ZF QC - have you had a problem with your ZF watch?

[fraggle42]

I discovered today that my ZF Pam 389 has stopped running for some unknown reason, yet to be determined when it's serviced.

 

There's a thread over on RWG.bz about a foreign body jamming up a Bronzo and damaging the hairspring, and one of our own members here has had a loose screw do a similar thing.

 

I know reps have more than their fair share of problems, and "it's all part of the game", but they're charging a premium for these new watches IMO and the quality and cleanliness conditions in the watch assembly places seem to be worse than ever.

 

Have you had a problem with a ZFac watch?

 

[Nightwatch]

Hi, got the Tudor Blackbay from the Z factory and must say I´m very happy with everything and every detail as many others. Should it have flaws I don´t notice them and it feels and works very "gen-like". Read about some problems too like loose bezels, that mine doesn´t have:) The other thing I read was that ZF-Factory as such does not exist but its an agglomerate of individual small producers just called ZF-factory for convenience.

Don´t know if that is so but it seems very believable because the spread from very best to miserable - all sold at premium prices - seems very widespread on ZF - models.

[AKTime]

My first Black Bay came with a dead movement that would run sporadically.

[shirotenshi]

The other thing I read was that ZF-Factory as such does not exist but its an agglomerate of individual small producers just called ZF-factory for convenience.

 

AFAIK, that is nothing special. ZF is a factory/group of people who assemble the parts ordered from various build-to-order suppliers. Noob, H-fact, BP etc are all operating similarly at different scales.

[specialvat]

My 382 had no auto wind it needed a full service which revealed four separate broken or damaged parts

[redmond]

My Black Bay is in with the watchsmith now with a dead movement, I expect it to need parts

[fraggle42]

My 382 had no auto wind it needed a full service which revealed four separate broken or damaged parts

Good god!

Slow boat to China or not, that'd be going right back to the dealer for an exchange!

Please guys note I'm not really saying "they are worse" (even if that's what I think), I'm just trying to find out.

A part of me is wondering if someone rather cynical has decided to cut down on the minimal QC and divert that budget to making them look better, as they know that most of us will get any problems fixed locally, so all said cynical person would care about is selling them in the first place which relies on their looks and having minimal flaws. And if that is the case, the TDs better wake up to the fact or they'll lose TD status on the forums.

[panerai153]

Doesn't the "ZF factory make the AP FC v3 forged Carbon diver? All these different "makers" are confusing to my old brain!!

I believe the QC problems are compounded with some of these wildly popular models. Dealers are clamoring for watches, so the factories are just throwing stuff together to get watches out the door.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[archierocks]

My Bronzo  from Torobravo just arrived this morning with pretty much all mounting screws in the movement jammed under the rota so they have prob been banging about in there the whole way from china to the uk  

 

gutted have a choice of straps and buckles all coming this week for it :-(

[Legend]

My bronzo stopped suddenly after 15min when I placed it on the desk. When I picked it up to set the time, I noticed that the hacking lever stopped working too.

I sent it for service and repair and the modder mentioned that he had already repaired 2 bronzos before mine, all with various movement issues.

 

So yes, there seemed to be an inherent issue with the movement for the Bronzos, I am unsure if this is extended to other ZFactory models using the same movement.

[archierocks]

Legend who did you get to service yours could you pm me the details please 

[Legend]

PMed!

[archierocks]

thanks Legend