My Sparta Experience

[kevinng]

I would like to share my recent experience with a Sparta 1 I purchased from Orbita.

Like most of my friends and peers, I own a couple of automatic watches. Recently, I decided to purchase a couple of watch winders for convenience. After much research, I decided on an Orbita because people in forums have only good things to say about their Orbita.


I needed at least 2 winders for the watches I wear most often. So, I decided to buy the relatively cheaper Sparta One for my cheaper watch (Baume & Mercier). I planned to purchase another with TPD programming for my Chopard L.U.C. should the Sparta prove to be a worthy product.


However, I was sorely disappointed when I received the winder. Out of the box, the winder did absolutely nothing when turned on. I left it on for a few hours to no avail. So, I decided to open the back to check if the batteries were fitted properly. Whilst doing that, the plastic side panel dislodged from the aluminium part because it was poorly glued on. The epoxy glue was applied rather sparingly and in an untidy manner. Well, fortunately that happened because it revealed that the winder motor was not in its intended motor mount. It was in fact loose, and rolling about in the casing. So, I opened the back of the winder, unscrewed and opened the 'gearbox', and reattached the motor. I had to reattach the blue rubber ring that the motor uses to drive the gears as well. In the process, I found that the motor fell out because the screws were poorly fastened. It was fairly obvious because the screws had some compound on them, which indicated that they were not tightened sufficiently in the manufacturing process. After putting everything back together, the winder works fine now.


From my brief insight into the inner workings of the Orbita Sparta, I am left wondering why there are so many people raving about these winders. Although the price of the winder is modest compared to the value of the watches, it is none-the-less a tidy sum to pay for a very simple device. For the price, I would at the very least expect all the screws to be properly fastened and all the panels to be properly glued. I should not be required to spend my Saturday afternoon fixing the winder I just received. What I witnessed today did not leave a good impression at all.

Orbita's service, on the other hand, is excellent. When I contacted them, they were quick to reply and offer an RMA. However, the winder is working fine now, so I have no need for an RMA.

I am a simple man, with simple thoughts. I think watchwinders are very simple mechanisms. We are willing to pay a premium for very well made watchwinders because they are designed and manufactured well. What I saw in my Sparta 1 says otherwise. Loose screws and untidying epoxy gluing is certainly not what I expected.

So should I get another winder from Orbita? I am thinking of a Bellino or a Sienna, but I would certainly want Orbita to check the mechanism carefully before I buy one. For sure, I would not pick up the winder from a shop.

[JBHII]

Welcome to WATCH TALK FORUMS.

Sorry to hear of your problems - we rarely hear anything but good about Orbita, but of course nothing made by the imperfect hand of man is perfect all the time.

I really think you hit the nail on the head - service is what really sets Orbita apart, which is why they have so many fans here. Hopefully you'll give them another try soon.

[kevinng]

Welcome to WATCH TALK FORUMS.

Sorry to hear of your problems - we rarely hear anything but good about Orbita, but of course nothing made by the imperfect hand of man is perfect all the time.

I really think you hit the nail on the head - service is what really sets Orbita apart, which is why they have so many fans here. Hopefully you'll give them another try soon.

I agree that nothing made by man is perfect all the time. There is also another thread that gives praise to Orbita for their fuss free RMA process.

Perhaps it is because we rarely hear anything but good about Orbita, as well as their premium pricing, that formed the foundation of my expectations. Let's try a simple analogy. It is a bit like if I were to buy a luxury car... say a Bentley... I would expect nothing short of the highest level in terms of quality. Imagine if I were to receive the car, only to find that it doesn't start. Then when I popped the hood, I found the engine to be dislodged because the engine mounts were not fastened properly... and to add to the frustration, the side mirror fell out when I popped the hood.

Now, I'm not really upset because Orbita offered to replace the unit immediately... though I didn't need that because I fixed it myself. Their service level is absolutely top notch. I am also working with them to get a second unit... but this time, I want Orbita to check the winder thoroughly before they deliver it... because it is not so easy to forget what I witnessed.

[rkim420]

Welcome to WTF Kevin. I too have heard nothing but rave reviews about Orbita and I'm sorry to hear you had such an experience Hopefully the next go 'round will turn out much better for you.

I know when the time comes I will most likely be purchasing my watch winder from Orbita as well, just because of the reputation they have with customer service. Best of luck on your second winder and again welcome to the forum

[kevinng]

Welcome to WTF Kevin. I too have heard nothing but rave reviews about Orbita and I'm sorry to hear you had such an experience Hopefully the next go 'round will turn out much better for you.

I know when the time comes I will most likely be purchasing my watch winder from Orbita as well, just because of the reputation they have with customer service. Best of luck on your second winder and again welcome to the forum

Thanks rkim420. I have been in contact with Orbita, trying to get my 2nd winder. I was on the verge of ordering from them, but I found out that the outlet price for the item I need is not so different from their dealer's price for the same item. Since the outlet item is blemished, it makes no sense for me to get from them. Also, I hesitate to get from the dealer now that I have seen the insides of the Orbita. I will only buy direct from Orbita and I need some extra QC assurance.

They also refuse to sell me an unblemished new winder at a competitive price because they do not want to compete with their dealer.

So, Orbita has left me in a very high and very dry place. Right now, I'm not so impressed.

[kevinng]

Eventually, I ordered another Sparta from The Watch Prince because the Sparta I fixed was winding my Jaeger LeCoultre Reserve De Marche pretty well. Orbita gave me a travel watch case as a token of appreciation. The 2nd winder worked perfectly well out of the box. However, the first Sparta broke again and I had to fix it one more time. Hope it stays working after that.

What's wrong with it this time? Well... recall the motor was dislodged and I had to reattach it? Well, there is a blue rubber belt that is attached from the motor to the gears to transfer the power. When the motor got dislodged, this belt was thrown about the gearbox and picked up quite a lot of grease. Over time, the grease worked its way around the belt and created too much lubrication for the winder to work. I had to open the winder to clean this belt as well as the grooves which it spins in. Well... it's working now.