Customer Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Top Frequently Asked Questions
You can be sure you are buying a genuine OMEGA watch if you follow these steps:
Buy an OMEGA watch only from authorized OMEGA retailers who will give you the credit-card size warranty, duly completed with the 8-digit serial number, the watch reference and the retailer's full name and address.
A chronograph is a watch with hands that display hours, minutes and seconds, together with a mechanism for measuring elapsed time by means of a central chronograph hand, which records seconds, and totalisers for the minutes and hours (not mandatory).
A chronometer is a watch whose movement has obtained an official rate certificate from the COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute) after having passed precision tests in different positions and at different temperatures. These tests are conducted over a 15-day period.
Why a helium escape valve? When carrying out work at great depths, professional divers stay in a diving bell for several days, breathing a mixture of gases containing a high proportion of helium. The pressure is gradually increased to reach the pressure at the working depth. The divers, still inside the bell, are then lowered to the working site. They leave the bell to carry out their work.
Once their work is complete, they re-enter the bell, which is then raised to the surface. Pressure is then returned to atmospheric levels and this is when the valve must be opened (only for deep-sea dives lasting several days).
The helium molecules diffuse and penetrate the material of the gaskets. The quantity is sufficient to push out the crystal during the return to atmospheric pressure. To avoid this, the Seamaster Professional Diver is equipped with a valve specially developed by OMEGA.
OMEGA guarantees repairs and the delivery of spare parts for its watches for at least 20 years from the date production is discontinued. Beyond this time, OMEGA will do its utmost to ensure collectors' items and vintage watches can be repaired.
The Seamaster Professional Diver 300 M was worn by James Bond in five Bond movies. These Seamasters are made of stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, fitted with a blue dial, unidirectional rotating bezel with blue ring and a sapphire crystal. They have a diameter of 41 mm and are waterproof to 300 metres. In Casino Royale, before Bond was assigned his 00 status (“license to kill”), he was wearing a Seamaster Planet Ocean with a diameter of 45.5 mm.In Quantum of Solace, James Bond wears a Seamaster Planet Ocean 600 M with OMEGA’s revolutionary Co-Axial technology and water resistance to 600 metres (2000 feet). It has a diameter of 42 mm and a dramatic black dial.
1995 Golden Eye
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2541.80.00, sold out)
1997 Tomorrow Never Dies
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2531.80.00, sold out)
1999 The World Is Not Enough
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2531.80.00, sold out)
2002 Die Another Day
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2531.80.00, sold out)
2006 Casino Royale
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2220.80.00)
Seamaster Planet Ocean (Reference 2900.50.91)
2008 Quantum of Solace
Seamaster Planet Ocean (Reference 2201.50.00)
Seamaster
The gents' Seamaster Professional watches are available in two sizes: the standard size, with a diameter of 41 mm, and the mid-size, with a diameter of 36.25 mm. The Seamaster watches are equipped with either a self-winding or quartz movement.
2220.80.00: standard size with a self-winding movement
2222.80.00: mid-size with a self-winding movement
2221.80.00: standard size with a quartz movement
2223.80.00: mid-size with a quartz movement
Why a helium escape valve? When carrying out work at great depths, professional divers stay in a diving bell for several days, breathing a mixture of gases containing a high proportion of helium. The pressure is gradually increased to reach the pressure at the working depth. The divers, still inside the bell, are then lowered to the working site. They leave the bell to carry out their work.
Once their work is complete, they re-enter the bell, which is then raised to the surface. Pressure is then returned to atmospheric levels and this is when the valve must be opened (only for deep-sea dives lasting several days).
The helium molecules diffuse and penetrate the material of the gaskets. The quantity is sufficient to push out the crystal during the return to atmospheric pressure. To avoid this, the Seamaster Professional Diver is equipped with a valve specially developed by OMEGA.
The Seamaster Professional Diver 300 M was worn by James Bond in five Bond movies. These Seamasters are made of stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, fitted with a blue dial, unidirectional rotating bezel with blue ring and a sapphire crystal. They have a diameter of 41 mm and are waterproof to 300 metres. In Casino Royale, before Bond was assigned his 00 status (“license to kill”), he was wearing a Seamaster Planet Ocean with a diameter of 45.5 mm.In Quantum of Solace, James Bond wears a Seamaster Planet Ocean 600 M with OMEGA’s revolutionary Co-Axial technology and water resistance to 600 metres (2000 feet). It has a diameter of 42 mm and a dramatic black dial.
1995 Golden Eye
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2541.80.00, sold out)
1997 Tomorrow Never Dies
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2531.80.00, sold out)
1999 The World Is Not Enough
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2531.80.00, sold out)
2002 Die Another Day
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2531.80.00, sold out)
2006 Casino Royale
Seamaster Diver 300 M (Reference 2220.80.00)
Seamaster Planet Ocean (Reference 2900.50.91)
2008 Quantum of Solace
Seamaster Planet Ocean (Reference 2201.50.00)
Speedmaster
The desired information is read off between the central seconds hand of the chronograph and the tachometer scale, over a maximum duration of 60 seconds.
