Is it normal or a manufacturing defect for an omega to have off centered date wheel? What causes it?

[Apurba]

Hello everyone! I am new to this hobby. I discovered omega on YouTube and started to love the brand, though not in a financial state to own one. As i was watching reviews of the new omega aqua terras, i have noticed that their dates are noticably off centered. Is it normal or a manufacturing defect? I understand they have "tolerances" but i haven't seen(in YouTube videos) many rolexes, cartier, grand seiko or anything in this price range have such blatant asymmetry. What causes omega to have them? My ocd brain really gets triggered looking at these.
Can anyone please explain?
These are some examples(the first three pictures are taken from reddit) :

 

[rendo]

Welcome!

You can read this thread for an expert opinion on the acceptable tolerance. I would also caution against using photos taken at an angle when assessing this issue. Some of the images you posted could be exaggerating something that could be minor.

 

[p4ul]

There are acceptable tolerances, (as there are for all manufacturers, no such thing as perfection) if these are exceeded then the watch can be returned for correction.
Satisfy your OCD before you part with cash.

EDIT : what he said!

 

[Apurba]

rendo

Welcome!

You can read this thread for an expert opinion on the acceptable tolerance. I would also caution against using photos taken at an angle when assessing this issue. Some of the images you posted could be exaggerating something that could be minor.

Thanks for replying

I have already read that thread before. But i am still a bit confused. Because from what i know OMEGA is considered to be more precise, capable and adequate than other brands, yet i see other brands having better alignments. Is it something that is a rare case or does this happen very often? Also is it considered acceptable to have such "imperfections" in this price range?
As someone who only owns a casio and a seiko, any misalignment on a under $1000 watch can be acceptable but on a $5000+ watch?!
The least one can expect is things to align nicely, right? Or am i being pedantic?

 

[X350 XJR]

Apurba

The least one can expect is things to align nicely, right? Or am i being pedantic?

This.

 

[Dan S]

Apurba

Because from what i know OMEGA is considered to be more precise, capable and adequate than other brands...

This is marketing, not fact. If you spend some time reading threads on this forum, you will find constant complaints from people who had unrealistic expectations.

 

[ErichPryde]

Apurba

Thanks for replying

I have already read that thread before. But i am still a bit confused.

I'm sorry to hear that. Are you asking us to explain it to you again beyond the thread shared?

rendo

Welcome!
I would also caution against using photos taken at an angle when assessing this issue.

I noticed that you didn't even respond to this comment. Do you understand the significance of this? Why have you chosen, as a brand new member with only two posts both of them in this thread, to share only images that are off axis and off center?

 

[Apurba]

ErichPryde

I'm sorry to hear that. Are you asking us to explain it to you again beyond the thread shared?



I noticed that you didn't even respond to this comment. Do you understand the significance of this? Why have you chosen, as a brand new member with only two posts both of them in this thread, to share only images that are off axis and off center?

I was just giving examples. Wanting to know whether it's common or not that's all.

 

[Apurba]

X350 XJR

This.

Expecting a watch that costs $5000+ to have nice alignment is too much to ask?
now, i don't know if i want an omega anymore(i can't afford them as of now but still)

 

[Speed2Sea]

 

[Apurba]

Dan S

This is marketing, not fact. If you spend some time reading threads on this forum, you will find constant complaints from people who had unrealistic expectations.

Yeah i understand that but are misalignments, something that happens across all the brands(rolex,tudor,breitling,iwc,cartier etc)? Or is it something where OMEGA falls short to other brands in the price range.

 

[josiahg52]

These aren't misalignments. These are usually basic photos that are hyper-analyzed by people who expect perfection of a mass-produced product which is manufactured with reasonable mass-produced tolerances even "adjusted" for their price and "luxury" status.. There will always be mistakes and true out-of-tolerance situations and that is what the warranty is for.

 

[dsio]

If you’re looking at a watch with the time set between 10pm and 2am it can also be within the date change window and depending on the movement some move the date wheel slower than others.

 

[blufinz52]

Apurba

I have already read that thread before.

This can be shortened to "I have read that thread." The already and before are redundant. Or am I being pedantic?

 

[ErichPryde]

Lmaooooo... I just realized that at least two of those images probably come from "reptime" on reddit- One literally does and the other uses the term "gen," which no one would use unless they were (gasp) comparing to fakes. That's a reliable source for sure.

