Q related to Omega (new) mainsprings

bbo139 · Oct 1, 2025

Hello,

So I ordered 2 new mainsprings (for a 471 and 491) and they were marked as new.
I received them in a plastic bag (even tho they are within the plastic/metalic holder).

The seller mentioned that Omega usually sells the mainsprings in a batch of 10 and that he tooked them from his batch and sent them within the plastic bag.

Now my question is, as I m not quite aware how Omega sells new mainsprings usually, can his mention be true? Or indeed they may be refurbished and sold as new

Thank you

bbo139 · Oct 1, 2025

this is the "new" mainspring I received

JimInOz · Oct 1, 2025

bbo139
I m not quite aware how Omega sells new mainsprings usually

Omega only sells parts to Omega Certified Watchmakers, nobody else.
It's possible the seller had a stock of items procured when Omega sold to the open market, but unless he can show you the original Omega packaging, I suspect that they are generic mainsprings of the correct size, possibly made by Générale Ressorts, who most likely made the mainsprings for Omega in the first place.

Archer · Oct 1, 2025

bbo139
The seller mentioned that Omega usually sells the mainsprings in a batch of 10 and that he tooked them from his batch and sent them within the plastic bag.

Nope. Omega packages mainsprings individually - they look like this:

You can buy springs in bulk, in packages of 10, but those are just boxes of individually packaged springs:

They have been packaged this way for 20 years or more. If you look here is the oldest of the "new" style packaging that I have in stock, alongside the previous era packaging:

The spring on the right has a production date of the 27th week of 2005, which is shown as 27.05 on the package. Previously production dates were not included on the package, like the old style beside it - here is the other side:

You will typically see 3 manufacturers for Omega springs, stamped on the shipping rings:

Schwab-Feller, Generale Ressorts, and Nivarox-FAR. Some older springs may not be marked.

bbo139 · Oct 1, 2025

Thank you @JimInOz , @Archer
The guy is telling me got it from as this batch of 10 pieces and that none of them have on the shipping ring a manufacturer stamp

Archer · Oct 1, 2025

Well, that's really old packaging. Those springs are old enough I would remove it from the shipping ring, and make sure it has the correct "S" shape to it.

la_lusigne · Oct 1, 2025

Quick related question on the topic: wouldn’t it be better to order directly from a general ressort supplier like CousinsUK?

For the 471, for instance, the reference is GR2922-X.

That way you’d be sure to get a relatively new mainspring, properly lubricated from the manufacturer.

Also, I’ve read on a watchmaking blog that the mainsprings themselves are essentially the same, whether ordered through Omega or directly from the spring manufacturer. Is that true?

Archer · Oct 1, 2025

la_lusigne
Also, I’ve read on a watchmaking blog that the mainsprings themselves are essentially the same, whether ordered through Omega or directly from the spring manufacturer. Is that true?

I don't think there is a universal answer to that. You can always find a mainspring of the same dimensions from a variety of manufacturers, but that doesn't always mean that the spring itself will be the same material, and have the same properties.

So for example, there are different mainsprings used sometimes when the movement is a chronometer grade, compared to when it is not chronometer grade. For example the ETA 2824-2 uses a Nivaflex NO mainspring in the standard and elabore grades, but for the top and COSC grades, it's a Nivaflex NM, which is a different alloy. The dimensions do not change, but the composition does.

So if you order a generic spring for a 2824-2, what alloy are you getting? Is it even either of these? These alloys are proprietary to Nivarox-FAR, so if the springs are not made by that company, you are not getting the same thing.

One could argue it doesn't make a difference, and if that is true or not may be very specific to each situation. But generally people who say the kinds of things you have quoted, are not able to buy parts from Omega, so want to minimize the impact of using generic parts.