Example of using the tachymetric scale to calculate the speed of a car:
Record the time the car takes to cover a distance of 1 kilometre. Read off the tachymetric scale the speed indicated by the central seconds hand. In the case it stops at 120, the car is travelling at 120 km/h.
The Speedmaster Professional with reference number 3570.50.00 is the original Moon Watch. This model is made of stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, fitted with a black dial and a hesalite crystal. It is waterproof to 50 metres/100 feet and is equipped with the calibre 1861 manual-winding movement.
The Speedmaster Professional is worn by astronauts in outer space. When NASA chose this watch, they requested a hesalite crystal, which "unlike a sapphire crystal" does not break into tiny fragments on impact.This feature is very important for astronauts, as the tiny fragments of a broken sapphire crystal would pose a danger in a zero-gravity environment.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
You can be sure you are buying a genuine OMEGA watch if you follow these steps:
Buy an OMEGA watch only from authorized OMEGA retailers who will give you the credit-card size warranty, duly completed with the 8-digit serial number, the watch reference and the retailer's full name and address.
A chronograph is a watch with hands that display hours, minutes and seconds, together with a mechanism for measuring elapsed time by means of a central chronograph hand, which records seconds, and totalisers for the minutes and hours (not mandatory).
A chronometer is a watch whose movement has obtained an official rate certificate from the COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute) after having passed precision tests in different positions and at different temperatures. These tests are conducted over a 15-day period.
The push buttons serve to start or stop the function, and to reset the chronograph. Generally, the push button at 2 o'clock is to start and stop the chronograph function.
There are some chronographs with mono-pusher as well in the OMEGA collection.
The difference between these two movements is the way in which the watch is wound up. Manual-winding watches must be wound by hand every day, whereas self-winding watches are wound by an internal rotor which responds to wrist movements. Self-winding watches usually have a power reserve of at least 40 hours and therefore have sufficient energy reserves to maintain a stable rate when the watch is not being worn (e.g. overnight).
Yes. OMEGA watches are anti-magnetic in accordance with the definitions of the ISO 764 standard. This standard is based on the accidental passage of a watch in a magnetic field of 4,800A/m, i.e. 0.006 Tesla. As part of the ISO 764 test, the watch is placed in a magnetic field along 3 different axes, for one minute each time:
- Parallel to the plan-view of the watch, in the direction from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock
- Then in the direction from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock
- Then along an axis perpendicular to the plan-view of the watch.
In order to pass the test, a mechanical watch should not stop within the three periods indicated above. The effect of the residual magnetism should not exceed a certain amount per day, determined by the type of watch.
We sell our OMEGA products only through our network of selected retail partners which, under certain conditions and in addition to their physical retail store, may also sell our products through their websites. We strongly advise you to exercise caution and always to make sure that you are dealing with an authorised OMEGA retailer. Purchasing an OMEGA watch from an unauthorised party is at the buyer's sole risk, particularly in the case of counterfeit, substandard or stolen products.
The materials used by OMEGA are subjected to severe tests in order to avoid this problem. The stainless steel used by OMEGA does contain nickel, but this must first be transferred from the material to the skin before an allergy is triggered. Our stainless steel is so stable that it does not release nickel and is therefore safe for allergy sufferers. The only exception is for those who are hyper-sensitive to stainless steel, i.e. those who cannot cook or eat with stainless steel utensils. In this case, we recommend you buy a watch which is made of titanium.
To earn the title of chronometer, the mechanical movement’s average daily variation in rate must be between -4/+6 seconds per day, or a precision of 99.99%, the highest precision attainable by a mechanical movement. The precision of a mechanical movement depends on the individual habits of the wearer and can therefore vary. A qualified OMEGA watchmaker can adjust the precision of a watch to within the OMEGA tolerances, which are from -1 to +6 seconds per day.
OMEGA uses Super-LumiNova material for the dials and hands of its watches. The Super-LumiNova material takes its luminescence from daylight or any artificial source of light. The watch should therefore be exposed to bright light in order to ensure the luminescence of the dial and hands in the dark, i.e. during the night. The luminescence decreases with hours but it is restored as soon as the watch is exposed to bright light.
The functioning of a self-winding mechanical OMEGA movement depends on the wrist movements of the wearer. When fully wound, the watch will have a power reserve between 44 and 60 hours, depending on the calibre used.
Since the watch's self-winding mechanism is directly linked to the wearer's activity, 10 to 12 hours' wear should be sufficient to generate a power reserve of 20 hours or more, which ensures that the watch will continue to run throughout the night. However, if a watch has not been worn for several days and its power reserve has thus run low, we recommend you wind the watch manually for around 15 rotations of the crown (clockwise) to ensure the best possible rate from the outset.
OMEGA watches are water resistant to 30, 50, 100, 120, 150, 200, 300, 600 or 1200 metres, depending on the type of watch.
