Omega question
Discussion
I have an Omega Seamaster Aqua Tera GMT Chronograph. Until recently I had not let the second hand run as I was led to believe it may cause wear and tear and potentially reduce the servicing intervals. However, on Saturday I was watching a review of the watch on Youtube by a knowledgeable (sounding!) chap and he stated that because of the use of a vertical clutch, instead of a boggo horizontal one, the second hand for this watch could be left running with no detriment to the movement.
Youtube clip link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HitibAP0bn4
Is anybody with any sort of authority on the subject able to confirm or deny? If not, I'll have to pop into Omega on Regent St and ask there.
The reason I do ask is that I personally find it is more pleasing to leave it running. I have had people ask if it has stopped when not.
Cheers
Youtube clip link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HitibAP0bn4
Is anybody with any sort of authority on the subject able to confirm or deny? If not, I'll have to pop into Omega on Regent St and ask there.
The reason I do ask is that I personally find it is more pleasing to leave it running. I have had people ask if it has stopped when not.
Cheers
It doesn't matter which system of clutch an Automatic Chronograph has, whether it be an ETA7750, A modular attachment to the 2892, a Co-Axial or any other kind of in-house movement.
Leaving your Chronograph running all of the time is not recommended.
From a mechanical viewpoint, it is not an issue, the chrono can run all the time, but it is not supposed to.
If you leave it running permanently, you will find that it will affect your timekeeping in due time and you will need your watch to be serviced a lot earlier than it should be, then after that the service intervals will become sooner and sooner.
The undue wear is not the primary idea of the designer who came up with the mechanism.
Chronographs are designed to allow you to time an event, up to the capacity of the Dial increment.
So if you time an event that lasts 12 hours and then reset the hands, the watch will continue to run well and settle back into normal function.
If you run it all of the time, the movement is constantly under strain and the friction on the pivots of the wheels is greater, causing issues way before they are due.
From purchasing the watch you have, you shouldn't need a service for around 8-10 years.
But, I have seen Seamaster Automatic Chronographs in the workshop after 3 years of being purchased, with worn pivots and holes in the plates that need to be replaced due to the constant force from the Chronograph running all day every day. This type of repair would cost a considerable amount on top of your service cost.
Ultimately, it is your watch and your money.
If you like to leave it running and you don't mind the shortened service intervals, then you can do what you like.
Leaving your Chronograph running all of the time is not recommended.
From a mechanical viewpoint, it is not an issue, the chrono can run all the time, but it is not supposed to.
If you leave it running permanently, you will find that it will affect your timekeeping in due time and you will need your watch to be serviced a lot earlier than it should be, then after that the service intervals will become sooner and sooner.
The undue wear is not the primary idea of the designer who came up with the mechanism.
Chronographs are designed to allow you to time an event, up to the capacity of the Dial increment.
So if you time an event that lasts 12 hours and then reset the hands, the watch will continue to run well and settle back into normal function.
If you run it all of the time, the movement is constantly under strain and the friction on the pivots of the wheels is greater, causing issues way before they are due.
From purchasing the watch you have, you shouldn't need a service for around 8-10 years.
But, I have seen Seamaster Automatic Chronographs in the workshop after 3 years of being purchased, with worn pivots and holes in the plates that need to be replaced due to the constant force from the Chronograph running all day every day. This type of repair would cost a considerable amount on top of your service cost.
Ultimately, it is your watch and your money.
If you like to leave it running and you don't mind the shortened service intervals, then you can do what you like.
Thanks for the responses everybody. Always nice to know a fellow PHer has similiarly good taste in watches as well, JohnnyBee!
Rigga, thanks for your post - greatly appreciated to have a professional view on these things. On the basis of your wisdom I shall certainly not be running it full time (I haven't to date either, thank goodness).
Just out of interest (and perhaps of interest to Budflicker who runs his constantly) - what sort of magnitude of additional cost are we talking about? To be honest I haven't had to enquire about the 'basic' service cost yet but I imagine is c£4-500 if done by Omega?
