SMPc outside COSC specs

[reverbtime]

My SMPc (212.30.41.20.01.003) was bought at the AD in April, 2019. So, it has exactly one month left of its five-year factory warranty.

Been wearing it for almost a week now, and it's running -5.5 sec/day. So, it's just a little off COSC specs (-4/sec to +6 sec/day).

Just a few questions:

• First off, will Omega actually receive this under warranty and regulate it, if it's just off by 1.5 seconds?
• Even if they do, should I just leave as is or send it to them?

Been thinking a few times of selling this one throughout the years, but think I will keep it. Love how it looks and wears on my 6.5. in. wrist. Had the OEM micro-adjust clasp installed as soon as I bought it. The current one is a bit too large for my wrist.

Thanks.

Edited: Mar 8, 2024

 

[Donn Chambers]

If you can get it to them in the next month and their timegrapher shows it is running at that rate, they should honor the warranty and fix it. Don’t know if that would be a simple regulation, or a full service, though. If you have a boutique with a technician on site nearby, you could take it by and see what they say.

With that said, I probably wouldn’t bother and just keep wearing it then have it serviced in another year or so.

 

[reverbtime]

Donn Chambers

If you can get it to them in the next month and their timegrapher shows it is running at that rate, they should honor the warranty and fix it. Don’t know if that would be a simple regulation, or a full service, though. If you have a boutique with a technician on site nearby, you could take it by and see what they say.

With that said, I probably wouldn’t bother and just keep wearing it then have it serviced in another year or so.

Thanks for the reply. The official Swatch/Omega service center is actually not too far from my home. Might take it by one of these days to hear what the technician says.

 

[Archer]

I suspect they will service it...

 

[gbesq]

It certaintly can't hurt to inquire.

 

[dsio]

It may be that it had been sitting in a display case for some time before you bought it too, this model was replaced by the Cal 8800 version in March 2018

 

[reverbtime]

dsio

It may be that it had been sitting in a display case for some time before you bought it too, this model was replaced by the Cal 8800 version in March 2018

When I first bought the watch, I emailed Omega Switzerland directly since I was curious what year it might have been made. This was their reply:

Found it interesting it was made in 2011, since this model was released in 2012. So, according to Omega's records; it's almost thirteen years old.

 

[dsio]

reverbtime

When I first bought the watch, I emailed Omega Switzerland directly since I was curious what year it might have been made. This was their reply:

Found it interesting it was made in 2011, since this model was released in 2012. So, according to Omega's records; it's almost thirteen years old.

Ok so then it’s definitely overdue for service

 

[reverbtime]

dsio

Ok so then it’s definitely overdue for service

I believe so. Hope Omega can service it under warranty.

 

[hen]

Great looking watch, one of my favourite smp's. If you sell it, you are most likely to regret it and re-buy a watch with unknown history. Get it serviced, hopefully under warranty. Its running good for a thirteen year old watch, its a keeper fore sure.

 

[reverbtime]

hen

Great looking watch, one of my favourite smp's. If you sell it, you are most likely to regret it and re-buy a watch with unknown history. Get it serviced, hopefully under warranty. Its running good for a thirteen year old watch, its a keeper fore sure.

Very true. Read so many posts of folks regretting selling this model.

 

[Annapolis]

Would you mind sharing a few details re: the microadjust clasp? I wasn’t aware that there was an OEM option that fit the bracelet on these ones. (Might be interested in that for my Rio Seamaster of the same era.)

 

[reverbtime]

Annapolis

Would you mind sharing a few details re: the microadjust clasp? I wasn’t aware that there was an OEM option that fit the bracelet on these ones. (Might be interested in that for my Rio Seamaster of the same era.)

My OEM clasp is ref. 117stz001154. It has six adjustments. Only con is that it is a bit longer than the original one. There is a also a shorter three-adjustment. The 117stz001154 clasp cost me just under $200 at the Omega Boutique. But, I believe these have increased in price. In any case, this clasp is a must for me while wearing the SMPc. I adjust the clasp several times a day depending on how my wrist swells.