Please keep in mind that a watch's water resistance cannot be permanently guaranteed. It may notably be affected by the ageing of gaskets or by an accidental shock to the crown.
As stipulated in our service instructions, we recommend that you have the water resistance of your watch checked once a year by an authorized OMEGA Service Center.
PDF water resistence chart
- Magnetic fields: avoid placing your watch on speakers or refrigerators, since these have strong magnetic fields.
- Bathing in the sea: always rinse your watch with warm water afterwards. Please note: we recommend that you have the water resistance of your watch checked once a year by an authorized OMEGA Service Center.
- Shocks: whether thermal or other, avoid them.
- Crown: screw it in carefully to ensure that no water enters the mechanism.
- Cleaning: for metal bracelets and for all water-resistant cases use a toothbrush with soapy water and a soft cloth for drying.
- Chemical products: avoid direct contact with solvents, detergents, perfumes, cosmetic products etc., since they may damage the bracelet, the case or the gaskets.
- Temperatures: avoid extreme temperatures (above 60C, or 140F, below 0C, or 32F) or extreme temperature changes.
Like any high-precision instrument, a watch needs to be services regularly in order for it to work perfectly. Obviously, we cannot indicate the intervals for such work, given that it depends entirely on the model, climate and the care taken by the watch's owner. As a general rule, it is between 4 and 5 years, depending on the use of the watch.
OMEGA guarantees repairs and the delivery of spare parts for its watches for at least 20 years from the date production is discontinued. Beyond this time, OMEGA will do its utmost to ensure collectors' items and vintage watches can be repaired.
For technical and quality reasons, we do not deliver individual spare parts directly to our customers. The OMEGA world service centres are available to all customers and offer a professional service, carried out in accordance with OMEGA's high quality standards.
The majority of watches that do not have a chronometer certificate have average precision tolerances of between -1/+11 seconds per day.
The precision of a mechanical movement depends on the individual habits of the wearer and can therefore vary. A qualified OMEGA watchmaker can adjust the precision of a watch to within the OMEGA tolerances.
All OMEGA quartz movements are produced in accordance with OMEGA’s highly renowned procedures and quality standards. Ambient temperature may affect the precision of quartz movements, which can lead to variations of between -0.5 and +0.7 seconds per day.
We often hear from enthusiasts who have questions about the history of their OMEGA watches. We have created a special service for individuals who would like to know more about the production history of their OMEGA products.
The OMEGA Archive link makes it possible for all owners of OMEGA watches made before 2000 to place an order online for an Extract of the Archives relevant to their watch.
This service costs CHF 75.00 per extract or the equivalent in local currency. You may learn more about this service by clicking the following link: OMEGA Watches: Extract of the Archives
The Extract of the Archives is not a Certificate of Authenticity and does not guarantee the authenticity of a watch or its component parts. The Extract of the Archives contains detailed information from our archives which relates to your watch and how it left our facilities in Bienne, as well as the exact production date of the watch.
OMEGA uses the slow and the quick date-change systems:
Slow date-change on calibres 1128, 1150-1-2, 1164, 1270, 1379, 1400, 1424, 1426, 1429, 1430, 1432, 1438, 1441, 1449, 1479, 1530, 1532, 1538, 1675, 1866, 2520, 2600, 2628, 3603, 3606.
OMEGA uses the slow date-change system so that the date-change is clearly visible around midnight and that there is no confusion as to the moment of the date-change. The date of the ending day can be seen in full until 11.30 pm. At midnight, the date of the ending day is still entirely visible at the bottom of the date window, with the new date appearing at the top of the window. Then, the new date moves down through the window and the previous day’s date gradually disappears. This operation is completed between 1 and 3 am.
Avoid changing the date manually between 8 pm and 2 am, since this is the period during which the automatic date-change is in operation.
Quick date-change on calibres 1120, 2300, 2500, 2601, 2610, 2627, 3221, 3301-3, 3304, 3320, 3313, 3612, 3888, 3890, 8500, 8501, 8520, 8521, 8601, 8611
OMEGA uses the quick date-change system, which starts to change the date at about 11.30 pm and comes to its end at 00.10 am. The date of the ending day can be seen in full until 11.50 pm. Between a period of 10 minutes before and after midnight, the calendar jumps and lets appear the date of the next day.
Avoid changing the date manually between 08 pm and 2 am, since this is the period during which the automatic date-change is in operation.
Omega uses this date-change system so that the date-change is clearly visible around midnight and that there is no confusion as to the moment of the date-change.The date of the day that is drawing to a close can be seen in full until 11.45pm. At midnight, the date of the day drawing to a close is still entirely visible at the bottom of the date window, with the new date appearing at the top of the window. Then, the new date moves down through the window and the previous day's date gradually disappears. This operation is completed by 1.30am at the latest.Avoid changing the date manually between 9pm and 2am, since this is the period during which the automatic date-change is in operation.