Hello! Longtime lurker, first-time poster, and owner of a new Speedmaster Professional. I bought the watch last month from an authorized dealer overseas, and noticed shortly thereafter that it would rarely go more than a day without stopping. Moreover, it would *always* stop in the same position: with the hour hand above the continuously-running seconds sub-dial at around 8:30 or 9:00. Poking around on this forum, I saw Archer's suggestion that this sometimes happens when the hands interfere with each other. I sent the watch in for warranty service last week (to SGUS), with a long note explaining the problem. Today, when logging into the Swatch customer information system (screenshot below), I read the following update:
"- A complete maintenance service is required due to the oils of the movement being dry."
I would not second guess the master watchmakers at Omega's Secaucus facility, but I was surprised to read this. The watch is brand new, after all. Omega seems to be making it right, so I have nothing to complain about, except for being without my watch for a month (they say service will be completed on 5/18). But I wonder if anyone has any experience with this kind of problem on a brand new watch?

 

Can't say I've seen this exact scenario before. Suggests to me the watch may not have been that "new" after all. Serial number could be used to verify the date of manufacture. I'm assuming the "signs of scratches" was just minor wear from the short time you were wearing it?

 

Thanks for the reply, Repoman. The "signs of scratches" had me (no pun intended) scratching my head, because the thing was flawless. The watch was definitely new-- I bought it from an AD and got it in the little clear plastic case they ship them in. (I got the presentation case, of course, too.)
Regarding using the serial number to verify date of manufacture-- I can't find any information on how to do this for post-2008 Speedmasters. The online databases all say my serial number (787xxxxx) is out of range.

 

Could be just a generic line in their system for movement servicing.

 

Many thanks. I was thinking this, too. But the mention of oils seems terribly, almost needlessly, specific.
I think I'm just really bummed that my brand new watch requires movement servicing that won't be done until mid May.

 

That sort of diagnosis is pretty well standard in the industry. They all do it. I think they have a form letter that they use. When you send a chronograph for service, they don’t spend two hours dismantling and re-assembling the watch in order to do a point by point report on what they find. So they broad brush the diagnosis.

 

Scratches is put on all worn watches. That way you can’t come back and blame them for anything small.

 

Just because you bought it new doesn't mean it hasn't been sitting at a dealer for a few years. Is it the newest model with the screwed bracelet links?

 

Yes sir. Screwed bracelet links. Is there any way I can date it more precisely? It's a 787xxxxx serial number.

 

A couple more digits of the s/n would help.

 

I was under the impression that watches that new couldn't be dated. If they can, I have a Speedmaster s/n I'd like to check.

 

Not sure what you are looking for exactly in the way of a date. You know when it was sold by the AD since you bought it, so is the relevant date the date that the AD received the watch? Or is it the date that the country distributor received the watch from Omega? Or the date that Omega actually assembled the watch? Or the date that movement was completed?

All of those are very likely different dates, and in some cases they could be very different. So when people talk about dating a watch, I'm not sure exactly what date it is they are looking for, and how useful that information is really going to be other than just out of curiosity. I don't think there is a way just out there on the internet to date the watch, other than the serial number lists that are widely published. You could always call Omega and ask - I don't think they will be able to tell you a whole lot, but if they do give you some information on a date, ask what specifically that date means and let us know what they said.

I have access to the Omega Extranet, but the date of production is not really relevant there as it's used for ordering spare parts and for technical information.

The bottom line is that Omega is repairing the watch as they should under warranty, so going forward you should be fine.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks for your reply, sir. What brought me to this forum was the (admittedly not pressing) mystery of how the oils could have dried out in a brand new watch. Your reply ("Just because you bought it new doesn't mean it hasn't been sitting at a dealer for a few years") raised the possibility that the watch was in fact a few years old, which would have explained the trouble I was having with it. That's what got me asking about production dates. And you are correct--since Omega is making it right, I have nothing to complain about. I just want to figure out whether the problem I have is because something slipped by Omega QC (my original hypothesis), or is the normal consequence of having a watch sit unsold for several years (your hypothesis).

 

Thank you, sir. The serial is 78782xxx.

 

Later than the movement in my ST then. I wonder what the oils are like in the watch I picked up from the OB last week.

 

Not sure you will really ever know what the answer is. Even if you know the dates of production and shipping it would still not necessarily lead to any certainty.

Sometimes you just have to accept not knowing the reasons for things - trust me I know where you are coming from though.

Cheers, Al

 

Of course, sir. Certainty is a high bar. But I'm not looking for certainty, just more information. If the production date were five years ago, that would be evidence in support of your hypothesis (that the oils dried out while it was sitting in a drawer at the AD). If it were three months ago, it would suggest something else was wrong. Now, you may ask why I need to know this, since I'm not a watchmaker. And to that, I don't have a good answer, other than to say that I'm wired this way (as I suspect most of the folks on this board are).

 

I guess it is possible they applied dried out oil to the movement when it was assembled at the factory, and it slipped past QC.

j/k. Dried out oil means a bit of time has elapsed since the oil was applied. Good chance the movement was assembled a while ago. Honestly, I do not think you will get any info better then what Archer has provided for you.

 

Could most likely be that it sat in there stock for quite some time and may have possibly been running simultaneously throughout its shelf life, because it will continue to run with the crown pulled out. Thankfully the warranty is still there to assist with the issue.

 

That serial doesn't mean squat. My '96 "57 Replica" had a serial that started with 77,xxx,xxx. Speedmasters never followed the expected order.

I'm with Archer. It sat somewhere for a year or three.

Tom