I have an 8 year old 2500 PO. My current thinking is to stretch servicing for another couple of years and then send it off to Omega for a full service. In the meantime I use my watch for spearfishing down to about 25m. Should I be concerned about the watch leaking? Should I get in pressure tested to be safe? TBH I'd assume a gasket should last 10 years but don't really know. Thanks.

 

I definitely would get it pressure tested. You don't want salt water getting inside that amazing watch! Besides, if it has been 8 years since purchase...it wouldn't hurt. If it doesn't pass, then you can send it in for a full service!

 

Short answer? Yes. Yes.

have fun
kfw

 

Ok thanks for quick response. So how do I get this done? Take it to an Omega dealer or are there alternatives? (I'm in the UK)

 

I know you guys love photos so here is as close as I have got to an action shot of the watch.

 

Absolutely

 

Pressure test annually, especially if you are diving with it.
I'd take it to the same watchmaker you have service your watches. If you've had the expensive work done there, they may throw in the pressure tests for free.

 

Ok thanks I just spoke to my local Omega dealer (not who I bought it from). They can do a pressure test for £50. Or I think he said full Omega authorised service for £450. Hmmm. Decisions decisions.

 

Hi Archer, in your experience do do dive watches often fail pressure tests in say ten years and if so what causes this?

 

My guess is that regardless of test results, after 10 years the seals or gaskets are due for replacement.

 

Pressure test and service, too. Might as well bight the bullet and have it done while having the seals checked. Then, you will have new seals as well as a freshly serviced movement, new crown, etc. Even if your watch passes the pressure test, at the 8yr mark, it could still fail anytime thereafter.

 

Water resistance is not a permanent feature, and like anything else it requires maintenance to be sustained. Gaskets work, right up until they don't. They deteriorate over time, harden, and lose their effectiveness at sealing the case.

Here you can see an old crown gasket on the left, next to a new gasket on the right...



The left gasket is hard, and has been compressed over the years, where the new one is still round in cross section and soft. 8 years is long enough for the gaskets in your watch...

Cheers, Al

 

Oils inside are probably trending towards the same condition of your gaskets, if not worse.

 

I took mine to a OB last month and they did it for me for free. And I even bought the watch there.

 

I took one of my old Seamasters into a Timpsons and they tested it to either 100 or 200m - they didn’t charge me as they couldn’t test it to 300m with the equipment they had on site. It passed so would be fine for the swimming and diving that I do.

 

At 8 years it's already overdue for service. I'd just have it serviced. It might be worth finding an Omega authorized independent watchmaker, too. At the very least after you've had a service done, they should do the annual pressure check for free after that, or at least less than 50 pounds. Wow.

 

Thanks guys right I'll just get it in for a service in the next month or so.
Great advice.

 

So an update. I took my watch into an Omega AD with an omega approved service centre upstairs from the shop. They advised that the coaxial escapement if keeping good time (which mine is) should go on to at least ten years before they'd recommend servicing it and if keeping good time potentially beyond that. Also that if the watch starts to show signs of slowing that it is not doing damage beyond anything that can be replaced as part of the service.

Regarding the seals, they happily pressure tested the watch for free to 300m which mine passed so as far as I am concerned I am good to crack on for at least another couple of years.

By the way I recently monitored time keeping over 1 month and was surprised that it only gained 3 seconds during the month. Amazing performance I thought.

 

If you are willing to trust gaskets out to 10 years that's your choice - I would not personally.

A pressure test is not a guarantee of future performance, and is only a snapshot in time. The gaskets might be fine for 2 years, 2 months, or 2 weeks - there's no way of predicting how long they will last.

 

Thanks for your respected input and yes I do understand this. I personally am of the opinion that a modern gasket that must be EPDM or similar should last 10 years yes. The fact that it has now passed to 300m gives some reassurance that it should be ok for another couple of years or so at minimal free diving depths. I'll probably look to get it re-tested next year.