Planet Ocean GMT Bezel concerns

Hello all,

Thanks for bringing me on board.

I'm new to this forum but have owned my first Omega for about 17 years. I purchased my Seamaster GMT 300M 50 year anniversary in 2004. I have loved this watch everyday that I've owned it. Recently I retired after 24 years of military service and decided it was time for one more. So I purchased (about 2 months ago) a new Planet Ocean 600 GMT (43.5 mm) from an authorized dealer. I have the stainless bracelet with the black and white bezel (215.30.44.22.01.001). I'm a bigger guy with large hands so it fits my wrist just right.

So here are some concerns I have with the new Planet Ocean. Both are specific to the bezel.

#1
I've noticed that the bezel is not very tight. Just daily wear causes the bezel to move/rotate on its own. I'll set it at 12 o'clock and later that day I notice it has moved to another position. This usually happens when I wear a dress shirt. I can tell that it's rubbing on the edge of my shirt cuff and this is probably what is causing the problem. This doesn't seem normal to me. The movement is consistently aligned to the rotational axis and does not have any other "play" in its mounting to the case. The bezel on my GMT 300 never moves unless I purposely twist it. It's annoying to think that this precision piece does not hold it's bezel in the set position better. Thoughts?

#2
I've also noticed that when I look very closely at the alignment of the bezel while it's in the 12 o'clock position, the primary index marker on the bezel seems like it is not "perfectly" aligned to the absolute center of the 12 o'clock marker on the face. I admit that it can be a bit of an optical illusion, and sometimes I feel that my eyes are playing tricks on me. But time and again, I look closely and to me, it just seems like it is a little off from a perfect 12 o'clock alignment (specifically, the bezel marker looks like it's a tiny bit to the right). Again, this is something that I never experienced with my old 300M GTM. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any comments you might have. Overall, I like my new watch very much and feel it was a great purchase that I will enjoy for a long, long time.


Gabe

Gabe, congratulations on your retirement. I never had any issues with my PO. Maybe I was messing to much with it because I enjoyed the dial more than my BLNR. Hopefully someone else can replicate the issue.

First and foremost ...

On behalf of myself and my daughters who get to live in a country of limitless opportunity thanks to men and woman in uniform like yourself...thank you for your service and enjoy your well deserved retirement.

To your post... The PO's I have experience with seem built hell for stout, so unless you are getting your hands pretty dirty, I can't see the bezel floating from average use. You mentioned you bought from an AD. That's a $7000 to $8000 purchase. Take it in, they will make it right. It's one of the benefits of having bought from an AD. At the least, you can compare yours to some other PO bezels they have in stock.

Gabe. Thank you for your service.
That bezel should not move on its own. Take a trip to your AD, and get that puppy adjusted.
Raise all of your concerns with your AD. They will take care of you.
Do mention you are a member of this fine forum here, they might roll out the red carpet for you—probly not—ok, they wont care, but threaten them anyways.

Welcome Gabe, now about that wrist shot…

+1 the bezel should not rotate by a simple touch of your shirt. It should be investigated in my opinion..

Welcome to the forum..

Thanks guys, sounds like a plan. I'll try to get down to the AD this weekend.

So, in regards to the misaligned bezel...

Look closely at this pic directly from the Omega site...


Can you tell that the primary marker on the bezel is just a little off of the 12 o'clock position? This is what I was trying to explain above.

I looked at the other PO GMTs, it's only like that on the Black and White models. The others are perfectly aligned. Weird.

Hi guys, OP here,

So, I followed your advice and took the watch to the AD. They sent it back to Omega. I dropped it off on 8/26 and was able to pick it up today. 5 weeks exactly.

The shop told me that Omega replaced the bezel spring. The bezel now feels normal, like I'd expect. I compared the tactile feel to some other Omegas in the shop and it felt right.

So, problem solved. Thanks to you all for your help. Much appreciated.

Gabe

Does the bezel also seem more properly aligned now? I just can’t unsee that..lol

guppydriver...

Good question.. No, the bezel is still not perfectly aligned while in the 12 o'clock position.
From looking at various manufacturer photos, I'm under the impression that that is how these PO GMTs, with this style of bezel just are. Once I came to notice it consistently, it became less of a concern.

I have a po and noticed the same ‘bezel not exactly at 12’ issue. I knew this when I bought it but somehow imagined it was a perspective issue; hmm.

Although my diver 300 is also not at 12 but is ‘extremely’ close to exactly 12.

I’ve owned Rolex sub and sd; they were both dead exact at 12.

My Superocean also at dead 12.

Should we take it in, or just figure you get what you pay for(?)