Reply With QuoteDefinitely worth it, at least just for the second “unboxing experience” and sticker removal! A very Nice watch btw!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I bought my PO 8500 45.5 new in November 2011. When I first got it and for many years after, it was by far the most accurate mechanical watch I've ever owned losing as little as a second in a month at one point. It was a virtual daily wearer for the first few years but slowly became an occasional wearer over time, even to the point I'd considered selling it but the missus was against me selling this one for some reason. Recently though, I'd noticed that the timekeeping had slipped to around 4-5 seconds per day and so decided it was time for a service.
This morning, it has just arrived back after a couple of months away at Omega UK. I have to say I'm impressed with the factory-fresh way it has been delivered back. Seems almost a shame to take the stickers off. It also seems from the small plastic bag of bits that came with it, they've even replaced the crown which I would have thought unnecessary as I've always been quite careful in the way I look after my watches. Also, a nice warranty card showing a 2-year warranty for the service.
Definitely worth it, at least just for the second “unboxing experience” and sticker removal! A very Nice watch btw!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow, that looks superb.
I had a very good experience when dealing with them directly (phone and email), from several hundred miles away.
Look forward to seeing some photos with the stickers off, if you dare to remove them?!
Would it be impolite to enquire as to the cost of said service?
Originally Posted by Stonewood
I haven't taken the stickers off yet. Part of me says I definitely should in order to at least check what they've done and the other part tells me to trust they've done a great job and leave it in an 'as new' state.Wow, that looks superb.
I had a very good experience when dealing with them directly (phone and email), from several hundred miles away.
Look forward to seeing some photos with the stickers off, if you dare to remove them?!
It was £450 + £18 for the package and posting (they send you the service case and pre-paid envelope to send it to them in the first place).
Thank you, that seems quite reasonable these days.
That's the price for three-handers. I believe chronographs are around £650. I need to get the missus's Speedmaster done next.
Anyhoooo, just realised how illogical it seemed to spend all that money and not at least take the stickers off. Seems they've done the perfect job I was hoping for. Now I'll have to try and carefully replace the stickers LOL.
And finally, the 'bag o' bits'
My ex boss inherited a 1960 something Omega Seamaster from his late Father. It stayed in his bedroom drawer for a couple of decades and after a good nagging from me, he took it up to Omega in London and after 8 weeks it came back looking brand new for a few pence over £450.00.
He also had an Omega black leather strap included in the price. Very impressed with them.
Your Planet Ocean looks great and I’ am glad that it’s a keeper for you
The Omega UK Customer Service team are in my experience fantastic to deal with in terms of both quality of workmanship and helpfulness.
The online tracking portal is a great idea to keep you updated on progress.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have had nothing but positive experiences in the times I have dealt with the Omega service centre. Just got my Aqua Terra Good Planet back which was looked at under warranty. It actually went back via Banks Lyon who I purchased from and they enquired about an additional half link for me. Omega didn't mention anything about the half link but the watch arrived back with one fitted to the bracelet and no mention of any cost to me.
I love the bag o'bits. Of absolutely no use, but great to have. None of this Rolex exchange nonsense.
The watch looks SUPERB, as I would expect.And finally, the 'bag o' bits
Any chance of a photo of the bits out of the bag? Always interesting to see.
Can’t understand why they replace parts that don’t need replacing, that’s exactly what they’ve done here. The bezel ratchet spring looks fine to me, likewise the retaining spring. The helium valve could've had a new O ring, likewise the crowns if the threads are still in god condition. They seem to replace stuff for the sake of it, people end up selling these items on ebay because they’re still fit for use.
Some of you will be impressed by a bag of parts that didn’t need replacing, I’m not.
Interesting to hear what is in there, from one of our forum experts. Thanks Paul
I wonder why they replace them then?
I have to confess, if I was the owner, the more parts that get replaced may justify the cost of the service?
And how about the movement parts that they may gave replaced?.......can’t see any of those in the goody bag! I would prefer complete transparency about what has and hasn’t been replaced, gas the mainspring barrel been replaced? Have the co-axial escapement parts been replaced? Do they want people kniwing what they have and haven’t replaced?
