SMP 300 losing time?

[TheRedBaron]

Good day!

As I’m typing this I realise it’s probably a silly question, but I’d like to ask nonetheless.

My SMP 300 is losing around 2-3 seconds/day. It’s about a year old. I realise that day to day wear isn’t the same as the testing under lab conditions, but I was still under the impression that with METAS, I should still be seeing a net gain in time over a week or two as opposed to a net loss of time?

If I leave it off my wrist for about 24 hours it pretty rapidly gains time again. Is this possibly a regulation issue?

I realise I’m probably being pedantic, but the net loss of time vs the expected net gain is annoying me more than it should.

Thanks in advance!

For reading through my insecurities, here’s a picture of the SMP in its natural habitat

 

[WestCoastTime]

Would need to have a watchmaker put it on a Timegrapher (co-axial capable) in order to have a fuller picture. If it needs a service &/or regulation then that wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[blufinz52]

Losing 2-3 seconds out of 86,400 seconds in a day is not something I would worry about, but that's just me.

 

[Aroxx]

That would bother me a bit too at only one year old. You could bring it to a watchmaker and have it regulated to speed up a bit to get it gaining again.

 

[TheRedBaron]

WestCoastTime

Would need to have a watchmaker put it on a Timegrapher (co-axial capable) in order to have a fuller picture. If it needs a service &/or regulation then that wouldn't be the end of the world.

Thanks. Yeah, I may just get that done.

 

[TheRedBaron]

blufinz52

Losing 2-3 seconds out of 86,400 seconds in a day is not something I would worry about, but that's just me.

Well, it’s more about the fact that to me it almost seems out of spec that it’s a net loss of time vs a gain. Sure, it isn’t a lot of time, but still.

 

[ketiljo]

If you want better accuracy, get a Apple Watch or use your phone. It's a mechanical device with no internet connection for compensation and if you think of it, a few seconds off pr. day is a great result!

Edited: May 11, 2024

 

[Jones in LA]

Yes, strictly speaking, your watch appears to be outside the METAS standard of 0 to +5s/d. If your watch is under warranty I'd have Omega do an adjustment. If it's out of warranty...if it were me I'd keep it as it is.

Pretty much any watch is going to be gaining or losing time, rarely ever running at 0 sec/day. If your watch is gaining a few seconds per day, then it's becoming less accurate each day; you'll reset it when it falls outside your comfort range for accuracy. If it's losing a few seconds per day, just set it a minute ahead, and then it will become more accurate each day until it reaches zero seconds ahead...then reset it.

 

[TheRedBaron]

ketiljo

If you want better accuracy, get an Apple Watch or use your phone. It's a mechanic device with no internet connection for compensation and if you think of it, a few seconds off pr. day is a great result!

I realise this, but my concern is still that it might be out of the METAS standards.

 

[TheRedBaron]

Jones in LA

Yes, strictly speaking, your watch appears to be outside the METAS standard of 0 to +5s/d. If your watch is under warranty I'd have Omega do an adjustment. If it's out of warranty...if it were me I'd keep it as it is.

Pretty much any watch is going to be gaining or losing time, rarely ever running at 0 sec/day. If your watch is gaining a few seconds per day, then it's becoming less accurate each day; you'll reset it when it falls outside your comfort range for accuracy. If it's losing a few seconds per day, just set it a minute ahead, and then it will become more accurate each day until it reaches zero seconds ahead...then reset it.

Sure, I agree. I own plenty of mechanical/automatic watches and I realise, even enjoy, that they aren’t perfectly accurate. My concern is just that it seems to be outside of the METAS standards.

 

[blufinz52]

TheRedBaron

Well, it’s more about the fact that to me it almost seems out of spec that it’s a net loss of time vs a gain. Sure, it isn’t a lot of time, but still.

If only you weren’t pedantic.

 

[TheRedBaron]

blufinz52

If only you weren’t pedantic.

If you’d like to call me a pedant, that’s fine. But I still don’t like that, technically speaking, the watch I paid thousands of dollars for a year ago isn’t performing according to it’s specifications.

