yes, "instructions". I'm a bloke, and I have a policy on "instructions".


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## Guz (Apr 7, 2008)

Go to the shop and waste half his day thinking he's getting a big sale and tell him you only wanna pay half the money :lol:

You're only getting half the warranty time.

It's a watch, they should expect it to be worn :huh:


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

I know the CWC G10 is a classic, and I recently sold mine. I would not wish to buy another because of the WR issue.

TBH, if I was in the services today it is the last watch I would want or choose. I'd have a G-shock Tough Solar or something like a mechanical Oris, Tissot, RLT44 with sapphire, or O & W with sapphire.

The G10 lume is usually poor to non existant today.

A 10 year battery watch with 100M + would be another choice for me as a service man or outside worker


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Griff said:


> I know the CWC G10 is a classic, and I recently sold mine. I would not wish to buy another because of the WR issue.
> 
> TBH, if I was in the services today it is the last watch I would want or choose. I'd have a G-shock Tough Solar or something like a mechanical Oris, Tissot, RLT44 with sapphire, or O & W with sapphire.
> 
> ...


To be honest Griff, I don't think the water resistance on the G10 is as bad as you make out. There's no way you'd regularly swim or shower in one but these watches have to comply with certain standards, one of them being submerged in 30cm of water for 30 minutes (according to the UK MOD watch standards pinned to this sub forum). This probably equates to to getting it drenched in a rain shower etc a few times throughout the lifespan of the watch. Whilst I've never got my G10 wet, I'd trust it to survive a certain amount of moderate surface moisture. Surely getting wet in military exercises is factored into the development of the watch? For what it's worth I've had a 200m Casio G-Shock fog up on the display. I ended up chucking it.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

I seem to remember Foggy saying the most common problem with the G10's was rust in the movement because people thought they would be OK to swim in. They are clearly not, and you may have been lucky with yours, but I wouldn't trust one in the wet and certainly not crossing a river as a soldier


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## jungun (Aug 3, 2007)

I think they should honour their customers and their name. The G10 is not a Casio G-Force - so what? It's not a Rolex either for that matter. The G10 is a watch that came with afters and in this case it's 3 years worth - keep on at them and get resolution.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

G10 lovers should seriously consider the PRS10 which is a *vast *improvement on the CWC, and is 100M. I've just bought the white date version and it is of superb build and spec.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

And even more superb on a matt finished mesh


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