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Helium Relief Valve on Omega Seamaster Professional... have you ever used it?

M
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For some reason this makes me recall a person on watchuseek that attached their PO to a line and submerged it to whatever its max rating was. Have all PO’s been 600m? This was many years ago.

But on the original topic, I wouldnt be surprised if someone has actually made use of an HE valve. Not out of necessity, but just experimenting. I’m clueless about diving, but wouldn’t anyone performing something like a saturation dive be wearing something like a dive computer? Out of necessity
 
alfa1
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The only time I’ve had to replace a HE valve, was when having service and the HE valve leaked during water depth test, at 200m started showing air bubbles.
 
Foo2rama
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alfa1 alfa1
The only time I’ve had to replace a HE valve, was when having service and the HE valve leaked during water depth test, at 200m started showing air bubbles.
Holy Spam, that is not how that works lol.
 
alfa1
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Foo2rama Foo2rama
Holy Spam, that is not how that works lol.
Sorry, it was a 30m it was releasing air bubbles
 
Foo2rama
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Still not how that works lol.

Had the watch been in a deep sat environment?
 
alfa1
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of course I saturation dive daily, the water test was done by a qualified watchmaker, and that is what was conveyed and charged to me when I picked up the watch. There is the heated air test to depths of 300 or so meters and the vaunted Witschi Proofmaster Pro tests.
So…your point is ?
 
alam
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AntonisCy AntonisCy
I doubt many people have ever used it.
I go further and say that many who wear a dive watch do not dive and some don’t even know the intended purpose/function of the bezel.
 
alfa1
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I understand, and agree with your assumption that many do not use it. I myself while having this watch have only unscrewed the HE crown out of curiosity to see it parts….once, never intending to make use of it. I have to presume, simply based on physics that the rubber/polymer seals/gaskets deteriorate over time and that was the cause of my HE valve being replaced.
The valve is used to release pressure that is created in any deep dive, divers and scientists have stated that pressure that is not venter could cause the watch to explode…in more practical parlance … The sapphire crystal to pop out !
 
YY77
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alfa1 alfa1
HE valve being replaced.
Nope, Omega replaces crowns and HEV's by default at every service.
 
alfa1
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Thank you for invaluable information…I’ll mention it to my watchmaker I’m sure he’ll be interested.
Go find some else to troll
 
Archer
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YY77 YY77
Nope, Omega replaces crowns and HEV's by default at every service.
Correct. But that’s Omega, and not necessarily the way all watchmakers work. Depending on the type (era) of the valve, I’ll just replace the seals rather than the whole valve.

The newer and current valves are designed to be changed as a unit, which is incredibly wasteful considering it’s just two O-rings that need replacing.
 
chrisinohio
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Never, because I have never done any saturation diving. Deep on mixed gases is one thing but diving from a bell is another animal. Most of my wreck work is at 150 feet or less, but typically much much less than that.

There is technology to make watches impermeable to helium at pressure anyway (Seiko pioneered it) so if you're going to have an escape valve, it should at least be automatic like the one on my Stowa Prodiver which is my go to watch for diving.
 
alfa1
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alam alam
I go further and say that many who wear a dive watch do not dive and some don’t even know the intended purpose/function of the bezel.
I agree
 
darkguyver
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Nope, never went deep sea diving. I have pressed it like I was detenating a bomb nearby🤣🤣
 
wghussey
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R rcb
I actually dive with my dive watches. I am not a professional diver. As a "sport" diver, I am not allowed to descend below 130'/40m. For me, and legions of desk divers, the He valve is a stupid thing. Reminds me of a rich guy that buys a sports car with a wing that pops up at high speeds, and drives back and fourth to the country club.

I think the He valve is silly marketing. Omega should get rid of it.
It’s not that you are not allowed to dive below the recreational limit, it’s that you’re not trained to. There aren’t any PADI police under water 😀
 
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