Forums Latest Members

Thoughts on Seamaster Professional.

  1. Diver88 Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    24
    Likes
    3
    I posted this also in the "open discussion" forums, but I thought I post again here in Modern Omega Watches...It's not meant to be annoying to anyone...just thougth that this may be a better spot for my inquiry.

    So I have this Omega Seamaster-Professional-Chronometer-300m-Helium escape valve watch that is not working correctly. It is not a quartz movement either...it's a mechanical/automatic watch I have no idea what caliber this watch is. It was purchased new from an authorised Omega dealer here in the United States, back in 2001-2002 as I recall, so I know it's a genuine Omega. I am the first owner.

    Back in 2003 I bumped the watch accidentally on a wooden door jamb as I was going through the door way. The crown hit the jamb...and it did not hit hard. Next thing I know the watch is gaining time like crazy...it gains close to 3.2 hours a day.

    When I purchased the watch I thought I was buying a rugged, dependable, high-quality watch. I was under the impression that this watch can be used for occupations like saturation diving...and sat diving has to be one of the most harsh enviroments I can think of. So it should stand up to anything I was going to do with it (I'm not a sat diver or professional/recreational diver for that matter). So a little bump/knock puts this watch totally out of commission?

    What did I get for my money here? I'm I kidding myself that sat divers would actually use this watch on the ocean
    floor. I'm I kidding myself that the Sea Master is a good, rugged watch?

    Is this all Omega marketing hype "Seamaster Professional" ...300M...Helium escape valve... To be honest, I,ve gotten better service out of $300-$500 Seiko and Citizen dive watches.

    I thought Omega's were supposed to be good watches.

    I have not worn or enjoyed the watch since 2003 and is still not functioning. When I e-mailed the Omega factory in Bienne, Switzerland back in 2003, they were gladly willing to fix it for like $500 at the time. My description of how the watch got out of order and it being the watch that it is, fell on deaf ears; I thought it should have been repaired for free at the time since I had only owned and worn it for like two years.

    So any thoughts on my rant above will be appreciated. I look forward to any and all comments.
     
    20190709_111542[1].jpg
  2. Togri v. 2.0 Wow! Custom title... cool Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    2,467
    Likes
    10,920
    You got an automatic watch that is not impervious to shocks. If a shock has damaged the watch and you want to use it then you better get it to a watchmaker. If you don’t want to spend the money it costs just account for the time-gaining and subtract 3.2 hours every time you look at it.
     
    Nobel Prize and Davidt like this.
  3. SG90 Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    144
    Likes
    156
    Sounds like the hairspring got jolted out of position and is now stuck.
    Give it another whack and see what happens!

    ...joke, don’t do that. ...Unless it’s a Seiko.
     
  4. SG90 Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    144
    Likes
    156
    In all seriousness, you probably just happened to catch it on a weak-spot.
    Most luxury watches seem to hate a sharp shock. It’s just the way it is I’m afraid. And you were right on being quoted around £500, it will take a full service to correct.
     
  5. padders Oooo subtitles! Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    8,931
    Likes
    13,872
    You're right. Its cheap crap. I'll relieve you of your burden for $200 which you can go and spend on a nice G-Shock.
     
  6. perks713 Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    1,145
    Likes
    3,066
    What happened sucks, and your love for the watch might be too far gone to be worth investing in. I've had plenty of times in my life where I've done something dumb and it caused me to never want to look at something again. Either sell the watch and describe the issue honestly so the next buyer knows it needs a service, or fork out the cash for a service with a reputable watch maker. After sitting idle for 15 years, it's going to need a service either way.
     
  7. Canuck Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    13,374
    Likes
    37,519
    I’m not about to try to change you mind about your Omega. Sounds like you have it made up. The attached picture is of what once was a good car_ _ _ a Ferrari. But this is the sort of thing that happens when you have an accident!

    2169F2C4-A022-4358-922C-4ED0C60EA4FB.jpeg
     
  8. Martin_J_N Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    1,394
    Likes
    2,683
    Sorry that you damaged your watch, it always hurts when you cause damage to something that you like.

    My advice would be to pay the money, get the watch serviced and your Seamaster will be fine. Shit happens sometimes you just have to deal with it and move on.

    You want an example, 2 weeks after my wife bought her new car I am driving it whilst we are on holiday in North Wales. Somehow I managed to beach the car on a rock whilst manoeuvring in a narrow lane, resulting in damage to the nearside sill and front passenger door. The car was a 4X4 built to go off road but that didn't mean that the manufacturer had to pay for repairs, it was my error so I paid, not just money but also in a very frosty silence for the rest of the holiday.

    So, you have clouted your watch, it was an accident, you didn't do it deliberately, 99 times out of a 100 nothing happens everything is fine but on that 1 occasion..........

