Hi,

I am mainly a lurker but am a huge watch nerd and love these forums. So I (as with many others), had my reservations about getting a ceramic watch but decided to pull the trigger on a GSOTM after it refused to get out of my head. I purchased the tang buckle version because I preferred the look however after wearing it a few times I grew paranoid when taking it off and decided to get a deployant for peace of mind. I ordered one and had to wait on backorder for a grey brushed-polished ceramic/Ti clasp.

The clasp/strap arrive and excitedly I get out my loupe, bergeon springbar tool etc. and set up at my workbench. Up until this point I have never taken the strap off of the watch. I have however changed countless straps on my other watches without incident and consider myself capable and cautious. The bars come out easily and I clean in between the lugs while I have the chance. Something catches my eye at one of the lug holes so I wipe it again. Still there. I anxiously grab my loupe and examine the hole... there is a chip. My heart sinks. In disbelief I try cleaning it off again but I already know the score. I begin quickly checking the other holes and... another (albeit less severe) chipped hole.

So I start checking my (clean) work area searching for debris wondering if I somehow damaged them. I don't find anything and try to think of other possible causes. I reached out to Archer for his expert opinion (thanks Al), and he explained that the nature of the damage was odd because it indicates stress towards the case. The chips are on the inside and thus do not denote a strap being too tight. He also said he can't see how it would be from changing the strap. This made me feel a little better but still very bummed. Hopeful that Omega will step up and help out as they have others with their chipped situations. I am afraid to even put the strap back on as it stands.

And of course pictures. Excuse my lousy photography skills and dust. The two damaged holes are at 11 and 7 o'clock with 7 being worse. Other than the holes, the watch is pristine and has been worn maybe 5 times with no incidents. I love the GSOTM but this is really discouraging and confirming my already skeptical view of ceramic cases. I won't be near an AD until the weekend, will keep you posted.

 

Sorry to see this.

It just confirms my view. Ceramics are for kitchenware, not watches.
I hope you can get it sorted with your AD or OB.

 

That doesn't look like a GS to me. Edges of the lugs don't look sharp enough and also appear pitted. But that could be down to the quality of the pictures.

 

I'm surprised this hasn't come up before. Seems an obvious place for a problem, especially with frequent strap changes.

I have yet to see the benefits of ceramic vs. metal on a watch. Seems rather...

 

First one looks like a drilling/milling tool slip...

 

Ah, here we'll go with the ceramic dishes jokes again, no doubt. I'd check with Omega. First time I see/hear of similar damage (although another user had a chip inside the lugs) and if the watch is recent, wouldn't be surprised if it was some manufacturing flaw, although it looks like a Dremel rubbed on it or something, but I trust your description.

Most likely they will exchange it.

This is an frequently revisited topic here, and I try to avoid feeding those, but couldn't resist. There are benefits and drawbacks as with multiple material/design choices. I'm my case I'm rotating two watches and while I'm very careful with both, I've had a few minor bumps on objects, for instance, foolishly forgetting to take the watch off before getting my hands inside a busy computer case or trying to change a lightbulb near a car's engine.

The stainless steel one has a few scratches, nothing special, but they're there even if some might be polished. The DSOTM on the other hand, looks absolutely flawless. I could tag it and sell it new at a shop, no one would notice any mark of use even with a loupe.

Some people say use marks add character and signs of lifetime experiences to your timepiece. To me, they're just as pleasant as a scratch on my car's door or bumper...i.e., fuQ#$ng annoying.

@Trumak , let us know how it went with Omega and good luck. So far [almost] all of those cases had a happy outcome.

 

I've been corresponding with the OP about this watch after he asked for my advice, and have details he's not showing here - it's a GSOTM. Serial number is right for the model, etc.

 

I'm just not going over all this again.

As someone who had a 30+ year career working associated with ceramic industrial materials have a read back through this older post

https://omegaforums.net/threads/i-want-a-dsotm-but-scared-of-ceramic-comments-please.43429/

Let us know how you get on with Omega, but I would hope that they live up to their warranty.

