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  1. BrownDog09 Apr 29, 2022

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    I've been looking at various examples of the new 321s that are either for sale or in reviews and one thing I am noticing is that the advance / retard setting is either dead center on some examples or nearly maxed towards the R. Any thoughts on this? Any impact either way?
     
  2. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Apr 29, 2022

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    Yes, on many the “special team” of watchmakers didn’t bother to do the basics to make the regulator centred...
     
  3. gbesq Apr 29, 2022

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    :eek::eek::eek:
     
  4. BrownDog09 Apr 29, 2022

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    I have a few 'special' members on my team as well... Kinda what I was hoping that the answer would not be since I really like this watch, but thank you for the response.
     
  5. BrownDog09 Apr 29, 2022

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    Also - buying a watch like the Ed White and seeing visibly sloppy work while spending 15K retail would drive me up a wall, but I will probably still purchase one and have it sorted out at some if I end up with the regulation maxed out.
     
  6. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Apr 29, 2022

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    As I've said on this subject before, the regulator moved too far towards the R means that when centered, the watch was running too fast. Installation of a pair of appropriate timing washers will slow the watch down, allowing the regulator to be moved towards the center. The disappointing thing is that this takes just a few minutes to do, but they just couldn't be bothered...
     
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  7. cvalue13 Apr 29, 2022

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    seems like there’s elsewhere a suggesrion that they’re either centered or maxed right

    if true, is there an obvious (to you) reason it’s maxed right and not also an equal number of maxed left?
     
  8. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Apr 29, 2022

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    It's all about the production of the balance. Whatever process tolerances they are using is erring on the side of the balance being too light, rather than too heavy. Too light is easier to fix, as I've said, add a couple of washers and you are done. Too heavy means removing material from screws, or having available sets of screw with different weights to dial it in.

    It would make perfect sense that, if your process can't be controlled tightly enough to hit it spot on, to intentionally err on the side of the balance being too light, because it's much easier to dial in once the watch is ticking. Given that so many are not being corrected, it puts into question if any of this is intentional or not.
     
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  9. Longbow Apr 29, 2022

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    Perhaps they just don’t have enough time spare while doing their main job.
     
  10. Evitzee Apr 29, 2022

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    I do think a brand new watch should be timed so the index regulator is centered, and it's a bit of a letdown to see the majority of the new 321s not adjusted to this standard, especially when Omega touts that each watch is fully assembled, and presumably timed, by one experienced watchmaker in the dedicated 321 assembly room. Mine is set about 2/3 of the way toward the first index mark to the 'R' side. But I wonder when Omega made untold thousands of 321s in the 50's and 60's what was the standard, were the index's centered or were they done in a similar fashion that we see now, tweaked one way or the other to get a good rate? All of them were hidden behind closed backs so it wouldn't be something that would be seen except by a watch repairer over the years. Perhaps Omega is just following the same practices that were used back in the day. Or not.
     
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  11. A320Driver Apr 29, 2022

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    The trick is to cut the power early, that way you won't get insulted.
     
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  12. Longbow Apr 29, 2022

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    Yes I get that, but is there enough time spare to regulate a few 321s before arriving at the gate?
     
  13. A320Driver Apr 29, 2022

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    Depends, in AMS I'm pretty sure you could assemble a complete movement