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20 year parts guarantee?

Fusion
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From the FAQ on Omega's site:

Screenshot 2014-08-17 15.28.23.png
After this 20 year period has expired for a movement, say the 2500, what will my options be? I plan on keeping my 2503 forever, to me it's worth more than what I could get for it, but after that period what does servicing look like? Does the parts supply dry up? Should I be stocking up on eBay 2500 movement parts and gaskets?
What exactly does Omega do to ensure we are able to enjoy our watches, and does everything become exorbitantly expensive?

Thanks
 
woodwkr2
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The smart option is the same as it has ever been: find a qualified independent watchmaker and get your watch repaired. Yes, with a vintage watch, ordering spare parts isn't quite as easy as looking up the part number and placing an order on the Omega Intranet, but you don't have any reason to worry that you won't be able to wear and enjoy your watch for the rest of your natural life.

And yes, many vintage collectors (me included) will purchase a "parts watch" from time to time in order to help ensure that we have the spare parts we need for the vintage watches we love to wear.
 
Fusion
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woodwkr2 woodwkr2
The smart option is the same as it has ever been: find a qualified independent watchmaker and get your watch repaired. Yes, with a vintage watch, ordering spare parts isn't quite as easy as looking up the part number and placing an order on the Omega Intranet, but you don't have any reason to worry that you won't be able to wear and enjoy your watch for the rest of your natural life.

And yes, many vintage collectors (me included) will purchase a "parts watch" from time to time in order to help ensure that we have the spare parts we need for the vintage watches we love to wear.

Great. Isn't Omega phasing out giving parts to independents these days though?
 
dsio
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The majority of the parts in the Cal 2500 series are just bog standard ETA 2892-A2, and I'd say we'll run out of ETA 2892-A2 parts sometime 500 years from now. Omega still service 1940s watches, their parts guarantee is a minimum standard they're setting themselves, they exceed it by a considerable amount. The likelihood of you ever having an issue getting parts within your lifetime is nil.
 
Fritz
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Not too long ago I needed an escapement wheel and fork with pallets for a model 1888 Waltham dating from 1894. It took a year to find the parts but its keeping perfect time again, just like when it was new (originally it was adjusted to 5 sec/day in 5 positions by Waltham). The model 88 was a fairly low production watch, One of Waltham's first cracks at a "smaller" 16 size watch so bits are rare......It costs a bit, but parts are out there and old stuff can be fixed if you want it bad enough.

I wouldn't bet on it for quartz stuff though........
 
Fusion
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Fritz Fritz
Not too long ago I needed an escapement wheel and fork with pallets for a model 1888 Waltham dating from 1894. It took a year to find the parts but its keeping perfect time again, just like when it was new (originally it was adjusted to 5 sec/day in 5 positions by Waltham). The model 88 was a fairly low production watch, One of Waltham's first cracks at a "smaller" 16 size watch so bits are rare......It costs a bit, but parts are out there and old stuff can be fixed if you want it bad enough.

I wouldn't bet on it for quartz stuff though........

Great example and thanks for the post. Sounds like a special watch.
 
Fusion
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dsio dsio
The majority of the parts in the Cal 2500 series are just bog standard ETA 2892-A2, and I'd say we'll run out of ETA 2892-A2 parts sometime 500 years from now. Omega still service 1940s watches, their parts guarantee is a minimum standard they're setting themselves, they exceed it by a considerable amount. The likelihood of you ever having an issue getting parts within your lifetime is nil.

Awesome! Thanks.
 
Archer
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dsio dsio
The majority of the parts in the Cal 2500 series are just bog standard ETA 2892-A2, and I'd say we'll run out of ETA 2892-A2 parts sometime 500 years from now. Omega still service 1940s watches, their parts guarantee is a minimum standard they're setting themselves, they exceed it by a considerable amount. The likelihood of you ever having an issue getting parts within your lifetime is nil.

While I agree with the gist of your post, the information about the 2500 being mostly made of 2892 parts is a bit misleading. Depending on the specific version of the 2500 you are talking about, the number of parts from a Cal. 1120 used can vary quite a lot. And I say Cal. 1120 because as much as people might think the 1120 and 2892 are the same, they are not in many places. For example a Cal. 1120 barrel bridge is quite a bit thicker than the bridge on a 2892.

Certainly some parts are common, such as calendar parts and the winding/setting parts, but depending on the specific 2500 version things like mainsprings are different, some wheels in the train are different, automatic winding parts are different, bridges are different, even some balance jewels are different on the C and D versions. And of course the escapement and balance wheels are completely different.

So depending on what part you need, thinking that 2892 parts will get you buy is questionable at best.

