Meanwhile, I already got this first report back from the service center for my RM. Looks like I'll be getting practically a whole new watch by the time they're done with it ...

 

To each their own. Their is obviously an issue with the watch, and extensive repairs will be needed. How much of a debate you want to turn it into is up to you. There is principal, and there is reality.

 

I think if you go into a boutique, the reality will be that claiming "you just saw this after looking down at your wrist one day", and that you hadn't been near water, would not score you better service. It's more likely to work against you, especially after they open up the case. If you're going to go that way, the lie should at least be believable. But yes, to each their own.

 

Omega need to give me *a lot* of reassurances when I get the watch back that its OK again to take it back into water. Cant say this episode has helped me establish trust in the quality of the water resistance of the watch.

Unfort need to wait until Monday before I have a chance to visit the London boutique. Will def let you guys know how I get on.

 

Would probably be good to take the crown out so the movement isn't activated now that water has ingressed, and contact the boutique beforehand - it's best to get it looked at urgently if you have water damage.

 

OK, good shout, will give them a call today. I can visit local boutique where I am holidaying at the moment (NL), that's not the issue, it's just that the box and warranty card are at home.

 

On second thought, taking the crown out might suggest to them that you went in the water with the crown out, lol. So maybe just ignore that piece of bad advice.

 

The watch is AFAIK covered against ingress with the crown, which as noted does not screw down, in any position so I don’t think it matters. Find a decent dealer or OB and they should honour the warranty. It would be a bit daft to immerse it intentionally with the crown out IMO but it could have worked loose on the wrist if caught. It can happen. Now on the deeper rated dive Seamaster watches there can be a difference with the crown or He valve in or out but AFAIK on a healthy RM it shouldn’t matter.

Telling white lies over what you did with the watch, or pulling the crown out to to hack it should make no difference. As long as you weren’t diving to 70m you have a strong an irrefutable case. The good thing about these modern recreations is that they can be put back to look new. Vintage can’t.

While all we have is anecdotal evidence, it is just possible that this series are not as water resistant as they should be, but if remedied and tested you should have faith going forward. They should perform as advertised, no ifs or buts.

 

For some reason I only like to swim with watches with a screw-in crown. Yet I understood that OMEGA has special technology in the axis? so it is not particularly necessary.

A small anecdote: As Apple fanboy I owned some Apple Watch but recently I gave them all to my eldest son and started enjoying real watches again. A couple of years ago I used a first edition Apple Watch in steel under the shower. There came water inside and Apple wanted me to charge for repair but after I showed them a tweet from Tim Cook that he used the Apple Watch under the shower all was solved.

OT That said, what can't I swim with my speedy or are the pushers the only culprit

 

Note to self. If and when I buy a RM never ever get it wet.

 

I didn't say to lie about having gone on the water. But the reality is the OP did not see the condensation until later. How do you know the moisture inside the watch is even from having been in the water? It's not that the watch is filled with water, but that there is condensation. That could be from the the air inside of the watch getting cooled below the condensation point when the OP went swimming in cool water. He noticed it later, so there is no telling when moisture got into the case. My point is I would not tell them water got in while swimming -- I would tell them there is condensation in the watch and it is no longer working properly. It could have been due to air in the watch from assembly, vs moisture entering while swimming. Hell, it could pass the pressure test, but still have condensation when cooled due to the moisture content of the air at assembly. Assuming it was ingress while swimming is not something to push in my opinion -- the fact is there is moisture inside the watch and it appears it has resulted in damage to the movement (and to dial possibly?), and the watch must be repaired by Omega under warranty.

 

Position of the crown is irrelevant to water resistance. In fact I just got a quartz SMP in yesterday with stripped threads and a crown that can't screw in:



Pressure testing at -0.7 bar, and then +10 bar:



Passed both tests:



Stripped case tube on the left, and new one on the right:



If you have a valid warranty on the RM, Omega will make it right.

Cheers, Al

 

That's a big if seeing as the OP bought the watch grey market.

 

What do you see in this thread suggesting that is the case? I see nothing on either watch mentioned suggesting that.

 

That's why I used the word mate...

 

Read the OP's first post again.

 

Yep I did then went d'oh and thought I had deleted my post pretty much immediately, but clearly it didn't delete. I'll leave it there now but even if it was grey market purchased, that doesn't necessarily mean it has no valid warranty. There is grey market and grey market. Buying from Iconic or Chronext for instance in the UK or Europe will get you a cheaper piece but full Omega warranty, buying from Joma in the US will get you a much cheaper piece but a very different warranty. It is the warranty that matters, not the status of the seller.

 

But that’s the question. He said he has a receipt but didn’t mention a warranty card. It could be possible, but highly unlikely that it has one since it came from a grey dealer, but not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

 

Now who isn’t paying attention? He mentions the warranty card in post 1. You’ll have to join me in dunces corner!