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New 3861 Speedmaster Chrono Hour Hand Moving Faster – Omega Repair Didn’t Address Issue

eirik
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Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice regarding my 2024 Speedmaster. I've noticed that the chronograph hour hand moves faster than expected—after a full 12-hour rotation, it's off by about 10 minutes.

I sent it to Omega for repair through my AD, but as far as I can tell, they only performed a general service. There was no documentation acknowledging or addressing the specific issue, and the problem persists.

Is this kind of deviation something to be expected with a new Speedmaster? Am I expecting too much in terms of accuracy? I'd appreciate any insights from the community on whether this is normal and how I should proceed. I've attached an image showing the misalignment for reference. Note the chronograph hour- and seconds hand.

Thanks for your help!

IMG20241102000712.webp IMG20241101233655.webp
 
M'Bob
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It doesn’t sound normal at all.

Is it me, or are there a disproportionate amount of complaints about this caliber relative to the earlier iterations?
 
ninman
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Ok, I can't really comment on it being normal or not, but what I can say from personal experience is if you go to an OB with a specific complaint they will address it.

I've never done repairs through an AD, so I don't know if it's different, but I think you have 2 options.

Trust that Omega checked it and think it's fine.

Go to an OB and get them to look at it and comment on it.

Do you have an OB nearby?
 
hook785
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Did the AD send the watch to an (official) Omega service center for servicing?
 
Donn Chambers
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Are you absolutely, 100% sure you are looking at the counters exactly 12 hours later? Because even if you are a few minutes late, it won’t be exact. Might test that out first. For example, take a pic before starting the chrono at some time (say 8 am), then take the pic exactly 12 hours later and 12 pm.
 
eirik
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hook785 hook785
Did the AD send the watch to an (official) Omega service center for servicing?
Yes.
 
eirik
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Donn Chambers Donn Chambers
Are you absolutely, 100% sure you are looking at the counters exactly 12 hours later? Because even if you are a few minutes late, it won’t be exact. Might test that out first. For example, take a pic before starting the chrono at some time (say 8 am), then take the pic exactly 12 hours later and 12 pm.

Yes. The chrono second hand and the chrono hours hand should be synced at 12.On the pictures above, the chrono is stopped 6 seconds after the 12 hour mark.

I attached a picture where I stopped it 3 hours later. The hour marker should have lined up at 3.

Note that the hands start synced at 0. So they are aligned on reset.

IMG20241104142340.webp
 
Archer
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If you are wearing the watch while this happens, try doing a test with the watch left dial up undisturbed for 12 hours and see if it happens.
 
eirik
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Archer Archer
If you are wearing the watch while this happens, try doing a test with the watch left dial up undisturbed for 12 hours and see if it happens.
I was wearing it when this happens. On your suggestions, I tried to let it run dial up without being moved - and surprised to see that the hands then stays in sync. So the issue only occurs when the watch is being worn.

The attached image shows the hands after 12 hours.

speedy_ok.webp
 
Archer
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eirik eirik
I was wearing it when this happens. On your suggestions, I tried to let it run dial up without being moved - and surprised to see that the hands then stays in sync. So the issue only occurs when the watch is being worn.

The attached image shows the hands after 12 hours.

speedy_ok.webp
That's what I thought would happen. So, there are two possibilities here...

1 - The hour counting hand is getting moved forwards by the movements of your arms or some small shocks, causing it to read fast.

2 - The minute counting hand is getting moved backwards by the movement of your arms or some small shocks, causing the hour counter to appear to be fast.

So a question - did you measure the 12 hours by the chronograph, or by the main hour and minute hands? If exactly 12 hours goes by on the main hands that just tell the time, and the hour counter is moving ahead as you wear it, the problem is #1. To me, this is less likely given the design of the hour counter mechanism.

What has already been observed on some 3861's is that the minute counter can be moved quite easily. It was a complaint that I saw a few times when this movement first went into wide circulation, but the complaints have died off in recent times. So my gut tells me that this is actually the minute counter hand getting moved, and the hour counting hand is actually working fine.

As far as what to do about it, Omega needs to fix this so I would take it back and describe the testing you have done, which will help them nail down the actual problem.

Both issues can be fixed - the hour counter moving too easily is from the friction spring on the mainspring barrel for the pinion that drives the hour counting wheel - it can be tightened to provide more friction so it doesn't slip.

For the minute counter the spring for the minute counter jumper needs to be adjusted to that is has a little more tension. There is balance here because too much tension can cause the watch to stop when the minute counter is tripped, but it should be a big deal to adjust this properly. The design of both of these things is the same as on the 1861 and 861 by the way, so this should be routine for any watchmaker who works on these calibers regularly.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Al
 
YY77
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Luckily no issue with mine which has been running 15+ hours now;

PXL_20241105_143942943.webp
 
4011021
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Archer Archer
That's what I thought would happen. So, there are two possibilities here...

1 - The hour counting hand is getting moved forwards by the movements of your arms or some small shocks, causing it to read fast.

2 - The minute counting hand is getting moved backwards by the movement of your arms or some small shocks, causing the hour counter to appear to be fast.

So a question - did you measure the 12 hours by the chronograph, or by the main hour and minute hands? If exactly 12 hours goes by on the main hands that just tell the time, and the hour counter is moving ahead as you wear it, the problem is #1. To me, this is less likely given the design of the hour counter mechanism.

