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Old 22 April 2018, 06:19 AM   #1
Wcdhtwn
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SeaMaster 300 Co-Axial Problem

A friend of mine has an almost 3 year old Seamaster 300 Co-Axial. A couple of days ago, Thursday I think, it stopped running. He wears it daily and winds it if he needs to. It's the only watch he wears. When it stopped he wound it, it ran for a while then stopped again. Another full wind and after an hour or less it stopped. Friday he comes by and I look at it, it's started running again inexplicably, and I gave it a full wind. It's been running since.

I recommended he take it to the Omega Boutique in Houston to have them look at it, which he did and I went with him. One of the sales guys there, not the onsite technician, discussed what was happening and looked at the watch, not the inside. He noted a couple of small dings, one on the crown (more of a scratch than a dent) and one on the case, opposite side about at about the 8:00 mark. To be clear this is on the side of the case, not the bezel or crystal. To me neither are significant, I couldn't see them without a loupe, these weren't caused by a major shock to the watch. And my friend has no idea how these got here, he doesn't baby it but doesn't beat it up either.

The sales guy said that based on these two marks that he believes the watch has suffered internal damage and needs to be sent to Omega. This starts at $550 and takes 8-10 weeks. How could the sales guy know, and he was certain, that it needs to be sent in just from seeing these two small marks? Again he didn't open the watch, they don't do that there. The technician is supposed to test the watch, the 6 point test, whatever that is. Will testing how well the watch is keeping time reveal the likelihood of other damage and help pinpoint the possible cause (at least give the Omega people enough info for an educated guess)? Is it possible for the watch to keep time within specs and still have a problem with the spring or something else causing it to stop? The watch doesn't lose or gain time that one would notice over the course of a few hours.

Other questions:
Is there any chance that it stopping several times is just an anomaly? Does this watch have a track record of this issue? I searched in here and google but didn't find anything specific to this issue. ​
Does Omega have service centers in the US? Or will this actually have to be sent to Switzerland? If there are centers in the US could anyone let me know where they are?
I have a Seamaster circa 1998 and it's always been a tank. As are my Rolexes. I would think the Seamaster 300 is also a tank and can take a good beating and not be affected. Am I wrong about this? Is the Co-Axial not as sturdy as one would expect?
There are several places in Houston that could (probably) fix whatever the problem. However them accessing Omega parts isn't certain, probably unlikely. He isn't looking to sell it, but if he did how important to resale, and overall long term quality, that any broken parts be replaced with genuine Omega parts? I know this is important for Rolex so I'd assume the same for Omega. Should I steer him away from using non Omega parts?

I know pictures help but I didn't take any and the watch is now at the Omega Boutique. Not sure my iPhone could zoom in far enough to take a clear picture of these two spots anyway.

Any insight to some or all of these questions would be highly appreciated.
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Old 22 April 2018, 08:23 AM   #2
sensui
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Sounds off and as off-putting as the sales person sounds......you have to understand they are just trying to protect themselves and give themselves an exit clause (AKA he has no idea what's wrong with the watch either). There are service centers for Omega in the US, they wouldn't send that to Switzerland....for example near me there is one in the LA area of Culver City.....

https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/c...united-states/

I would find an independent that has an Omega parts account/trained for their watches. My watchmaker here in San Diego is one such instance and he services all my Rolex/Omega (D's Time Service). If I brought him that watch he'd open the caseback on the spot and should quickly give you an assessment.....no more than a 15 min thing (even including measuring the amplitude/error rate). Best of luck with your friend.....but I haven't heard anything too problematic with recent co-axial watches.....their earlier movements like the 2500 coaxial movement before the d revision had some issues but it was sorted.
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Old 22 April 2018, 12:05 PM   #3
Tbonewalk
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Seamaster 300 and Omega Service

I'd look around online, Yelp reviews are good- and see if you can find a guy who sounds and seems trustworthy to handle your watch. I don't think you need someone with authorization, etc. I base this on my good fortune with a modest guy I found locally who has serviced my Rolexes. Nor would I be concerned with the use of genuine parts, especially when we don't even know what is needed yet.