 

[Aroxx]

To me it’s less about METAs spec and more that it’s much easier to zero a watch that’s gaining. You just pull the crown, wait for it to catch up and push the crown back in. When it’s losing time you have to stop it, set ahead a minute, wait a minute, make sure you get the minute hand lined up perfectly again which sometimes takes a couple tries. It’s just more of a pain. I suppose it’s not so bad overall. My SMP is losing a couple seconds but it’s 7 years old and about due for a service. Just depends how much of a hassle getting it regulated is. As mentioned above, I’d probably only bother if it’s under warranty and had a short turn around time.

 

[TheRedBaron]

Aroxx

To me it’s less about METAs spec and more that it’s much easier to zero a watch that’s gaining. You just pull the crown, wait for it to catch up and push the crown back in. When it’s losing time you have to stop it, set ahead a minute, wait a minute, make sure you get the minute hand lined up perfectly again which sometimes takes a couple tries. It’s just more of a pain. I suppose it’s not so bad overall. My SMP is losing a couple seconds but it’s 7 years old and about due for a service. Just depends how much of a hassle getting it regulated is. As mentioned above, I’d probably only bother if it’s under warranty and had a short turn around time.

Yup, this is exactly my reasoning as well! My speedy gains and it’s super easy to reset using the method you’ve mentioned. And I know people say a minute or so doesn’t matter, but I’m a pilot and we often have clearances that need to be referenced to the exact minute. That, and my OCD gets the better of me, haha.
Yeah it’s under warranty, and I think it’ll take at least two months, but maybe I’ll just force myself to live with it, as long as the net loss of time isn’t an indication that anything is wrong with the watch.

 

[ErichPryde]

If I leave it off my wrist for about 24 hours it pretty rapidly gains time again. Is this possibly a regulation issue?

in what position?

My advice is to download watch accuracy meter. Time it in all six positions and see which positions it loses/gains time in. You may get a good picture of what position to rest it in at night to compensate for whatever activities you're engaging in during the day.

Technically it is out of spec but is it worth sending it to Omega to be regulated and being without your watch for 3 to 6 months? Or, to pay a watchmaker to regulate it (and regulation of co-ax, as I understand it, is not as straightforward)?

 

[TheRedBaron]

ErichPryde

in what position?

My advice is to download watch accuracy meter. Time it in all six positions and see which positions it loses/gains time in. You may get a good picture of what position to rest it in at night to compensate for whatever activities you're engaging in during the day.

Technically it is out of spec but is it worth sending it to Omega to be regulated and being without your watch for 3 to 6 months? Or, to pay a watchmaker to regulate it (and regulation of co-ax, as I understand it, is not as straightforward)?

I’ll download it and have a look. Thanks. It’s in the normal face-up position. But it seems that it only really starts gaining time once the spring starts winding down a bit, after about 24-30 hours.

You make some good points though, and it probably isn’t worth the hassle. As long as the watch isn’t damaged, I can live with it.

 

[gbesq]

First world problems, but if it bothers you, it bothers you. It’s your watch and you paid good money for it. Nothing wrong with having it checked.

 

[ErichPryde]

TheRedBaron

I’ll download it and have a look. Thanks. It’s in the normal face-up position. But it seems that it only really starts gaining time once the spring starts winding down a bit, after about 24-30 hours.

You make some good points though, and it probably isn’t worth the hassle. As long as the watch isn’t damaged, I can live with it.

Well, you may not have to live with it! It's possible there is a position that can offset the time lost. My coaxial Seamaster typically gains a small amount of time during the day and I can typically rest it Crown up (on its side) to lose a small amount of time.

No guarantee obviously, but it's possible you can find a position to rest it in that offsets your loss. Obviously if you are wearing it at night as well this isn't going to assist you.

Edited: May 11, 2024

 

[Archer]

TheRedBaron

My concern is just that it seems to be outside of the METAS standards.

That’s not necessarily the case. METAS specs are for the average rate, so the average of 6 individual rates in different positions. Since the average rate can be as slow as zero (0 to +5) it’s possible that some positions run slow. If those happen to be the positions that your wearing habits favour, the watch can run slow on your wrist and still be in spec.

The results from wearing the watch are not going to tell you if it’s out of spec, so it will require someone with the equipment and understanding of how the specs work to determine that...

 

[62caster]

Position plays a huge part as well.