Is this within tolerances? (New speedmaster)

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phrede

·May 30, 2023

just bought this watch today at an AD. When I saw it in the shop, I borrowed a loupe because I thought the chrono-second hand was slightly off to the 59-sec mark. In the loupe, it looked fine.

However, when I got home and checked out the watch in the bright light from the window, I could easily see the following. Is it within what should be tolerated?


Pictures are taken in the window and with top of the picture towards the window in order to rule out "eye-distortion".


I have written to the AD, but of course it is long after hours now.

 

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Annapolis

·May 30, 2023

Seems fairly common---lot of threads on this issue, anyway, including this one:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/mw-chrono-second-hand-doesnt-re-set-to-zero.88833/#post-1150828

A general Google search turns up many many more.

If you rush back, maybe (just a maybe---a big maybe) the AD will accept an exchange on the spot, since it's so soon after purchase. But more likely (imo) they will tell you it needs a service, which means sending it to Omega/SWATCH, which means it could be out of your hands for many weeks, which totally sucks. It'll be covered by warranty, of course.

To answer your direct question, this is probably right on the verge of what's acceptable, QC-wise. It's not something that would bother everyone (as this is a mass-produced watch---I wouldn't permit this with a Patek or a Lange or something, but Omega makes bazillions of these things in an assembly line, so some amount of +/- is expected), so it's not surprising that it slipped through the QC net, but if it bothers you, they'll probably make it right.

 

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phrede

·May 30, 2023

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I know it is minor.
But the speedmaster now has a pretty "grown-up" price that certainly calls for perfection in my view.
Also, I would just hate to send a completely new watch to service.

 

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Annapolis

·May 30, 2023

Totally hear you—many folks have been in exactly this position, with Speedies and other watches. (It’s the same story over at the Rolex Forum with QC issues—Rolex is believed to make over a million watches a year—also a mass produced watch.)

Omega is my favorite brand—I’m not knocking it. But pricing is just part of marketing, not a guarantor of anything. I’ve never had or seen a perfect Omega.

 

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SC1

·May 30, 2023

Perfection is an illusion... betting if you send it in Omega will report back that it's within their spec.

 

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Annapolis

·May 30, 2023

SC1

Perfection is an illusion...

Been telling my wife that for years.

 

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SC1

·May 30, 2023

Annapolis

Been telling my wife that for years.

Same, has landed me precisely (and perfectly) nowhere.

 

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Annapolis

·May 30, 2023

She also doesn't believe me when I tell her that the trash not being taken out is just a matter of perspective. Such boring rationalism.

Ok, sorry, OP, will stop this ludicrous hijack now.

 

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Evitzee

·May 30, 2023

phrede

But the speedmaster now has a pretty "grown-up" price that certainly calls for perfection in my view.

You are not going to get any sort of perfection at the Speedmaster price level, it's not that expensive of a watch as far as the industry is concerned. The chrono hand looks within spec, imo.

 

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Lug

·May 30, 2023

Evitzee

You are not going to get any sort of perfection at the Speedmaster price level, it's not that expensive of a watch as far as the industry is concerned. The chrono hand looks within spec, imo.

The idea that we should overlook imperfections in a $10k watch just because $100,000 watches exist seems ludicrous to me. By no means could the Speedmaster be considered inexpensive, and for the price I expect it to be an exceptional product. In my view it should be quite possible to get this stuff right - especially considering Omega's very expensive state-of-the-art manufacturing processes. Let's not forget that they redesigned the minute track to match the movement's frequency, in order to give a more precise reading. What was the point of that if the hand and the track are misaligned?

 

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Annapolis

·May 30, 2023

Perfection + or - a certain margin.

 

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Rat Fink65

·May 30, 2023

Evitzee

You are not going to get any sort of perfection at the Speedmaster price level, it's not that expensive of a watch as far as the industry is concerned. The chrono hand looks within spec, imo.

Its costly enough that he shouldn't have to deal with this issue...

 

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Rat Fink65

·May 30, 2023

Lug

The idea that we should overlook imperfections in a $10k watch just because $100,000 watches exist seems ludicrous to me. By no means could the Speedmaster be considered inexpensive, and for the price I expect it to be an exceptional product. In my view it should be quite possible to get this stuff right - especially considering Omega's very expensive state-of-the-art manufacturing processes. Let's not forget that they redesigned the minute track to match the movement's frequency, in order to give a more precise reading. What was the point of that if the hand and the track are misaligned?

You are 100% correct...a $10,000.00 watch is PLENTY expensive...anyone who dismisses this as "not that expensive" is blowing smoke and flexing...weakly I might add.

 

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Annapolis

·May 30, 2023

This is an arbitrary argument. If it cost $5 less, would it be ok? Where do you draw that line?

I’m not flexing. I don’t own (nor could I afford) a Patek chrono. I don’t own a Speedmaster.

It’s simply a matter of acknowledging that Omega is a mass-producing brand. It’s marketed as luxury (and is surely luxurious) but that, and pricing, is marketing, not some absolute value.

We’re asking the wrong question. It’s not a matter of whether $10k means the chrono hand should be a millimeter to the right. It’s whether $10k means the seller should feel more satisfied. To that, I’d say yes. And I bet Omega will agree. But resolving could be inconvenient. Maybe better to wait until the first service? Or try to get a complimentary strap if you have to part with it for a few months.

 

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SC1

·May 30, 2023

Rat Fink65

You are 100% correct...a $10,000.00 watch is PLENTY expensive...anyone who dismisses this as "not that expensive" is blowing smoke and flexing...weakly I might add.

Disagree. A 100k watch is a lot more expensive than 10k -- as is a 10k to a 1k and a 1k to a hundred dollar watch. It's relative no? And stating it, while potentially painful to digest, is a simple fact.

But much more important (and topically specific) is brand specs.
If the OP wants to pursue sending it in for a tolerance inspection that's what needs to happen -- but beware, if it falls within spec it's coming back As Is.

Can't be stated enough: be wary of the loupe for it may ruin your day.

 

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Annapolis

·May 30, 2023

To be clear, I think it sucks that someone paid 10k for a watch and feels unsatisfied. Pretty low on the list of actual world problems, but here on the OF we sympathize.

But Google around. This is a thing. People seem to want to hold Omega to some abstract standard of perfection. Actual real world experience (as copiously documented) would indicate that what you got is a pretty typical Omega.

 

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Tekashi_145.022

·May 30, 2023

I have a Speedmaster 145.022 (cal 861) with the exact same issue. I showed it to three watchmakers, one of which used to service Speedmasters at an Omega service center, and all said it was within tolerance - and mine is worse than yours.

I’m not OCD, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bug me a bit! 😟 I owned the watch for many years, and it used to reset perfectly every time - I used to admire how precise it was. I know it’s still pretty damn precise, but ugh! Just not the same. 😉 That said- I don’t think it would bug me if the watch came that way! It’s the principle that it’s not as good as it once was that slightly annoys me.

 

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YandB

·May 31, 2023

My ed white is like that, I’m fine with it… almost every single one of my watches has alignment issues on it.

 

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Annapolis

·May 31, 2023

OP, if and when you do get a response from the AD/Omega---and especially if you do pursue this issue with a service---you'd be doing the forum a favor to update us, as you're surely not the only one interested in if and how such issues are getting resolved nowadays.

 

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BlackTalon

·May 31, 2023·This Space for Rent

I expect perfection when I am paying...

Buy my employer should not expect perfection from me, even though they pay me a LOT more than a Speedmaster costs... That would be an unreasonable expectation.