Hey,

Can't find solid intel on this topic. I want to purchase a second hand AT, not sure I need the MCo-axial technology and fancy the overall look of the skyfall AT more. I saw one but the caseback is not engraved with Si14 but on pics the balance wheel is black. Do they upgrade older 8500 calibers with Si14 if serviced in Bienne ?

 

Do not know about replacement during service but all Blue dialed AT's with a 8500 caliber have the Si14.

 

The AT 8500 debuted in 2009 with caliber 8500A (with a Nivarox Anachron balance spring - the 8500A was presented in january 2007 with production beginning later that spring, the caliber was initially only available in the De Ville Hour Vision). The 8500B (with a Si14 silicon balance spring) entered production in 2011 and many AT's produced that year, and all produced in 2012, received the upgraded movement. The blue Skyfall AT entered production at that time and every single one of them comes with the 8500B. The 8500A will not be upgraded during service (just like older versions of other Omega movements, like the 2500, will not be upgraded to the version currently in production) just like the 8500B will not be upgraded (to the 8500G) during service.

Regards
Undersköterskan

 

Thanks for the comprehensive answer ,)

 

Thanks, that's clear. I had spoken to an Omega technician who said the same, it simply won't fit.

Kind regards,
Arno

 

Hmm...I was told that when the 8500A went in for service, Omega would be providing it with silicon balance spring. Have they changed their minds?

 

Guess it depends who told you.

I've been so fed up with the local boutique I stopped going in.

They had a couple of great salespeople there who knew their stuff and also really knew how to take care of a customer.

Most of the staff has turned over and IMO, its been a disaster to the point where I felt like I was at Tourneau with the information I was getting.

Very sad.

 

No, they have not changed their minds - they were never going to upgrade these...

 

I wonder why they won't do it if it's just a part. I also wonder if the customer makes a specific request, would they do it. Guess I'll find out when it needs servicing. Right now, my AT 8500A still keeps amazing time after 5 years.

 

Once a 8500A, always a 8500A. Omega will not upgrade the movement upon request under any circumstances. They'll keep it original, just like it was once made.

 

There are certainly movements they will upgrade, but the 8500 does not appear to be one of them...

Their reasoning? Well upgrades are usually done to either solve a problem, or to make the watch more reliable. Changing the balance wheel in an 8500 to one with a silicon spring doesn't do either of those things, so it's not a candidate.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond and I'm not trying to get into a pissing contest (which I'd lose) but if changing the balance wheel to one with a silicon spring doesn't make a watch more reliable, then why would Omega go through all the trouble to make an entire movement anti-magnetic? Wouldn't changing the balance wheel with silicon spring make the watch less prone to being magnetized and as a result more reliable - especially if the person works at a hospital or in an airport environment?

 

First off, please remember I am not representing Omega here, so I am just providing you with my thoughts on this based on what I know of how brands work. If you want to get a proper formal answer, then go have a pissing match with Omega, not me. I would be interested to hear what they tell you when you ask them why they won't upgrade the watches to the silicon spring, so please make sure you post the answer here.

Back to my views on this...there are all kinds of reasons for making technical changes to a movement. It could be to solve a reliability problem, or it could be to make production more efficient and less expensive, and it could just be for the sake of marketing (product differentiation). In this case I feel the last 2 apply more than the first does.

When I speak about reliability, I think you are confusing the type of reliability I am referring to. I'm talking about a design problem with the movement, not a marketing driven pseudo-problem like magnetism. Although watches do get magnetized from time to time, it's not a rampant problem in my experience, and even if it was it is so easy to fix yourself by using a demagnetizer (that you can buy for $10) it's almost a non-issue for many real collectors. And "go through all the trouble to make an entire movement antimagnetic" is a bit of a stretch - there are actually not that many parts changed to make the 15,000 gauss watches when compared to the regular watches.

You already say that your watch without this spring "keeps amazing time after 5 years" so although I have no idea what that actually means, it sounds like there is no problem with your watch.

I think the biggest reason they won't upgrade is that they would actually prefer that you buy into their marketing and go buy a new one that has all the latest upgrades. As a corporation, their sole purpose for being is creating value for shareholders - it's always a good idea to keep that in mind as people who are passionate about watches sometime tend to forget or dismiss that. They create the best value for shareholders buy selling you a new watch, not by upgrading an old one.

Cheers, Al

 

Much appreciate the response Al. You're right, I should just go down the service centre in TO and find out myself what they will/won't do. I'm only hesitant to do so because each time that I've been there, I usually fork over a few hundred dollars to get new omega or longines straps.

As for my own AT8500 - on the wrist it's keeping about +1s/day or less...maybe I lucked out with this one but man, it's incredible how consistent it's been over the past five years.

Thanks again the for the feedback.

Btw, on a different topic, I have a Baume & Mercier Classima that running slow that I'd like to regulate myself but I can't get the caseback off. I believe it's the snap-in type but there's not indentation or groove anywhere on the back where I can insert the edge of a watchmaker's knife to pry it open..any suggestions?

 

take it to a watchmaker?

 

I think their stance on replacing the balance wheel is not in doubt, but maybe they can give you a good reason...although that's not likely either...

If your intent is to pry the back off, then I think you need to take it to someone who knows how to properly open a snap on case back. If you must try this yourself, you use a blade thin enough to get into the gap, so for very small gaps I used a backed razor blade. You push it straight in, and work it around the case until you have opened it up all around. You then move to a thicker blade, and if needed then a thicker blade, but you never pry. You work the blades in like a wedge until the gap is so big that the case back simply comes off. It takes patience...

 

Nest thread by the OP

How to fix a Baume & Mercier snap back, how to fix the regulator or best way to extract a blade from a Baume & Mercier movement....

 

see, right there you dive into the dark, inky waters of marketing ... just like laundry detergent that is NEW every 2 years and washes whiter than white ...

just use common sense: 50 years ago they had 55x/56x movements that were great, just great without any "buts" ... and goin from there they have to come up with something better and greater every few years ...

Just think, the eta 2892 was first produced in 1975 and restickered as 1120 lasted until the early 2000s - and is still used in many mid-to-high-end watches today and widely considered to be one of the best autos out there. So how will you just "better that"? ...

the answer is most often: "Bullshit-bingo-marketing-mumbo-jumbo"

cheers,
Al

 

No prize for you for this comment.

No prize for this one either.

 

It is what it is...I love omega watches and whatever they market, I'll just lap it up..: