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Chrono hand alignment on DSM

M
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I recently purchased a pre-owned DSM from Tourneau in Boston. I was in the market for a new DSM specifically, and combined a pleasure trip to Boston to visit Tourneau. Ironically, despite being an Omega dealer, the Copley location did not carry the brand. When I was pleasantly helped, and was able to express my interest in a DSM, I was guided to a perfect condition pre-owned model with box and papers. The price was attractive and after a lunch, I decided to make the purchase.

Once back home in Connecticut, I really marveled at the watch and how comfortable it wore on my wrist. Unfortunately it was at this point I noticed the chrono hand was out of register when reset to the 12:00 position. Every time I looked at the watch my eye would instantly gravitate to the misaligned chrono hand. After a couple days, I reached out to Tourneau, and they said to bring it back and there in-house watch maker would adjust it. Based on my time, and distance to Boston, I elected to ship the watch back via UPS for $240. After a few weeks, I was notified the the watch would need to be returned to Omega for proper service. Fast forward two months later, and the watch was returned to me yesterday. No documentation from Omega other than an accuracy validation of +1 sec… No noticeable adjustment on the chrono hand. All the DSM / Speedmaster internet pictures and reviews appear to have a properly aligned chrono hand. Even my Bell & Ross BR01-94 has a perfectly aligned chrono hand. So my question, am I making a big deal over this? Granted my OCD is strong with this one!

thanks,

brad
 
IMG_1277.jpeg
Donn Chambers
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M Massflyer
I recently purchased a pre-owned DSM from Tourneau in Boston. I was in the market for a new DSM specifically, and combined a pleasure trip to Boston to visit Tourneau. Ironically, despite being an Omega dealer, the Copley location did not carry the brand. When I was pleasantly helped, and was able to express my interest in a DSM, I was guided to a perfect condition pre-owned model with box and papers. The price was attractive and after a lunch, I decided to make the purchase.

Once back home in Connecticut, I really marveled at the watch and how comfortable it wore on my wrist. Unfortunately it was at this point I noticed the chrono hand was out of register when reset to the 12:00 position. Every time I looked at the watch my eye would instantly gravitate to the misaligned chrono hand. After a couple days, I reached out to Tourneau, and they said to bring it back and there in-house watch maker would adjust it. Based on my time, and distance to Boston, I elected to ship the watch back via UPS for $240. After a few weeks, I was notified the the watch would need to be returned to Omega for proper service. Fast forward two months later, and the watch was returned to me yesterday. No documentation from Omega other than an accuracy validation of +1 sec… No noticeable adjustment on the chrono hand. All the DSM / Speedmaster internet pictures and reviews appear to have a properly aligned chrono hand. Even my Bell & Ross BR01-94 has a perfectly aligned chrono hand. So my question, am I making a big deal over this? Granted my OCD is strong with this one!

thanks,

brad

I'm replying because I have experienced the exact same thing recently. I had my Speedmaster FOiS serviced recently by my local watchmaker. When it picked it up after several months, I was happy to have it back. Checked all the functions before I left the shop (all good) and the timekeeping over the next several days (± 5 sec/day, better than it had ever been). So I was happy.

Took me a week to realize seconds hand was a fraction off center. Not quite as much as yours, but definitely off-center.

What did I do?

Nothing. It took me over a week to notice, it doesn't affect functionality, and it doesn't cause me deep psychological pain to see it. I know if I returned it, the watchmaker would fix it, but he wouldn't do it immediately because he is too busy. he would get to it when he could, which means days to maybe a week without it. And I have to drive across town to drop it off and pick it up.

You have already spent $240 for shipping, and will either spend that again or a long drive to send it back. It was sent to Omega, so I assume it was serviced (at no cost to you? not sure about that). It keeps great time and nothing else is wrong with it. Why bother sending it back?
 
M
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W watchesiseek
Have you tried to turn the watch crown down? Do you have the same result?
Thanks for the response, but not sure I follow on turning the watch crown down?
 
