Authenticity check - the Aqua Terra 2803.33.00 that just came in the mail

ffej4 · Feb 25, 2015

Hey all,

I just received the long-awaited Aqua Terra in the mail yesterday after weeks of waiting. It case with the cards and the watch itself, but no box.

Upon basic inspection, all seems legit. The finish is flawless, the movement looks correct though the sapphire, and the deployment buckle feels very high quality.

Now, I've never owned or even held an Aqua Terra prior to this, so I was hoping to ask you guys to take a look at it and make sure it's legit.

A couple things that have me slightly concerned:

1) The crown, when pulled out to change the date or adjust the time, feels very slightly wobbly. When I say slight, I mean slight. I'm asking about this because on the 2531.80 and the 3570 Speedy, the crown was rock solid and had absolutely no play. Should I be concerned? The screw-down function seems to be working properly.

2) The timekeeping isn't what I expected it to be. In 24 hours, it lost about 30 seconds. My educated guess is that it was magnetized during shipment (it traveled a few thousand miles and got held up in Malaysia for about two weeks, so this could be very likely). I also do not believe it has ever been serviced, since it is from 2011.

3) After adjusting the time today, when I pushed the crown back into position one, the second hand was still locked. To remedy this, I just had to pull the crown out to position 3 and push it back in again. This is the only time it has done it, and I have tested it a number of times since then, and it has not recurred.

Those are really the only things that have me slightly on edge. Should I be worried? I want to avoid getting a full service on it for at least a year due to finances, but I am going to San Francisco at the end of March - does anyone have a shop down there they could recommend me to take it into to get demagnetized, pressure tested and regulated? In Montana, there aren't really any watchmakers. It's a bummer.

Anyway, here are the pictures on the Imgur album (note that the dial's color is misrepresented in most of the photos - it's a very light cream color, almost white in real life). Thanks for the help, guys!

Rallis · Feb 25, 2015

You're good on authenticity I'm quite sure (given the photos). The co-axil 2500 movement can be a bit temperamental and 'finicky' depending on the calibre variant. I have it in my SMP300, and it has on occasion, stopped completely (whilst still wound). A light thud on the case and it kick-started back up and remained running, (this was about 7 months ago, and have had no issues since). I have also experienced the same frozen second hand you refer to, and remedied it quite the same way. The Co-Axil movement quotes something like a 5 year service interval on the upper-limit, so you're still somewhat in the black with that regard. Do you sleep with the watch on? depending on how it sits whilst you're not wearing it can very well have an effect on the watch running fast/slow.

Nobel Prize · Feb 25, 2015

30 seconds is a lot. My AT is the master c but my two PO's are 2500 (d for the 45.5 and c for the LMLE) and I don't have any issues like this. The issue described above is textbook what the 2500 was experiencing on occasions up to the C version and as I understand it is easy to fix. It's either a lubrication issue or some other technical issue I can't describe while drinking Jameson's ( which I am) you may need to have it looked arid not repeats that ratio of loss. Don't give up on the watch though, these are mechanical watches after all

ffej4 · Feb 25, 2015

Sergio Maclean
30 seconds is a lot. My AT is the master c but my two PO's are 2500 (d for the 45.5 and c for the LMLE) and I don't have any issues like this. The issue described above is textbook what the 2500 was experiencing on occasions up to the C version and as I understand it is easy to fix. It's either a lubrication issue or some other technical issue I can't describe while drinking Jameson's ( which I am) you may need to have it looked arid not repeats that ratio of loss. Don't give up on the watch though, these are mechanical watches after all

On the warranty card, I figured out the 2011 means that is the expiration year for the original warranty, which would date this watch to 2007. So, it definitely needs servicing.

Does anyone have a suggestion on who I could send this into for servicing at a relatively cheap price? As much as I'd love to send it to Omega, I really cannot afford a ~$500 bill. I am hoping to stay at $250 or below. A simple re-oil, regulation, gasket replacement, and possible a slight polish would be perfect.

Nobel Prize · Feb 25, 2015

On this forum Al ( archer) would be my choice, otherwise you should disclose your location and some member may be able to help you

ffej4 · Feb 25, 2015

Sergio Maclean
On this forum Al ( archer) would be my choice, otherwise you should disclose your location and some member may be able to help you

I'll message him. Thank you! Also, my location is Missoula, Montana. There was a certified Swiss watchmaker here, but he retired last year. Just my luck!

italy1861 · Feb 25, 2015

Pretty sure Al isn't accepting any new work....

ffej4 · Feb 25, 2015

italy1861
Pretty sure Al isn't accepting any new work....

Well, I messaged him. I'll see what he says. If not, I'll continue to search around! I'm sure he gets a lot of work from people on OF, definitely.

