Best place for Omega service... Omega?
Discussion
My father wants his watch serviced while he's in hospital. Should I just take it to my local Omega AD?
It's been said before here that the bezel is wrong; the hands are wrong; the bracelet is wrong. Should I say anything or just leave it up to Omega to decide what to do? It's been serviced a few times by them since 1968...
I always have my Speedmaster serviced here www.swisstimeservices.co.uk - would recommend them without hesitation.
Well I took it to my local Omega AD as I was going there anyhow.
They sent it to Omega UK who advised due to its age and scarcity of parts it needs to go to Switzerland for further assessment and repair, and that the repair bill would exceed £520. AD explained they can manufacture out of stock parts there if needs be.
So, it's off to Switzerland. 4-6 weeks for the estimate to come through.
What will they say?
Service.
New bracelet?
New bezel?
New hands?
I've told my father to expect £2,000-ish (my guess). He just said "fine."
They sent it to Omega UK who advised due to its age and scarcity of parts it needs to go to Switzerland for further assessment and repair, and that the repair bill would exceed £520. AD explained they can manufacture out of stock parts there if needs be.
So, it's off to Switzerland. 4-6 weeks for the estimate to come through.
What will they say?
Service.
New bracelet?
New bezel?
New hands?
I've told my father to expect £2,000-ish (my guess). He just said "fine."
http://www.simonfreesewatchmakers.com
Invariably the answer for vintage Speedmasters is to send them to Simon. He used to head up STS and recently set up on his own.
Invariably the answer for vintage Speedmasters is to send them to Simon. He used to head up STS and recently set up on his own.
DJMC said:
Well I took it to my local Omega AD as I was going there anyhow.
They sent it to Omega UK who advised due to its age and scarcity of parts it needs to go to Switzerland for further assessment and repair, and that the repair bill would exceed £520. AD explained they can manufacture out of stock parts there if needs be.
So, it's off to Switzerland. 4-6 weeks for the estimate to come through.
What will they say?
Service.
New bracelet?
New bezel?
New hands?
I've told my father to expect £2,000-ish (my guess). He just said "fine."
That's a pre moon speedy, you do realise that changing the bezel, dial and hands would turn an £8k watch into a £2-£3k watch?They sent it to Omega UK who advised due to its age and scarcity of parts it needs to go to Switzerland for further assessment and repair, and that the repair bill would exceed £520. AD explained they can manufacture out of stock parts there if needs be.
So, it's off to Switzerland. 4-6 weeks for the estimate to come through.
What will they say?
Service.
New bracelet?
New bezel?
New hands?
I've told my father to expect £2,000-ish (my guess). He just said "fine."
Imho changing those parts would be sacrilege and completely ruin a really nice vintage speedy.
If Omega do insist on changing those parts I would get the watch back unserviced and have webwatchmaker or variomatic service it for £275ish. If your dad likes the idea of his watch looking as good as new... a new speedy
nikaiyo2 said:
That's a pre moon speedy, you do realise that changing the bezel, dial and hands would turn an £8k watch into a £2-£3k watch?
Imho changing those parts would be sacrilege and completely ruin a really nice vintage speedy.
If Omega do insist on changing those parts I would get the watch back unserviced and have webwatchmaker or variomatic service it for £275ish. If your dad likes the idea of his watch looking as good as new... a new speedy
Yeah, but, but - the bezel isn't original, the hands are obviously non tritium service replacements and I'm not sure about the bracelet. Imho changing those parts would be sacrilege and completely ruin a really nice vintage speedy.
If Omega do insist on changing those parts I would get the watch back unserviced and have webwatchmaker or variomatic service it for £275ish. If your dad likes the idea of his watch looking as good as new... a new speedy
The damage to the originality has already been done.
ou sont les biscuits said:
Yeah, but, but - the bezel isn't original, the hands are obviously service replacements and I'm not sure about the bracelet.
The damage to the originality has already been done.
