Omega 1603 logo gone...

[Lillegutt]

After using a 7% vinegar solution cleaning a digital 2/1603 Omega, the logo has been "washed" away. Only the "shadow" is left... Anyone experienced that before? Before washing it, it was partly worn off.

I thought the logo was enameled on, under high temperature... Is the logo on the digital 2 crystal different than the other LEDs, or did I get a "homemade" one?

This is the same kind of watch...
http://www.ledwatches.net/photo-pages/omega4.htm


JHH

[Ade51]

Hi, I have a couple of digital 2/1603 and can confirm that these are not removed with any cleaning solutions I have used. Perhaps the previous owner had this 'painted' on.

[retroleds]

I've seen that twice on those - but only on the stainless steel version. I have one here like that. I would agree, they are supposed to be baked on and empervious to anything that the glass can take. Since the printing is also [supposed to be] glass.

[767Geoff]

I ordered a new crystal from Omega for mine. Gave it a clean before epoxying it in place and the "Omega" washed off. Used hot water and soap. Omega said "so".

Geoff

[retroleds]

That is possibly a remnant of the original pulsar crystal fiasco of 2007. The same person who distributed the fake Pulsar glass had "miraculously" stumbled into a lot of Omega glass a few months before the(fake) Pulsar glass came out. It is conceivable that he sold some to Omega, with them thinking they were getting back some of their own, old stock. I bought one of those through a large watch supply house - logo came of on the first wipe with the alcohol I use to clean up the epoxy. Glass probably cost you $200+

[azimuth_pl]

This faking is as old as watches but I agree that people will get frustrated after paying 100$ for an original crystal with non-durable logo.
I doubt that Omega would buy anything from an outside source that is not their direct subcontractor.
However there are licensed service centers worldwide that people treat as being Omega owned, these might have some flexibility in how they run their business and especially restorations.
It might also be the case that Omega still has tons of red blanks and now apply a white or yellow logo on demand but again I'm just guessing.
In reference to faking I can only agree that hiding such information from a buyer must be considered wrong especially when a logo wears out.
If a logo would be applied in a durable manner IMO nobody should mind as reprinting watch dials is common practice worldwide and rarely does decrease the price of a watch.
Is dial refinishing anywhere different from printing logos on a red crystal?