And most of these images are of the watch after 10. Could be 10pm, and a date change underway? (Edit: dsio noted this as well)

Either way.... great stuff.

 

[Apurba]

josiahg52

These aren't misalignments. These are usually basic photos that are hyper-analyzed by people who expect perfection of a mass-produced product which is manufactured with reasonable mass-produced tolerances even "adjusted" for their price and "luxury" status.. There will always be mistakes and true out-of-tolerance situations and that is what the warranty is for.

If you can't see the obvious misaligned date on the saffron and the black lacquered dial then you must be an one eyed person or blind. They don't pass the 1/3, 2/3 visual. So, at least these two are definitely misalignments.
Generally speaking, as someone who is just getting into the hobby, it's a bit obnoxious to see people so deep into the hobby that they are completely out of touch with reality. "These are "mass production" watches, so you can't expect perfection" i don't expect perfection, i expect nice alignment.

A "mass production" watch from orient can have better alignment but a luxury watch can't?

If i start a luxury brand tomorrow, i want my customers to be exactly like you, argumentative,out of touch with reality and easily satisfied.

 

[Apurba]

blufinz52

This can be shortened to "I have read that thread." The already and before are redundant. Or am I being pedantic?

Better to have more words, just to make my ranting longer, like having a redundant 300m water resistant; so that they can charge more

Edited: Jul 30, 2024

 

[ErichPryde]

Great additional posts with additional cherry picking of what you respond to!

I always find gaslighting so entertaining! So let's lay out how it works.

When asked if you understand that crooked, off-center pictures are misleading, you answered with "I was just giving examples"
The message this sends: I'm not going to answer your question about off-center images because it's not in my interest to do so. Also I've posted a bunch of images of this so it must be common, even if the sources (like r/Reptime) are questionable. Oh, and not to mention they might be in date change. But don't worry about that, these really are examples can't you tell?


"Wanting to know if it is common or not (emoji)"
The message this sends: I've posted several images of this and I've already suggested it's common and now I'm re-asserting it!


"Expecting a watch that costs $5000+ to have nice alignment is too much to ask? (emoji) now, i don't know if i want an omega anymore"
The message this sends: Other than the fact that this completely ignores the poster above who is literally telling you to satisfy your OCD by doing the work yourself, your message is clear: All Omegas are off-alignment- that's my only option so I don't want it anymore.


"i don't expect perfection, i expect nice alignment"
The message this sends: Any Omega I would buy would clearly be out of alignment.
Ok. Great stuff.

Also, did you honestly go out of your way to post lower case "i's" in this many posts? I can't imagine any modern platform of posting that would let you do that. that's impressive, points awarded for that touch.


"is it something that happens across all the brands(rolex,tudor,breitling,iwc,cartier etc)? Or is it something where OMEGA falls short to other brands in the price range."
The message this sends: Omega falls short vs. the other brands. Heck, you've already suggestively asserted that in your opening post, so this is just more of the same- digging for a specific answer and ignoring any reasonable suggestion or question anyone else asks.

Also, it should be impossible for anyone to disregard the fact that you've clearly shown yourself capable of using google to collect images to supplement your post- so the logical question for anyone reading this should be, why are you even asking this as opposed to just using google to find the dozens of search results of Rolex, GS, and Seiko watches with off-center date windows and other various quality control issues?

"If i start a luxury brand tomorrow, i want my customers to be exactly like you, argumentative,out of touch with reality and easily satisfied. "
The message this sends: You're too stupid to see how badly Omega misaligns ALL their watches based upon this miniscule sample.

Great touch, love it. also with the lower case i's. It's picture-perfect.

Oh- and welcome to the forum btw! You likely won't find it the same environment as r/Reptime (which, I can't tell if you are there a lot or were just really digging for those images!), we're a bit more serious here.

Edited: Jul 30, 2024

 

[rendo]

I think it's normal to expect a reasonably perfect alignment with any brand that has a good reputation. But you are asking about watches that you found photos of online (you don't know the whole story with them). Other than the first three photos, which look acceptable to me in terms of alignment, they are taken at weird angles.

On top of that, you have a big mouth and although people here are generally nice and welcoming, they have no reason to tolerate you.

My suggestion to you is to save up some more money and skip Omega, as it's clearly not good enough for you. That would also save the Omega customer service some headache after your first purchase.

 

[fiberguy]

rendo

Other than the first three photos, which look acceptable to me in terms of alignment, they are taken at weird angles.
.

2 of those 3 are fakes