 

[Annapolis]

Cheers!

 

[reverbtime]

UPDATE:

Went to the Official Swatch Service Center and spoke to the main Omega technician. From the start, he really did not show any interest in helping when I told him the watch was running ca. -6 seconds/day. He mentioned something about delta and that it was within specs. I showed him the same WatchCheck screenshot I posted here, and he said — "a week is not enough to know if a watch is running okay. It should be around a month."

I then told him — "why don't we check on the timegrapher just to be sure it's within specs?" He said something around — "I already put the timegrapher away". After a few awkward moments, he then accepted. He took the watch to his workspace while I waited at the lounge.

After about 20 mins. he came back and said — "yes, the timegrapher indeed says it's running at -6 secs/day, but I'd just leave it as is". When I mentioned there was still a month left of factory warranty and asked if a service might be a possibility since it's out of COSC specs, he said — "that definitely won't be possible".

I persisted a bit more — "are you sure factory warranty cannot improve the accuracy"? He said he was going to talk to his "supervisors" and took the watch and warranty card behind doors. After a few minutes, he came back and confirmed that indeed they will service the watch under warranty!

Edited: Mar 8, 2024

 

[Annapolis]

Weird that the SA was so reluctant to send it in. I wonder if Swatch is telling them to do that kind of gatekeeping for marginal cases like this.

 

[reverbtime]

Annapolis

Weird that the SA was so reluctant to send it in. I wonder if Swatch is telling them to do that kind of gatekeeping for marginal cases like this.

Who knows, might have been just mine. Heard positive feedback from other places.

With so many excuses made by the watchmaker, made it pretty obvious to me he did not want to do "free work". Not sure though if technicians at official service centers are paid a fixed salary + additional income per service, or have a rigid fixed salary (no matter the number of services).

 

[Donn Chambers]

reverbtime

When I first bought the watch, I emailed Omega Switzerland directly since I was curious what year it might have been made. This was their reply:

Found it interesting it was made in 2011, since this model was released in 2012. So, according to Omega's records; it's almost thirteen years old.

Surprised they answered your guest ion and gave you a date. Others have asked and either got no response or were told they couldn’t provide that info — and these were on even newer watches. I’m surprised it took so long to sell — these were popular models.

 

[reverbtime]

Donn Chambers

Surprised they answered your guest ion and gave you a date. Others have asked and either got no response or were told they couldn’t provide that info — and these were on even newer watches. I’m surprised it took so long to sell — these were popular models.

I was surprised they gave me a production year as well! FWIW, the serial starts with 89. To this day I wonder if the year they gave me was a typo since this was released in 2012; don't understand how this could have been made in 2011.

I did see this model a few times after buying it. Late 2020, I went into another AD and they had this exact SMPc in stock (just one blue version left).

Edited: Mar 9, 2024

 

[bgrisso]

reverbtime

UPDATE:

Went to the Official Swatch Service Center and spoke to the main Omega technician. From the start, he really did not show any interest in helping when I told him the watch was running ca. -6 seconds/day. He mentioned something about delta and that it was within specs. I showed him the same WatchCheck screenshot I posted here, and he said — "a week is not enough to know if a watch is running okay. It should be around a month."

I then told him — "why don't we check on the timegrapher just to be sure it's within specs?" He said something around — "I already put the timegrapher away". After a few awkward moments, he then accepted. He took the watch to his workspace while I waited at the lounge.

After about 20 mins. he came back and said — "yes, the timegrapher indeed says it's running at -6 secs/day, but I'd just leave it as is". When I mentioned there was still a month left of factory warranty and asked if a service might be a possibility since it's out of COSC specs, he said — "that definitely won't be possible".

I persisted a bit more — "are you sure factory warranty cannot improve the accuracy"? He said he was going to talk to his "supervisors" and took the watch and warranty card behind doors. After a few minutes, he came back and confirmed that indeed they will service the watch under warranty!

I commend you for persisting until you got the service under warranty.