You make very valid points, tbh I just had a quick look and assumed it was original.The damage to the originality has already been done.
So scrub all my comments above
esp about the bracelet, as it's not a 1039 I think the original bracelet should be a folded one, but my dad can't recall it ever being changed.
If it were my watch I might try the specialists but it's hard to tell a 90 year old who wants it done by the manufacturer that there may be better options. And I agree that if it were totally original he'd need to be careful they didn't start chopping and changing.
It's £50 to get it back from Switzerland if anything Omega say sounds dodgy. I'll post more when I know their intentions... it'll be a while though!
If it were my watch I might try the specialists but it's hard to tell a 90 year old who wants it done by the manufacturer that there may be better options. And I agree that if it were totally original he'd need to be careful they didn't start chopping and changing.
It's £50 to get it back from Switzerland if anything Omega say sounds dodgy. I'll post more when I know their intentions... it'll be a while though!
LC23 said:
http://www.simonfreesewatchmakers.com
Invariably the answer for vintage Speedmasters is to send them to Simon. He used to head up STS and recently set up on his own.
Agreed. I've just entrusted him with a near mint -67 Speedmaster. Quote was very reasonable. Invariably the answer for vintage Speedmasters is to send them to Simon. He used to head up STS and recently set up on his own.
Newly overhauled, a couple of photos before it goes back to my dad tonight...
Plastic film over the new glass. Also replaced hands, crown, pushers, etc...
£540 including shipping back from Omega Switzerland to my local AD.
Bought in 1968 the service invoice commented the case is marked "67".
Plastic film over the new glass. Also replaced hands, crown, pushers, etc...
£540 including shipping back from Omega Switzerland to my local AD.
Bought in 1968 the service invoice commented the case is marked "67".
The watch came back in a red Omega zipper case, like a glasses case, and then inside a hard shell outer presumably for posting.
When I handed it back to my father he was delighted.
He also told me how much it had cost him in 1968. When the UK price had been £75, he paid just £35 for it in Mexico City.
When I handed it back to my father he was delighted.
He also told me how much it had cost him in 1968. When the UK price had been £75, he paid just £35 for it in Mexico City.
Just doing some more research on the 1968 Speedmaster...
Someone, somewhere, previously said there was lots wrong with the watch - hands, bezel, bracelet...
I just came across these two articles on the "Transitional" 1968 watch and I see similarities...
http://speedmaster101.com/145-022-transitional/
https://www.fratellowatches.com/speedmaster-transi...
The watch came back from Omega Switzerland after its overhaul a while ago (£1,500) with a bag of displaced parts. Here's the bag and the watch's new look...
For comparison, here it is pre-service...
Bezel (unchanged) looks to be almost identical to the DO90 bezel in the first article (no hooked over "7") so what is this bezel if not a DO90, and how does it affect value?
Hour markers are longer as per both articles.
New hands look the same as those in the articles.
So, what have Omega done, why, and has it improved the watch? Also, is the bracelet original to a 1968 watch or a 1968 "transitional" or some other model?
Many thanks for any info.
Someone, somewhere, previously said there was lots wrong with the watch - hands, bezel, bracelet...
I just came across these two articles on the "Transitional" 1968 watch and I see similarities...
http://speedmaster101.com/145-022-transitional/
https://www.fratellowatches.com/speedmaster-transi...
The watch came back from Omega Switzerland after its overhaul a while ago (£1,500) with a bag of displaced parts. Here's the bag and the watch's new look...
For comparison, here it is pre-service...
Bezel (unchanged) looks to be almost identical to the DO90 bezel in the first article (no hooked over "7") so what is this bezel if not a DO90, and how does it affect value?
Hour markers are longer as per both articles.
New hands look the same as those in the articles.
So, what have Omega done, why, and has it improved the watch? Also, is the bracelet original to a 1968 watch or a 1968 "transitional" or some other model?
Many thanks for any info.
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