D
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The chrono hand will always be off if you magnify it enough. So it's just a question of how much is too much. I would leave it.
 
M
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D drster
The chrono hand will always be off if you magnify it enough. So it's just a question of how much is too much. I would leave it.[/QUOTE
Thanks for the feedback, however, the watch doesn’t require magnification to determine the misalignment. I can notice it quite easily at standard viewing distances.
 
W
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M Massflyer
I recently purchased a pre-owned DSM from Tourneau in Boston. I was in the market for a new DSM specifically, and combined a pleasure trip to Boston to visit Tourneau. Ironically, despite being an Omega dealer, the Copley location did not carry the brand. When I was pleasantly helped, and was able to express my interest in a DSM, I was guided to a perfect condition pre-owned model with box and papers. The price was attractive and after a lunch, I decided to make the purchase.

Once back home in Connecticut, I really marveled at the watch and how comfortable it wore on my wrist. Unfortunately it was at this point I noticed the chrono hand was out of register when reset to the 12:00 position. Every time I looked at the watch my eye would instantly gravitate to the misaligned chrono hand. After a couple days, I reached out to Tourneau, and they said to bring it back and there in-house watch maker would adjust it. Based on my time, and distance to Boston, I elected to ship the watch back via UPS for $240. After a few weeks, I was notified the the watch would need to be returned to Omega for proper service. Fast forward two months later, and the watch was returned to me yesterday. No documentation from Omega other than an accuracy validation of +1 sec… No noticeable adjustment on the chrono hand. All the DSM / Speedmaster internet pictures and reviews appear to have a properly aligned chrono hand. Even my Bell & Ross BR01-94 has a perfectly aligned chrono hand. So my question, am I making a big deal over this? Granted my OCD is strong with this one!

thanks,

brad

It’d bother me too. But I will say one thing.

When I first got my 1861, I swore the second hand returned off 12 and was misaligned. I mean, I took pics, louped it, you name it. Then, looking at the pics, I noticed I wasn’t squaring up the watch in the frame. I was taking pics from one side or the other of the centerline of the watch. The pics that showed I was centered, well, guess what? The second hand was indeed aligned.

So, make sure you’re looking at the watch truly on center.

But, if it isn’t, then it’d bother me too. For a watch of that price, it should return to 12 and centered. Take it to an AD for a second opinion.

And remember, you can always use the watch, have it corrected if necessary at the first servicing.
 
YVR785
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You have to learn to live with it. I’ve had similar issues and I recently sent a watch with a hour hand misalignment to Omega/Swatch centre and they returned it misaligned, but to the other direction.

End of the day, it’s a machine and has a margin of error.
 
Davidt
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I’ve had this before and it drove me crackers. I certainly wouldn’t live with it.
I would say, just make sure it is actually misaligned. It certainly looks that way but lay it on a flat surface, make sure you’re centred over the watch and take any glasses off. I’ve found that as my eyes have slightly different prescriptions and/or one eye is dominant, when I have my gigs on hands sometimes look misaligned. Obviously this is unlikely to be the case with yours as it seems to be visible in the photo.
 
Annapolis
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I see what you mean, but even if it’s not just parallax, I bet it’s within SWATCH/Omega’s margins. We love Omegas around here, obviously, but remember: these are mass produced watches. (Think BMW not Bentley.) The premium you pay is for branding and history, not perfection.

I would absolutely live with it—awesome watch, and if you need down to the millisecond accuracy for timing a race, you’re probably not using it for that anyway. It’s good enough for cooking a steak, right?

Even if they’d manage to line it up perfectly this time, at your next service… crapshoot.

Just enjoy it, I say!
 
Bugbait
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The chrono hand is the furthest from the dial so as someone else mentioned, are you certain you're truly centred when viewing? Mine appears off centre at times due to the bias in my vision (one eye was lasered to focus short distance and the other medium to long). However, when viewed via the camera on my phone, it's centred.

Looking at your photo, if you tilted it very slightly it could "appear" centred in the photo. Tilt it the other way and it could appear even more off centre.
 
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