2500C Power reserve/winding etc..

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I’ve owned the PO 2500C since 2008 and I’ve never had the 48 hour power reserve, ever, and just wondered if anyone actually ever gets that?

Serviced a few months ago, and I didn’t expect any great change, but after fully winding, and then wearing it for 8 consecutive days 13-14 hours average per day, is it expected to stop after 24 hours when taken off. How long does a full wind/charge take to die if you wear it, as opposed to the claim of 48 hours if you don’t?

15 years later, I love this watch, but age can’t be a factor after a service, or can it?

Main question, does wearing it for 8 days not keep it wound, and if you’re not overly active it won’t even do 24 hours off wrist if it’s been worn but not wound for over a week.

Makes it hard to wear much else when you know every time you want a day off from it, you’ve got to reset and wind. 24 hours later now and it's 2 hours slow and obviously about to stop, despite a week on the wrist, but I've not been overly active at the moment, if I'm honest.

To double check on fully wound... is that very faint click that happens on every turn after it's been wound a while, fully wound. I expected a 60 plus turns before that kicked in, but sure it was less. Plus. those clicks still happen when you're screwing the crown in.
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Who serviced it?

My question as well. Some watchmakers try to do a service on the cheap for a client by not replacing some worn parts that should be replaced.

if the service was done by Omega or an Omega-certified watchmaker, then I’d probably send it back if still under warranty. But I would still run some tests first.

1. wind the watch fully (and by that, wind way more than you think is needed, just to be sure). Then set aside and time when it stops. If it goes close to 48 hours, then you know the non-automatic winding system is good.

2. Repeat the full winding. Then wear a normal for a week. Or if you have a programmable watch winder, put on the winder and let it run for a couple of days (at the minimum recommended by Omega). Then take it off and let it sit. If it stops at 24 hours again, then the problem is most likely in the auto-winding mechanism.
 
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I have a 2500C PO too. Although I rotate watches so when I take it off it will ultimately wind down anyway. If it was serviced by an independant they may not have changed the main spring and it is worn out. If it was Omega or someone with an Omega parts account they likely would have. I have had issues with gummed up reversing wheels too on a 2892 which is what the 2500 is based on. These wheels are what allows the big weight on the movement to wind in both directions when it is worn.
 
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I had my 10 year old SMP 2220.80 serviced by Omega last year. Among other things, they replaced the mainspring and mainspring barrel. My watch runs like a top and I have a 2 year warranty if anything goes wrong.
 
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It was done by Omega UK servicing. Now I could just take off and wind it every time, but, does that make another problem?


[B][URL='https://omegaforums.net/members/donn-chambers.22618/']Donn Chambers[/URL][/B]
, only problem with that is it won't tell me when it actually stops, for instance, last night it was still running when I picked it up, but 2 hours slow. I don't ever remember it doing that prior to this service. First time I noticed this I was wearing it and it had lost 5 minutes, so I thought wearing it is not enough to power it, so fully wound and wore for a week. But I'll give that a go, and see when it physically stops or loses significant time. Are those light clicks telling me fully wound? Fully wound and wearing for a week but stopping after 24 hours, well losing 2 hours to be precise as opposed to stopping....
 
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It was done by Omega UK servicing. Now I could just take off and wind it every time, but, does that make another problem?


[B][URL='https://omegaforums.net/members/donn-chambers.22618/']Donn Chambers[/URL][/B]
, only problem with that is it won't tell me when it actually stops, for instance, last night it was still running when I picked it up, but 2 hours slow. I don't ever remember it doing that prior to this service. First time I noticed this I was wearing it and it had lost 5 minutes, so I thought wearing it is not enough to power it, so fully wound and wore for a week. But I'll give that a go, and see when it physically stops or loses significant time. Are those light clicks telling me fully wound? Fully wound and wearing for a week but stopping after 24 hours, well losing 2 hours to be precise as opposed to stopping....

What you're describing is not normal. Unless you don't move around much during the day.

Did they replace the mainspring? If they did you would have gotten the old one back in the parts bag.
 
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It was done by Omega UK servicing. Now I could just take off and wind it every time, but, does that make another problem?


[B][URL='https://omegaforums.net/members/donn-chambers.22618/']Donn Chambers[/URL][/B]
, only problem with that is it won't tell me when it actually stops, for instance, last night it was still running when I picked it up, but 2 hours slow. I don't ever remember it doing that prior to this service. First time I noticed this I was wearing it and it had lost 5 minutes, so I thought wearing it is not enough to power it, so fully wound and wore for a week. But I'll give that a go, and see when it physically stops or loses significant time. Are those light clicks telling me fully wound? Fully wound and wearing for a week but stopping after 24 hours, well losing 2 hours to be precise as opposed to stopping....

take a look at it several times a day, then — track how far off it is each time. Should be pretty obvious when it stops within an hour or so. And ignore the clicks — yes, the clutch engaging to prevent overwinding should make clicks, but I know my ears aren’t good enough to hear it. Just wind it for a minute or so — you can’t overwind it or do any damage.

but based on the fact this was serviced by Omega and started doing this after, I suspect the watchmaker had a bad day and made a mistake somewhere on reassembly. That’s why warranties are there.
 
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What you're describing is not normal. Unless you don't move around much during the day.

Did they replace the mainspring? If they did you would have gotten the old one back in the parts bag.

Which bit isn't the normal bit? You'd think I'd know more after 15 years of this watch... but it's all new behaviour, I think. They didn't return much, bearing in mind the rotor makes a noise which it's never done, ever. No biggy as it runs OK, but maybe related? Do you think being pretty inactive, more so than usual maybe actually, would still be a problem, even after wearing it for over a week, to slow it down in 24 hours, once off wrist?


take a look at it several times a day, then — track how far off it is each time. Should be pretty obvious when it stops within an hour or so. And ignore the clicks — yes, the clutch engaging to prevent overwinding should make clicks, but I know my ears aren’t good enough to hear it. Just wind it for a minute or so — you can’t overwind it or do any damage.

but based on the fact this was serviced by Omega and started doing this after, I suspect the watchmaker had a bad day and made a mistake somewhere on reassembly. That’s why warranties are there.

