No back-hack following a full Omega service. Is this important? In my humble opinion, yes.

[Mad Dog]

First off…this is a 1st world problem…I am grateful to have a healthy family, a roof over our head, food on the table…and as of today, four Speedmasters [321, 861, 1861, and 3861]…but…

Today, a local Omega AD just received my 1861 Speedmaster back from a full service at Omega in New Jersey, USA. I sprinted to the AD to fetch my 1861 [which I purchased new in 2015]…all things checked out…except for the back-hack capability. In my humble opinion, this is important…when I set my 1861, I always set it to the second via a reputable time clock/signal. Also, the Omega operating instructions specifically address the back-hack, and prior to service, the back-hack capability functioned correctly. I would assume that following a full Omega service, all functions will operate correctly.

To be honest, I was a little pissed off regarding the “no back-hack” issue since I have a history of anger mis-management…but I think I sort of kept my cool [relatively speaking]. They said they would make it right…first by having their in-house Omega certified watchmaker address the issue and then go from there.

So what’s the question?

There is no question…it’s just a rant.

 

[mcemeren]

Ouch, I just read this after I back-hack-set my Speedmaster. What could they have done to achieve that? Is that an improvement? These may be the questions out of curiosity. Let's wait for the watchmakers to chime in.

 

[JwRosenthal]

You should have told them you will keep the seat-belt sign on and there will be no bathroom for them until it is fixed! And you have instructed the attendants that there will only be warm Diet Pepsi- no ice!

 

[eugeneandresson]

Speedmasters have a back hack???

 

[rob#1]

They do and they don’t 😉. It’s interesting that Omega changed their operating instructions for 1861s. A few years ago the manual stated you could pretty much back hack to synchronise the time by holding the crown against the power (see photo 1). Newer instructions just state that you can’t ‘synchronise to the pip’ (photo 2).

 

[rob#1]

I do remember reading on OF (probably Archer) about the ‘back hack’ being bad for the movement as anytime it was going in a retrograde motion there was a possibility of damage, so maybe that was why it was amended.

 

[YY77]

Read a post from @Archer from a few years ago;


https://omegaforums.net/threads/adv...serviced-speedy-145-012-67.47504/#post-566437

 

[rob#1]

Thanks, I thought I saw this. If I need to ‘back hack’ I’ll only do it when the mainspring has been wound down as it’s too strong otherwise.

 

[Duracuir1]

A Mad Dog thread without a @Mad Dog photo or two…

Come on Man! That’s better…

 

[Mad Dog]

Wowser…this is great information, @rob#1 and @YY77 …I had no idea things changed! Thank you, sirs [may I have another?]. I need to NOT be pissed off now! 👍

LATE ENTRY: At least I was able to be pissed off for about 14 hours…and for that I’m grateful! 👍

Edited: Oct 29, 2022

 

[Canuck]

I very much doubt that every watch manufacturer or technician who repairs or assembles mechanical watches, specifically checks to make certain that every watch that is made, or is otherwise worked on, will stop immediately when the hands are turned backwards! Some do, some don’t, is the way I see it.

 

[Evitzee]

With the typical accuracy of an 1861 movement I never thought it was important to set the second hand accurately. I'll set the minute hand to line up correctly with the minute mark and call it a day.

 

[SkunkPrince]

YY77

Read a post from @Archer from a few years ago;


https://omegaforums.net/threads/adv...serviced-speedy-145-012-67.47504/#post-566437

Yes, this. Let it run down and do it. In fact, on my 14363 Seamaster, the faintest movement caused it to run, but this back-hack procedure was much easier with little power in the mainspring. Set the seconds, wind the snot out of it, and then set the time.

 

[TexOmega]

SkunkPrince

Yes, this. Let it run down and do it. In fact, on my 14363 Seamaster, the faintest movement caused it to run, but this back-hack procedure was much easier with little power in the mainspring. Set the seconds, wind the snot out of it, and then set the time.

Well, my WM gets all the snot out at each service. Will it still work as Omega describes?☕

 

[LesXL]

I came by... I read... I did not understand... I leave 😀

Sorry, I'm a complete Speedy ignorant. Yet, I come by sections of the forum, I don't understand, or I don't relate, yet I enjoy the information or style or humour that is worth reading!

PS: So, that said, I enjoy the reading! Even if don't understand whar the issue is, I did enjoy/feel for the OP rant.
Maybe it was before his coffee 😀

 

[JwRosenthal]

LesXL

I came by... I read... I did not understand... I leave 😀

Sorry, I'm a complete Speedy ignorant. Yet, I come by sections of the forum, I don't understand, or I don't relate, yet I enjoy the information or style or humour that is worth reading!

PS: So, that said, I enjoy the reading! Even if don't understand whar the issue is, I did enjoy/feel for the OP rant.
Maybe it was before his coffee 😀

(Please correct me anyone if this is overly simplistic or my terminology is wrong). Many watches will “back hack”, it’s kind of how you synchronized multiple watches before hacking was an option. If you are setting your watch and roll the hands backwards (counter clockwise), you may notice that the second hand stops- you are pushing the train in the opposite direction than it was designed to run. Those of us who have 9/12 date set watches see this all the time.
So if you set you time and apply slight back pressure on the crown (like you are going to wind it backwards) the second hand wills sit still until you release it. So if you want to synchronize your watch with another time keeper- this is the low-tech way to do it,
As some have mentioned, it’s not good for some movements, some it doesn’t really matter- results may vary.

 

[Mad Dog]

OK…all is now well in 1861 Omega service land…went back to the AD today to fetch my beloved 1861 after learning about the Omega back-hack specs change. I had no idea regarding the change that had taken place until after initiating this thread…many thanks to @rob#1 and @YY77 for the heads up and to OF for providing such a great informational [and social] community. 👍



LATE ENTRY: Check out the AD provided Biscoffs in the pic above from a few hours ago at the AD…just like we have at Delta. Sooo…of course I had to tell the story of how I ate a whole brick of those Biscoffs one day [at band camp] when I was on the MD-88/90…which did not go well…almost had to “talk on the big white phone” in the lav…BUT…of course I didn’t “talk on the big white phone” because I’m a tough guy. 😁

Edited: Oct 30, 2022

 

[Aroxx]

This thread has been informational for me as well. I discovered “back-hacking” quite by accident on my Orient diver. I didn’t know it was a thing. Being OCD about setting my watch precisely I utilized it but always felt maybe it’s not great for the watch. As everyone is probably well aware by now, I’m a Speedy newbie, but hacking on the new watch makes me very happy. 😁

 

[JwRosenthal]

Aroxx

This thread has been informational for me as well. I discovered “back-hacking” quite by accident on my Orient diver. I didn’t know it was a thing. Being OCD about setting my watch precisely I utilized it but always felt maybe it’s not great for the watch. As everyone is probably well aware by now, I’m a Speedy newbie, but hacking on the new watch makes me very happy. 😁

Considering I wear watches that are a century old and have a large chunk of early military pieces, within the minute is usually fine for me…some if they are in the same quadrant of the dial as the actual time is a blessing.

 

[Aroxx]

JwRosenthal

Considering I wear watches that are a century old and have a large chunk of early military pieces, within the minute is usually fine for me…some if they are in the same quadrant of the dial as the actual time is a blessing.

I hear ya. My Orient is a far cry from METAS certification, so equally pointless, but I can’t help myself sometimes. I think that’s my only mechanical that doesn’t hack.