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321 movement.

L
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I sent this watch to Omega several years ago to have a full service.
I declined when they said it had to be sent to Geneva (if I remember correctly, as I have mislaid the service estimate) and would be there for approximately one year at a cost of £1k.
Looks to have a few parts missing but is it best to send again or would an independent be able to supply all the parts and service?
Thanks!
 
6597653E-FDE5-4423-94EB-A90C46BB47F1.jpeg
befobe
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Depends on your location... UK ? Simon Freese...
 
L
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Yes sorry, UK.
Would they still have period correct parts for the movement?
 
befobe
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Oh yes for sure. Seems to be T H E specialist over here... And it will be quicker than Omega!
 
L
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befobe befobe
Oh yes for sure. Seems to be T H E specialist over here... And it will be quicker than Omega!
Brilliant, thanks for the quick response. I’ll look him up.
 
dennisthemenace
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Unfortunately some of the "few" parts missing are almost impossible to find and when you can find them they cost an arm and a leg.
Omega may well be your best option still.
 
L
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dennisthemenace dennisthemenace
Unfortunately some of the "few" parts missing are almost impossible to find and when you can find them they cost an arm and a leg.
Omega may well be your best option still.
Ah ok! I’m thinking I should have gone ahead with the work at the time....
 
airansun
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dennisthemenace dennisthemenace
Unfortunately some of the "few" parts missing are almost impossible to find and when you can find them they cost an arm and a leg.
Omega may well be your best option still.

Yeah, it looks like someone pulled off the hardest 321 parts to find, I suppose in order to repair another piece.

For reference
22A46D1D-1843-4535-8E36-3E2DC5A431B0.jpeg F55ABA35-33F5-46CD-AC29-41A2596143E5.jpeg


There are some expensive parts missing from your movement.
 
L
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airansun airansun
Yeah, it looks like someone pulled off the hardest 321 parts to find, I suppose in order to repair another piece.

For reference
22A46D1D-1843-4535-8E36-3E2DC5A431B0.jpeg
Yeah it looks like it!
I imagine service prices have rocketed and I’ll be spending a whole lot more than the first estimate.
 
airansun
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Some of the individual parts, if you can find them, will cost you a couple of hundred dollars each. I wouldn’t be surprised if just the parts ran you between one and two thousand dollars. Don’t ask me how I know.

It’s easier to find donor movements to scavenge parts off, in your case, than trying to find all the individual parts. But, that’s going to run you about $3k, maybe less if you pull apart one of those undesirable but complete 321 watches on eBay that go for less than $3k from time to time.

On the other hand, you could sell what you have and start over with a complete watch that you buy. There are still some valuable bits on your incomplete movement.
Edited:
 
padders
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befobe befobe
Oh yes for sure. Seems to be T H E specialist over here... And it will be quicker than Omega!
Simon is not a miracle worker and does not have an infinite supply of discontinued parts. I wouldn't be quite so sure...
 
Scarecrow Boat
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There is a 321 symmetric clutch bridge for sale in the watch parts section for €500. You aren’t missing yours and whether or not they will get that asking price is yet to be seen, but if that’s the going rate (private/independent sale rate) for one piece... with the amount you’re missing, Omega is looking like your best option
 
L
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I’ll send it off again and see what the final bill will be!
Hopefully I can get it back in one piece again
 
80620D36-37DF-4E1B-A252-C3ED135096C9.jpeg
MSNWatch
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Or maybe find a lemania movement/chronograph to get parts from.
 
padders
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Genuine Ultraman? Nice lume colour certainly and it looks in range. Well even if it costs you £2-3K to get it sorted (and it might) you will still be comfortably ahead. These aren't worth what they were in the madness of last year but it is still maybe a £20K plus watch when fully sorted.

It is always worth a conversation with an independent but Omega have been funny about allowing Indys to work on the 321 for a couple of years now so even the ones with accounts will struggle to get parts. The Omega price could well be the cheapest option.
 
L
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I think it’s genuine?
Omega didn’t say it was fake but I’ve no idea if they would service it otherwise (like Rolex)
The bezel was missing too but i replaced that about ten years ago. Looks like someone had a field day making this a donor watch?!
 
YY77
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Did I miss the story how/when you got this piece and how it came about parts are missing?
 
Scarecrow Boat
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Not fake as in what you think with a fake Rolex. “Genuine?” as in, are all the parts original to the watch, or Frankenstein, meaning someone built this with genuine/fake parts to look like an Ultraman
Edited:
 
L
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I really have no idea if it’s cobbled together, Franken etc.
I actually didn’t realise there were so many bits missing from it until I opened up the case back again.
It sat in a drawer since i had it returned from Omega, must be at least 8 /10 years ago.
 
padders
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L Loupe73
I think it’s genuine?
Omega didn’t say it was fake but I’ve no idea if they would service it otherwise (like Rolex)
The bezel was missing too but i replaced that about ten years ago. Looks like someone had a field day making this a donor watch?!
By genuine I mean that whether the orange hand was fitted by the factory and not subsequently. You can't be certain without an extract but if it is original it adds about £15K to the value of the watch. This strikes me and a few other sane people as madness but it is a fact. You have shown enough of your serial number to suggest it is maybe in range. They are between 26.076. XXX and 26.079, no one knows exactly how many are out there but it is likely there are a few hundred at least. We have seen about 5 come out the woodwork already this year on here. At one point they were considered very rare, now just rare. It has been speculated that these have a special dial which is blacker with lume more prone to going pumpkin colour. I have always been of the opinion that it is nonsense, but looking at yours, I think there may be something in that theory!

If you haven't seen it, earlier this year someone produced one of these on The Antiques Roadshow. They gave it a very optimistic valuation of £40K (it subsequently sold for nearer £20K after fees) but that may tell you that you have something special casually tossed to one side!
Edited:
 
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