Question on Seamaster Date Issue

[Operations]

Hello,

I took the dive and purchased my first Omega a few months back - an Omega Seamaster 300M, calibre 8800. I had put much thought on going the AD route or grey. Ultimately, the savings with this particular reputable grey dealer were too significant to ignore (equal to 2 complete services plus some change). That was a bet I was willing to take.

The watch arrived perfectly with all the stickers intact. It was working very well for the first few months, but then I started noticing an issue with the date wheel. I don't believe I have ever adjusted the date in the forbidden zone. Sometimes it would get hung up in between dates when rolling over at midnight. Other times, I can hear the quickset change "click" over at midnight, but the date doesn't change. It appears that the date wheel consistently changes over only in the 20's. Aside from the date issue, the watch has been keeping time very well.

Based on reading this forum, I understand that the "in-house" warranty provided by the grey should not be used, as this calibre 8800 is proprietary for Omega. So I lost the bet. It's a shame, as I thought this particular calibre was supposed to be very robust. What should I do at this point?

1. Take it to Omega for a complete service now.
2. Take it to an independent like Nesbits and ask to only fix the date issue. The watch is so new and every other aspect of it appears great. Would servicing the date wheel only cost significantly less?
3. Delay the fix and wait until the 5-year service mark. Everything else about the watch is perfect and the date issue is an inconvenience, but it doesn't bother me too much. However, I would not want it to cause internal damage that I can't see. Can this date issue cause damage to the watch if I delay the fix?


Thanks for your help.

 

[Archer]

There is a known issue with the date on some of the 8800 models. Omega has a redesigned part for it, and this should be covered under warranty. I would start by seeing if Omega will fix this, because it truly is a product defect and not something that you have done.

Cheers, Al

 

[Operations]

Archer

There is a known issue with the date on some of the 8800 models. Omega has a redesigned part for it, and this should be covered under warranty. I would start by seeing if Omega will fix this, because it truly is a product defect and not something that you have done.

Cheers, Al

Hi Al,

Since this is a grey market purchase, I don't have the manufacturer warranty card. Are you saying Omega could potentially repair this even if I don't have the warranty card?

 

[Archer]

It's worth asking...

 

[Operations]

Archer

It's worth asking...

Thanks Al,

I will reach out to Omega and see if they can help.

 

[Oraman]

Archer

There is a known issue with the date on some of the 8800 models. Omega has a redesigned part for it, and this should be covered under warranty. I would start by seeing if Omega will fix this, because it truly is a product defect and not something that you have done.

Cheers, Al

My AD has just sent my 2019 model in for service/repair for this... will they use the new part or is there a potential the problem will reoccur because they fudge it somehow.

 

[Oraman]

Oraman

My AD has just sent my 2019 model in for service/repair for this... will they use the new part or is there a potential the problem will reoccur because they fudge it somehow.

note its the new model 8800 calibre

 

[Archer]

Oraman

My AD has just sent my 2019 model in for service/repair for this... will they use the new part or is there a potential the problem will reoccur because they fudge it somehow.

Why on earth would they "fudge it"? Do you think that the watchmaker is somehow going to be looked upon favourably if they make a repair that is going to cause the watch to come back again for another service? The watchmaker isn't paying for the parts themselves - they would have no reason at all to "fudge it" in any way. It makes no sense...

 

[Oraman]

Archer

Why on earth would they "fudge it"? Do you think that the watchmaker is somehow going to be looked upon favourably if they make a repair that is going to cause the watch to come back again for another service? The watchmaker isn't paying for the parts themselves - they would have no reason at all to "fudge it" in any way. It makes no sense...

the reason i ask is that several people have mentioned on other forums that despite sending the watch back, they end up with the same issue. is it standard practice to order the latest part for this , or could there be a chance that the faulty components are still in circulation amongst authorised service centres.

 

[Archer]

Oraman

the reason i ask is that several people have mentioned on other forums that despite sending the watch back, they end up with the same issue. is it standard practice to order the latest part for this , or could there be a chance that the faulty components are still in circulation amongst authorised service centres.

All I can tell you is that Omega considers this a mandatory part upgrade - the instructions to their service centers are to use the newly designed part. The old part isn't even available any longer.

 

[Oraman]

Archer

All I can tell you is that Omega considers this a mandatory part upgrade - the instructions to their service centers are to use the newly designed part. The old part isn't even available any longer.

Thanks for your response. I'm hoping that whatever Omega authorised service centre they use (this is the largest AD group in the UK), it comes back working fine. Just a real disappointment that they didn't check this before selling to me. It was bought pre-owned but supposedly checked by the Omega workshop they use.

 

[Archer]

Oraman

Thanks for your response. I'm hoping that whatever Omega authorised service centre they use (this is the largest AD group in the UK), it comes back working fine. Just a real disappointment that they didn't check this before selling to me. It was bought pre-owned but supposedly checked by the Omega workshop they use.

I don't know your exact situation, but a "check" is not a service. It requires a fair bit of disassembly to change this part, and no one is going to do this on a watch that currently works fine otherwise. You can't even tell what version of the part is in the watch without taking ti apart, so it's completely unrealistic to suggest that this should be done before a watch is sold. If it fails at some point down the road, as I assume this one did, then it gets fixed then.

 

[Oraman]

Archer

I don't know your exact situation, but a "check" is not a service. It requires a fair bit of disassembly to change this part, and no one is going to do this on a watch that currently works fine otherwise. You can't even tell what version of the part is in the watch without taking ti apart, so it's completely unrealistic to suggest that this should be done before a watch is sold. If it fails at some point down the road, as I assume this one did, then it gets fixed then.

Well the date doesnt flip over so you would have expected them to check the watch functions correctly before selling it. I wouldnt expect them to open it up before selling. At any rate, lets see what comes of it being sent to the service centre. thanks for your response.