I just sold mine and will post a mini-review explaining why. That watch is an expensive tool watch, highly reviewed and regarded and supposed to withstand great stress. That would bug the heck out of me to experience a problem with it early on.

I suspect that any good repair/service guy should know his way around Rolex, but I am not so sure about Omega. My guy, who I love, doesn't mess with Omega. I am not sure if that applies to vintage ones or the co-axial thing. If you are at their mercy and it is so specific and specialized that you have to see Omega if it needs something, well... that would be a major turnoff to a buyer. Good luck, but this sounds so off-putting to me...
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Old 22 April 2018, 07:43 PM   #4
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Is it a Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial, like the one in Tbonewalk's photo? If so, the please check the warranty that came with the watch. I believe Omega provides a 4-year warranty on Caliber 8400.

Either way, I recommend ditching the boutique. Telephone Omega Customer Service at the toll-free number shown on the Omega web site, and ask their assistance getting your watch sent in for service. I recommend asking that the watch be serviced at Omega's center in Seattle. They'll email a shipping label directly to the owner of the watch for shipping directly to the Service Center. Once it's received there, Omega will send email with login credentials for its Customer information System on its web site, allowing the owner to log in and track the watch's status as it moves through the process.

If it's a Master Co-Axial, it's almost certainly under warranty. If it's a Caliber 2500 watch, then it may not be technically under warranty (I think the warranty period is shorter on Caliber 2500), but even it isn't there still is the possibility that Omega will correct the problem at no cost for a watch as new as your friend's is.

Omega has a number of factory service centers in the US. The one in Seattle has the best reputation for quality and quick turn-around. When you phone Omega to request help shipping it there, they may direct you to drop it off at the Boutique in Houston, but I think it's better to ship it in yourself because then you get the log-in credentials to use the Customer Information System. If for some reason you prefer to drop it off at the Boutique, rest assured that it will go to Seattle, which handles service for all watches handed over at all of Omega's Boutiques in the US.

Good luck!
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Old 22 April 2018, 11:02 PM   #5
texasmade
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Is that last part about Seattle true? I had an SMP serviced a few years back and the Houston boutique sent my watch off to NJ.
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Old 22 April 2018, 11:17 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by texasmade View Post
Is that last part about Seattle true? I had an SMP serviced a few years back and the Houston boutique sent my watch off to NJ.
That makes sense, as the assignment of watches from Boutiques to Seattle is a recent change. I think it happened in 2017.

My watch is at the Seattle center now, and the details I wrote about are based on conversations I had with the manager of that center last week.
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Old 25 April 2018, 01:06 AM   #7
Wcdhtwn
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Thanks everyone. The watch passed the 6 point evaluation so the conclusion is that it just wasn't wound enough. Which is possible but the owner of the watch is skeptical about that outcome. Looks like this will be a wait and see situation. Hopefully they are correct about needing to be wound fully.
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Old 25 April 2018, 09:52 AM   #8
Tbonewalk
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Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn View Post
Thanks everyone. The watch passed the 6 point evaluation so the conclusion is that it just wasn't wound enough. Which is possible but the owner of the watch is skeptical about that outcome. Looks like this will be a wait and see situation. Hopefully they are correct about needing to be wound fully.
Sounds very weird to me. For what that watch costs and the way that movement is touted, it should run super efficiently. As I recall, I think sometimes, just for the heck of it, I'd shake it a little to start it up (and I mean just a little) and put it on my wrist, and it'd run fine. And I am very inactive. My Seikos with the 7S26 (no hand winding) would frequently die on my wrist and had very limited reserve. Unless an isolated incident, this is not a very resounding or encouraging endorsement of Omega or their evaluation and customer service skills... your friend cannot be pleased with this!
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Old 25 April 2018, 08:02 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn View Post
... He wears it daily and winds it if he needs to. It's the only watch he wears. When it stopped he wound it, it ran for a while then stopped again. Another full wind and after an hour or less it stopped. Friday he comes by and I look at it, it's started running again inexplicably, and I gave it a full wind. It's been running since.
Ask the owner of the watch to wind it while you observe. It's hard to imagine he is not winding the watch when he believes he is, but stranger things have happened...

