Omega SMP 300m only pressure tested to 50m during service?

[_dcgc]

Hey all, long time lurker here, but since I have a question that I haven't been able to answer via searches, I figured it was time to make an account and say hi

Anyway, I just received my Seamaster Diver 300m (the 2018 version, got mine in 2021) back from a warranty service. Nothing too crazy, just had slowed down a bit and my bezel was turning both ways. I sent it in to the Omega service center in New Jersey and got it back just under 7 weeks, and happy to report I think they did a great job.

Looking over the documentation that came back with the watch, I did notice one thing -- they seem to have only pressure tested the watch to 50m, while the watch is rated to 300m. Now of course I'm not even a diver, and I never plan to go anywhere near that deep, though I do wonder why they only tested it to 50m? Do they not have sufficient equipment there to run a 30 bar pressure test? Or is there another reason?

I did notice that they didn't return any gaskets with the rest of the worn out parts, so I assume they reused the gaskets?

Truthfully, I doubt it matters -- I do swim with it daily and it's not showing any signs of trouble in the few days it's been back, and of course it passed the negative pressure test and the 50m pressure test -- but I'm curious.

Sorry if this has been discussed before -- I did search, but I mostly found classic "is 50m water resistance enough to swim with my Speedy?" type results.

 

[_dcgc]

Forgot to add the photos of the returned parts.

 

[hen]

That`s a great watch welcome to OF. Somebody more knowledgeable will answer your questions soon, in the mean time:

5 bar is their equipment's limit I guess and it would surprise me if they re-used the gaskets, nobody does that in any business any were.

 

[mjb]

Yeah, they're not going to reuse the gaskets.

I wouldn't waste any more time worrying about the pressure test. Enjoy your beautiful watch!

 

[reverbtime]

Hmm, interesting. Just had my SMPc return from warranty service from Swatch/Omega Service Center in Colombia a few days ago since it was running slow.

Wish I would have gotten that first card you got. I did also get that same pressure test results paper, and looks like mine was only tested to 10m?

I was never mentioned if they changed gaskets, but I assume they did that (hopefully).

Nice SMP300 BTW! Hopefully someone can answer your question with more technical expertise than myself.

 

[Annapolis]

Pretty sure the first test is your vacuum test (-0.8), and the second one is your dry pressure test (5.0). Per the card you got, Omega did not perform a wet pressure test.

I have no clue why. Was there any other documentation? This seems unacceptable to me, especially if they did indeed open the watch to service it for timekeeping. If it was just a bezel service, fine.

Also, I’ve never gotten the gaskets back in a parts bag post service. Pretty sure those are tossed out. No way they’d reuse one.

Edited: May 26, 2024

 

[Annapolis]

To be clear, I think your watch is totally fine: 5bar of wr is far more than the vast majority of people are ever likely to need. I’m just surprised that after reassembly they wouldn’t test and certify the watch to spec. Whenever I’ve had a watch serviced (by Omega, Rolex, Hamilton, etc) that’s always been done. Will be curious to see what I get back with my own 2016 Seamaster in a couple weeks.

 

[_dcgc]

Annapolis

Pretty sure the first test is your vacuum test (-0.8), and the second one is your dry pressure test (5.0). Per the card you got, Omega did not perform a wet pressure test.

I have no clue why. Was there any other documentation? This seems unacceptable to me, especially if they did indeed open the watch to service it for timekeeping. If it was just a bezel service, fine.

Also, I’ve never gotten the gaskets back in a parts bag post service. Pretty sure those are tossed out. No way they’d reuse one.

Makes sense to me — worn gaskets definitely aren’t as appealing as the rest of the replaced parts.

Thinking on it a bit more, reusing the gaskets would be unacceptable to me. But I think I recall reading somewhere once that much of a dive watch’s water resistance comes from the case, and if it’s good at 50m, then the gaskets are good and it should theoretically be fine for the full rating. At least I’m pretty sure I read that once… I could be completely wrong. Maybe someone else knows.

 

[reverbtime]

_dcgc

But I think I recall reading somewhere once that much of a dive watch’s water resistance comes from the case, and if it’s good at 50m, then the gaskets are good and it should theoretically be fine for the full rating.

Not a watchmaker, but gaskets are more important for me personally. I'll feel more confident swimming with a 50m WR, pull out crown watch with freshly lubricated gaskets, than a 300m WR, screwdown crown watch with old and dry gaskets.

Gaskets being so cheap these days, there is no reason that the original ones should still be there after service, IMO.

 

[_dcgc]

reverbtime

Not a watchmaker, but gaskets are more important for me personally. I'll feel more confident swimming with a 50m WR, pull out crown watch with freshly lubricated gaskets, than a 300m WR, screwdown crown watch with old and dry gaskets.

