Omega Service Experience

[Trane]

I am currently having a horrible experience with having a Speedmaster serviced and I was curious if this is now a common occurrence amongst other members of the forum. I submitted the watch in for service in September 2022 at an Omega boutique and was given a "guaranteed" delivery date of February 2023. The service manager did warn me that it may take until December 2022 and to be patient so I knew going in that it wouldn't necessarily be the fastest turn around.

It is now the end of March and I have made many attempts to contact Omega directly for an update, they did get back to me towards the end of February to apologize and explain that the watch was now heading back from Switzerland to Canada and that delivery is expected by the week of March 13th. After that date came and passed I decided to contact Omega directly again and express my disappointment. It has been crickets ever since.

This is more of an attempt to see how commonplace this experience has become and not to complain, I am curious to see if I am the only one in this boat.

[brandrea]

I’m confused, why was it sent to Switzerland? Are we talking a 321 here?

[Trane]

I had a similar reaction, it’s just an 1861.

[alllexandru]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I’m confused, why was it sent to Switzerland? Are we talking a 321 here?

Probably because the AD doesn’t have a skilled person who can address the issues, therefore for particular more complicated interventions the watches are sent to mother house.

I don’t consider a horrible experience what OP described, maybe the AD should have been straight forward telling that they are not able to fix it internally and that will be sent to Omega HQ

Delays sometimes are to be expected as long as they are communicated everything should be ok.

OP I hope you get the watch soon I’m sure it will be handled well by Omega

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by alllexandru

Probably because the AD doesn’t have a skilled person who can address the issues, therefore for particular more complicated interventions the watches are sent to mother house.

I don’t consider a horrible experience what OP described, maybe the AD should have been straight forward telling that they are not able to fix it internally and that will be sent to Omega HQ

Delays sometimes are to be expected as long as they are communicated everything should be ok.

OP I hope you get the watch soon I’m sure it will be handled well by Omega

But we have an Omega Service Center right here in Toronto, no need to rely on an AD.

I’d still be very curious as to why a 1861 had to be shipped back to the mothership

[Trane]

Originally Posted by alllexandru

Probably because the AD doesn’t have a skilled person who can address the issues, therefore for particular more complicated interventions the watches are sent to mother house.

I don’t consider a horrible experience what OP described, maybe the AD should have been straight forward telling that they are not able to fix it internally and that will be sent to Omega HQ

Delays sometimes are to be expected as long as they are communicated everything should be ok.

OP I hope you get the watch soon I’m sure it will be handled well by Omega

I think that 8 months service time for a Speedmaster is pretty bad but that's my personal opinion

Thanks for the well wishes!

[alllexandru]

Originally Posted by Trane

I think that 8 months service time for a Speedmaster is pretty bad

I agree

[AEC]

Originally Posted by Trane

... the watch was now heading back from Switzerland to Canada and that delivery is expected by the week of March 13th.

I call bullshit. There's no way your watch went to Bienne. A contemporary Speedmaster Pro dropped off to an Omega Boutique in Toronto, which needed only to transfer it to the Omega Service Center also in Toronto?

I hesitate to accuse someone I don't even know of lying, but...

[sportsfan0704]

Originally Posted by AEC

I call bullshit. There's no way your watch went to Bienne. A contemporary Speedmaster Pro dropped off to an Omega Boutique in Toronto, which needed only to transfer it to the Omega Service Center also in Toronto?

I hesitate to accuse someone I don't even know of lying, but...

agree. Something doesn't seem right about that. It is Omega's bread and butter movement and a modern watch. It's not like we are talking about a vintage piece that only their special Swiss people could deal with. Someone probably forgot to send it where it needed to go until you asked them whats going on, and now they're working on it.

[DJ2020]

Following

[Trane]

I received an update from the boutique. They claim that Omega had contacted them and relayed that the watch was stuck in customs and that it would be another 2-3 weeks before it would be sorted (I’ll believe it when I see it at this point). The service manager also told me that Omega will be deducting the service cost by $100 and that I will be receiving “a small gift”, whatever that means. It seems that it either did in fact leave the country or that they are sticking to their story if not. I am cautiously optimistic that I will be receiving it back relatively soon.

[onnomon]

My 1861 overhaul went to Switzerland and took countless months. So i'm not surprised. This was a Soccer timer from the early 70's.

[kearez]

Originally Posted by Trane

I received an update from the boutique. They claim that Omega had contacted them and relayed that the watch was stuck in customs and that it would be another 2-3 weeks before it would be sorted (I’ll believe it when I see it at this point). The service manager also told me that Omega will be deducting the service cost by $100 and that I will be receiving “a small gift”, whatever that means. It seems that it either did in fact leave the country or that they are sticking to their story if not. I am cautiously optimistic that I will be receiving it back relatively soon.

Watches don't really get stuck in customs especially when it would Omega to Omega. Swatch has their own brokerage team. I have feeling it more huge back log, lets sent to Switzerland sort of deal.

[GTS Dean]

When I got my first Speedy about 13 years ago, I heard all sorts of sad stories about the New Jersey service center. I sent my 1861 in for minor service and shipped it to the Seattle facility instead. I got a link to their center and could check on status at any time. They sent regular updates on parts (waiting for a Decimeter bezel).

When it was done, they emailed me a shipping notice. The next day after lunch, it arrived at my home. I opened it up and the stopwatch was still running - 21 hours and 20 minutes from door to door. About 3 months total time.

[00st]

Shipping a watch out to Switzerland when you can easily get it done in the your city, I’d never tell anyone to take that route.

[shedlock2000]

Originally Posted by Trane

I think that 8 months service time for a Speedmaster is pretty bad but that's my personal opinion

Thanks for the well wishes!

I concur — my 1675 service only took 2 months — I’d expect better service from Omega.


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[ELee]

I sent in my ck2998 for service in the beginning December. Still ant the device center and not much detail except to say they are waiting for parts. Hope it shows back up soon.

[boywithakoi]

Is it normal procedure for Omega to send services to Switzerland? If not, what are the circumstances that would lead to this?

[AEC]

Originally Posted by boywithakoi

Is it normal procedure for Omega to send services to Switzerland? If not, what are the circumstances that would lead to this?

I think it's based basically on the age of the watch, where older models go to a special team in Switzerland. I'm not sure of the exact criteria, but some time ago there was a page on Omega's site giving some indication which watches would go to that team (not sure if the page is still there).

[sapper17]

I had a brand new 3861 for one week. I realized that the Chrono second-hand did not reset right at the top, this bothered me. I brought it back to my AD and they shipped it out, and I was told 4 weeks. Side note, the watch was one week old, perfect. The watch comes back, and the Chrono second-hand resets perfectly, but the clasp is scratched to hell!! I lost it, sales person said he would send it out again. Thankfully the GM came over and took a clasp off a brand new one. I highly recommend them if you are in the Northeast. Martin Jewelers in Cranford NJ