Now this is a weird thing to happen to an X-33

blubarb · Dec 30, 2019

Yesterday I walked into the kitchen and heard something fall to the floor tiles. It turned out to be the pusher off my X-33! It had come away from the case.

As you can see, the pin (or whatever it’s called) has snapped away.

How is that possible without me striking it or damaging it against some surface, which I haven’t. Possible that it was tightened too much when fitted?

I got it back from a full service eight weeks ago where it stayed in the safe until a week ago when I pulled it out to be my daily wearer for my Australia to the USA trip.

Not something I have ever heard of before.

duc · Dec 30, 2019

I am pretty sure a complete servicing includes replacement of the pushers. Unless you hit it on something (and I get you said you didn't, which is good enough for me) it seems to me Omega should repair it under their repair warranty. It stinks you can't wear it on a vacation, but it sure looks like Omega owns this repair.

FWIW, I use my X33 on travel quite a bit. It is very convenient with multiple time zones and a sonic alarm unlike all others.

Jonathan40 · Dec 30, 2019

Simple case of not being fixed to the case properly during service? Wouldn’t imagine Omega would quibble about correcting their error which it appears to be.
Worth asking where you drop for service to ask the service centre used what could have caused this failure.

blubarb · Dec 30, 2019

duc
FWIW, I use my X33 on travel quite a bit. It is very convenient with multiple time zones and a sonic alarm unlike all others.

Exactly! Just one of those things though...

Archer · Dec 30, 2019

Jonathan40
Simple case of not being fixed to the case properly during service? Wouldn’t imagine Omega would quibble about correcting their error which it appears to be.
Worth asking where you drop for service to ask the service centre used what could have caused this failure.

No - you can clearly see the screw is snapped off...

Typically if a screw is going to snap from overtightening, it happens as you are overtightening, not weeks later.

My guess is an impact that you didn't notice. See if Omega will cover it...they might as a courtesy...

JohnnyRocket · Jan 2, 2020

I see that it appears to be a Gen 1. Does anyone know if the series had issues
With the pushers? We know about the the problems with the original crowns.
I sure hope you get her up and repaired. I always thought of mine as a little Jewel.
Hope it goes well.

Canuck · Jan 2, 2020

If Omega fixes it for you as a courtesy, it will not be an admission that the mishap resulted from a mistake during the repair. That really leaves only one conclusion..........-an “OOPS”.

Archer · Jan 2, 2020

Canuck
If Omega fixes it for you as a courtesy, it will not be an admission that the mishap resulted from a mistake during the repair. That really leaves only one conclusion..........-an “OOPS”.

A courtesy repair is done when it is not a warranty repair, so of course it's not an admission of a mistake, because it wasn't. It's the company stepping up to cover something that was really your fault.

duc · Jan 2, 2020

The work I do includes QA oversight of structural steel bolting (industrial and DOT materials). In that arena; basically a fastener assembly (bolt/nut/washer) is considered acceptable if the assembly is tensioned to at least the required amount. You can over tighten it to the point of almost failing and it is still OK. The reason is because the assembly process does not require the use of precise measuring.

Before starting field assembly, you prove a method used will produce the required minimum load (using load indication), and so long as you employ the same method in the field without load indication, it is considered acceptable. Part of the method takes into account people have different capabilities (ie - strength). If an average worker is used to prove the method before starting, and it works, all workers are allowed to use the same process. If subsequently a brute employs the same process, he/she may go way beyond what the average person established for load in the assembly. In fact, that person may go beyond the elastic limit of the material without actually breaking it off. As long as the process was used correctly (monitored randomly by QC), it is considered ok.

Why did I highlight the part above? Because we have built and shipped structures with 200 - 300 thousand fastener assemblies; all tightened using acceptable controls (and subjected to appropriate QC). Upon arrival at the off-loading port, several fasteners were discovered fractured and laying on the barge deck. The conclusion arrived at is the fasteners were basically over tightened during installation; within allowance since they didn't fail during assembly or immediately thereafter. The fix is to replace them. No one admits fault. It is considered part of construction.

It takes creativity to link structural bolting with loads of 40 - 75 kips per assembly to watch making (but I've done it). My point is, unless the tech used a torque indicating screw driver, how does he/she know the installation torque was appropriate? Perhaps the tech tightened that screw up just a little beyond the proper amount (going beyond the material elastic limit), and it failed at some point later.

Canuck · Jan 2, 2020

The thread would strip, first, IMO. And with typical screwdrivers as used by watchmakers, too much torque? In addition, on occasion, adhesives are used to assure nothing comes unscrewed, thereby reducing the remote possibility of applying too much torque. That was an OOPS!

Archer · Jan 2, 2020

duc
My point is, unless the tech used a torque indicating screw driver, how does he/she know the installation torque was appropriate?

I won't say for sure that this specific screw was installed using such a screwdriver, but they are commonly used in service centers. In particular in areas where unskilled labour is used (i.e. not watchmakers) which would be the case here.

I could not begin to count the number of screws I've tightened of this size, but trust me, you can feel it when it's going, but not snapped yet. This is particularly the case with a screw like this one for a case parts, unlike say a vintage watch with hardened screws in the movement where they snap more suddenly.