I took my Seamaster 300 in for its first service at my local AD after nearly a decade last week. They are Omega certified for servicing and quoted me $400 + parts and said 5-6 weeks.

I was thinking about it this weekend and realized it’s only 20% more to have it sent to Omega for a full spa. Before I could call to make the change, they called saying it’s ready for pickup.

What should I expect them to have done as part of the service? I wear this watch in the water all the time. Should I expect that they pressure tested it? What else should I ask?

Thanks!

 

Did they not have you approve the specific services before they did the work?

Not knowing anything more about the conversations had, I wouldn't say what you should expect, but if it were serviced I would certainly want it pressure tested.

 

With a proper and complete service, you should always expect a pressure test to be done, even if it tells you that the watch has no water resistance.

It seems odd to me that they would quote you 5-6 weeks, and have the watch done in less than a week. I test watches after service for longer than that...

I would ask for proof of pressure testing, a timing slip, and that the parts they replaced are returned to you.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks Al, I will do that!

 

I run into that “return the old parts” problem on occasion. My answer is, only if i’m asked to, in advance. I shall now don my helmet.

 

I did have the presence of mind to ask for no polish, and nothing done with the dial or hands. I suppose I won’t notice any difference from the service except keeping better time. I don’t care to keep the old gears, but would like to see them out of interest.

Canuck, you’re not in PDX are you?

 

No. YYC.

 

Returning parts is standard practice. They are your property so it would not be right for the watchmaker to keep them or dispose of them without your prior permission. In the case of vintage, used parts that get replaced can often have significant value.

My approach is to return all parts as the default. That way I never "run into" that particular "problem."

Cheers, Al

 

I picked up my old Seamaster today. They pressure tested it to 3 bar, and it is -1 s/day. They also replaced the reverser gear and gave it to me in a little box. I swapped to my new old watch and can’t believe how comfortable it is on the wrist with the bracelet. I remember now why I never took it off until I got the GSOTM. This could be a problem!

 

That is rated to 300m. They will have tested it to 30 bar not 3 or at least they should have. Assuming it is a steel 2255 (not a titanium SMP) the polished bezel insert can be bought back as good as new with careful use of cape cod as long as it isn’t dinged too bad. Omega don’t do this, they will only replace it for an additional cost but it works. I would personally have let them have refinish it if they know what they are doing, Omega certainly do and it would look factory. I prefer my modern stuff to look mint. I guess I have a cut off for this but it is earlier than 1998 when that model was introduced.

 

I was pretty confident those guys would take good care of your SM for you and it looks like they did. Glad to see it back on your wrist!

 

If they did the job to Omega specs it would have had 2 very different pressure tests - one dry and one wet. The wet test should be at the rated depth +25%, and the process would look like what I've described in this thread:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/pressure-testing-a-watchco-sm300.45375/

Cheers, Al

 

Fair enough, good to hear there is some over margin but whatever test, it shouldn't have been to only 3 bar which was my main point. If it was then they haven't really fully tested it.

 

And although you don't seem to realize it, I was agreeing with you...

 

I am never sure if the rest of the world thinks I am quite as right as the voices in my head tell me I am...

 

I will take a pic of the pressure test output as soon as I can. I asked them about it, and they didn’t even know what some of the numbers meant. They admitted that they just do the test per Omega’s specifications, that it passed, and that they don’t know what all the numbers mean.

I had asked them not to polish it, but I might do as @padders suggests and do a bit myself... carefully. Every watch was modern once, right?

 

Here is the pressure test result:

 

So they tested your watch with the incorrect pressures, at least according to Omega's work instructions. Both the vacuum setting and the pressure settings should have been higher for a watch that is rated for 300 m.

Not saying that doing so would have given a different result, but that they simply didn't follow procedures correctly. I'm guessing a high pressure wet test was not likely done.

Cheers, Al