Omega Seamaster - worth getting restored?
Discussion
Would appreciate some advice please guys.
My dear old dad (92
) gave me his watch today. As you can see, it’s an Omega Seamaster Deville Automatic with a matching bracelet strap, and both are pretty scruffy. Dates from the sixties I believe.
Is it (financially) worth getting it cleaned/restored? (it keeps the time OK) For sentimental reasons I’ll most likely get it done, but just wondered what the likely cost would be (ball-park figure). Also, advice regarding a good watch restorer would be much appreciated.
Thanks
My dear old dad (92
) gave me his watch today. As you can see, it’s an Omega Seamaster Deville Automatic with a matching bracelet strap, and both are pretty scruffy. Dates from the sixties I believe. Is it (financially) worth getting it cleaned/restored? (it keeps the time OK) For sentimental reasons I’ll most likely get it done, but just wondered what the likely cost would be (ball-park figure). Also, advice regarding a good watch restorer would be much appreciated.
Thanks
https://www.genesiswatchmaking.co.uk/omega-pricing...
Duncan has serviced my Omega a couple of times. Think a service would be £195 and then talk to him about what else you want doing. I’d get a refurb and a new glass.
Duncan has serviced my Omega a couple of times. Think a service would be £195 and then talk to him about what else you want doing. I’d get a refurb and a new glass.
My kind of watch. I collect watches from that period.
Do not go for any kind of restoration. Firstly, I don't think your watch needs it. From the one picture you have posted, it looks like the dial, hands and case are in pretty good shape. The crystal is knackered and you should get that replaced.
Let's look at what a restoration would mean...
Crystal.
Get it replaced with an Omega part. The part should cost £35ish. Fitting is a relatively simple job if you have the right tools and the movement is already removed.
Dial.
Hard to tell from your photo, but it looks like you may have some marks on the dial right at the edge between 10 and 11, another just above the date window and some tiny ones around the "OMEGA". Are these really on the dial, or are they marks on the crystal?
If they are marks on the dial, I strongly advise that you live with them. A redial would mean painting over the existing dial then reapplying the black markings. If the original finish was matte, then a good redial (hard to come by) can be OK. In this case you have lacquer over a brushed finish, a redial will never achieve this look.
All of the black markings will need to be re-applied after the dial has been repainted. The fonts won't be perfect and neither will the alignment be. This will be most visible at the minute markers.
All of the raised elements of that dial (hour markers, OMEGA, logo etc.) are discrete items riveted or soldered to the dial after it was painted. Re dialers rarely remove / replace these items. What this means is that any finish they apply will creep up the raised parts of the dial and the whole thing will lose the crisp, clean, quality look that it currently has.
Hands.
No sign of any corrosion. No requirement for any restoration work.
Lume.
Probably knackered. You could get the hands and dial relumed. Hands are pretty easy to do without cocking up. The lume is removed, and the hand is repainted from the rear, the lume wicks into the slot in the hands to give a good finish from the front. The dial spots are harder to apply by hand and the finish will not be as tidy as the original. If I were in your shoes, I would consider getting the hands done, but I would live with no working lume on the dial.
Case.
I'm very colour blind. I can't tell if that's stainless or a gold finish. Regardless, a restoration will usually involve a case polish. Its a manual process using a buffing wheel to polish out any scratches. Unfortunately the action of the buffing wheel destroys any sharp edges, rounding the case off.
Your case looks OK. I would not allow polishing.
Movement.
Ask Dad when it was last done. It will probably need a service. £100 to £150 for a service. The oils dry up over time. A service is a strip down, ultrasonic spa bath trip for the parts and a reassembly with lube.
Seals.
Get any case and crown seals replaced. Not sure this watch has any.
You should be explicit on exactly what work you do and more importantly what work you do not want done.
As for value, like all fora we're not supposed to do that. Someone has already had a stab and I will say that they're over by roughly 2x. It it's solid gold, then mid way between the two prices given is about right.
I don't think you're interested anyway, but if you restored the watch dial and had the case polished, you would decrease it's value to a serious collector by £150 ish. The good news is that these are pretty popular and there are plenty of people unable to spot the difference between a restored example and an original - or plenty of people who just don't care. So in practical terms whilst a collector would shudder and shy away, you'll probably not make a difference to value by going for the restoration.
