Omega Extract of the Archives: What's Included?

BenBagbag · Oct 9, 2018

So let's maybe pull out into it's own thread here. Basically, Omega offers a service called an Extract of the Archive, where they will ask you for the reference and serial number and then send you a nice paper on what they have in their records on that watch, usually production date and where it was delivered to.

The back and forth in the old thread was about if Omega uses info provided by the client about the current state of the watch to add to the "Remarks" part on the bottom. If they do take info provided by the client, it raises questions about the point of the archive process. (I do remember people saying that Extracts issued from ~2013 and before were more likely to have client added information.)

Does Omega add information provided by clients? What other questions do you have about what is in the Archives?

Last, what do we know about the archive process? Maybe there are some insiders a bit closer to Omega who can provide some insight - anyone been to Bienne and seen it first hand?

Edit: I'm adding a list of threads which touch on this topic for reference. Please feel free to share more threads and I'll add them here.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega’s-extract-of-the-archives---how-it-works.42587/
(Robert-Jan's speedy-tuesday thread on how the EOA process works)

https://omegaforums.net/threads/speedy-tuesday---a-blue-dial-speedmaster-105-003-on-auction.84856/
(Whether EOA is production date, "invoice date," and forged papers - did Omega get pressured by Philips?)

https://omegaforums.net/threads/new-vintage-ultraman-for-sale.83492
(Questions about an Ultraman Extract with the wrong serial assigned - Auction [see page 3 for start of extract drama])

sdre · Oct 9, 2018

Thanks Ben for this doing. I think this is great information and should be as transparent as it gets.

Sherbie · Oct 9, 2018

As i mentioned last night, i ONLY give Omega the serial number ( ie 24,000,xxxx)

That way, there is absolutley no “leading the witness” and Omega can only report back on what information THEY hold on said serial number

I have done this 4 times

1) first time for a 18k connie - they confirmed case number ( dog legged 168.005), cal 561, 18k rose gold, and that it was delivered to Angola, of all places in 1966

2) second time for another 18k connie - they confirmed case number (14381), cal 551, 18k yellow gold case, and that it was delivered to Ireland in 1962. This was of critical importance, as this then explained why there were Irish hallmarks on the putside of the case - in fact the import authorities had hallmark stamps for dublin, 1962, 18k etc all over the case back medallion ( all over the stars in fact)

3) 3rd time for a speedmaster mark 4.5 - they confirmed ref (176.012), SS case, delivered to UK in 1983, and the bracelet type ( which was still on the watch)

4) 4th time for a speedmaster 145.022 - they confirmed the ref, del in 1983 also to uk, the bracelet type ( which was still on the watch etc

They could only have this info from their archives - i provided none of the above, so for me, this was good value

Of course, a scumbag could have asked omega previously for information on a particular serial, and then built a watch to represent the info on the archive - but then they would have sold said fraken watch along WITH THE ARCHIVE, for more £££

So i am 99% confident i have 4 original watches in my possession

sdre · Oct 9, 2018

Sherbie
As i mentioned last night, i ONLY give Omega the serial number ( ie 24,000,xxxx)

That way, there is absolutley no “leading the witness” and Omega can only report back on what information THEY hold on said serial number

I have done this 4 times

1) first time for a 18k connie - they confirmed case number ( dog legged 168.005), cal 561, 18k rose gold, and that it was delivered to Angola, of all places in 1966

2) second time for another 18k connie - they confirmed case number (14381), cal 551, 18k yellow gold case, and that it was delivered to Ireland in 1962. This was of critical importance, as this then explained why there were Irish hallmarks on the putside of the case - in fact the import authorities had hallmark stamps for dublin, 1962, 18k etc all over the case back medallion ( all over the stars in fact)

3) 3rd time for a speedmaster mark 4.5 - they confirmed ref (176.012), SS case, delivered to UK in 1983, and the bracelet type ( which was still on the watch)

4) 4th time for a speedmaster 145.022 - they confirmed the ref, del in 1983 also to uk, the bracelet type ( which was still on the watch etc

They could only have this info from their archives - i provided none of the above, so for me, this was good value

Of course, a scumbag could have asked omega previously for information on a particular serial, and then built a watch to represent the info on the archive - but then they would have sold said fraken watch along WITH THE ARCHIVE, for more £££

So i am 99% confident i have 4 original watches in my possession

Again, please don't use offensive words here. We are trying to build on what we know and be objective and factual as we can.