Rigga, thanks for your post - greatly appreciated to have a professional view on these things. On the basis of your wisdom I shall certainly not be running it full time (I haven't to date either, thank goodness).
Just out of interest (and perhaps of interest to Budflicker who runs his constantly) - what sort of magnitude of additional cost are we talking about? To be honest I haven't had to enquire about the 'basic' service cost yet but I imagine is c£4-500 if done by Omega?
Happy to be of assistance.
The retail cost of a full service at an AD is £585.
With the extra repairs (should they be required) it would be about £700.
Of course, when you want it serviced, you will remember this thread and remember that I am a top level Omega accredited watchmaker. Lol
Then it will cost you about £300.
The retail cost of a full service at an AD is £585.
With the extra repairs (should they be required) it would be about £700.
Of course, when you want it serviced, you will remember this thread and remember that I am a top level Omega accredited watchmaker. Lol
Then it will cost you about £300.
RiggaTheMighty said:
It doesn't matter which system of clutch an Automatic Chronograph has, whether it be an ETA7750, A modular attachment to the 2892, a Co-Axial or any other kind of in-house movement.
Leaving your Chronograph running all of the time is not recommended.
From a mechanical viewpoint, it is not an issue, the chrono can run all the time, but it is not supposed to.
If you leave it running permanently, you will find that it will affect your timekeeping in due time and you will need your watch to be serviced a lot earlier than it should be, then after that the service intervals will become sooner and sooner.
The undue wear is not the primary idea of the designer who came up with the mechanism.
Chronographs are designed to allow you to time an event, up to the capacity of the Dial increment.
So if you time an event that lasts 12 hours and then reset the hands, the watch will continue to run well and settle back into normal function.
If you run it all of the time, the movement is constantly under strain and the friction on the pivots of the wheels is greater, causing issues way before they are due.
From purchasing the watch you have, you shouldn't need a service for around 8-10 years.
But, I have seen Seamaster Automatic Chronographs in the workshop after 3 years of being purchased, with worn pivots and holes in the plates that need to be replaced due to the constant force from the Chronograph running all day every day. This type of repair would cost a considerable amount on top of your service cost.
Ultimately, it is your watch and your money.
If you like to leave it running and you don't mind the shortened service intervals, then you can do what you like.
Oh Leaving your Chronograph running all of the time is not recommended.
From a mechanical viewpoint, it is not an issue, the chrono can run all the time, but it is not supposed to.
If you leave it running permanently, you will find that it will affect your timekeeping in due time and you will need your watch to be serviced a lot earlier than it should be, then after that the service intervals will become sooner and sooner.
The undue wear is not the primary idea of the designer who came up with the mechanism.
Chronographs are designed to allow you to time an event, up to the capacity of the Dial increment.
So if you time an event that lasts 12 hours and then reset the hands, the watch will continue to run well and settle back into normal function.
If you run it all of the time, the movement is constantly under strain and the friction on the pivots of the wheels is greater, causing issues way before they are due.
From purchasing the watch you have, you shouldn't need a service for around 8-10 years.
But, I have seen Seamaster Automatic Chronographs in the workshop after 3 years of being purchased, with worn pivots and holes in the plates that need to be replaced due to the constant force from the Chronograph running all day every day. This type of repair would cost a considerable amount on top of your service cost.
Ultimately, it is your watch and your money.
If you like to leave it running and you don't mind the shortened service intervals, then you can do what you like.
RiggaTheMighty said:
Happy to be of assistance.
The retail cost of a full service at an AD is £585.
With the extra repairs (should they be required) it would be about £700.
Of course, when you want it serviced, you will remember this thread and remember that I am a top level Omega accredited watchmaker. Lol
Then it will cost you about £300.
About £300 and a bottle of something nice potentially! Thanks Rigga The retail cost of a full service at an AD is £585.
With the extra repairs (should they be required) it would be about £700.
Of course, when you want it serviced, you will remember this thread and remember that I am a top level Omega accredited watchmaker. Lol
Then it will cost you about £300.