Lastly, I'd avoid having the work done by Omega. Firstly they charge a lot more for the service, four times more. Secondly, you'll struggle to get them to do what you want and to stop them doing what you don't want. Thirdly, there is no reason to go "main dealer" an independent is just as capable. Try Joe at Anglesea Watch Co. He doesn't post here anymore, please tell him I said "Hi".
Do not go for any kind of restoration. Firstly, I don't think your watch needs it. From the one picture you have posted, it looks like the dial, hands and case are in pretty good shape. The crystal is knackered and you should get that replaced.
Let's look at what a restoration would mean...
Crystal.
Get it replaced with an Omega part. The part should cost £35ish. Fitting is a relatively simple job if you have the right tools and the movement is already removed.
Dial.
Hard to tell from your photo, but it looks like you may have some marks on the dial right at the edge between 10 and 11, another just above the date window and some tiny ones around the "OMEGA". Are these really on the dial, or are they marks on the crystal?
If they are marks on the dial, I strongly advise that you live with them. A redial would mean painting over the existing dial then reapplying the black markings. If the original finish was matte, then a good redial (hard to come by) can be OK. In this case you have lacquer over a brushed finish, a redial will never achieve this look.
All of the black markings will need to be re-applied after the dial has been repainted. The fonts won't be perfect and neither will the alignment be. This will be most visible at the minute markers.
All of the raised elements of that dial (hour markers, OMEGA, logo etc.) are discrete items riveted or soldered to the dial after it was painted. Re dialers rarely remove / replace these items. What this means is that any finish they apply will creep up the raised parts of the dial and the whole thing will lose the crisp, clean, quality look that it currently has.
Hands.
No sign of any corrosion. No requirement for any restoration work.
Lume.
Probably knackered. You could get the hands and dial relumed. Hands are pretty easy to do without cocking up. The lume is removed, and the hand is repainted from the rear, the lume wicks into the slot in the hands to give a good finish from the front. The dial spots are harder to apply by hand and the finish will not be as tidy as the original. If I were in your shoes, I would consider getting the hands done, but I would live with no working lume on the dial.
Case.
I'm very colour blind. I can't tell if that's stainless or a gold finish. Regardless, a restoration will usually involve a case polish. Its a manual process using a buffing wheel to polish out any scratches. Unfortunately the action of the buffing wheel destroys any sharp edges, rounding the case off.
Your case looks OK. I would not allow polishing.
Movement.
Ask Dad when it was last done. It will probably need a service. £100 to £150 for a service. The oils dry up over time. A service is a strip down, ultrasonic spa bath trip for the parts and a reassembly with lube.
Seals.
Get any case and crown seals replaced. Not sure this watch has any.
You should be explicit on exactly what work you do and more importantly what work you do not want done.
As for value, like all fora we're not supposed to do that. Someone has already had a stab and I will say that they're over by roughly 2x. It it's solid gold, then mid way between the two prices given is about right.
I don't think you're interested anyway, but if you restored the watch dial and had the case polished, you would decrease it's value to a serious collector by £150 ish. The good news is that these are pretty popular and there are plenty of people unable to spot the difference between a restored example and an original - or plenty of people who just don't care. So in practical terms whilst a collector would shudder and shy away, you'll probably not make a difference to value by going for the restoration.
Lastly, I'd avoid having the work done by Omega. Firstly they charge a lot more for the service, four times more. Secondly, you'll struggle to get them to do what you want and to stop them doing what you don't want. Thirdly, there is no reason to go "main dealer" an independent is just as capable. Try Joe at Anglesea Watch Co. He doesn't post here anymore, please tell him I said "Hi".
A good independent watchmaker can service your Omega, no need to go direct. I did a vintage Omega this morning. Their movements from this period are nice to work on and and well worth the effort to keep going imo.
As others have said, think carefully before touching the case, dial, hands and bracelet.
As others have said, think carefully before touching the case, dial, hands and bracelet.
A good independent watchmaker can service your Omega, no need to go direct. I did a vintage Omega this morning. Their movements from this period are nice to work on and and well worth the effort to keep going imo.
As others have said, think carefully before touching the case, dial, hands and bracelet.
As others have said, think carefully before touching the case, dial, hands and bracelet.
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