Cheers, Al
 
Archer
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woodwkr2 woodwkr2
ordering spare parts isn't quite as easy as looking up the part number and placing an order on the Omega Intranet,

If you think using the Omega Extranet is easy, then clearly you have never actually used it. The Swiss may be great at making watches, but writing code.....not so much! 😉
 
Archer
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Fritz Fritz
It took a year to find the parts

Exactly why I no longer work on these old US pocket watches...I can't tell you how many hours I have spent looking for parts. And in many cases I ordered what I needed, only to find out it's not the right thing.

Lots of people can bodge these things so they work, but doing a proper repair job on some of these watches is getting to be nearly impossible to do in a reasonable time frame.

I find the biggest issue is finding jewels. These watches don't use the modern friction fit jewels that are widely available now, but you are relying on an ever shrinking supply of bezel set or "rubbed in" jewels. Trying to match the OD, thickness, pivot size, colour, etc. to do a proper repair is quite frustrating.

Cheers, Al
 
Matt-C
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Al what's your view/experience on Omega quartz parts? Since the discontinuation of the 1538 used in the AT and SMP can you see a time when these will be unable to be repaired. Do you know if the 1538 shares any parts with the current 1424 or 4564 calibers?

Cheers, Matt.
 
Archer
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They don't share any spares that I can see with a quick look, but the 1538 is still available.

Cheers, Al
 
Fritz
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Fusion Fusion
Great example and thanks for the post. Sounds like a special watch.


Its a pretty watch and in really nice shape, but the repairs cost about what its worth (or maybe more) so you've really gotta love these things to keep them running.

To further what Al said, a lot of the really old stuff had hand fit parts, mass produced but then messgaed into place, my watchmaker freind went nuts getting that old Waltham right.

With regards to quartz watches, and a lot of modern mechanical stuff, there's a lot of plastics finding there way into watches, that stuff doesn't age all that well and I can't see this it surviving well 50 years on. I spent 20+ years engineering for a plastics company and used to keep some older product samples in my desk just so we could check them out once in a while to see how far they've degraded. Some of the older samples simply turned to dust.
 
Eve
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Can someone tell me, what are the chances they will run out of spare parts for 2500C in the close future, since they are discontinued?
last week i purchased my first Omega, Seamaster Diver 300m from 2010 (Caliber: 2500c) 212.30.41.20.01.002.
i would like to keep it for as long as i can, however if this will soon become an issue, maybe there is no reason of getting attached to it in a first place.
On a long run, does it make sence to swap it for something more reliable/easy to maintain (1120 or 2500d) now?
Thank you in advance!
 
Archer
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Eve Eve
Can someone tell me, what are the chances they will run out of spare parts for 2500C in the close future, since they are discontinued?

No one can tell you this...stop worrying about it and enjoy the watch...
 
U
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Eve Eve
Can someone tell me, what are the chances they will run out of spare parts for 2500C in the close future, since they are discontinued?
last week i purchased my first Omega, Seamaster Diver 300m from 2010 (Caliber: 2500c) 212.30.41.20.01.002.
i would like to keep it for as long as i can, however if this will soon become an issue, maybe there is no reason of getting attached to it in a first place.
On a long run, does it make sence to swap it for something more reliable/easy to maintain (1120 or 2500d) now?
Thank you in advance!

Necrothreadia - almost 4 years.

If you're worried about parts not being available for things you own, sell every item in your house and go live in the forest, making everything yourself out of wood. Then you only have to anguish over trees going extinct. 🙄
 
Eve
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Necrothreadia - almost 4 years.
Sorry, i am kind of new here, didnt want to start a whole new Thread because of this, other forums often prefer it that way.

If you're worried about parts not being available for things you own, sell every item in your house and go live in the forest, making everything yourself out of wood. Then you only have to anguish over trees going extinct.🙄

The moment i bought this watch, i wasnt aware of the fact that the movement 2500c was discontinued and prone to complications. No matter how much i like the looks, if the insides of the unit break and will not be available (like my old Seiko), than i will be owning a beautiful peace of metal. I am not an expert, so i just wated to inform myself.
.
No one can tell you this...stop worrying about it and enjoy the watch...
I wasnt expecting any concrete dates. i thought maybe someone with more experince could give some insights.
Yeah i am really enjoying this watch, but somehow with some mixed feeling :/
Sorry again! and thank you for your answer!
 
Archer
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Eve Eve
I wasnt expecting any concrete dates. i thought maybe someone with more experince could give some insights.

First post in this thread says it all...
 
502 to right
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Fusion Fusion
After this 20 year period has expired for a movement, say the 2500, what will my options be? I plan on keeping my 2503 forever, to me it's worth more than what I could get for it, but after that period what does servicing look like?

Do you still have it?
 
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