Ever dropped your Seamaster or Planet Ocean?

rahul718 · Jan 5, 2020

A few days ago I woke up in the morning to find my PO on the wood floor next to my side table. It’s about 26 inches in height. Yet I BELIEVE the fall was broken into two phases - first it hit the ledge of my bed (1 foot or so drop) and then fell to the floor, another 1 foot or so drop. But no way to say for certain, so I’m just saying a 2 foot-ish drop. No idea how it happened but I was not happy to see it on the floor in the morning.

There is a rub mark on the side of the case that wasn’t there before so I assume this is where the impact was. That area surface is still smooth and there no dings or dents. Picture attached. Timekeeping is unaffected and is still the same as it was before.

How durable are the steel cases when it comes to a 26” fall to the wooden floor? Do I need to get the watch pressure tested or is that completely unnecessary? Does anyone have stories of their drops and how the case and movement held up, whether it was a wooden floor, tile, concrete, etc?

I think what’s really bothering me is the fact that it’s only 2 Months old. Had it been older maybe I wouldn’t mind as much. Maybe I should just chalk it up to something that would happen sooner or later? I know I’m overthinking it, but the first scar always hurts.

Thanks

Evitzee · Jan 5, 2020

Congratulations, your watch is now personalized with its first scuff. Just shake it off, it's part of life. But don't put your watch where it can fall onto a wood floor.

gpssti4 · Jan 5, 2020

A mate dropped mine maybe 3 foot on to a wooden floor. I picked it up, he picked himself up and no harm done. It’s still ticking merrily away, unlike said mate who now speaks with a lisp (only kidding, he always spoke that way).

DaveK · Jan 5, 2020

Check out https://omegaforums.net/threads/after-my-omega-dropped-down-into-pieces-my-heart-is-broken.100731/

PRW · Jan 5, 2020

If it's really bothering you, autosol will get rid of that.

rahul718 · Jan 6, 2020

Thanks for the feedback. Main concern here is the integrity of the case. I shouldn’t have any issues with a stainless steel case correct?

petehealy · Jan 6, 2020

Hey, I have a Planet Ocean which was my main watch for just over 10 years and I've given it all sorts of knocks; dropped it a couple of times, knocked it against things, worn it running/at the gym/up and down hiking mountains and while it has one or two small marks a little like the one your watch suffered, its not affected anything. They are built to take a bit of a beating I guess and the occasional mark adds a little bit of character perhaps?..!

Strangedream · Jan 6, 2020

rahul718
Thanks for the feedback. Main concern here is the integrity of the case. I shouldn’t have any issues with a stainless steel case correct?

I bang and drop my watches all the time and I can tell you you'll be most likely fine. It's called a "tool watch" for a reason 😉

STANDY · Jan 6, 2020

Part of the shock test is a 1m drop onto a wooden floor simulator.

ISO 1413 shock-resistant standard[edit]
The International Organization for Standardization issued a standard for shock-resistant watches, which many countries have adopted. ISO 1413 Horology—Shock-resistant watches specifies the minimum requirements and describes the corresponding method of test. It is intended to allow homologation tests rather than the individual control of all watches of a production batch. It is based on the simulation of the shock received by a watch on falling accidentally from a height of 1 m on to a horizontal hardwood surface.

In practice shock resistance is generally tested by applying two shocks (one on the 9 o'clock side, and one to the crystal and perpendicular to the face). The shock is usually delivered by a hard plastic hammer mounted as a pendulum, so as to deliver a measured amount of energy, specifically, a 3 kg hammer with an impact velocity of 4.43 m/s (This will deliver approximately 30 Joules of energy to the watch). The watch must keep its accuracy to +/- 60 seconds/day as measured before the test.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock-resistant_watch

rahul718 · Jan 6, 2020

STANDY
Part of the shock test is a 1m drop onto a wooden floor simulator.

ISO 1413 shock-resistant standard[edit]
The International Organization for Standardization issued a standard for shock-resistant watches, which many countries have adopted. ISO 1413 Horology—Shock-resistant watches specifies the minimum requirements and describes the corresponding method of test. It is intended to allow homologation tests rather than the individual control of all watches of a production batch. It is based on the simulation of the shock received by a watch on falling accidentally from a height of 1 m on to a horizontal hardwood surface.

In practice shock resistance is generally tested by applying two shocks (one on the 9 o'clock side, and one to the crystal and perpendicular to the face). The shock is usually delivered by a hard plastic hammer mounted as a pendulum, so as to deliver a measured amount of energy, specifically, a 3 kg hammer with an impact velocity of 4.43 m/s (This will deliver approximately 30 Joules of energy to the watch). The watch must keep its accuracy to +/- 60 seconds/day as measured before the test.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock-resistant_watch

Thanks for sharing this... I actually did come across it before. Omega rates their shock resistance to 5000gs - do you know if this is the equivalent to ISO 1413?

STANDY · Jan 6, 2020

rahul718
Thanks for sharing this... I actually did come across it before. Omega rates their shock resistance to 5000gs - do you know if this is the equivalent to ISO 1413?

Are you sure 5000gs is shock not magnetism?

Also can you link where the information comes from.

ding · Jan 6, 2020

It happens all the time, a couple more and you would be used to it.

scapa · Jan 6, 2020

I dropped one of mine during its maiden voyage upon opening the box for the very first time -- I kid you not. Lifted it off the pillow and somehow managed to launch it onto the floor, wooden with a thin veneer of carpet. I breathed deeply, cursed myself roundly, and retrieved it with great care (rather pointlessly, after the fact). I am relieved to say that and it has worked flawlessly ever since, and I suspect yours will also. Thankfully these watches are overbuilt with klutzes like us in mind.

rahul718 · Jan 6, 2020

STANDY
Are you sure 5000gs is shock not magnetism?

Also can you link where the information comes from.

Now that you mention it, nothing official from Omega, but tons of talk on OF and WUS about Omega and shock resistance of 5000g. Enough to make it seem like it really is the case

scapa · Jan 7, 2020

vicsdca
It hurts just to hear you tell that story. I can't imagine how you must have felt.

Thanks -- it was pretty awful. I had to work pretty hard to make myself pick it up and inspect it, and then took a long while to wear it, just in case, but it's a yeoman of my rotation now, and has kept superb time ever since.

I'll refrain from relating the sorry tale of our new kitten and my nearly-new grail LE Dynaudio speakers in this polite company...

Dan S · Jan 7, 2020

scapa
Thankfully these watches are overbuilt with klutzes like us in mind.

Honestly, I wouldn't count on it. It's great if a watch survives a fall, but they can also be damaged. It depends a lot on how the watch lands. I find that deployant clasps greatly reduce the chance of dropping a watch, which can often happen when putting it on or taking it off. Not in the OP's case of course.

Ever dropped your Seamaster or Planet Ocean?

rahul718

Evitzee

gpssti4

DaveK

PRW

rahul718

petehealy

Strangedream

STANDY

rahul718

STANDY

ding

scapa

rahul718

scapa

Dan S

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