Community Stories

Omega Seamaster (1991?) running slow and slower

NickSergeant
Posts
4
Likes
0
Hello All!

I'm posting for the first time because my Seamaster has developed a problem keeping time. I'm interested in any advice and especially if you could recommend a watchmaker I can find in Sweden. I guess I could just go via Omega but any alternative suggestion welcome.

I received this watch 12 months ago from my father and with a new battery it has been running well. I wear it almost everywhere but not in water since I do not know the service history if there even is any.

I noticed a few weeks ago it was slow so I corrected it. Then it was a minute slow per day for a while. Most recently it seems to have lost about 15 minutes in a day. Since then I have been afraid to look!

The only unusual event I can think of is that maybe about the time this started the watch was off my wrist at minus 15 Celsius for about an hour.

I can't take the back off though the inner working might be very interesting to see.

Any advice you can off would be welcome.

Thank you.

20210311_100911.jpg 20210311_100947.jpg 20210311_121648.jpg 20210311_121446.jpg 20210311_121301.jpg 20210311_101634.jpg 20210311_100911.jpg 20210311_100947.jpg 20210311_121648.jpg 20210311_121446.jpg 20210311_121301.jpg 20210311_101634.jpg
 
Archer
Posts
27,604
Likes
70,226
Hello - this being a quartz watch, the symptoms of losing time in large amounts is a different thing than with a mechanical watch.

First off, what battery are you using? Should be a 373 for this watch and movement. If the battery isn't the right type, it can possibly move around and lose contact, causing periods of time when the watch doesn't run. The same sort of thing can happen if the battery contacts aren't perfectly clean.

Other than that, it could be some sort of other intermittent failure. Possible that if the time loss is now happening all the time (rather than losing chunks of time but running fine at different times) that the cannon pinion is loose.

Often if the movement has issues, the cheapest way to go is replacement, so that would be a Cal. 1538 from Omega. You could put the ETA equivalent in the watch, but that would make it a bit of a franken.

Omega could definitely do the work, but they may want to replace the hands and dial, so if you like the tritium markers (which have aged nicely) then Omega isn't the place I would send this. Ideally you want someone who has an Omega parts account to do the work, so they can source the genuine parts for it. I don't know of anyone, but hopefully some members from your part of the world can chime in with suggestions.

Cheers, Al
 
NickSergeant
Posts
4
Likes
0
Thank you for your reply, Al.

I'll take that advice into account when looking for a watchmaker. I don't think I could tell if it is stopping intermittently but i can have the battery checked.

Cheers,
Nick
 
padders
Posts
9,673
Likes
15,242
Archer Archer
Hello - this being a quartz watch, the symptoms of losing time in large amounts is a different thing than with a mechanical watch.

First off, what battery are you using? Should be a 373 for this watch and movement. If the battery isn't the right type, it can possibly move around and lose contact, causing periods of time when the watch doesn't run. The same sort of thing can happen if the battery contacts aren't perfectly clean.

Other than that, it could be some sort of other intermittent failure. Possible that if the time loss is now happening all the time (rather than losing chunks of time but running fine at different times) that the cannon pinion is loose.

Often if the movement has issues, the cheapest way to go is replacement, so that would be a Cal. 1538 from Omega. You could put the ETA equivalent in the watch, but that would make it a bit of a franken.

Omega could definitely do the work, but they may want to replace the hands and dial, so if you like the tritium markers (which have aged nicely) then Omega isn't the place I would send this. Ideally you want someone who has an Omega parts account to do the work, so they can source the genuine parts for it. I don't know of anyone, but hopefully some members from your part of the world can chime in with suggestions.

Cheers, Al
The Pre-Bond used the 1438 though AFAIK (or the earlier thermo compensated one I can't remember the number of) so if you drop in the current 1538 you are also lowering the originality quotient to a degree. That said I believe that Omega themselves tend to replace the whole module on (relatively) modern quartz watches like this. They certainly do on the Bond and X-33 quartz models.
Edited:
 
Archer
Posts
27,604
Likes
70,226
padders padders
The Pre-Bond used the 1438 though AFAIK (or the earlier thermo compensated one I can't remember the number of) so if you drop in the current 1538 you are also lowering the originality quotient to a degree. That said I believe that Omega themselves tend to replace the whole module on (relatively) modern quartz watches like this. They certainly do on the Bond and X-33 quartz models.

Current replacement for the 1438 is the 1538...
 
NickSergeant
Posts
4
Likes
0
Thanks Padders and Archer --
Inner workings of these watches is a mystery to me! So I do not know if the ETA equiv is as good but less original.
Ideally, although I am not a collector, this will be a watch I will hand down to the next generation. So for the long term keeping it as original as possible sounds like the best way to go.

I guess the labour costs make replacing the movement the economic choice.
I read on the Omega site that a service includes cleaning the whole movement but obviously not if it is a bit wonky.

Right now I can have the battery type confirmed by the jeweller who installed it.

I still need to find a watchmaker though that should certainly be possible in Stockholm.
What is your view of UK-based mail-in service centres? There seem to be quite a few.
 
Snooz
Posts
329
Likes
2,055
padders padders
The Pre-Bond used the 1438 though AFAIK (or the earlier thermo compensated one I can't remember the number of) so if you drop in the current 1538 you are also lowering the originality quotient to a degree. That said I believe that Omega themselves tend to replace the whole module on (relatively) modern quartz watches like this. They certainly do on the Bond and X-33 quartz models.

1441 is the thermo compensated quartz which was used up to and including 1988 I think....I think I'm right in saying that the 1441 has to be sent to bienne if you want omega to service it, otherwise they will just replace the movement with a 1538....but please correct me if I'm wrong!
 
Snooz
Posts
329
Likes
2,055
As an update my Seamaster 200m cal 1441 TC stopped a few months ago - I was able to get it repaired for £200 at my local watchmaker - really surprised he could fix it, but obviously delighted not to have to send it back to Switzerland...

This site seems to sell 1441 parts - https://www.spareparts-watches.com/product/1735194/omega-1441

No idea if my watchmaker ordered from these guys but it's hopefully of help...
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

L

Slow Running Deville F300hz Electronic. Service ?

lwi123h3u Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
V
Victor2012
Posts
3
Views
1K
NomDeLaNom

Speedy 38 runs both fast *and* slow - minute & seconds lose synch

NomDeLaNom Modern Omega Watches
NomDeLaNom
NomDeLaNom
Posts
16
Views
2K
blonded

1963 Omega Seamaster Help

blonded Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
hen
hen
Posts
13
Views
3K
M

136.020 Omega Seamaster Deville Crystal and Stem

Murrfk Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
X350 XJR
X350 XJR
Posts
14
Views
3K
D

New Forum Member and Seamaster

drofgnal Modern Omega Watches
M
mrhee6
Posts
63
Views
7K
C

Omega Seamaster De Ville - original or Franken ?

Carthus Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
Dan S
Dan S
Posts
13
Views
4K