    Omega make great watches many on this forum can vouch for their durability, it wasn't the watches fault that it got a ding, get it serviced and it will soon be back on your wrist.
     
  9. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    5,160
    Likes
    8,343
    I'm honestly not sure what you hope to hear when venting 16 years later that you damaged the watch and have still not taken it to a watchmaker to assess the damage. The Seamaster is a mechanical device, and as such it is subject to damage. It is possible the damage was minor and an easy/ inexpensive fix for a watchmaker. Omega is not the best place to go for something like this, as they tend to be expensive (although I understand you may not have known there were other options for assessing/ servicing the watch). I would take it to a competent watchmaker for assessment and repair, and a full service and start wearing it -- or I would sell it to someone else who will happily do that.
     
  10. perks713 Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    1,145
    Likes
    3,066
    Maybe just waiting for someone to make him an offer on it.
     
    padders likes this.
  11. boraxman Jul 9, 2019

    Posts
    298
    Likes
    174
    My thoughts are get it serviced and wear it, get serviced and sell it or just sell it as is.
     
  12. Diver88 Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    24
    Likes
    3
    Thank you all for the comments. I understand that it is a mechanical device and all mechanical devices can be damage or put out of order. If I had tripped and fallen on the watch or was riding a motorcycle and laid the bike down doing 70 mph...would I expect the watch to come through unscathed?...of course not. There's probably no watch that would come out the same as it went in. With as much force as it took to destroy that Ferrari in the image above, none of us would expect the Ferrari to be in showroom new condition. However, I would expect the Ferrari to go over a speed bump going 4-5 mph and not be a total loss. My watch was not put out of order due to a extraodinary event. The watch should have shrugged off the bump as if nothing had happened. And that was more of what my point was. Why did a seemingly small bump cause such a dramatic change?

    But like Martin_J_N says ''My advice would be to pay the money, get the watch serviced and your Seamaster will be fine. Shit happens sometimes you just have to deal with it and move on"...and honestly, that's what my plan was all along.
     
    Martin_J_N likes this.
  13. AntonisCy Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    977
    Likes
    1,119
    Why did you wait 16 years?
     
  14. gpssti4 Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    350
    Likes
    548
    Either get it serviced and enjoy it, or sell it as-is. There’s no point in leaving it in a poor state of repair. If you’re unhappy with it sell it and move on. Maybe to a quartz version?
     
  15. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    26,338
    Likes
    65,034
    This is the most likely scenario, and it can happen on any watch. In fact some Seiko movements are notorious for it, and as you mention the solution you will often see on watch forums is to give the watch a smack into the palm of your hand (not something I recommend personally).

    This is in no way a sign that a watch is rugged, or up to the job - it's more bad luck as the shock has to happen in a specific direction at a specific moment in time for the balance spring to get snagged on the stud. One of the msot reliable and ribust movements out there is the ETA 7750, and here is one with a snagged balance spring:

    [​IMG]

    From above:

    [​IMG]

    After "de-snagging" and some adjustments to the spring were required:

    [​IMG]

    If you think other brands don't have this happen, well here's a Rolex with a snagged spring:

    [​IMG]

    And what it should look like:

    [​IMG]

    In the end it would have been a very simple fix for any competent watchmaker, but since the OP had a tantrum and let the watch sit for so long, it will now need a full service that will be much more expensive than either the fix would have been at the time, or what the full service would have been.

    Cheers, Al
     
    Seaborg, perks713, Caliber561 and 5 others like this.
  16. Diver88 Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    24
    Likes
    3
    Thank you Archer. This is more of what I was looking for as a response. You brought up a point that I was going to ask and that was basically " Could this happen to a Rolex or Doxa watch" ? And from your response, it does happen to other brands. So I guess I'm probably off base thinking this shouldn't have happened at all.

    If I was to send this watch back to Omega, other than explaining the problem and the 16 years of sitting in the safe, what service needs to be preformed ?
     
  17. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    26,338
    Likes
    65,034
    As I said it will need a full service (a.k.a. complete maintenance service).
     
    Nobel Prize likes this.
  18. Meme-Dweller Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    1,873
    Likes
    2,953
    A 16-year grudge... you make my exes look sane

    10/10, would give breakfast to

    Just get it serviced and call it a day decade
     
  19. ras47 Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    1,798
    Likes
    10,081
    The crown is a natural weak spot as it connects directly to the movement via the stem. Normally a crown is protected by the position of the watch while on your wrist. But freak accidents do happen. I've had several Seamasters over the years and worn them in all conditions. Even diving fairly deep (>200 ft.). I've banged them around and never experienced an issue like the OP's. Seamasters are indeed tough, but they're not bullet-proof.

    Curious to see if the OP will try and hold Omega to the 16-year old quote for service.
     
  20. Diver88 Jul 10, 2019

    Posts
    24
    Likes
    3