I had the Problem myself with a 20.522.xxx 105.003 -63. The watch came from the first owner and I just got the production date as a reply. Through a few contacts at Omega and Omega Museum I got confirmed, that there is a whole in the data of these years and specific SN ranges.

Also I heard that they are working on a project to fix this.

 

Some comments according to my experience and to talks to the archive´s staff:

1) very early watches (20s and older) can not be found by the movement serial numbers - there are entries in the old big heavy handwritten books listed by case serial numbers.
So to have such a watch confirmed you must provide the case serial number and they will give you the information they can find in the books.

but:

2) younger watches are recorded on the microfiche (starting around movement serial# 9 mio) and are listed by the movement serial#

When I order an extract for such a watch I provide the movement serial# only (never provide the case serial!) and wait what they find out from the microfilm entry.
If they state "no information available" or "hole in the microfilm" than you know this is correct and it is not beacuse of a franken.
If I receive an extract I compare their results with the case serial and ref.# myself and get the confimation whether the watch is OK or not.

In case it turned out that there is a mismatch of numbers there are 2 options:
a) swallow the cost of the non matching extract
b) tell them about the mismatch problem and (kindly) ask them if they were ready to refund you - giving proof of the mismatch by photos of the case details of course... If you are a repeat and valued customer they may refund you...

 

Have read several threads here over the years on the Speedmaster extract black hole.
Thought it was well known.
There is a thread about the range and serial numbers that are affected.

 

Oh, the watch was a mess. I didn't buy it for its beauty or originality. Modern case, dial missing the feet, etc. It was a clusterduck.

 

I submit for extracts for my watches a couple times per year just to see if anything has changed .

Very curious to know what they are doing that would make archives available for which there is no archive data... I've heard this a few times from different people but I don't understand...

 

That's the spirit That was also the approach a few mates of mine had with respect to scoring hot women...

Will share if/when any more info comes to light...perhaps someone else closer to the mother-ship will share first...

 

I just had this happen to me. Extract request for 2998-5 189451xx and 105.002 205206xx was both refunded. Anyone have a speedy close in the serial range?

 

Same here with 105.003 -63 in 20.522.xxx range. Some of their documents are not readable anymore, so there are gaps for several watches. What you can do, you can ask them, what information they have. I at least got the production date.

Best Nico

 

Thanks for the advice- I'll try asking them at least the production date.