Have to agree, I will do this from tomorrow and report back, but I suspect you're correct, The service they did prior to this one was problem free, for a fair while.

Thank you guys
 
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Which bit isn't the normal bit? You'd think I'd know more after 15 years of this watch... but it's all new behaviour, I think. They didn't return much, bearing in mind the rotor makes a noise which it's never done, ever. No biggy as it runs OK, but maybe related? Do you think being pretty inactive, more so than usual maybe actually, would still be a problem, even after wearing it for over a week, to slow it down in 24 hours, once off wrist?




Have to agree, I will do this from tomorrow and report back, but I suspect you're correct, The service they did prior to this one was problem free, for a fair while.

Thank you guys

My "not normal" comment relates to your description of how long the movement runs before losing it's ability to keep accurate time. Something is wrong with the watch. The question is what.

They did not replace the mainspring based on the parts returned. I don't know if that's the problem or not.

Hearing an odd noise with the rotor could definitely be an issue as that's the part that winds the watch while you're wearing.

I would absolutely send that back under warranty and get it checked out.
 
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My "not normal" comment relates to your description of how long the movement runs before losing it's ability to keep accurate time. Something is wrong with the watch. The question is what.

They did not replace the mainspring based on the parts returned. I don't know if that's the problem or not.

Hearing an odd noise with the rotor could definitely be an issue as that's the part that winds the watch while you're wearing.

I would absolutely send that back under warranty and get it checked out.

Thanks, all roads are pointing to that sadly, Just wasn't looking forward to another 5 month wait, hence putting up with winding it every time
Still find it odd that's all the parts returned, if that's all that came out for a 'full' service.
 
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Thanks, all roads are pointing to that sadly, Just wasn't looking forward to another 5 month wait, hence putting up with winding it every time
Still find it odd that's all the parts returned, if that's all that came out for a 'full' service.

This is what came back after my 2220.80 SMP was serviced by Omega. I also got back the bezel/bezel insert (I paid extra to get that replaced) but that part has been repurposed into another SMP I own.

 
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This is what came back after my 2220.80 SMP was serviced by Omega. I also got back the bezel/bezel insert (I paid extra to get that replaced) but that part has been repurposed into another SMP I own.


Thanks for pic. Yep big difference, I can't believe that's all that came out of mine. I'm still checking it out and not wearing it, but if it is still going after 1 day unworn fully wound, which it is, (yet to see if it gets anywhere near the 48, I'll know tomorrow),

It won't change the fact I can wear if for over a week and it won't do the same off wrist for a day, I'm sure if I wind it every time I take it off and don't want to wear it for a day it'll run, but also it's nowhere near as accurate as it was either. It gains more than it should, and it was always dead on prior, or occasionally lose a couple of seconds. It's such a pain sending these back again. Where did you send yours?
 
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Where did you send yours?

OSC Miami. That's where Omega told me to send it when I inquired about the service.
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OSC Miami. That's where Omega told me to send it when I inquired about the service.

Thanks, fully wound power was not far off 40 ish, but more interested now to see how long it lasts after I wear it Mon - Fri and then leave off all weekend. I think there lies the problem and don't think it will get to 40 off wirst with no winding, if original problem is anything to go by.
 
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Thanks, fully wound power was not far off 40 ish, but more interested now to see how long it lasts after I wear it Mon - Fri and then leave off all weekend. I think there lies the problem and don't think it will get to 40 off wirst with no winding, if original problem is anything to go by.

Do you have a watch winder? That would be true test of whether it is getting ample power through the automatic rotor.
 
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Do you have a watch winder? That would be true test of whether it is getting ample power through the automatic rotor.

No, never owned one. I did do a bit of damage to arm of late though so not overly active at present. Is normal day to day sitting and wearing not enough for winding, Do you really have to be that active do you think?
 
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No, never owned one. I did do a bit of damage to arm of late though so not overly active at present. Is normal day to day sitting and wearing not enough for winding, Do you really have to be that active do you think?

Yes. Definitely. That might be your issue.
 
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If you don't want to go through the hassle of returning the watch to Omega to take another look at it (no telling how long that would take), I would recommend picking up a cheap watch winder. I bought one years ago for about $35 (USD) and it has worked well. It was made by Diplomat. Nothing fancy but it will wind a watch for me. I got it to wind up watches that rotate and want to keep running so I don't have the reset the time/date or for watches that I prefer not to work the manual wind too much (watches with a 2824-2 movement).

If you put it on the watch winder for a day and it keeps running an appropriate length of time (and accurately) you will know the lack of power reserve is due to your activity level.

Alternatively, if you have a local watchmaker you could drop it off and have them put it on their watch winder. Any reputable watchmaker will have a device that rotates around to wind several watches at one time. They do this to check the automatic works on watches they've just serviced. I wouldn't think that would cost you much at all as all they have to do is put it on the winder. No labour is really involved.

It looks like this:

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Never realised being less active would make that difference even when on. You learn every day....

That's a good idea actually. I know it would keep it running if it was on one of them, as opposed to off the wrist, the same as I know winding it fully also keeps it running. I suppose the only red flag is why there is rotor noise on a 15 year old watch that hasn't ever been there for 15 years, until now. The rattle just sounds like a fault because I'm not used to it. It also runs faster than it did, but that I can live with. I definitely had a seconds gain when shook which I've not tried again since though.