Hi.
I don't get it. If a watch is industrialy massed produced using silicon and amagnetic alloys, why would there be any magnetic variance at all within these watches? They are all made exactly the same. If one is amagnetic, they are ALL amagnetic. No?
What's the need for a test?

 

Trust but verify.

 

The test makes sure that the watch stays within a specific accuracy standard during and after being magnetized as well.

Everything needs quality control checks anyway. Think of this as a very high level of QC.

 

Thanks. I just don't understand why each watch is tested. Again, why would there be any variation since this is a mass produced uniform product? Same alloys, same silicon, same configuration of the materials and parts...

 

But it really is impossible that some would prove magnetized while others would be okay, right?
It's just a marketing ploy...

 

Very simply, you can't certify without a test. How is the body that does the certification going to know you didn't cheat?

 

I understand. They set up all this 15,000 gauss magnetic testing devices and flout the rigor of it all in order to stamp, "passed".
Were Omega to just state it as a physics fact, that the new metals and silicon are inherently magnetic--it wouldn't be quite as impressive.

 

Not sure what "rigor" you think they're "flouting". They build the movement, they ship it off to testing bureau, it gets certified. Just like my digital multimeter is assembled and then calibrated.

This is all very normal stuff and you make it out like someone is trying to fool you or charge you extra or I don't know what.

 

I guess you're right. It's just that testing for water resistance, accuracy and the rest makes obvious sense because there is room for failure.

 

Magnetic resistance is just one of the many tests. If you go here, you can download the test documentation and the criteria which results in the granting of certification.

https://www.metas.ch/metas/en/home/dok/rechtliches/Zertifizierung_Uhren.html

 

If the manufacturing process was 100% consistent with no chance for mistakes or variations, then water resistance and accuracy would only need to be tested once when a design is finalized and not for every watch. But that is not reality, so every watch should be tested for those things. Same goes for magnetic resistance. I cant find info on specifically what materials Omega uses and for which parts in their master chronometer movements to make it anti-magnetic, but I assume its all special alloys that could vary due to a manufacturing error or something.

 

In this case, the master chronometers have a nonmagnetic metallic balance wheel with a silicon balance spring.

If you read the test criterion, it's not that the watch is completely unaffected by a 15 Tesla magnetic field, it's that, after it is subjected to that field, the watch still performs to the accuracy criteria specified. Roughly speaking, if your watch is demagnetized and runs 2 seconds a day dial up, after application of the 15 Tesla field, it will still be close to that value. It will not stop and it will not be 30 seconds a day.

But you have to read the document to really understand the tests.

 

In theory you're right.
I imagine there's an element around it all that's more or less the equivalent of a "type approval".
But as Al has stated, it still has to be verified so that as a manufacturer they can say hand on heart that the watch does indeed meet the standard. It's about the integrity of the standard and the compliance.
To that one would assume it's a one off(never to be repeated) process which will be rendered null and void if aftermarket parts are ever substituted during a service in the future.

 

They don’t do it for cars, so why they should do it for watches, which tend not to kill you, escapes me.

 

Yes, they don't crash test every car, but if you think they put them all on the road without any testing at all, that's obviously not the case.

Testing is done in progress as part of the manufacturing, and at the end of the production line the car is driven off after some checks are done, thus making sure that the steering works, the brakes work, etc.

 

With cars it's a different industry altogether with star safety ratings.
Remember there are elements around what are deemed to be not so verified in certain ways.
Take Diesel Gate(for example), and VW haven't been the only ones.
Then there has been the TAKATA air bag recalls to consider as well.
Cars are just more complex in that there are so many elements with so many variables as to their operation, with safety recalls and recalls around aspects pertaining to reliability.
My last new vehicle had some recall about a vent seal in what they call nowadays the HVAC. I didn't even know about it until I went to the dealer about another silly issue which suddenly cropped up just before the warranty was up.
In that regard, it's not unlike a watch with a manufacturer routinely replacing old parts with updated ones at a service, even if they're otherwise servicable.

With the watch industry there's a different culture with a focus on different priorities with their own approach. It's very much a closed shop in some ways
The only safety issue around watches are related to water resistance for divers watches and that's governed by a different set of international standards which watch manufacturers are not necessarily bound to adhere to.
I remember back in the day when a watch manufacturer would often put "WATERPROOF" on the Caseback with no reference to how "WATERPROOF" the watch actually was.
Nowdays they would not do that as a watch is not deemed to be "WATERPROOF" as such, but "WATER RESISTANT" to a certain depth. To that the standards have evolved as with all things.

Either way, we are reliant on their integrity on some level.

 

Of course, a part of it is also because these products (Omega watches) are luxury products.

To continue the car analogy, a Ford would be like a Casio. Both will go through basic tests and quality control to make sure the end product is safe and functional.

Move into the luxury tiers, something like an AMG would be tested more thoroughly (for performance) and some even have a mechanic's signature on the engine itself because it was built by one person from beginning to end (sounds a bit familiar eh).

 

True enough

Cars and Motorcycles are routinely run up on a rolling dyno whilst plugged into a computer for a few minutes to check that everything is working as it should. Safety is only one aspect.
Engine, transmission, brakes, ABS, Traction control, ESP, ESC, etc are all given a final check of operations before shipping it out.

 

Where are all those 321's?
And who is building them?

 

Those of you talking to yourselves, read the METAS document.