Omega deployant clasp question

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McDaWisel

·Aug 5, 2020

I am looking for some guidance on the Omega deployant clasps. Specifically on the GSOTM (ceramic/titanium) - I believe it’s the same on the dark side and a bunch of other models.

From time to time the clasp will open by itself. It happens when I am being active with it, so let’s say taking something out of a tight jeans pocket or the last day I was hanging up laundry and it bumped off the laundry basket. Luckily it hasn’t fallen of the wrist.

Inspecting it a few weeks ago, I found that while pressing just one of trigger, it will open up if wiggled in a certain way.

It’s been back twice to Omega in Switzerland via the AD. They say they replaced the entire clasp twice and it has not made it any better. I have also tried a clasp on a dark side of the moon at the AD and it actually also seemed to open quite quickly when a single trigger was pushed in.

Any advice? Is that standard behaviour?

I am so frustrated with this that I am looking to buy the pin and buckle and matching strap. (Or maybe exchange with someone who wants to “upgrade” to the deployant)

As all threads need photos, here it is on a strap that does it’s job as it should ;-)

 

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Bugbait

·Aug 5, 2020

Not sure how to advise you here. I just tried the same deployant on my BSotM and I can't get it to come off with just one trigger pressed. Maybe I could if I was more aggressive with the tugging but I'm not really keen to do that 😀 . In over a year of daily wear I've never had it come loose and I'm putting it on and taking it off multiple times per day. Don't want the detergent from washing up dishes all over the leather band!

I don't wear the strap really tight though. Maybe that makes a difference?

 

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Evitzee

·Aug 5, 2020

I've had a ceramic/titanium clasp for about 18 months and have never had it pop open on its own. It always requires both buttons to be pushed. Your situation seems out of the ordinary.

 

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Wetworks

·Aug 5, 2020

Apples to oranges maybe (likely), but my Breitling deployant will release on one side if that side is depressed. The seam where the buckle meets the logo/clasp side is pronounced enough that I can feel the height difference. I suppose a knock or toggle of the opposite release button would be enough to make the deployant open. Could be the same thing happening here? Does the xSOTM deployant function the same as the older Omega deployants (friction IIRC)?

 

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McDaWisel

·Aug 6, 2020

Evitzee

I've had a ceramic/titanium clasp for about 18 months and have never had it pop open on its own. It always requires both buttons to be pushed. Your situation seems out of the ordinary.

Thank you. That’s what I was thinking.

 

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Donn Chambers

·Aug 6, 2020

I don’t have the ceramic clasp, but I do have the steel clasp that works identically. I’ve never had this problem, but while playing with it a few minutes ago to see if I could replicate this failure, I noticed that it WILL sometimes open when I depress only one trigger. It doesn’t happen all the time, maybe half the time.

Looking at the triggers when I press and “lock” it, it appears that sometimes one trigger does not pop all the way out. It will only release with one trigger when that’s the case.

I suspect this common to all these clasps due to the design, and we should all give them a firm push when closing and check the triggers are both fully extended.

 

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McDaWisel

·Aug 6, 2020

Thank you for checking it out. That’s probably part of the issue. Depending on how I hold the wrist it also seems to open on one side with a press and then that side stays open, so a simple nudge on the other will make it open fully.

I did record a little video if anyone feels like doing more analysis.

I think it might just be me. I am used to divers with fold-over clasps and other super robust pieces (I have an X33 and a Damasko, etc...). This just seems a lot more fragile... seen the watch it is that might be by design...

 

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Donn Chambers

·Aug 6, 2020

McDaWisel

Thank you for checking it out. That’s probably part of the issue. Depending on how I hold the wrist it also seems to open on one side with a press and then that side stays open, so a simple nudge on the other will make it open fully.

I did record a little video if anyone feels like doing more analysis.

I think it might just be me. I am used to divers with fold-over clasps and other super robust pieces (I have an X33 and a Damasko, etc...). This just seems a lot more fragile... seen the watch it is that might be by design...

I also suspect it's also related to the slightly thicker straps on the GSOTM and DSOTM. I currently have my Seamaster 300 on a DSOTM strap and it does this. But on the original leather strap, I never noticed it. Will have to check, though. I also tend to wear my straps pretty loose, so that may reduce it happening as well.