Thanks for sharing the information with us.

When I last applied for an extract, the web form says to fill in the case and watch model etc... how did you get around doing that? Did you email them instead?

BenBagbag · Oct 10, 2018

sdre
When I last applied for an extract, the web form says to fill in the case and watch model etc... how did you get around doing that? Did you email them instead?

Yeah that's strange. I believe you have to put a reference number on there along with the serial. I remember @oddboy saying that if you get the reference wrong they will say something to the extent that the info is missing but if you reapply with the correct reference they will issue the extract.

@Sherbie can you walk us through how you applied for the extract?

Dan S · Oct 10, 2018

Presumably @Sherbie just omitted the reference from the form (this seems clear from his post). Many people have mentioned doing this in previous threads. Also, you can readily find orphaned movements (without cases) on eBay with Extracts.

sdre · Oct 10, 2018

Dan S
Presumably @Sherbie just omitted the reference from the form (this seems clear from his post). Many people have mentioned doing this in previous threads. Also, you can readily find orphaned movements (without cases) on eBay with Extracts.

From my previous experience on the Web Form, filling the case model number had to be submitted otherwise the webform won't go through.

Was that changed? or can you just email the customer service or someone directly?

eugeneandresson · Oct 10, 2018

BenBagbag
I believe you have to put a reference number on there along with the serial.

No you don't.

sdre
When I last applied for an extract, the web form says to fill in the case and watch model etc... how did you get around doing that?

Easy. You just don’t fill anything in, other than the serial number. I have done that (and only that) several times and it’s worked for every single one, validating the watch.

BenBagbag
@Sherbie can you walk us through how you applied for the extract?

I know I am not Sherbite, but here goes :

1) Go to https://www.omegawatches.com/customer-service/extract-of-the-archives

2) Fill in the starred (mandatory) field only

3) press 'order an extract'...and fill in the payment info etc.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2019.08.09 Edit : This has changed as of 08.06 ... one now needs to furnish a dial and caseback side picture as well as the movement number. The pictures are not marked as mandatory on the website, but you can't order an extract unless you upload pictures here ...

Dan S · Oct 10, 2018

sdre
From my previous experience on the Web Form, filling the case model number had to be submitted otherwise the webform won't go through.

Was that changed? or can you just email the customer service or someone directly?

I am in the US, so I have submitted requests by filling out a form (pdf file) and attaching it to an email to Customer Service.

sdre · Oct 10, 2018

eugeneandresson
No you don't.

Easy. You just don’t fill anything in, other than the serial number. I have done that (and only that) several times and it’s worked for every single one, validating the watch.

I know I am not Sherbite, but here goes :

1) Go to https://www.omegawatches.com/customer-service/extract-of-the-archives

2) Fill in the starred (mandatory) field only

3) press 'order an extract'...and fill in the payment info etc.

Mmm so I've been doing it wrong then! TiL

Thanks for that. I always assumed the case model was required because it needed to be matched to the movement serial that you input?

sdre · Oct 10, 2018

Dan S
I am in the US, so I have submitted requests by filling out a form (pdf file) and attaching it to an email to Customer Service.

Ah okay. I've never done that before. I'll give it a try.

BenBagbag · Oct 10, 2018

Okay, it's just a long standing sentiment that the two go together (see quoted post below as just one example). That is at least how they do it by the OB near me. Online seems not to require it which is certainly interesting.

Davidt
Hmm that serial is a concern. Those are original 105.012 pushers so it's not just a wrong case back.