If I service a watch I make it absolutely clear what has and hasn’t been replaced, the price is adjusted according to what was needed. This is the only fair way to do it in my view, especially with vintage/older watches where the condition of the movement varies hugely.
Whether £450 to service and refinish a 3 hander is fair is open to debate, when Swatch Group and the rest have killed off the alternatives there won’t be a choice.
Gota agree. Received my Seamaster Chrono back after 5 months and really happy. A second coming.
They also chucked in a baseball cap.
Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
I’ve always had good service from Omega. Bits from my X-33 when serviced.
I assume they have a standard process for servicing replacing parts regardless of wear.
M
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 14th August 2020 at 14:34.
Replaced so they can guarantee will be good for another 5+ years?
With my eyes in this light and two cats banging around? I'd rather not if it's OK with you, Andrew LOL. I think Paul has described most everything in there in his later post.
It's only stayed as a keeper thanks to the other half as she sees it as the watch she associates with our early dating days (it was actually a 2500 PO 45.5 that I had at the time, before this one). Don't get me wrong - I absolutely love the watch but I sometimes wonder whether it would be better off in someone else's care as it has spent most of its time off the wrist for the past 5 or 6 years. She'd kill me if I sold it though (or more accurately, if she found out).......Your Planet Ocean looks great and I’ am glad that it’s a keeper for you
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Is that the one you bought from me Martyn? How come you got it serviced again so soon?I’ve always had good service from Omega. Bits from my X-33 when serviced.
I assume they have a standard process for servicing replacing parts regardless of wear.
M
no. It was a previous one I owned and sold - as you do!
Wow that looks amazing.
Like having a new watch experience all over Again.
Nice 1.
Sent from my SM-A715F using Tapatalk
Had my Planet Ocean 2500 serviced by Omega, and have to say was impressed by the 'as new' finishing to the watch and bracelet. Also had a 'bag o' bits' including movement parts. Was a brilliant timekeeper from new and still is.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Mine is currently in Switzerland for its service,it's a 1999 titanium seamaster professional and flooded when diving so I claimed through my house insurance.
Omega had said to my insurers they wouldn't service it without replacing the bracelet,never had a problem with it and I wear it on a different strap but I suppose they are the experts after all (£1495 cost)but tried to say the watch wouldn't be covered with their 2 year warranty.
I declined and told my insurers that it wasn't the main strap so they relented and it's getting serviced now and will be covered by warranty for the head only.
Full service and new dial required at around £1200,just the excess to pay to insurers.
Slightly better than the £2600 they wanted
Looking forward to it coming back
Sent from my Mi 9T Pro using Tapatalk
Unusual to hear of an SMP that leaked, have you any idea how it happened ?Mine is currently in Switzerland for its service,it's a 1999 titanium seamaster professional and flooded when diving so I claimed through my house insurance.
Omega had said to my insurers they wouldn't service it without replacing the bracelet,never had a problem with it and I wear it on a different strap but I suppose they are the experts after all (£1495 cost)but tried to say the watch wouldn't be covered with their 2 year warranty.
I declined and told my insurers that it wasn't the main strap so they relented and it's getting serviced now and will be covered by warranty for the head only.
Full service and new dial required at around £1200,just the excess to pay to insurers.
Slightly better than the £2600 they wanted
Looking forward to it coming back
Sent from my Mi 9T Pro using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I am impressed by Omega Service Centre. Whenever any of my Omegas are serviced they are always returned running very well and looking like new.
They are very willing to talk to you if necessary and have always been very helpful. I wouldn’t send my Omegas anywhere else.
Wow, looks good. My own 8500 po from 2013 is still running very accurately (+1 sec/ day, virtually the same as when new). Likewise its been a daily until about a year ago when I got a pelagos, which has kept it off the wrist a lot. It's still my favourite though.
As Omega and Longines are Swatch Group I will post here instead of making a complete new thread.
I received my Heritage Diver 1967 back yesterday after 2 month's and although they did a excellent job in term's of making look like new (it went in looking like it had been in a fight with some sandpaper) .
I had ordered 4 spare link's to make it fit my wrist as I bought it second hand at a good price. I was told they don't fit the link's which isn't a problem because I could add however many I needed and job done.
