Water leak issues with PO600

So my pride and joy "was" my planet ocean 600 45.5mm Chrono. I absolutely loved this watch and it was my daily wearer. I wore this watch literally everywhere. I am not a diver but I always liked the durability and water tightness of a diver watch. As again I like to wear them everyday. I was told from day one to never shower with it and followed that instruction.

I did swim in it though quite often in the summer months. I live in Canada so that's really like 2 months. Well the watch is now 2 years and 2 months old. And I noticed this week that when I wear it it gets all cloudy. And when I take it off it eventually clears up. So turns out there is water in there. I have not swim for over a month as it's cold now here. So it must have got in while washing my lands recently as that would have been it's only water exposure. My helium valve and crown were locked down nice and tight. Hell I even chew up my finger nail digging in everytime I tighten it to make sure it's super tight.

Any how I went to the mall yesterday where the AD was that I bought the watch as we don't have a boutique here. And a buddy came with me, and as we were walking through the mall he wanted to stop at a IWC store. We looked at some watches and the girl caught the cloudiness of my watch and immediately asked about the moisture and literally told me exactly what I was experiencing. I was shocked how much she knew from a 1/2 second glance of my wrist. She apparently was the service manager at Omega Toronto and recently left to work for IWC. She told me that it's a known issue. And to prevent it. "especially with swimming. I need to change the gaskets every 2 years". I literally lost my mind. Why would you buy a watch that is designed for diving to 2000 ft. If I can't even swim in my 6' pool without risking water damage. How often do the actual divers who take these watches to depth have to replace there gaskets? Every year? So you send your watch away for 2 months every year? That sounds ridiculous. I thought for sure she was just a sour ex employee and wanted to sell me a IWC.

So I went to the AD now to prepare my warranty. I explained my frustrations with a watch designed to go to the bottom of the ocean, leaking while washing hands. He immediately gave me the same damn advice about changing gaskets every 2 years!!!!! What are the odds they both said this to be true??

So my question is for all of the Omega owners. I personally don't see gaskets as a consumable, especially with how I use this watch. If I buy a Porsche the dealer doesn't tell me, oh don't drive the car fast it's not good for the car. To me this is ludicrous. This is a watch marketed as being able to go in any salt water any depth (2000ft). And apparently swimming in my pool is bad for a vital part that prevents potential life ending damage to the product? Or something I need to spend up to $1000 per every 2 years to replace?

Please someone tell me this isn't true? If not I am 100% getting the watch repaired, cleaned and off to the used sales forum. Never to own another Omega again.

I understand if you are diving. You are putting a heavy amount of strain on those gaskets at pressure. Like owning a Porsche. If you are constantly racing it. Your gonna chew up your brakes and tires quickly. But if you drive your sports car 2kmh (which would be the equivalent of swimming in a pool) your brakes and tires would last many years.

Remember to thoroughly rinse the watch in tap water after it has spent some time in seawater or pool water to remove the salt and chlorine.

Regardless I am going to take it in. I suppose the other possibility is being a 45.5mm not a lot of guys can wear watches that big. So I assume it sat for probably some time. So although I have owned it for 2 years, it could already be a year or 2 on the shelf.

Appreciate the info boys. The vent was needed hahaha. Tomorrow I'm heading to swatch group service center directly to drop it off. Hopefully they take care of me.

Can I ask what additional parts are added to give the additional 550m WR?

I agree with the OP that a 2 year old PO shouldn’t leak while swimming, but that’s how I feel—not reality. I have a PO Chrono and I am aware that being a Chrono, there are two additional holes in the case for water to get in. And neither of those pushers is screw-down.

Still, I have several Seikos with nominal submersion ratings that I have never serviced, that have had batteries replaced several times and that I wear with zero concern for keeping them away from the water, and I have only had one get wet inside in 35 years.

Getting a watch pressure tested every two years isn’t an easy process for a lot of us. Qualified watch makers are not on every corner, and the risk of a hack damaging a multi-thousand Dollar watch while testing it or servicing it is often greater than the risk of water intrusion through day-to-day activity.

So Omega tells us, but two more holes in the case is two more opportunities for leaks. And if we can’t trust the seal on the screw-down crown after two years, why would we trust that the seals on the pushers have any better reliability?

Regarding the pressure test, I remember the dry test from your very informative thread on pressure testing. I should have been more clear about the risk of damage I was referring to when handing a watch over to an unknown watchmaker. I didn’t mean just water damage. Forums are full of stories about damage caused by clumsy people during service—even Omega personnel at service centers. Scratches, gauges, dings, poorly-running movements, watches lost or stolen during shipping... . It’s enough to make an anal person never want to send a watch away for testing.

I've read this in various places over time. Curious, why wouldn't you wear it in the shower? I shower with any watch that I've used for sport so I can get all the nasty sweat off. This ranges from my cheap, nasty free promotional watches to my Citizen's and even my Omega X-33. The only time I've had issues is when the glass fell out from my freebie watch and I didn't realise before jumping into the shower.


Could this have accelerated the wear to an extent? There isn't a need to "crush" a gasket for it to be effective, likely the opposite. You want it tight enough for a good seal but really wrenching it might increase the wear? Just comparing to the gaskets in taps, they suffer increased wear if you wrench the tap closed every time versus just enough to stop the water.

Just been into my local AD for more info on this.
Every 12 months ideally but can risk 2 years!
Omega will happily do this under the warranty as it is a dive watch.
Still, what a pain in the ass!