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Quote
Ricky Lee
05 October, 2011

This solution is agreeable with me. I have sent payment via PayPal.

I would ask that since this is a purely a cosmetic issue, that you not choose a bezel insert at random. Rather, I ask that you personally inspect the bezel insert before shipment to verify that the circular bezel pip is perfectly centered on the triangle marker.

Thanks!

-Ricky McBroom

PayPal Unique Transaction ID # 80249378BC1803646
Sent to: chan chun fung
Email: pinkpink898@yahoo.com.hk
Amount sent: $6.00 USD
Date: Oct 5, 2011
Time: 12:12:03 PDT
Status: Completed

Quote
ALPHA WATCH
05 October, 2011

THANK YOU. WILL SHIP BEZEL TOMORROW.

So. Give it a couple o' weeks, and I'll let ye know how it looks.

Good thing you didn't bring to their attention the misaligned 12 hour marker with the 60 min marker

They'd charge you for a new dial!

ArrrrrrrrrrrrGH! I had NOT noticed that!

But now that you point it out, sure, I see it.

Thanks a L O T!



Know what, though? This is a perfect illustration of "The camera is cruel and unforgiving". I've peered at that 12-chapter 'til I'm cross-eyed and, trust me, the misalignment there can NOT be detected with the naked eye! With the loupe, yes. Naked eye, no way.

Not even with me ISO Calibrated Machinist's Eyeballs™!

So. I'm gonna forget I ever saw it!

You'd do the same for me.

or to me.

I would, sure!

And a confession.. I could not just forget it!

No. I kept wondering exactly how much the error really was, and Curiosity Got The Better of me. Conveniently enough, I have the tools to satisfy my curiosity readily at hand. So I took the watch down to..
..our US $50K Video Inspection Machine, set it to 20X, and checked it out.



Here's what I found:



The difference in the 'gap' between the top and bottom ends of the chapter marker pair is .0054" (.137mm). Or, put another way, where the edges should be parallel, they actual diverge by 1.746°.

Again, "The camera is cruel and unforgiving".



NOW I'm gonna forget I ever saw it!

I would do it......seems reasonable to me........ (n/t)

I would not bother at all, Ricky! (n/t)

I would buy the replacement for USD 6 and I am lucky, with >>>

Re: ..my eyes, I would not notice that misalignment.

Quote
Reto
I would buy the replacement for USD 6..

I did.

Quote
Reto
And having a spare bezel insert is a good thing.

Again Great Minds Think Alike.

I don't plan to install the replacement bezel insert right away. Rather, I'll put it away until the original (inevitably) gets scratched up. Then I'll not only be prepared, but the watch should be better than original once it's installed.

 (n/t)

I never noticed but mine is slightly misalinged as well. (n/t)

I wouldn't bother. The new one will be the same.

Re: On the "Misfit" Alpha Sea-Master

I had to go check my Alpha PO homage after reading this one....

Careful observation under a loupe shows that it is ever so slightly off center towards the right, but I had to check it with the loupe to see it. It's really not visible to my naked eye.

Had to go check my PO homage.

The Basil, which ran me barely half what the Alpha version fetches.

Ironically, the pip's pretty darned jake on it.

They should give you a free one. But weigh the cost of sending the watch back. (n/t)

I agree. However..

..it's looking like a crap-shoot, whether the replacement would be any better.

wait a minute

Quote
Ricky Lee
..it's looking like a crap-shoot, whether the replacement would be any better.

Re: ..please do elucidate.

The short version is:



However, I believe in Doing One's Best, so here's the long version...

Quote
BeyondTheBox
You're suppose to be the most experienced person here when it comes to Alpha..

What on Earth gave you that idea?

While it's true that I own six at the moment, and several (now departed) others over the past seven years, I've seen guys buy and flip more than that in a single year.

Where my experience with might give me some small claim to "most" is that I tend to stick with mine over the long haul. I've owned two of the six for more than 5 years, and two others for more than 3 years. While this lends me a certain authority when it comes to judging long-term durability and reliability, it sure doesn't make me any expert when it comes to assessing out-of-the-box build quality across the line.

Quote
BeyondTheBox
..the "crap shoot" factor should be lessened by that, unless your experiences have taught you that their CS is trumped by a poor QC..

Oddly enough, this is the very first time I've had occasion to test Alpha's Customer Service.

Quote
BeyondTheBox
..would lead me to question both your dedication to them, intellect within that, and sanity.

Well. No harm no foul. I question my intellect and sanity on occasion, too.

Quote
BeyondTheBox
So ask yourself, and answer us all, this, "how often do you recieve poor quality product, regardless the price, from Alpha?"

Quote
BeyondTheBox
..I'd say your reaction here is a little more passion driven than logic.

Duh!

The day I stop being passionate about this hobby is the day I'll move on to something else.

Quote
BeyondTheBox
..you should reconsider your constant touting of them.

Nope. Won't go that far.

Again, of all the Alphas I've owned (around ~ 10), the only problems I've had whatsoever are a pair of cosmetic flaws. My favorite Alpha has been running flawlessly for 6½ years. So I'll keep right on touting them constantly, if it's all the same to you.

Quote
BeyondTheBox
Perhaps I've read this wrong and inferred something unintended?

You have indeed.

You took the "crap-shoot" line totally outside the context it was intended, for one. By "crap-shoot" I meant the specific case of a Sea-Master bezel insert, and meant to say nothing about the Alpha line in general.

And, frankly, the overall tone and demeanor of your reply made you sound like a real tit.

If I read that wrong, I do apologize.



-Ricky

+1 (n/t)

Bravo! What a great and reasonable response to someone who was obviously trying to push your buttons. (n/t)

Chase herrings much?

My old Alpha had the same problem, mind you not as bad >>> (n/t)

I'll be dipped... this is the only photo I have of my Alpha Seamaster and >>>

It looks like the pip is misaligned on it as well. Guess I didn't own it long enough to notice.

Re: Guess I didn't own it long enough to notice.

Frankly I'm not surprised..



I mean, I'm a little surprised you flipped it so quick (though you being you, perhaps I shouldn't be ).

But I'm not surprised you never noticed. It really is a subtle thing. To the naked eye, on the wrist and in the flesh, it looks fine. Yet another case showing that The Camera Is Cruel and Unforgiving.

Is it really that hard to take the time to center the thing up in the factory?

I think they save the good bezel inserts for making runs of fake Seamasters. (n/t)

As did mine. Heck..

I mentioned it in the earlier thread, in some detail.

Perhaps it's the best they can do with this particular bezel insert? They are at the mercy of their suppliers, I presume.

 (n/t)

This confirms my suspicions......

That the Chinese movements are extremely accurate! I observed similar results a number of years back with Alpha, Elysee and Trias branded automatic Chinese movements.

Re: That the Chinese movements are extremely accurate!

Potentially, yes. Ye can't bet the farm on it, though.

Quote
StefG
I observed similar results a number of years back with Alpha, Elysee and Trias branded automatic Chinese movements.

Sure, this is not the first inexpensive movement which I have observed to run better than COSC Chronometer specs.

And, again, others have experienced the same with this specific Alpha model.

It's a Winner, IMHO!

That is good! (n/t)

 (n/t)

Glad it worked out Ricky!  (n/t)

Makes you glad to know it's there when you need it! (n/t)

Yep, nice to have spare parts. (n/t)

Makes ye feel all warm & fuzzy like, it does.