My father's 1968 Speedy Pro was recently overhauled by Omega Switzerland at £1,500.
The stopwatch function ceased to function 4 months later. It might run for a couple of minutes, or not at all. He never uses the function. Maybe underuse is an issue too?
Watch is back with Omega now. Fault cannot be replicated with movement out but the AD tested it as faulty prior to dispatch and has suggested they put it back into the case and try it.
Covered by repair warranty, but worrying it's been to the best place on earth and they got it wrong!
The stopwatch function ceased to function 4 months later. It might run for a couple of minutes, or not at all. He never uses the function. Maybe underuse is an issue too?
Watch is back with Omega now. Fault cannot be replicated with movement out but the AD tested it as faulty prior to dispatch and has suggested they put it back into the case and try it.
Covered by repair warranty, but worrying it's been to the best place on earth and they got it wrong!
RiggaTheMighty said:
It doesn't matter which system of clutch an Automatic Chronograph has, whether it be an ETA7750, A modular attachment to the 2892, a Co-Axial or any other kind of in-house movement.
Leaving your Chronograph running all of the time is not recommended.
From a mechanical viewpoint, it is not an issue, the chrono can run all the time, but it is not supposed to.
If you leave it running permanently, you will find that it will affect your timekeeping in due time and you will need your watch to be serviced a lot earlier than it should be, then after that the service intervals will become sooner and sooner.
The undue wear is not the primary idea of the designer who came up with the mechanism.
Chronographs are designed to allow you to time an event, up to the capacity of the Dial increment.
So if you time an event that lasts 12 hours and then reset the hands, the watch will continue to run well and settle back into normal function.
If you run it all of the time, the movement is constantly under strain and the friction on the pivots of the wheels is greater, causing issues way before they are due.
From purchasing the watch you have, you shouldn't need a service for around 8-10 years.
But, I have seen Seamaster Automatic Chronographs in the workshop after 3 years of being purchased, with worn pivots and holes in the plates that need to be replaced due to the constant force from the Chronograph running all day every day. This type of repair would cost a considerable amount on top of your service cost.
Ultimately, it is your watch and your money.
If you like to leave it running and you don't mind the shortened service intervals, then you can do what you like.
Apologies for the hijack OP.Leaving your Chronograph running all of the time is not recommended.
From a mechanical viewpoint, it is not an issue, the chrono can run all the time, but it is not supposed to.
If you leave it running permanently, you will find that it will affect your timekeeping in due time and you will need your watch to be serviced a lot earlier than it should be, then after that the service intervals will become sooner and sooner.
The undue wear is not the primary idea of the designer who came up with the mechanism.
Chronographs are designed to allow you to time an event, up to the capacity of the Dial increment.
So if you time an event that lasts 12 hours and then reset the hands, the watch will continue to run well and settle back into normal function.
If you run it all of the time, the movement is constantly under strain and the friction on the pivots of the wheels is greater, causing issues way before they are due.
From purchasing the watch you have, you shouldn't need a service for around 8-10 years.
But, I have seen Seamaster Automatic Chronographs in the workshop after 3 years of being purchased, with worn pivots and holes in the plates that need to be replaced due to the constant force from the Chronograph running all day every day. This type of repair would cost a considerable amount on top of your service cost.
Ultimately, it is your watch and your money.
If you like to leave it running and you don't mind the shortened service intervals, then you can do what you like.
I have an old franken quartz seamaster that needs a look at, is this something you'd be able to help with?
Can update with the movement later, the watch itself isn't worth much but has huge sentimental value.
Thanks
dxbtiger said:
Apologies for the hijack OP.
I have an old franken quartz seamaster that needs a look at, is this something you'd be able to help with?
Can update with the movement later, the watch itself isn't worth much but has huge sentimental value.
Thanks
Of course, yeah. I have an old franken quartz seamaster that needs a look at, is this something you'd be able to help with?
Can update with the movement later, the watch itself isn't worth much but has huge sentimental value.
Thanks
Obviously, as a watchmaker, im not a big fan of any frakenwatch, but drop me an email and I will look into it.
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