 

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Omegafanman

·Aug 9, 2020

Hi, I have had DSOTM for 5 years. I switched for the pure ceramic buckle to the ceramic/titanium deployant in 2016 and have not looked back. The buckle did its job but I much prefer the deployant. I wear the watch a lot (in many different situations) and have never had an issue. It was summer BBQ family Olympics yesterday with some Badminton, croquet, Quoits, football, air pistol shooting … and lots of beer. The strap and deployant did just fine. I have tried the OK Cokey with the release buttons a bit since reading The OP post and can just get one side to release / one side does seem to engage 'firmer' but I cant ever envisage a way that this could happen (it is hard to press one side only) and anyway the deployant still holds. The mating lugs are small / it is a very light deployant - but using a coated titanium / ceramic mix was necessary for the design concept - it looks like you (OP) do have a specific issue (sorry). Hope they can fix it.

 

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McDaWisel

·Aug 9, 2020

Thank you for checking it out. Well according to Omega I have now had 3 different deployant clasps. The original and then the two exchanges.

All three clasps seemed the same. I see three options:
- the clasps are just a little “flimsy” for my type of day to day use
- I am very unlucky and all 3 were faulty.
- My original one was faulty and omega / AD never changed them for me (would be hard to believe, specially because they charged me for the first replacement!)

Seen the mix of answers here (and thank you everyone) I will probably tests it out on the wrist for another week or so and then make a decision if I will move over to the pin & buckle or not.

 

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texasmade

·Aug 9, 2020

I just tried this on my steel clasp and it won’t open if I only push one side.

 

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McDaWisel

·Aug 9, 2020

Neither does mine. The video explains it. I think it’s a combination of having it quite tight on the wrist and pressing one, then the other button, or twisting it...

 

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NGO1

·Aug 9, 2020

DSTOM owner of 7 years here. If your deployment popped once don’t wait for it to pop out again. Go ceramic buckle.
It’s especially risky for a full ceramic watch to pop out of your wrist. You could have a shattered $10k nightmare on the floor.

Mine slipped out of my hand during a strap change and crash landed onto the granite counter top. I then realized what an idiot I am to change strap standing in front of a granite counter top. Never doing that again.
Oh and that ceramic body is one slippery ass piece of glass.

 

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McDaWisel

·Aug 9, 2020

Thank you @ngo516
Waiting to get to the 200 posts to put up a “want to buy” thread. 😀 I’d say there are plenty of people out there “upgrading” to the deployant.
Also asked the AD and a grey maker dealer to price up a new strap and buckle for me last week.
Let’s see.

 

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Happy

·Aug 9, 2020

Literally just tried ragging mine about and it won't just by pressing one side.

 

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McDaWisel

·Aug 9, 2020

I wonder if it’s unique to the titanium / ceramic ones. My original and 2 replacements as well as the DSotM one the AD let me try all behaved the same...

 

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gerrya

·Aug 9, 2020

Only thing I've noticed with mine is I can unlatch one side and when I push it will click back in. The other side does not do that. But I can't open it unless both buttons are pressed.

 

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McDaWisel

·Aug 9, 2020

gerrya

Only thing I've noticed with mine is I can unlatch one side and when I push it will click back in. The other side does not do that. But I can't open it unless both buttons are pressed.

So one of the things that could be the issue is when exactly that happens and you don’t realise - meaning you don’t push it back in. Then later the other side gets pushed and it pops open...

 

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Wetworks

·Aug 9, 2020

gerrya

Only thing I've noticed with mine is I can unlatch one side and when I push it will click back in. The other side does not do that. But I can't open it unless both buttons are pressed.

This is what I was attempting to describe with my Breitling deployant. I'm thinking this is what is going on with the OPs

 

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NGO1

·Aug 9, 2020

McDaWisel

Thank you @ngo516
Waiting to get to the 200 posts to put up a “want to buy” thread. 😀 I’d say there are plenty of people out there “upgrading” to the deployant.
Also asked the AD and a grey maker dealer to price up a new strap and buckle for me last week.
Let’s see.

Good call.
To be honest. I dislike all deployant buckles. They look good as hell in a watch and added value, visually. You trade away comfort and security, especially on a ceramic piece.

I don’t have balls big enough for deployant on ceramic. Add kids to that equation and it’s a matter of “when” not “if”.