Increase about omega service

dwboston · Feb 12, 2023

Archer
I suppose that one can read this in different ways...to me it’s just a statement of fact, but I guess if you are cynical it could be a bad thing. At least Omega is maintaining their standards, which is more than I can say for another big brand...

It was more the way she said it that prompted the reaction. I'm a realist - I've seen people post here with post-service issues. It was just funny in the moment that after 6 months, mostly waiting for parts to fix it, that it may not actually be fixed after they fix it.

ErichPryde · Feb 12, 2023

502 to right
It depends on what watch you own. I had an SMP 2220.80 serviced by Omega last year because I didn't care about "originality." The watch was made in 2011-2012 and I purchased it used on eBay last year in decent, but obviously worn condition. I wanted the watch restored to like new condition including new hands, crowns, and bezel/bezel insert. And Omega did that nicely. If I were to wear the watch for 10 years, and every ding and scratch was put on the watch by me, I'd have a different attitude. In that case I'd only want the movement cleaned and gaskets replaced (to preserve water resistance). I likely would choose an independent under those circumstances.

This makes perfect sense. My dings are MY dings. Somebody else's can zip right off.

I feel like... our culture has veered so far into the disposable, the replaceable, and the "next year's new model!" that we've forgotten there is a cost to maintaining nice things we own.

Not just a cost, but a VALUE.

Walrus · Feb 12, 2023

dstfno
I hate that they ask a flat fee for all watches. I would expect that an old ETA based movement costs less to service than those modern co-axials.

750eur is almost 50% of what those ETA watches retailed for...

That’s how one guy I work with charges and he did go to Switzerland for the coaxial training. He adjusts his price a bit for the complexity of what you bring in.

rob#1 · Feb 13, 2023

Before Xmas I enquired about a Speedmaster 1861 service in Australia and was told it would be 6-8 months; I was at a London OB last week and was informed it would be 26 weeks in the UK.

I’m not sure what sounds worse, 26 weeks or 6 months 😵‍💫

I think I’ll leave it for now and wait until it really needs a service, though no doubt it’ll cost more and it may be up to 78 weeks by then…

dwboston · Feb 13, 2023

rob#1
Before Xmas I enquired about a Speedmaster 1861 service in Australia and was told it would be 6-8 months; I was at a London OB last week and was informed it would be 26 weeks in the UK.

I’m not sure what sounds worse, 26 weeks or 6 months 😵‍💫

I think I’ll leave it for now and wait until it really needs a service, though no doubt it’ll cost more and it may be up to 78 weeks by then…

If I didn't absolutely need to send it in, I wouldn't have. The watch wouldn't run.

dwboston · Feb 14, 2023

I received another call back from the AD today. My watch has been further delayed due to "workshop issues", whatever that means - supposedly staffing.

I don't think I'll be sending another watch to Omega. This doesn't put the brand in a good light.

Archer · Feb 14, 2023

dwboston
I received another call back from the AD today. My watch has been further delayed due to "workshop issues", whatever that means - supposedly staffing.

I don't think I'll be sending another watch to Omega. This doesn't put the brand in a good light.

Who are you going to send it to? Will they be any faster?

7enderbender · Feb 14, 2023

At this point and given that it is in NJ - my unsolicited advice would be to get it back and figure something else out. My wife’s Constellation went there and it all turned into a big mess. Wouldn’t even run. We happened to be in Switzerland after and the Boutique where we were took a look. Let’s just say they were just shaking their heads.
I took it back and escalated and it went to FL. Still not a great experience but at least it’s working again.
I don’t know if there is a way to deal with the service centers directly like Rolex allows. I’m not even 100% sure that those are really Swatch Group owned or third party with a sign on the door.
I would at least deal with a Boutique (Omega owned). Best would be to get it over to Europe if you are traveling any time soon or know somebody over there. Logistical nightmare obviously. But I personally have lost all faith in their abilities stateside.
My Rolex is RSC Dallas now. Keeping my fingers crossed that they can live up to their decent reputation (again, unlike their NY counterpart).

Archer · Feb 14, 2023

7enderbender
I don’t know if there is a way to deal with the service centers directly like Rolex allows. I’m not even 100% sure that those are really Swatch Group owned or third party with a sign on the door.

Yes, you can deal directly with an Omega service center - you just send the watch in yourself, instead of going through your AD or Boutique. When you do so, they will give you a code to use on the Omega customer service portal, where you can track the status of the repair any time you want, and don't have to rely on what your AD may tell you is happening - you will be able to see the status yourself.

The service center in NJ is corporate owned.

dwboston · Feb 14, 2023

Archer
Who are you going to send it to? Will they be any faster?

No idea. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate owning these watches if Omega is unable to service them. They certainly charge enough for the alleged "service".

Archer · Feb 14, 2023

dwboston
No idea. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate owning these watches if Omega is unable to service them. They certainly charge enough for the alleged "service".

Fair enough. We all have to decide what we can tolerate, but I'm not sure other brands are any better.

dwboston · Feb 14, 2023

7enderbender
At this point and given that it is in NJ - my unsolicited advice would be to get it back and figure something else out. My wife’s Constellation went there and it all turned into a big mess. Wouldn’t even run. We happened to be in Switzerland after and the Boutique where we were took a look. Let’s just say they were just shaking their heads.
I took it back and escalated and it went to FL. Still not a great experience but at least it’s working again.
I don’t know if there is a way to deal with the service centers directly like Rolex allows. I’m not even 100% sure that those are really Swatch Group owned or third party with a sign on the door.
I would at least deal with a Boutique (Omega owned). Best would be to get it over to Europe if you are traveling any time soon or know somebody over there. Logistical nightmare obviously. But I personally have lost all faith in their abilities stateside.
My Rolex is RSC Dallas now. Keeping my fingers crossed that they can live up to their decent reputation (again, unlike their NY counterpart).