I'd be ordering an extract quickly. You'll probably get an email back fairly quick saying they can't issue one, which is code for the movement doesn't match the case.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/hello-my-first-moon-watch-105-012-66.76174/#post-966075

dennisthemenace · Oct 10, 2018

Robert-Jan did an excellent Speedy Tuesday article about the EOA process on 12/07/2016.
All you need to know is there.
When I ordered an extract for my 105.012 about 10 years ago I submitted the serial and case numbers.
Within a couple of days the extract department e-mailed me asking me to check the serial number again because it didn't match the case. Sure enough, I had misread a 6 for an 8. I received the extract within a week.
I guess they weren't so busy in those days.

simonsays · Oct 10, 2018

There is the risk leaving off the case number that you will pay for an extract for another watch. Omega will refund you if your extract does not match the watch you have asked for because, for example, the movement has been swapped.

Delbok · Oct 10, 2018

Thanks a lot for launching this very interesting threat.

I requested many EOA for my watches precising every time the serial AND the reference of the watch that was (supposed to be) written on the caseback.
But for one of them (Ed White Speedy 105.003 with 24XXXXXX serial) the archives replied within a week saying they did not find anything.
Then I submitted another request without precising the reference and then 4 weeks later, I got the extract for that serial, disclosing it was a 105.012.

So for sure if you want to know all the thruth about your serial, just input it in the website without anything else.

The only question I have (even if it will probably be hard to have an answer), the first answer within a week saying they did not find anything matching between the serial and the reference I provided and I get that, but why not saying that there's a mismatch and provide the information that something is wrong...
because of course we want to know the full story about this serial/watch, and the consequences of this, to my mind, is that it doubles the work for the team of the Archives... as we will resubmit another request, for the same serial they already looked for and for which they actually did not get paid for because we got reimbursed. Would not it be easier to contact the "requester", and offer him to receive the existing extract even if not matching with our first expectation... if not then he could be reimbursed

This is not a complain for the service of the EOA, cause they are really doing a great job and this service is really helpful and brings a lot of good to the vintage world (and sometimes value indeed), but this is just a thought for some improvements for both collectors and the team of EOA

Sherbie · Oct 10, 2018

sdre
Again, please don't use offensive words here. We are trying to build on what we know and be objective and factual as we can.

Thanks for sharing the information with us.

When I last applied for an extract, the web form says to fill in the case and watch model etc... how did you get around doing that? Did you email them instead?

Not aware that i used any offensive words.......please elaborate?

Anyhows, i simply walked into the AD and gave them the serial number. Period. Nothing else.

sdre · Oct 10, 2018

Sherbie
Not aware that i used any offensive words.......please elaborate?

Anyhows, i simply walked into the AD and gave them the serial number. Period. Nothing else.

My apologies. It isn't offensive; but name-calling "scumbag" just lowers the quality of your post (which i thought was quite informative.

Sherbie · Oct 10, 2018

Ok, but I was referring to the low life, who ruin our hobby, when they deliberately modify, piece together, franking etc watches for their financial gain, without highlighting what they have done to said watch

Personally, i thought “scumbag” was quite reserved, compared to want i would call these fraudsters if i met them in person

Taddyangle · Oct 10, 2018

I was at the museum in August. Staff pulled up the data they had specifically at my 1970s era mark 3. It was a computer imagine of a 3 x 8 inch card. It had model, date, destination, etc. Staff indicated that they had much more info (not sure exactly what much more was) for watches after a certain year (I think he said 1975). They will not share the image they have on record, but they use the info to create the Extract.

I also asked him to look up my 1992 18k Speedmaster skeleton, but there was no record on this one.

BenBagbag · Nov 13, 2018

I feel like in the past month there has been a lot of talk about the EOA's appended to other threads. Wanna give this thread another chance to kinda collate some of this info in some way.

Across all the threads, it is still not clear to me who we should be expecting answers from within the Omega Museum or if there is a close friend of the Omega Museum who can really tell us what is going on behind the scenes, especially recently with these auction (fiascoes).

Omega Extract of the Archives: What's Included?

BenBagbag

sdre

Sherbie

sdre

BenBagbag

Dan S

sdre

eugeneandresson

Dan S

sdre

sdre

BenBagbag

dennisthemenace

simonsays

Delbok

Sherbie

sdre

Sherbie

Taddyangle

BenBagbag

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