Well they actually had fit them all. No problem I will size it myself I thought.
Big problem as it turns out. They are 1.2mm screws so I get the reading glasses out (dodgy old eyes) and pull out the screwdrivers I normally use but when I went to take the first screw out it already looked mangled and I couldn't even get the blade in the groove so I decided to pull out a brand new set of Bergeon I hadn't used yet. (sharper / better blade I thought) However even though I could get the blade in (just) they are so tight it's impossible to unscrew without damaging them more than they already look.
Bare in mind that at least 4 of the screws should be brand new.
Contacted Longines and I now have to send it back to them.
On top of this I put it on a timegrapher and freshly serviced it's at +12 seconds a day with amplitude at 354
So I have also asked them to regulate it properly.
I had a Heritage Diver 2 register chronograph done by them 4 months ago and it was perfect so hopefully they will sort it out.
Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app
The screws must've been fitted with loctite, a couple of seconds in a flame would soften it and they’ll come out easily.
If I saw 354 degrees amplitude I’d be concerned, are you sure the lift angle was set correctly? At 354 degrees amplitude I’d expect it to be knocking the banking, if this happens the trace on the timegrapher will go crazy.
Before concluding that it needs regulating I would've tested it and see what it’s really running at. 24hrs running dial- up would be an interesting first test.
Yep... as per usual the it's let the water in through the helium relief valve, I know quite a few that's done this over the years
Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
It arrived Friday around 11.30 & I did intend to Time it but this morning DPD dropped off the return package & I was so eager to get it back to them I packaged it up and took it straight to the post office without bloody looking at it
Either way it will be with them by Monday morning so I will wait to hear from them. With you're suggestion on what might be.Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app
I’ve stripped down plenty of these and in my opinion the design is very unlikely to let water in.
I know a few lads that have used these as intended and I can say they have all leaked through that valve, mine flooded that way as did a mates recently.
Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
Most customers would have no idea what a mainspring is, so it’s something of a moot point.
The approach an you as an independent use would not work on the scale/volumes a manufacturer would have to repair - manufacturer watchmakers don’t deal with customers - customer service departments do via ‘tiers’ of work + additional items. A tailored quote down to the nitty gritty of every movement part would be unrealistic.
Besides...
Person A - wears their watch on their birthday and at Xmas only, then sends for service after 10 years as it’s the ‘recommended interval’ despite not noticing any issues with it. Minimal movement components replaced.
Person B - wears the same model of watch as person A, also for 10 years, but wears it HARD. Let’s say loads of movement components display wear and require replacement.
If both are charged £500 and one gets back a bag with a few movement bits, but another gets a back bag full of movement bits, the uneducated customer A (the majority), are likely to feel short changed, even though their watch has been serviced to the same standards and gone through all the same processes as the one that might needed a few more bits replaced.
Only some of the time/cost is chucking a couple of new train wheels in, the majority is labour, assessment and testing.
Also, manufacturers will not want old movement components in the hands of those they do not want to have them, although I don’t understand why manufacturers, such as Omega, return any to be honest.
I'm reminded of a post some time ago from Seadog1408 of these parts who has experience in the diving industry, he said he'd never seen an SMP leak.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Even if He valve is left unscrewed under water?
Because it’s part of the service... like when you have your car serviced. Certain parts are replaced as standard. In terms of helium valve, it needs to be removed in order to valet the case. Fitting a used crown/valve on a beautifully polished case seems counter productive. They are the owners property, I see no issue in showing what’s been replaced.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
I’ve never worried that replaced car parts are my property
I take your point regarding a cosmetically scruffy crown. As for removing the He valve for refinishing, I have the correct tool for this job and that's what I used to do.
I also have the tool for removing the pendant tube, I used to strip the case fully for refinishing to get them right.
If parts availability wasn`t an issue it would be feasible to fully service and refinish a pre-co-axial SMP for around 50% of the price Omega charge, but only replacing parts that needed replacing. I`m less inclined to get involved with them thesedays, the refinishing is laborious and parts availability is a headache, it's hardly worth the hassle.
Posting Permissions