I had my Gemini IV Speedy serviced in NJ back in late 2018. It took about 4 months at the time and the work was fine. Things have clearly deteriorated since then.

Closest OB is in NYC - not exactly convenient to get to from Boston. If I had to do it again I'd ship it directly, and not go to NJ.

ErichPryde · Feb 14, 2023

dwboston
No idea. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate owning these watches if Omega is unable to service them. They certainly charge enough for the alleged "service".

As someone who has owned and mostly worn citizens for decades, I would strongly recommend an eco-drive. It's possible to get one in the luxury category and the capacitor will last much longer than the stated 8 to 10 years if the watch is consistently exposed to light sources and not tucked away in a box somewhere for months. They are laser accurate in comparison to any mechanical watch and many of them never have to be reset.

I just recently purchased my first Omega and I am not at all surprised by the cost or delay in service center fees. I would assume that older ETA movements could be much more readily serviced compared to the coaxial (and better) in-house stuff. What's happening with watchmakers and watch services doesn't really help that particular situation and just adds to delay and cost.

How's Tudor's service turn around on their current in house movements? It won't be as accurate as Omega, nor as prestigious on its own and probably many will think you are either in rolex's Shadow or looking for a Rolex knockoff, but seems like that's another viable option?

ErichPryde · Feb 14, 2023

Hopefully the above post isn't read as passive-aggressive, not how I mean it. I specifically chose to get into Omegas because I've always liked Omegas and been curious about owning a mechanical watch that has to be fiddled with as opposed to a laser-accurate eco-drive that checks the time/date/year for me on a regular basis. They're communicating something totally different on the wrist, and my lack of prior experience with servicing Omegas- I just assumed there would be a wait time and that service, when needed, would be like 700, vs a capacitor replacement at 10-12 years that can easily be done at home or by almost any watch shop for under 100. It's not the same type of machine, and upkeep is different.

That said, it is disappointing to hear about the negative experience thus far and I sincerely hope you get it resolved with Omega or another repair service!

Archer · Feb 14, 2023

ErichPryde
How's Tudor's service turn around on their current in house movements?

I would hope it's better, as they swap the movements out, rather than servicing them at each service center.

ErichPryde · Feb 14, 2023

Archer
I would hope it's better, as they swap the movements out, rather than servicing them at each service center.

Kinda my thought as well. When I was researching mechanical watches I considered the Black Bay as an option briefly. As someone who hasn't been involved with mechanical watches for a long time I found Tudor's approach of swapping movements novel and it made sense to me, in order to reduce customer delays in terms of service. I definitely can understand those who are opposed to this business model because the movement is part of the watch, and they want the watch to stay together. It's definitely a very 2020 take on repairing mechanical watches and someone who is frustrated by turnaround time should possibly consider it.

That's sort of why I recommended Tudor as an option. I can't help but feel that, at least for the time being, there's going to be some perception around wearing a Tudor, while you get a very sort of different perception around wearing an Omega. That's not necessarily a negative though, and Tudor seems to be attempting to step out from Rolex's shadow.

and I say that as someone who hasn't been wearing a mechanical watch for a long time, just observations from a quartz wearer. Take it with a grain or two of sand. Or salt.

frasatriani · Feb 17, 2023

BrunoCodispoti
Hi guys and happy new year.
From this morning on Omega website, the price about complete service is increase by 200€ for all type of Watch.

Did u expect that?

750 € for a single time, start to become a madness 😡

yeah there were insights about that, unfortunately

gbesq · Feb 17, 2023

I sent one watch to Omega for service before I knew better. Never again, so I don't care what they charge now or in the future. I'm happy to pay my independent watchmaker the going rate for his excellent work.

gbesq · Feb 17, 2023

I sent them the 1976 Speedmaster Professional that my parents gifted me for my high school graduation and without asking me they swapped out the tritium dial and hands for superluminova "equivalents" and then polished the case and the bracelet. It ruined the aesthetic of the watch. I blame myself for not knowing at the time what an Omega service involved.

140dave · Feb 17, 2023

Just for some perspective: Omega services thousands of watches, people only come here to report negative experiences. You have a negative experience you tell 12 people, a positive experience you tell 0-1 persons about it. (Averages of course)

Then you google, you find a thread like this, and it builds. There are identical threads in the other watch forums specific to those brands too. There is no less complaining with Rolex factory service than Omega if you go over to forums specifically for Rolex. Same with any brand specific forum I have ever visited.

I have personally had 4 watches, all 1997 and later, go through Omega Factory Service and was very pleased each and every time. It was also LESS EXPENSIVE than comparable independents like Nesbits. The indies generally charge for each part replaced so it can add up very fast.

Is Omega factory service perfect? No. (Is anyones?)
Is Omega factory service fast? No. (Does anyone who is any good not have a wait list?)
Would I use Omega Factory Service again? Yes! (For anything modern & non-tritium, I would not for any sort of vintage piece or neo-vintage tritium dialed models)

Just a different perspective for a bit of balance in the conversation.

Increase about omega service

dwboston

ErichPryde

Walrus

rob#1

dwboston

dwboston

Archer

7enderbender

Archer

dwboston

Archer

dwboston

ErichPryde

ErichPryde

Archer

ErichPryde

frasatriani

gbesq

gbesq

140dave

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