I agree that it sounds like there is a problem, and that the six-point inspection had no way of revealing this. Let me guess: the six-point inspection was performed at the same Boutique that said dings on the case were confirmation of a problem internal to the watch.

I say forget that Boutique, and phone Omega Customer Service to say the watch has a problem, and you would like them to email a shipping label for transportation of the watch directly from its owner to the Omega Service Center in Seattle. At least it will be inspected by a qualified watchmaker there.

Also, if this is a Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial with caliber 8400, then it's under the 4-year Omega warranty that comes with Caliber 8XXX movements. Even if it's an SMP Co-Axial with caliber 2500 then it came with a 3-year warranty. You stated originally that the watch is "nearly three years old", so I think this problem is covered by the Omega warranty.
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Old 29 April 2018, 10:19 AM   #10
bkelly88
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I am the owner of the watch in question, and if it stops again, I will send it to Omega. I find it hard to believe that after two+ years of wearing it every day that it would just stop. And stop again after winding it 25 times just two hours after the last stoppage.
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Old 29 April 2018, 11:08 AM   #11
AEC
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Originally Posted by bkelly88 View Post
I am the owner of the watch in question, and if it stops again, I will send it to Omega. I find it hard to believe that after two+ years of wearing it every day that it would just stop. And stop again after winding it 25 times just two hours after the last stoppage.
Glad to hear from you. Is your watch a Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial, powered by Caliber 8400? If so, and if you purchased it through an authorized dealer who validated the warranty, then the malfunction you're experiencing is undoubtedly covered under warranty. If it's a Seamaster Professional Co-Axial, powered by Caliber 2500, and if it's less than three years old (and from an authorized dealer who validated the warranty), then I believe it's covered under warranty, too.

Your warranty booklet will say whether an Seamaster Professional with a Co-Axial movement is covered, but I'm pretty sure that watch came with a 36 month warranty.
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Old 29 April 2018, 12:47 PM   #12
Tbonewalk
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Glad to hear from you. Is your watch a Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial, powered by Caliber 8400? If so, and if you purchased it through an authorized dealer who validated the warranty, then the malfunction you're experiencing is undoubtedly covered under warranty. If it's a Seamaster Professional Co-Axial, powered by Caliber 2500, and if it's less than three years old (and from an authorized dealer who validated the warranty), then I believe it's covered under warranty, too.

Your warranty booklet will say whether an Seamaster Professional with a Co-Axial movement is covered, but I'm pretty sure that watch came with a 36 month warranty.
I thought not, but just looked it up and it says 4 years, though not exactly sure what that means or is covered and what it entails. It is the 8400, if it is the same as mine. I did not buy from an AD, and rarely do, but there is something to be said for it if you have a problem...
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Old 29 April 2018, 12:57 PM   #13
Tbonewalk
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bkelly88 View Post
I am the owner of the watch in question, and if it stops again, I will send it to Omega. I find it hard to believe that after two+ years of wearing it every day that it would just stop. And stop again after winding it 25 times just two hours after the last stoppage.
I am so sorry to hear of your difficulty with this. It shouldn't be, but as we know, stuff happens. I am of the impression that getting involved with Omega service means a high admission fee. I'd try to find another alternative, perhaps a good repair guy can handle it. Though difficult if not working right, would you consider getting out of it and starting anew, maybe another watch to replace it?
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Old 1 August 2019, 06:27 AM   #14
ews25
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Curious how this turned out.

I have a similar problem with a co-ax Seamaster 300M. Works fine for several weeks, then either randomly loses 45 minutes overnight (has happened twice - most recently last night) or stops altogether and, even if wound, either won't restart or stops again in a few minutes.
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