First QC? Guide on what to look out for and what to write.

Welcome to the ReptimeQC subreddit!

Before reading on, make sure you've read [the main guide for QC posting](https://www.reddit.com/r/RepTimeQC/comments/1ac3w2g/new_members_this_is_a_must_read_qc_template/), otherwise this won't make much sense to you. Done? Let's go.

This specific guide is intended to be a *visual* supplement: showing you exactly what to look for when you complete your QC templates. For obvious reasons, this guide will skip parts that aren't visual.

I've used pictures that mostly come from this subreddit. If anyone is uncomfortable, DM me and I'll replace the picture.

With that in mind, let's begin.

**Index Alignment**

Here, you are expected to assess how well the index markers on your watch are aligned. You can use the index alignment tool to assist you in this regard. An example of good index alignment is this:


Index misalignment, on the other hand, looks like this:


Or this:


Now that you have an idea of what to look out for, what should you be writing in the template?

You need to describe any misalignment you see *in detail*. **Statements like "*****6 is off*****" or "*****3 is kinda wonky*****" or "*****not sure about 1, help please*****" are** **not acceptable**. This is because unless the misalignment is immediately obvious (and in most cases, it is not), users will not know what you are talking about. You may not get the help you want as a result. Be *specific*, like the following examples:

"*The 7 marker does not seem to fit into the slot nicely. It is rotated towards the right and looks like it is dancing around*."

"*The 6 marker does not seem to line up straight with the crown in between swiss made. Based on what I can see, it appears to be slightly tilted to the left*."

A caveat here: **Just because there may be some misalignment does not necessarily mean you should definitely RL the watch**. As the main guide points out, all reps are subject to a level of inaccuracy. It would be entirely unrealistic to expect gen standards for index alignment. Further, different reps are subject to *different* standards: a XF Pelagos, for instance, is known for having problematic indices - so much so that even if you RL, you are unlikely to get anything better. Conversely, CF Explorers are now getting so good that even slight misalignment would not be par for the course.

A good guide would be to assess your watch based on *proportion*. One slightly misaligned index is not a problem. But one *majorly* misaligned index or *many* misaligned indices on a single dial could justify RL.

Just for illustration, this is misalignment that I would RL for:


That deals with index alignment. Let's move on.

**Date Wheel Alignment**

This applies to watches which display the date. If your watch does not display a date, there is no need to consider this. You will look silly if you say that the date wheel alignment is good when your watch is a no-date Sub, for example.

Here, you are tasked to consider if the date is properly displayed in the date window. Often times, this is a question of how well-centered the date is. A good example of date wheel alignment is this:


An example of *mis*alignment is this:


Sometimes, the misalignment can also be as to the date numbers themselves:


Uncommonly and in the alternative, the issue may be with the Cyclops itself (the magnifier that covers the date window):


Now that you know what to look for, let's discuss what to write.

As with index alignment, unless the issues are immediately obvious (and most of the time, they are not), you need to be *very specific*. **Comments like "*****the date seems off*****", "*****2 in 25 is kinda off*****", "*****date looks weird*****" are not acceptable.** They do not tell readers what you are looking for. You'll get faster and better results if you identify the issues for your reader. For example:

"*The date seems misaligned towards the left. Part of it is touching the left border of the date window.*"

"*The 5 in the date appears to be slightly higher than the 2 next to it.*"

"*The Cyclops does not seem to be straight. It looks like it is slanted towards the left?*"

As with index alignment, please note that not all misalignment will justify RL, **especially for date wheels**. All rep date wheels come with varying degrees of misalignment. A few misaligned dates are usually not enough for RL, unless the date is clearly cropped out of the date window or touching the rim. A little misalignment towards either side of the date window is also generally more than okay; a good way to gauge is to zoom out to the actual size of the watch and see if the misalignment is still immediately visible. If not, you're likely to be good to go.

Here is an example of misalignment I would nevertheless *G*L:


On to the next topic.

**Bezel**

There are two main things to look out for: First, whether the "pip" (usually a lumed marker at the 12 position) is centered. Second, the quality of any engraving.

This section would also cover any possible damage to the bezel or anything else unusual, including any misalignment.

Example of a good bezel:


An example of misalignment:


Generally speaking, most problems that surface nowadays have to do with the pip - even then, these are not entirely common. Engravings and alignment are usually not an issue with higher level reps. With this in mind, what do we write?

As with the other sections, you are going to need to be *specific*. "*Bezel looks off*", "*pip looks kinda off*", "*I don't know about the bezel, seems weird to me*" are phrases that we see everyday in this subreddit. But **none of these phrases are acceptable**; they do not direct the reader to what OP is seeing. Details are king - and if you are going to pluck the crown, you're going to have to write like this:

"*The pip at 12 is not centered. It seems to touch the right side of the triangle.*"