Vintage Omega Service Recommendations

[athomp04]

I have my late fathers vintage Omega Seamaster Cosmic c1970.
It had been serviced by Omega themselves including having the mainspring replaced back in 2005 but has had no use since then and is now losing time.
I assume it just needs a service and a tune up? however how accurate should it really be given it’s an old watch? and where should I take it? I live in Northampton and usually use Michael Jones.
Thank you

[Geertsen]

I’d say a vintage Omega should be certainly accurate by +/-10 seconds a day and is capable of much greater accuracy 9 times out of 10...but personally I’d accept +/-20 seconds easily on a sentimental watch, and in all honesty I’d happily accept more. Others may disagree...?

I have a vintage Zenith watch that is wildly inaccurate at about 40 seconds a day too fast but it has an extremely scarce dial and I love the watch so I put up with it, plus I don’t wear it for long periods.

I’ll get my father in law to time his 1976 Omega to compare it for you.

- What sort of accuracy is it running at now? Per day.
- Is the loss / gain consistent or erratic day by day?

[athomp04]

Thanks I only fired it up late yesterday and it lost five minutes overnight but holding up better today so far

[Geertsen]

athomp04 said:

Thanks I only fired it up late yesterday and it lost five minutes overnight but holding up better today so far

Maybe it just needs a bit of a running in for a few days?

[athomp04]

Now I have worn it regularly for the week it is gaining a couple of minutes each day so needs attention.
Any recommendations for someone to service who looks at watches of this vintage?

[the-norseman]

Watchguy.co.uk I have used for my dad's Rolex. Really happy with the service and you get sent 100's of pictures of the watch in bits.

[NDA]

Just as an aside, I took a 1950's Seamaster to Omega to be serviced and they're quoting 52 weeks (not a year, but 52 weeks).

Not massively impressed to be honest, but as it's a family heirloom, everyone wanted Omega to service it rather than an independent. Particularly as the last independent bodged the previous service.

[Geertsen]

athomp04 said:

Now I have worn it regularly for the week it is gaining a couple of minutes each day so needs attention.
Any recommendations for someone to service who looks at watches of this vintage?

My father in law timed his 1976 Omega (Ref.166.0163) as promised and it gains 10-15 seconds per day. Not helpful regarding servicing but may be useful as a guide. Serviced in 2019.

[BrokenSkunk]

Sounds like it needs a service. Any competent watchmaker should be able to strip it, clean it, reassemble and oil. Get it done sooner rather than later. Going fast is a symptom of no oil, running it could be wearing down the bearings.
We (I) love to see pictures of vintage watches by the way...

[athomp04]

Thanks for the advice Gents, I have booked it into watch guy (or at least asked).

I have attached a picture having put it on a Nato which I though suited it best (hopefully it worked).

[athomp04]

[BrokenSkunk]

[Big_Dog]

The British Horological Institute have a list (PDF) of accredited members on their website. I found a watchmaker to fix my old speedy moon phase via that. It's going to be 5 weeks. The chap looked as if he was cast by Disney as a watchmaker.

https://bhi.co.uk