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70’s Geneve
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Spruce
··Sunburst dial fanIt’s a very nice watch, nice shape, good size and very reliable.
Cosmetically, I’d get jewellers cloth (nothing abrasive) and rub the tarnish gold plate gently until it shines.
I can’t see if the crystal is scratched but I’d polish it with Polywatch.
I can’t tell you with the caseback being unscrewed, which movement it is but, assuming it just needs a service, that would cost you in the UK, at a local watch repairer, about £120 plus parts and postage. It’s well worth having it serviced. Omega watches are very and many of us regularly wear 50/60 year old models.
If you’re not sure where to take/send it, post where you are and someone will make a recommendation
Cosmetically, I’d get jewellers cloth (nothing abrasive) and rub the tarnish gold plate gently until it shines.
I can’t see if the crystal is scratched but I’d polish it with Polywatch.
I can’t tell you with the caseback being unscrewed, which movement it is but, assuming it just needs a service, that would cost you in the UK, at a local watch repairer, about £120 plus parts and postage. It’s well worth having it serviced. Omega watches are very and many of us regularly wear 50/60 year old models.
If you’re not sure where to take/send it, post where you are and someone will make a recommendation
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Apotts16
·It’s a very nice watch, nice shape, good size and very reliable.
Cosmetically, I’d get jewellers cloth (nothing abrasive) and rub the tarnish gold plate gently until it shines.
I can’t see if the crystal is scratched but I’d polish it with Polywatch.
I can’t tell you with the caseback being unscrewed, which movement it is but, assuming it just needs a service, that would cost you in the UK, at a local watch repairer, about £120 plus parts and postage. It’s well worth having it serviced. Omega watches are very and many of us regularly wear 50/60 year old models.
If you’re not sure where to take/send it, post where you are and someone will make a recommendation
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Kraal90
·Find a good local shop to service it. Don’t send it to omega.
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Spruce
··Sunburst dial fanSomeone in East Anglia might be able to recommend a local repairer.
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BarbVl
·I always thought that for the gold plated watches it's more difficult to restore to original glory..because if you replate it possible do not have the exact same colour..
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Spruce
··Sunburst dial fanI always thought that for the gold plated watches it's more difficult to restore to original glory..because if you replate it possible do not have the exact same colour..
I know the photos aren’t great but it’s a one owner watch, probably looked after carefully and not likely to need replating. It’s likely that any discolouration is tarnish rather than wear
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Dan S
·I also thought I saw plating loss, but obviously the lighting in the photo isn't good enough to tell. That will really be the deciding factor as to whether the watch can be successfully restored.
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river9
·
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Spruce
··Sunburst dial fanThis is my mid 70s with a 552 movement (no date) bought from the son of the original owner.
I can’t now recall if I replaced the crystal but everything else is original (I think).
I can’t now recall if I replaced the crystal but everything else is original (I think).
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river9
·This is my mid 70s with a 552 movement (no date) bought from the son of the original owner.
I can’t now recall if I replaced the crystal but everything else is original (I think).
@Spruce Nice watch and so is OP's one likewise.
To OP: Apart from sentimental value of your inherited watch I think yours must be much nicer than mine (your under lugs are still sharp). To me your photo of upper lugs don't make justice to them. But then again better pics should help experts here to help you (and I ame surely NOT expert)
... In brief:
- Your watch case might be in acceptable conditions, with sharp edges even on the under lugs. Just clean it with jeweler cloth to bring watch case to former lustre. No polishing absolutely.
- Crown could be a replacement one but that type of crown was still available on Offrei site at least back in 2019. And @Spruce example could be helpful to determine a right one for your watch. Or call Archer the OF expert to obtain correc part number otherwise.
- Very clean and well preserved dial (much better than that of my "ex" 👍... ) with lumes still present and in nicer color.
Season Greetings
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SkunkPrince
·Find a good local shop to service it. Don’t send it to omega.
The automatic "don't send it to Omega" is not a universal truth, and isn't useful to parrot every time.
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Kraal90
·Actually, this one might be worth sending to Omega. They won't do anything bad to it.
The automatic "don't send it to Omega" is not a universal truth, and isn't useful to parrot every time.
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SkunkPrince
·Maybe you’re right. Wouldn’t they change the hands though?
Despite having the same top-of-the-line movements as more expensive watches, a gold-plated Geneve is not considered valuable or desireable and approximately no one collects them. They are, on the other hand, quite wearable and the dial can be quite attractive. A service from Omega would include crystal, crown, movement parts, and caseback gasket. I do not know whether they can do anything to refinish the case because it's thinly plated, so likely just a cleaning with a tarnish-removing chemical. For what you get, the price is generally pretty good.
If you decide you'd rather keep some of these old parts on the watch, then another choice might be better for you. Changing the crown, crystal, caseback gasket, and perhaps the crown tube will ensure water resistance.
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Dan S
·For what you get, the price is generally pretty good.
Do you happen to know the price Omega charges for restoration of a vintage watch like this one? Specific information like that would be very helpful for the OP and other members, since we generally have a pretty good idea of what an independent might charge. My impression is that Omega would charge 4-5x the value of this watch, while an independent might charge 1-2x the value of the watch.
I completely understand that a watch like this has more sentimental value than anything else, but price still matters to some people.
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SkunkPrince
·US price for an automatic that is not precious metal is $550 inclusive of most parts. Nesbit's charges extra for some parts. My local guy is also $550 these days, parts extra. There are some that charge less, but they often don't bother to adjust the watch more than a minimal amount.
In my view, for something you pay for once every five years for a watch you might wear every day, saving a hundred dollars and risking a lower quality of service is not something I care to do.
Omega also offers a two-year service warranty.
In my view, for something you pay for once every five years for a watch you might wear every day, saving a hundred dollars and risking a lower quality of service is not something I care to do.
Omega also offers a two-year service warranty.
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SkunkPrince
·UK price is £450.00.
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Dan S
·US price for an automatic that is not precious metal is $550 inclusive of most parts. Nesbit's charges extra for some parts. My local guy is also $550 these days, parts extra. There are some that charge less, but they often don't bother to adjust the watch more than a minimal amount.
In my view, for something you pay for once every five years for a watch you might wear every day, saving a hundred dollars and risking a lower quality of service is not something I care to do.
Omega also offers a two-year service warranty.
Yes, that's not outrageous, and I'm aware that it is the standard service price on the website. My impression is that vintage watches that are 50+ years old are sent to Switzerland, and a much higher price is charged. If the OP chooses this course, it will be interesting to get first-hand feedback on the price.
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SkunkPrince
·Yes, that's not outrageous, and I'm award that it is the standard service price on the website. My impression is that Omega charges a different, and much higher price, to service and restore vintage watches that are 50+ years old. If the OP chooses this course, it will be interesting to get first-hand feedback on the price.
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Kraal90
·They might. As long as they're the same, who cares? If the answer is that you care, then it might not be for you.
Despite having the same top-of-the-line movements as more expensive watches, a gold-plated Geneve is not considered valuable or desireable and approximately no one collects them. They are, on the other hand, quite wearable and the dial can be quite attractive. A service from Omega would include crystal, crown, movement parts, and caseback gasket. I do not know whether they can do anything to refinish the case because it's thinly plated, so likely just a cleaning with a tarnish-removing chemical. For what you get, the price is generally pretty good.
If you decide you'd rather keep some of these old parts on the watch, then another choice might be better for you. Changing the crown, crystal, caseback gasket, and perhaps the crown tube will ensure water resistance.
