zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

33x3 movement: reliable to buy? Posted By: grigoris (adsl-143-113.adsl.ntua.gr) Date: 10/12/07 17:41:44 GMT

Good evening gentlemen.

It's morning here, but... =)

I own the SMPC (2594.52) and I want to add to my collection another seamaster chrono. Since I don't want to buy the same style watch (ACC), I am between Bond Chrono (2225.80) and POC (2210.51).

However, I found out on the net that the 33x3 movements (i.e. POC wears 3313) had some problems. Here are some links you may found useful:

http://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=tree&goto=740166&rid=146

http://chronocentric.com/forums/omega/index.cgi?noframes;read=39214

Here are a couple more posts/threads for you to read over on WUS:

Here is a link where Tim Houser sums up his experience with Omega the c.33xx movement and repair... Tim's story is far from the only repeat repair horror story on the c.33xx.

and:

As I said in my reply in the first portal above...

My first aim was the POC but with all that complaints, I took 180 degrees turn and I am thinking of Bond chrono which uses 1164 movement, a movement which is tested for more than 10 years.

Actually, the Valjoux 7750 Base movement first bowed in 1973 or 1974, so it's been around in various forms [17 Jewel early on, most versions today are 25 Jewels or more] for nearly 34 years. The SeMPC [also sometimes referred to as the "Bond Chrono", even though the only chronograph 007 has ever been shown wearing was a Rolex "Pre-"Daytona...] was watch of the year in 1994 after a 1993 introduction... So the 1164 movement has [roughly] a 14 year track record...

I am a big fan of the SeMPC, especially in Titanium:

So I'm probably not entirely impartial [but at least I do state that clearly]. The SeMPC is probably thicker than the PO Chrono but is smaller in overall size than the 45.5MM POC. You could pick up another c.33xx movement or sample the c.1164 movement. It's really your choice.

Furthermore, it is that AR-coating at the outside of the crystal of the PO. I think this is a con.

As long as the coating is resilient it's typically not a big deal, but if you don't care for that, [shrugs shoulders] you don't.

Whats your opinion? Should I proceed with POC?

The Valjoux 7750 is a movement with a far more established and better track record. It's biggest fault is that it's widely available and hence many many many manufactures use it. The c.33xx's are only used by Omega [and frankly, I think anyone else would avoid using it if they were offered it].

I can't make the decision for you. I own a SeMPC and couldn't be happier with it. I also own a large spread of Valjoux 7750 powered watches from a wide variety of firms. Today, I'm wearing the Certina Audi Design Quattro:

[The one on the left]...

I have had very few problems with my 7750's and nearly all of them were bought used off of eBay, are often 20, 25 or even 30 years or older, and most haven't been serviced since I bought them.

And there's the c.33xx's.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Here is my standard advice to folks on the topic of watches:

In the end your decision will be a value judgement. And the best person in the world to make a value judgement for you, IS YOU.

So here is my advice... Visit an Authorized Omega dealer and ask to see and try on your wrist each of your candidate watches. Once you have the watch on your wrist imagine all of the experiences you and the watch will share over the next 10 to 20 years... The classes, the trips, the weddings, funerals, births, graduations, jobs, hanging out with friends and days knocking about the house. Picture yourself wearing the watch in those situations, and when you've done that with both watches, go home and think about which watch is a better fit for you and your lifestyle. That's the watch you should get. And consider that in 20-25 years or so, you might wish to pass that watch along to your eldest son when he graduates from High School. Which one would you like to pass on? For we really don't own these watches, we are merely their caretakers for the next generation...

Thanks and have a good day.

I'm sure I've probably caused more questions in your mind than I've answered, but at least it's a start.

Cheers and best of fortune to you!

Grigoris

-- Chuck

Chuck Maddox

Watch Article Index: http://www.xnet.com/~cmaddox/cm3articles.html,

Watch Links Page: http://www.xnet.com/~cmaddox/watch.html,

Watch Blog: http://chuckmaddoxwatch.blogspot.com/.

Chronographs, like most finer things in life, only improve with time...