Omega

OMEGA presents the 1st Master Chronometer, Part 2: the METAS certification lab

 

The Master Chronometer certification laboratory is set up in OMEGA's main building in Biel. It is a separate entity isolated from production, but it is still set up such that the current Globemaster production, for the time being the only watch to be certified, can be tested without unneccessary logistical effort.



All procedures, machinery and workforce here is METAS-certified and audited, respectively, which is why the separation is necessary in order to prevent any manipulation and disturbance. 



Compliance of the lab to the METAS standard has been asserted just prior to our visit, and is proudly displayed in the corridor. The certificate states also that the auditing has to be repeated every three years in order to renew the conformity statement.



So what is actually tested? In total, there are 8 METAS-relevant tests which altogether require a testing period of 10 days. Given the fact that six of them actually last one day each, and in adition also the power reserve is verified, it is quite an organisational feat to concentrate all these tests into a period of only 10 days!



And this here is how it is done:



Before I present you with the impressions from the lab I would comment on the COSC requirement. For many of you (myself included) it came with a surprise that OMEGA sticks to the COSC certification as an entry point to the Master Chronometer procedure. 

 

Initially OMEGA stated they would forego COSC certification as this is a kind of duplicate work. Moreover, the COSC requirements affect only the base movement (not encased and also still without automatic winding bridge). Furthermore, they are much less stringent than Master Chronometer: -4 to +6 sec/day vs. 0 to +5 sec/day, respectively, as illustrated below:



However, both Mr Hobmeier as well as Nick Hayek still see a benefit in the COSC certification, as it at least attests to the reliability of the movement during a 15-day period. Furthermore, OMEGA's loyalty to COSC should be valued as a push to the organisation to move forward.

But now, back into medias res: Measurement of average daily deviation in six positions and two temperatures each:

METAS requires that the daily deviation of a watch is recorded in all six positions for 24h, and this at two temperatures, 23° and 33°, respectively, the first representing a watch taken off the wrist (e.g. during night), the second a watch strapped on. Every test cycle starts with a fully wound watch.



Handling of the watches take place in two adjacent climate chambers (for each temperature one dedicated chamber) by means of fast and automated robots.



Sideral view into one climate chamber, with specialised trays of watches in dedicated positions:



Longitudinal view, with the robot arm at the distant end and several trays in the foreground:



A robot picks and turns watch trays:



The robots are fascinating to watch in their efficiency and specialised programming. Gisbert L. Brunner (watch specialist at www.redbulletin.com) has kindly provided me with the following video he took during our visit (thank you, Gisbert!):

At the begining of such a measurement cycle the a photographic snapshot of the watch is taken to record the initial postion of the hands, and then compared with a further one taken 24h later (and so on).

Currently, this optical determination of timekeeping is still done with human intervention, as the watch heads are manually placed on the recording tray (with computerised assisance for correct placement). Later, when the certification will be upscaled and increasingly more references are undergoing Master Chronometer certification, this step will be fully automated as well.



Perfect regulation in this example:



Once a tray of watch finsihed a cycle it is transported out of the climate chamber for the subsequent tests.



One of the really unique assets of the Master Chronometer certification laboratory is the 15.000 Gauss permanent magnet. I highlighted the word permanent because this represented a real challenge to produce, transport and set up such a magnet in OMEGA's workshops. It is one of the strongest magnets on earth!

 
The magnet houses a 7 x 7cm bore in which either naked movements or assembled watches are inserted on a carrier, all mounted on a specialised tray.

Measurement within the magnet is done acoustically and can be live observed on a monitor outside:

 

If a watch has passed all criteria so far, it is subjected to a water resistancy test. In this test, a given watch is scrutinised whether it achieves its rated water resistancy. This seems obvious but there is a special caveat to this...


  
METAS requires that the water resistancy is ascertained with the watches submerged with real water filled into the pressure chamber, actually, thus a brand trying to cheat here will face substantial losses...

Watches are removed after pressure exposure, and heated to a defined temperature (which is checked as well).

 

Then, a drop of cold water is poured on the glass. If the watch happens to be not tight enought, humidity will have accumulated inside and precipitate as tiny droplets below the (cold) water drop.

 

 

Finally, and of utmost importance for the acceptance and transparency of the Master Chronometer standard, there is a dedicated, separately sealed laboratory to which only qualified METAS-personell has access: the METAS implant. Here, METAS has real-time access to all measurements taken by the OMEGA certification lab, and analyse them and draw it own conclusions as to whether a certain parameter slowly drifts to its limit, thus requiring attention. Furthermore, METAS can at any time and without justification request that any OMEGA watch currently undergoing the certification procedure be handed over for an investigation to be underaken in this lab.

No personnel except METAS technicians have access here, not even the OMEGA president or the Swatch Group CEO!




In the last post I would like to quickly present you with some hands-on views on the OMEGA Globemaster watch.