Kringkily · Feb 26, 2015

Where do you figure it is 2011. If the card has 2011 below the date window that is a country code. Thirty seconds slow does not mean magnetized but more of it needs service.

ffej4 · Feb 26, 2015

Kringkily
Where do you figure it is 2011. If the card has 2012 below the date window that is a country code. Thirty seconds slow does not mean magnetized but more of it needs service.

It says it under the purchase date area on the international warranty card (which has been left blank), and 2011 is written in black, permanent numbers.

I think it just needs a service. I'm trying to find an independent watchmaker that could do it for cheaper than Omega, though!

Modest_Proposal · Feb 26, 2015

$250 is getting to be on the low end of the spectrum, cost wise. You'll probably end up spending between $300-$400 IMO.

pascs · Feb 26, 2015

I think with that serial number its more likely to be from 2004/2005. Mine has a 8058xxxx number and I've always thought it was from 2003/2004. It has the 2500B movement and I had it serviced by Al in 2013 and its not missed a beat since 😀

italy1861 · Feb 26, 2015

If Al can't help you out, you might give Nesbit's in Seattle a try..

ffej4 · Feb 26, 2015

Thanks for all the info guys, it is much appreciated. I'm guessing this piece hasn't been serviced for at least 7 years, so it really, really needs one!

tpatta · Feb 26, 2015

I have the same watch. White dial with blue markers. Yours is the real deal. Mine is keeping time at around +3 secs. per day.
Get a service done, that should fix the time keeping issue.

chickenman26 · Feb 27, 2015

ffej4
I think it just needs a service. I'm trying to find an independent watchmaker that could do it for cheaper than Omega, though!

I don't see what reason you have to think it just needs a service. More likely, you're hoping it just needs a service. Using the search function here, you can find Al talking extensively about the problems with the A, B, and C versions of your movement and the residue that can appear on the intermediate escapement wheel of the C which Omega issued re-designed parts to deal with. I have no idea what all that means, but it was enough to steer me away from any watch with those movements, unless the price was low enough that a full service wouldn't put me upside down in the watch. Hopefully, Al will be along soon with actual facts.

Stu

ffej4 · Feb 27, 2015

chickenman26
I don't see what reason you have to think it just needs a service. More likely, you're hoping it just needs a service. Using the search function here, you can find Al talking extensively about the problems with the A, B, and C versions of your movement and the residue that can appear on the intermediate escapement wheel of the C which Omega issued re-designed parts to deal with. I have no idea what all that means, but it was enough to steer me away from any watch with those movements, unless the price was low enough that a full service wouldn't put me upside down in the watch. Hopefully, Al will be along soon with actual facts.

Stu

Is there a way to find out exactly which movement my watch has?

The only reason I think it needs a service is because it has not had one in 7+ years, which is a long time for even co-axial movements.

Nobel Prize · Feb 27, 2015

ffej4
Is there a way to find out exactly which movement my watch has?

The only reason I think it needs a service is because it has not had one in 7+ years, which is a long time for even co-axial movements.

It doesn't matter, just send it for service and it'll get fixed no matter what yhe issue is. You can be led to a panic of you start obsessing over every possible scenario. Yes, an and c movements had some issues, but it was still a minority of cases and all fixable. There are thousands and thousands of units housing these movements and if they where endemically faulty it would have brought Omega to its.knees long ago. There are also some 8500 Cal units having issues and no one is panicking yet.

One thing you learn though, it's there is no such thing as a bargain. Prices too good to be true are often just that.

chickenman26 · Feb 27, 2015

ffej4
Is there a way to find out exactly which movement my watch has?

Al can tell you based on the serial #.

The only reason I think it needs a service is because it has not had one in 7+ years, which is a long time for even co-axial movements.

No doubt it needs a service, but possibly not just a service. In other words, I'm thinking $250 or less isn't likely to get this watch back on the road

ffej4 · Feb 27, 2015

chickenman26
Al can tell you based on the serial #.
No doubt it needs a service, but possibly not just a service. In other words, I'm thinking $250 or less isn't likely to get this watch back on the road

Would the best bet be to send to Nesbits and have them give me a quote? Archer is very busy for the next few months, so I'd have to wait a while before he could work on it.

I do need to save some money, though. I'm imagining this will run around $500.

Authenticity check - the Aqua Terra 2803.33.00 that just came in the mail

ffej4

Rallis

Nobel Prize

ffej4

Nobel Prize

ffej4

italy1861

ffej4

Kringkily

ffej4

Modest_Proposal

pascs

italy1861

ffej4

tpatta

chickenman26

ffej4

Nobel Prize

chickenman26

ffej4

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