Watchmaker Scrambles To Find Remedy To Defect As Customers Begin To Complain! (Second Hour Mandala)

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[melspinella]

That was a little harsh Jory - fair assessment to some degree, but I can't help but have grace for Peter in what he's trying to do. His Gin Clear Diver is an amazing watch - incredible value and perfectly done - I have two of them. I'm still waiting for my two Mandalas, but I am being patient recognizing the issue with the bracelet. At least Peter was quick to own up to the issue, and quick to let us know. That's more than can be said for many Kickstarter brands as well as some "major" brands. I had this same issue with an O&W watch I purchased last year - the bracelet was a complete POS and that for a watch that cost almost $2k - and no they never acknowledged the problem or did anything to remediate it. Kudos to Peter for being honest, forthright and going the extra mile to make it right.

[LacklessKvothe]

To be clear, I understand this is an issue, and probably a large one to the people that paid for the watch. That being said, these microbrands are often very small operations, and to say that the probably less than a dozen person outfit should check every screw on every bracelet is sinply not tenable, and I feel that some of your comments and conclusions you draw are vastly overstated. They're simply suggesting that their community help each other as a stop gap to them replacing bracelets, not scrounging for permanent fixes from customers. None of this touches on the fact thag the watch comes with three other straps it can be worn on while the issue is figured out. Hyperbole in this instance does nothing but hurt the image of a passion project that is clearly trying to fix the issue.

[joshtillman]

I totally respect their response. It makes me wanna buy one. Mistakes happen. Solutions not excuses. Hell yes. Running a business is hard.

[deanspeer]

They sure messed up but I am very encouraged by the level of honesty and disclosure. It shows great character IMHO.

[tacticoolnurse]

I have one of the Mandalas and my bracelet was affected by the problem. For my part, a very small amount of WD40 on the screws I needed to remove was all that was necessary to resolve the problem.

It is a con, I will agree, but a problem that a company takes ownership of is almost never a deal breaker unless its on an item where a failure can have a lethal result (rock climbing equipment or car air bags, for instance). Second Hour states in the email you read that they intend to replace every affected bracelet. Also, the watch ships with a NATO so you can wear your watch in the mean time. 

Calling a watch DOA because of a fixable problem with a bracelet is a little extreme. Its not like the watches shipped with defective movements or crystals that tend to pop off.

The customer service from Second Hour has been great especially considering they are a very small company shipping during an extreme lockdown in their home country. They are so responsive, in fact, that I knew about the bracelet problem before my watch even arrived.


I cannot speak for anyone else but I still would have purchased the watch knowing what I know now.

[sublyme]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I thought they handled this extremely well. As a prospective customer, this level of service and attention from a small batch maker is very impressive. No doubt they lost a ton of money on that fiasco, and rather than close shop and run (then start over under a different name) they took responsibility and met the challenge head on. Bravo!

[danpaterson]

I would rather deal with a company who is accountable for a mistake or unforseen problem and is committed to finding a solution than one that tries to ignore it. I also don't see any problem polling a large group of people for a possible solution. You never know what insight you could get that speeds up the process to a solution.

[markikn]

So, they made a rookie's mistake. At least they are upfront and own the error, but it's an example of the hidden risks of buying new brands.

[magna]

I bought one of these and also had the bracelet issue. I notified them and received an immediate reply. They shipped me a new bracelet out, and it was perfect. It took a few days, but no big deal.

I don’t blame them for not checking every screw in every bracelet. Their supplier was probably supposed to do that. I have had to eat suppliers mistakes in my own business, so I know how it feels.

I would buy another Second Hour with no hesitation.

[JonathanTReviews]

As an owner, I can say it's a great watch and the issue is significantly overblown in my opinion. I personally sized the bracelet with little to no issue and find it to be extremely comfortable. I think Second Hour has made every effort to sort out the issue (if experienced) without any expense to the buyers. Yes, some people had issues (I have buddies that did) and they received new bracelets.

[mikewalker]

It was a manufacturing issue with a bracelet that is currently being taken care of by the manufacturer.
You have tried your hardest to destroy an upcoming small brand of just a husband and wife team who are struggling due to major lockdowns in Melbourne Australia and are aware of and are currently dealing with the issue at hand.
I wish a lot of major brands had this level of commitment to rectify problems with their watches.

[kristiangustafson]

This is a nightmare for the people behind this--small entrepreneurs no doubt. I think their response is all they can say and do. Asking the community for work-arounds is reasonable and may indeed come up with a solution.

[nackytacky]

I bought the salmon version of this watch and I tried to size the bracelet, it partially worked but some stuck. I actually sent them an email and they got back to me within 48 hours and got me on the wait-list for a replacement, no charge. I am very glad with the service and in the meantime I've got it on alternative straps and it still looks incredible. I commend Second Hour for being so transparent and helping me no questions asked

[ajcallaway]

Appreciate it's an issue and hope they solve it soon. Those that buy microbrands tend to be part of a wider community, asking that community I think is only a good thing. Microbrands don't have the person-power to inspect every element, you trust that the process works. For this issue it would be only a few microns of difference in the coating causing the issue. Yeah they should have done a bit more testing, I know a few other brands had issues and changes tolerances. But wish them luck in solving it. At least you can put it on another strap until it's resolved.

[Aerowind]

Meanwhile I'm just replacing every strap and bracelet on every watch I own.

Obviously this is a big problem that needs to be rectified, but calling it DOA seems a little much. Especially since there are alternative straps right in the box. So they fucked up the bracelet. Better that than fucking up the watch.

[ryejack]

Honestly, I think how they're working to fix the issue makes me respect this company even more. It's abundantly clear they care about their customers. They had an unforeseen issue, which happens all the time with larger companies--many of which would have just been FU to the customers. They're addressing the issues and working to make good with their customers. That's how a good company works when problems arise.

Asking for solutions in the interim isn't a negative. They're working with their customer community in hopes that someone found a temporary solution while they work to fix the problem permanently. If someone found something that works, great! People can wear their watches until the new bracelets arrive.

[cartoonpete]

Omega Seamaster had a clasp issue years ago and charged customers for a replacement.

[eriklambert]

As an engineer that works with coatings most coatings add material. The material will have to be removed in the links and they are too tight. Honestly the bracelet maker should have qc'd and tested for this issue. It should have been found and the holes made slightly oversized(this will be the hardest part). But honestly it has happened to every car manufacturer etc.

[OmairArif]

Your kind of exaggerating what they are asking of their customers. They aren't telling them to figure out a solution themselves because they can't. They are working on a proper solution (likely replacing the bracelets), and "in the interim" asking customers to share any DIY fixes they've found out so others who want to use the bracelet immediately can do so.

As a side note, Zelos had a similar issue happen with a small number of their Titanium Makos, which was their first watch with a hardening coating.

[shaneswann]

I know this is an older video, I’m newer to your channel. I’ve enjoyed your videos, which is why I’ve subscribed to your channel. After watching this, it seems like you’re making a mountain out of a molehill. It definitely sucks to buy a product, and then find out something is wrong. That being said…they’re taking care of the issue. What more can you ask for? It would be different if they told their buyers to fuck off. They didn’t do that at all.