Gaskets being so cheap these days, there is no reason that the original ones should still be there after service, IMO.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I think the point of... whatever it was I may have read once... was that under very high pressure, water resistance failures are caused by the case deforming slightly, which then unseats the gasket. In that situation how new the gasket is doesn't matter, since even a good gasket can't fill the space of a deformed case to prevent water intrusion.

So to bring it back to water resistance testing, I think the thinking was that if e.g. a 300m watch passes a 50m test, then you can assume the gaskets are in good shape, and if the case is in good shape (visibly? I'm not sure how this would be tested), then you can assume that the case won't deform. If both of those are true, then the watch should be good to its full rating. (?)

Also not a watchmaker. Again, I could be completely wrong. I'd be hard-pressed to find my source for this claim -- it's gotta be on one of these watch forums, but which one, no idea!

 

[YVR785]

All good. Mine came back the same way.

If you didn’t see your original gaskets in the parts bag, they were not replaced.

 

[_dcgc]

YVR785

All good. Mine came back the same way.

If you didn’t see your original gaskets in the parts bag, they were not replaced.

Huh, fair enough! I'd imagine the old ones have at least several years of life left, though it would have been nice to get a fresh set.

 

[YVR785]

_dcgc

Huh, fair enough! I'd imagine the old ones have at least several years of life left, though it would have been nice to get a fresh set.

With warranty service, they only go after the issue at hand and ensure proper watch functioning. That’s why it’s a quick turnaround.

You’re lucky they replaced some parts and got new springbars. My beat up springbars came back the exact same.

 

[Annapolis]

YVR785

If you didn’t see your original gaskets in the parts bag, they were not replaced.

Are you sure about this? —Asking with genuine curiosity, not antagonism. I’d think anytime a gasket is removed for service, it would just be replaced since it’s such an important but also such an inexpensive component, and one easily nicked or otherwise damaged during removal. Just feels like it’d be more sensible to replace it at every service, any time the case is opened. But maybe I’m wrong…

 

[_dcgc]

I found this comment by Archer (the one who usually answers my questions when I lurk!) indicating that the gaskets aren't always changed at service: https://www.watchuseek.com/posts/56483291/

On further reflection, I suppose it's even more than acceptable -- maybe akin to putting new tires on a car when there's still a couple years of tread left on the current ones.

Edit: Assuming this is the same Archer from here...

 

[Annapolis]

Hunh—learned something new today. Cheers!

 

[YVR785]

Annapolis

Are you sure about this? —Asking with genuine curiosity, not antagonism. I’d think anytime a gasket is removed for service, it would just be replaced since it’s such an important but also such an inexpensive component, and one easily nicked or otherwise damaged during removal. Just feels like it’d be more sensible to replace it at every service, any time the case is opened. But maybe I’m wrong…

I can confirm that they didn’t replace mine during a warranty service with the Canada service centre. I was told any replaced part, however insignificant, would be sent back in the bag.

Other centres or certified Omega watchmakers might do things differently.

Agreed that they should replace them. They can crap out with time and especially if subjected to salt water.

 

[Archer]

So there are two versions of the newest Proofmaster line from Witschi. The traditional style came with an external compressor, and could test to +10 bar.

That style still exists, but there’s a newer self contained machine that has a small built in compressor, that is limited to +5 bar on the pressure test.

Typically any watch rated for 100m or more would get the full +10 bar test, so possibly they are using these newer machines that only go to +5...

 

[hen]

_dcgc

I found this comment by Archer (the one who usually answers my questions when I lurk!) indicating that the gaskets aren't always changed at service: https://www.watchuseek.com/posts/56483291/

On further reflection, I suppose it's even more than acceptable -- maybe akin to putting new tires on a car when there's still a couple years of tread left on the current ones.

Edit: Assuming this is the same Archer from here...

If the tires were 10 cents a piece. Its more like re-using the old gasket after an oil filter change.

If a o-ring is in good condition, I would re-use it too, but only on my own stuff, never anyone else`s.

 

[Archer]

hen

If the tires were 10 cents a piece. Its more like re-using the old gasket after an oil filter change.

If a o-ring is in good condition, I would re-use it too, but only on my own stuff, never anyone else`s.

To be clear, if you didn't read the linked comment, the question in that thread was asking about changing the O-ring every time the case is opened - some people believe that even if there's a brand new O-ring in the case, if you have to open it to regulate the watch, the O-ring must be replaced - for O-rings that's not the case at all. For other types of seals (the hard plastic kind that are for press fitted backs) yes it needs to be changed every time.

No where have I indicated that an O-ring shouldn't be replaced at service.