Speedmaster 3861 movement - minute recorder issue?

Hello, long time lurker here finally registered...

A few weeks ago I purchased a new Speedmaster with the 3861 movement via the Omega Webshop. The watch has been shipped to me directly from Biel.

Unfortunately there seems to be an issue:
The chronograph minute recorder is completely switched at 59sec already, see picture below.
Note: I am aware that the switching process itself takes a bit of time. For the 3861 it takes approx. 3/4sec to have the minute recorder flip by one minute.

I have contacted Omega via the standard hotline on their website and went through a horrible experience: It took days to have someone on the phone being able to help as the hotline is run by sales people. However, Omega finally offered me to have the watch replaced by a new one. The replacement should be shipped from an Omega Boutique. The people at the boutique send me a video showing the minute recorder switch in advance for the watch they intended to send me. Unfortunately it shows a similar behavior, although a bit better by being 'only' 0,5sec early.

Because of this I checked some Speedmaster 2021 review videos online and had a closer look whenever the minute recorder switch was visible: In almost all the videos the same problem was visible.
I would have liked to talk to someone of the QC or Service department in Biel but Omega is a fairly inaccessible company from the outside world... sad, as I am still enjoying my other Omega watches...

Strangely a friend's vintage Speedmaster from 1984 is 'spot on' and quality wise I never had issues with my other Omegas. My Tudor Chronograph also switches the minute recorder exactly at 60 sec as expected.

Perhaps this nice community and especially the 3861 owners can help on my questions:
- Did you ever detect this behavior on your 3861 based watch?
- Is there a tolerance for the minute recorder that owners have to accept (I could not find any info)
- Is there a way to fix this easily?



Thanks in advance for your help,

Chris

No big deal really. Looks fine..

My 3861 Speedmaster does exactly the same - the minute recorder starts moving at about 58 sec and is fully moved by around the 59 sec mark. I really haven't thought anything of this and as far as I'm concerned there's nothing wrong.

Hmm, there are more Speedys with this behavior out there...
Thanks for the response so far and thanks for the video and the confirmation that this is adjustable, Al

I may be a bit picky and pretty alone with my view, but in my world a minute still equals 60sec.

My expectation for a chronograph with a price tag of the Moonwatch is that it should be adjusted correctly right at the factory during manufacturing.
Omega's competitors are able to achieve this and even Omega itself got this right in the past (861). Maybe this is due to actual demand...

Mine does that too. The minute counter would advance at about 58-59 seconds.

If you are picky, then don't examine your Speedmaster under a loupe.
You will realize your watch is far far from perfection. There will be tiny dust particles, small hand misalignment, etc.

Unless you are timing rocket engine firing with your Speedmaster, probably just better to leave it at that.
Your new watch may have other tiny imperfections that are gonna eat at your OCD.
Trust me, I was just like you.

Have handled many Speedmasters before and this is pretty typical. When I read the title alone I thought this was going to be about an issue similar to my friend’s 3861 where the minute recorder would not actually tick over every minute. For example, with the chronograph running for 25 minutes, the minute recorder would show only 15 minutes having elapsed. He bought his in late October and had it fixed under warranty. It was the first I had heard of that issue with the 3861.

Just to let you know how this turned out finally:
I have returned the Moonwatch and did not go for replacement but upgraded to a different model.
This was because Omega was unable to send me one that works as expected right from the factory. However, the watchmaker at the Omega Boutique offered me to adjust a new watch for me as Archer described above for free, but I did not want to have a brand new watch to be opened. This would have rendered the METAS certificate useless. Really sad because the basic movement shows impressive behavior on the timegrapher and is very well made, just the chronograph function is not up to what I expect in that price range and the competition is capable of... I constantly would have asked myself why go for a chronograph with the main function being not up to spec?
Long story short, I finally upgraded to a Speedy Chronoscope which I am pretty happy with - really impressive to see what Omega is capable of in this series. The 9908 movement really shines, all functions work as one would expect from Omega and the built quality is top notch.

I stand corrected as I had the impression that METAS certification is done with the movement being fully cased.
As such I questioned how the METAS certification can still be valid if the housing has to be opened to perform adjustments... don't know to what level the movement is disassembled for adjustment, though.

As I understand it, the METAS certification is awarded to the calibre and stays with the watch. All mechanical watches need servicing every few years, which involves dismantling the movement, cleaning the components, reassembling and lubricating and this does not invalidate the certification as far as I'm aware.

It was not my intention to start a discussion on the METAS certification.
Below is a screenshoot to show what is tested during certification. I doubt that all the tests remain valid after service as there are parts that will be replaced.