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It seems people have to a degree lost their minds over this one, and I can't quite figure out why...
No, I don't think that people have lost their minds over this issue.
What I think is that, people want to buy this watch with peace of mind that this issue has been seen to and fixed in the watch that they're about to buy.
Then they need to have patience and give Omega time to do that. The new bushing was only put out as the solution a few weeks ago, so this isn't going to get fixed overnight.
Just to add some perspective here, back in 2014 in February, after people reported numerous problems with the dual barrel movement watches that had DLC coated barrels, Omega announced a fix for that. The barrel coating was causing an unexpected reaction with the barrel arbor, so a newly designed barrel was implemented where the coating didn't contact the arbor. This would cause reduced power reserve or stopping of the watch completely, so very similar outcome to what the 3861 is having now.
There were 7 different barrel references that were affected, and Omega rolled out replacements in stages, starting in February of 2014, and they finished it 2 years later. During this time the problem was well known, and no one was calling for recalls, letters making announcements/commitments being sent to every owner, and all the things that have been talked about with regards to the 3861.
So we can agree to disagree about people losing their minds on this one.
Then they need to have patience and give Omega time to do that. The new bushing was only put out as the solution a few weeks ago, so this isn't going to get fixed overnight.
Just to add some perspective here, back in 2014 in February, after people reported numerous problems with the dual barrel movement watches that had DLC coated barrels, Omega announced a fix for that. The barrel coating was causing an unexpected reaction with the barrel arbor, so a newly designed barrel was implemented where the coating didn't contact the arbor. This would cause reduced power reserve or stopping of the watch completely, so very similar outcome to what the 3861 is having now.
There were 7 different barrel references that were affected, and Omega rolled out replacements in stages, starting in February of 2014, and they finished it 2 years later. During this time the problem was well known, and no one was calling for recalls, letters making announcements/commitments being sent to every owner, and all the things that have been talked about with regards to the 3861.
So we can agree to disagree about people losing their minds on this one.
B BryWhen I purchase something expect it to function as advertised.
B BryI think I've been proactively trying to help fix the problem that they may have missed the step of pushing buttons during certification...I can only speculate.
So the stoppage on activation of the chronograph is a strange one. The adjustments for the 3861 are exactly the same as the 1861, 861, and 321 in terms of the set-up of the various wheels in relation to one another. If improperly set-up, this can cause jamming of everything when the chronograph is activated, but it seems unlikely that all Omega's watch assemblers are suddenly forgetting how to set this up properly.
The only thing I can think of is that if the watch already has the center wheel issue, it will have low balance amplitude, and possibly the added load of the chronograph causes it to stop. Can't say that for sure, but it's the only thing that seems to come to mind as I see more reports of this happening.
Since I made this post Omega released additional information, including the photos I spoke of above., This confirms to me that this is an amplitude problem, and not a chronograph problem.
Good luck with your emails to Arnaud, but Omega already knows what the problem is and how to fix it. They don't really need your help.
Cheers, Al
B BryLast thing i would want is for you to disclose inside information as the watchmaker. You surely don't want to be visited by the Hippocampus in the middle of the night!! 😀
The question that needs to be answered in my opinion is if the watch is being tested using the chrono buttons during initial certification??
I know the timing is according to OMEGA site and videos. If they were testing the chrono function it would be mechanically stopping the entire movement and they would be fixing these and recertifying before shipping out to the stores.
Anyone that thinks one or two watches tested by Omega or any brand is as good as 10000 actual real wrists.
You are a brands testing environment. Real world wear.
Keep in mind it takes time for the watch to develop this problem. The bushing issue creates this debris after running for some time, so it likely wouldn't be apparent until the watch is out in the real world.
A fellow over on WUS reports the failure right out of the box. That’s very difficult to describe as wear-over-time (impossible) and suggests very limited testing of the fully assembled caliber.
Hopefully, Omega will ensure their OB’s and AD’s get all of the suspect SN’s back for upgrades before folks experience further inconvenience.
No drama; poor execution.
z
Yes, the one where he was not able to duplicate the problem after that first incident, and even let it run a full 48 hours with the chronograph running and it didn't stop. Unclear what the cause is there. But keep in mind that when you get a "new" watch, it has been run for a fair bit of time. You have no way of knowing how much, because if it has sat in the display case, someone could have wound it many times before it was sold.
I believe it’s yet another:
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/do-i-have-the-3861-problem.5321451/post-53725534
z
Yes, not "right out of the box" though...
One thing to keep in mind when you read these in general, is that many people are "scared" to wind their watches fully for fear of somehow breaking it, and some insist on only winding it once every 2 days, rather than every day. You can find lots of threads here on how to properly wind a watch, and threads where someone complains about a low power reserve only to find that they aren't winding it fully of every day.
Unless you know all the details of how the watch is being used, I would caution jumping to any conclusions. The only way to actually diagnose this as a bushing issue, is to take the watch apart and inspect it.
I believe Omega has identified the remedy and therefore, a conclusion - but - I hope you get a few examples on your bench so that we can hear of your findings, first hand.
z
I assume that this has been done by now.
