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Speedmaster 3861 Subdial Misprinted/Misaligned? Covered Under Warranty?

  1. Lunaen Mar 31, 2022

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    Just recently picked up a 3861 sapphire sandwich and enjoy it immensely. However, when I was using the chrono, I noticed something weird. When the chrono hand is resting at zero, it's lined up with the marker:
    IMG_4194.jpeg

    When the chrono is running, the minute hand hits the first 10 markers bang on. After 10 minutes, it begins to become misaligned:
    IMG_4192.jpeg

    It's magnified in this photo, but the alignment is significant enough for me to notice it when I was checking the watch like normal. After about 20 minutes, the alignment is still present but less drastic:
    IMG_4193.jpeg

    The fact that the hand is aligned at zero makes me believe that the subdial is misprinted rather than the hand being misaligned. My question is, would this be something that Omega would fix under warrant? i.e offer a dial replacement. Would they perform warranty work without a full service? The timekeeping on this watch has been amazing, and I would rather they not crack the movement open.
     
  2. Pun Mar 31, 2022

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    It looks as it's within their tolerance deviation limits. And in that case it's not covered under warranty.
     
  3. Caliber561 Mar 31, 2022

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    This is like a 0.1mm misalignment. Could easily be parallax?
     
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  4. Dan S Mar 31, 2022

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    I think I see a piece of dust on the dial.
     
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  5. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Mar 31, 2022

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    Been running the timer on my Tintin before posting a response. It does the same thing. The hand is still partly over the hash mark, put the point is offset slightly. Looking at it with the naked eye I do not think it could remotely lead to misreading the elapsed minutes (which is the whole point of that subdial).
     
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  6. Lunaen Mar 31, 2022

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    Thanks, just wanted to know if this is something worth having them take a look at

    I'm pretty sure all the dust is actually on the sapphire, I cleaned it off and it looks spotless.

    Good to know, I agree that I would never misread the minutes from this, but as this is my first chronograph I wasn't sure if it was common. At least when the chrono is reset it lines up properly, which I prefer as I don't use the chrono all the time.
     
  7. OmegaBHR Mar 31, 2022

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    Even if they will fix it under warranty, not worth getting a new watch opened for this.
     
  8. Dan S Mar 31, 2022

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    In that case, I think the bezel is slightly misaligned. :D
     
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  9. matlt Mar 31, 2022

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    This would bug me, unsure if the annoyance would be enough for me to pursue a warranty repair, but it would be close. My 3570 centers on every line. Yours is nearly to the point that it doesn’t even touch. While meaningless, it would probably wear on me to the point I’d eventually ask if they can fix it.
    I also agree this has to be a misprinted dial. If it were misaligned, you’d see misalignment of hands far more often
     
  10. Evitzee Mar 31, 2022

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    At least no mention of a tiny dent on a lug edge.
     
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  11. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Mar 31, 2022

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    It’s most likely a dial that isn’t centred properly. The reason the hand is aligned at the zero point is because that’s where the hand is installed, so of course they line it up there. As the hand moves, it follows a different circle than the dial markings do.

    The key to good hand alignment is starting with good dial centering.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  12. matlt Mar 31, 2022

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    Are the subdials actually separate pieces?
     
  13. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Apr 1, 2022

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    No. It's all one dial.
     
  14. Lunaen Apr 1, 2022

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    If it's not centered, wouldn't that mean that the hand would be misaligned in every tick except for the zero point? The hand on my watch remains centered on the minute ticks from 0-10, then it begins to become misaligned.
     
  15. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Apr 1, 2022

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    It depends on exactly how the dial is off centre...if the dial is shifted up and to the right, you won’t see it in the first 10 minutes for example...
     
    omegamike likes this.
  16. ahsposo Most fun screen name at ΩF Apr 1, 2022

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    How does one center a dial? I thought the dial feet took care of that.
     
  17. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Apr 1, 2022

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    Dial feet can easily be bent. I see many dials on watches that come to me for service that are not centred.

    I actually have one of my technical posts prepared on this subject, but I’ve been waiting for a dedicated technical section of the forum to be created that was discussed some time ago...
     
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  18. justacpa Apr 12, 2022

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    This is an Omega, not a Seiko :D
     
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