It might also be wise to check your standing with the Consumer Affiars department of government in your part of the world.

Your only worry might be the fact that you did the strap change yourself and they accuse you of somehow doing that damage with tools - I'd be poiting out the relative hardness of the spring bar, and tool compared to their ceramicand the flexural strength of each ( The ceramic is around 3 to 4 times stronger) so your tools and bar are unlikely to be the culprits unless you use diamond tools!

Good luck!

...and to recap the hard data from my other post once again, Cermaics can be engineered to have whatever properties the maker desires. Categorising all ceramic together makes as much sense as saying "all metals rust" or "all liquids are poisonous" ,but in general it is harder, lighter and stronger than steel for the formulations based around Zirconia - the most commonly used substrate for these kinds of applications.

Here's those cups taken out of the kitchen:-

 

Glad I bought both of my xSOTM watches through an AD and not grey market. Still got great prices just not these insanely low prices. Those who brag of the very low prices would have a world of hurt if this occurred on a grey market watch.

 

I hate seeing this stuff happen no matter the watch or manufacturer.

 

So I'm not an expert on ceramic watches, but when they chip they seem to chip in the same manner as glass. The chip pattern on the first hole appears to me to be from an impact right on the edge of the spring bar hole, ie if a compressed spring bar slipped, and the point of the bar hit right on the edge of the hole. I've chipped glass plates on their edges in a similar manner when they get whacked too hard with a utensil. I wouldn't think though that there would be enough room to compress the bar enough so that it had any room to "accelerate" when tension was released. Maybe if using a shorter bracelet springbar?

Anyway, complete speculation on my part, just based on having seen similar shaped chips in other mediums.

 

Thats bizarre especially since it happened to 2 lugs. Ive seen a few cases here of GSides being chipped around the lugs etc. I wonder if the different color ceramics over black thats been around longer have some structural weaknesses? of coarse any can break if dropped but I've seen more chipping with GSsides. I just don't think the spring bar should chip the case that easy. Ive heard of people banging their xsides around and have not had any chipping short of dropping the watch. I hope Omega will sort it out. They are launching many more ceramics including the POs and they don't need bad publicity.

 

I think for rubber(ie bike tires) black is more durable than colored because of carbon.

 

You were using the correct tools and knew what your doing. Its disturbing that its chipped that easily from a spring bar and on 2 lugs. This is about the 3rd post I've seen with the GS chipping around the lugs etc. It sounds like Omega is taking care of this at least with another user on here. It would be nice to know the root cause for this as ceramic watches have been around for awhile. I do know the process for the different color ceramics is slightly different but hopefully that doesn't mean anything.

 

I hope mine never gives me this kind of problems

 

From the number of threads on the OMB which discus chipping and shattering of ceramic cases, it is to wonder why Omega doesn't fix the problem, and issue a general recall! Similar problems are happening to ceramic Rado bracelets!

 

I've only seen the 1 famous pic of the DS that was dropped mysteriously (No one knows what really happened) and a few GS chipping issues so I'm not sure recalling all of the Ceramics is the solution. Yes we all know if dropped there is a chance a ceramic watch could shatter. Omega needs to figure out why the GS versions are chipping so easily and rectify it for these people. They have already done this for one user on here. This is a bit troubling I will admit.

 

I know you speak with experience---no disrespect here. Ceramics basic chacteristic that enginners must worry about is its frangibility. You cannot engineer it out, but I am sure modern science has taken a good whack at improving its useabilty where it's other characteristics make it desirable. Two things 1). We don't know what the material composition is of the Omega material 2). I think we are only seeing anecdotal evidence on this website because most people probably don't come here when they have problems. 3) the failures brought here in my mind can fall in the category of a failure of a frangible material. 4). And my final second item is, we don't know what Omega is doing about it all. I've seen enough to know I wouldn't spend my money there. Regards, Bill

 

Update:

Took it to AD with warranty card earlier this week and they sent it out. I was told today that the service center has received it and are diagnosing it. Should have an answer in about a week. Fingers crossed.

 

Best of luck!! Thanks for keeping us posted.