Is That Warranty Worth the Paper It’s Written On?

So you want a watch for scuba diving. You buy a watch such as a Pro Diver, represented in the U.S. by Invicta Watches. It's advertised as suitable for divers, and on the watch itself, it says it's good for 50m to 300m deep (according to model). It represents very good value, too. Seems ideal?

Not if you're Jon B. Felice. He's brought a case against the Invicta Watch Company because neither of the two watches he purchased through Amazon appeared suitable for diving. The first continually leaked and proved not fit for the purpose.

He made multiple attempts to resolve the matter through Amazon and the Amazon Marketplace seller Clockwise and discovered that the excessive fees and burdensome procedures required for the repair service made it an unreasonable option for a watch costing a little more than $80.

So Jon looked at the Invicta warranty that came with the watch and discovered it required him to pay a $28 warranty service fee plus the cost of shipping and insurance. Also, the warranty stated that the watch may be replaced with one of lesser value. That's less than the original $80 he spent!

Undeterred, Jon then bought a second Pro Diver watch for $55 to replace the first. Within a short time, the wristband fell apart, and he then discovered that band defects were specifically excluded from the warranty. He had to employ a third-party watch repair service to rectify the defect for $15. He then brought suit.

It appears from Court documents that social media and multiple websites have been full of similar complaints, yet Invicta continued to market and sell Pro Diver watches as suitable for diving and other water sports. These watches were accompanied by an international warranty card and booklet, but it appears that there were multiple versions of the warranty.

The case in the United States District Court, S.D. Florida, is on-going. It may not have been an expensive purchase, but there's clearly evidence the Pro Diver may not be suitable for a diver, despite its name.

Have you had warranty issues with scuba gear? Let us hear from you, not forgetting your town and state.

- BenDDavison@undercurrent.org