What has already been observed on some 3861's is that the minute counter can be moved quite easily. It was a complaint that I saw a few times when this movement first went into wide circulation, but the complaints have died off in recent times. So my gut tells me that this is actually the minute counter hand getting moved, and the hour counting hand is actually working fine.

As far as what to do about it, Omega needs to fix this so I would take it back and describe the testing you have done, which will help them nail down the actual problem.

Both issues can be fixed - the hour counter moving too easily is from the friction spring on the mainspring barrel for the pinion that drives the hour counting wheel - it can be tightened to provide more friction so it doesn't slip.

For the minute counter the spring for the minute counter jumper needs to be adjusted to that is has a little more tension. There is balance here because too much tension can cause the watch to stop when the minute counter is tripped, but it should be a big deal to adjust this properly. The design of both of these things is the same as on the 1861 and 861 by the way, so this should be routine for any watchmaker who works on these calibers regularly.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Al

What a great reply as usual.
 
TexOmega
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YY77 YY77
Luckily no issue with mine which has been running 15+ hours now;

PXL_20241105_143942943.webp


Hey, Neil.....does my butt look big in this moonsuit?😇
 
ErichPryde
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TexOmega TexOmega
Hey, Neil.....does my butt look big in this moonsuit?😇

Fat Bottomed astronauts make the moon walkin' world go round
 
ErichPryde
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Archer Archer
That's what I thought would happen. So, there are two possibilities here...

1 - The hour counting hand is getting moved forwards by the movements of your arms or some small shocks, causing it to read fast.

2 - The minute counting hand is getting moved backwards by the movement of your arms or some small shocks, causing the hour counter to appear to be fast.

So a question - did you measure the 12 hours by the chronograph, or by the main hour and minute hands? If exactly 12 hours goes by on the main hands that just tell the time, and the hour counter is moving ahead as you wear it, the problem is #1. To me, this is less likely given the design of the hour counter mechanism.

What has already been observed on some 3861's is that the minute counter can be moved quite easily. It was a complaint that I saw a few times when this movement first went into wide circulation, but the complaints have died off in recent times. So my gut tells me that this is actually the minute counter hand getting moved, and the hour counting hand is actually working fine.

As far as what to do about it, Omega needs to fix this so I would take it back and describe the testing you have done, which will help them nail down the actual problem.

Both issues can be fixed - the hour counter moving too easily is from the friction spring on the mainspring barrel for the pinion that drives the hour counting wheel - it can be tightened to provide more friction so it doesn't slip.

For the minute counter the spring for the minute counter jumper needs to be adjusted to that is has a little more tension. There is balance here because too much tension can cause the watch to stop when the minute counter is tripped, but it should be a big deal to adjust this properly. The design of both of these things is the same as on the 1861 and 861 by the way, so this should be routine for any watchmaker who works on these calibers regularly.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Al

Lovely detective work.
 
eirik
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Archer Archer
That's what I thought would happen. So, there are two possibilities here...

1 - The hour counting hand is getting moved forwards by the movements of your arms or some small shocks, causing it to read fast.

2 - The minute counting hand is getting moved backwards by the movement of your arms or some small shocks, causing the hour counter to appear to be fast.

So a question - did you measure the 12 hours by the chronograph, or by the main hour and minute hands? If exactly 12 hours goes by on the main hands that just tell the time, and the hour counter is moving ahead as you wear it, the problem is #1. To me, this is less likely given the design of the hour counter mechanism.

What has already been observed on some 3861's is that the minute counter can be moved quite easily. It was a complaint that I saw a few times when this movement first went into wide circulation, but the complaints have died off in recent times. So my gut tells me that this is actually the minute counter hand getting moved, and the hour counting hand is actually working fine.

As far as what to do about it, Omega needs to fix this so I would take it back and describe the testing you have done, which will help them nail down the actual problem.

Both issues can be fixed - the hour counter moving too easily is from the friction spring on the mainspring barrel for the pinion that drives the hour counting wheel - it can be tightened to provide more friction so it doesn't slip.

For the minute counter the spring for the minute counter jumper needs to be adjusted to that is has a little more tension. There is balance here because too much tension can cause the watch to stop when the minute counter is tripped, but it should be a big deal to adjust this properly. The design of both of these things is the same as on the 1861 and 861 by the way, so this should be routine for any watchmaker who works on these calibers regularly.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Al
Hi Al,

Thanks so much for taking the time to give such a detailed and helpful response. Your insights really clarified what could be causing the issue, and I’m grateful for the explanations about both potential problems with the hour and minute counters.

I'll follow up with the tests you suggested to confirm whether it’s the hour or minute hand that's affected. I’m hoping this will narrow down the problem before taking it back to Omega.

Your input has been invaluable—I genuinely appreciate the guidance!
 
Archer
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eirik eirik
Hi Al,

Thanks so much for taking the time to give such a detailed and helpful response. Your insights really clarified what could be causing the issue, and I’m grateful for the explanations about both potential problems with the hour and minute counters.

I'll follow up with the tests you suggested to confirm whether it’s the hour or minute hand that's affected. I’m hoping this will narrow down the problem before taking it back to Omega.

Your input has been invaluable—I genuinely appreciate the guidance!
Let us know how this works out.
 
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