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  1. Doddy123 Dec 13, 2017

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    Hi guys ,

    I'm about to buy a Constellation and a Seamaster vintage from the 60's . I wanted to know if its going +2/-2 minutes a day is correct and normal for this kind of watch ?

    Thank you .
     
  2. Davidt Dec 13, 2017

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    No. There's no reason many vintage Omega's can't keep time +/-10 seconds, if they're in good condition and serviced.

    +/- 2 minutes sounds like it either needs a service or is in poor condition.

    Is this what a seller is trying to tell you is normal for a vintage watch?

    Have a search through old threads, they are numerous ones discussing the subject.
     
    Pun, Edward53, mydeafcat and 2 others like this.
  3. Caliber561 Dec 13, 2017

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    If the watch is running at a consistent +2 or -2 minutes a day, then it's possible that the watch just needs some regulating. But if the watch is constantly alternating between +2 and -2 minutes per day, then the watch probably does need some serious service.
     
  4. habrisbane Dec 13, 2017

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    +- 30s is normal, i think.
     
    jimmyjay likes this.
  5. mydeafcat Dec 13, 2017

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    FWIW, my 1963 Seamaster 30 (manual wind 286) is accurate within a few seconds a day. My 2007 Seamaster 2254, 44 years it’s junior, loses time against it older sibling - only a handful of seconds, but still. Both have been recently serviced.

    2 minutes? Gah.
     
  6. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Dec 14, 2017

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    Condition is key, and if it's in poor condition the question is then how much does the owner want to spend to correct it.

    Having said that, assuming the watches in question would be equipped with something like a 55X or 56X series of movements, Omega's own specs for these are that the Delta measured over 3 positions can be as much as 25 seconds at full wind, and 35 seconds 24 hours after full wind. Daily average rate can be from -1 to +16 and still be in tolerances, with the target rate being +8 seconds.

    If you are going back to earlier movements the allowed Delta numbers are 40 seconds and 50 seconds respectively.

    As these movements get older, and parts become harder to find, getting decent timing numbers will require more work and more money...

    Cheers, Al
     
  7. numero27 Dec 14, 2017

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    my small experience tends to confirm what Archer says : i had a pair of watch from 600 family, that could easily keep under +-10 sec, and a pair of older 30 mm that are pretty accurate at the end of the day, but if you are an accuracy freak, you don't want to put them in a timegrapher in all positions or you just going to be mad !
     
  8. Ravineman Dec 23, 2017

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    dibs on your 2254 if you don't mind. I can live with it losing a few extra seconds !
     
  9. mydeafcat Dec 23, 2017

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    Sure! Noted! But as my first Omega, chances are slim I’ll be parting with it anytime soon....
     
  10. Ravineman Dec 24, 2017

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    Thanks. Enjoy it and please take very good care of it lol. Let me know when you're ready. I wont hold my breath. I understand as I have never sold a watch and never will
     
  11. doog Dec 24, 2017

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    My ‘63 Cal 562 Seamaster is currently running at about +4 a day, which compares pretty favourably with my (45 years younger) 7750 based TAG Aquaracer which runs at about +10. When I initially got the Seamaster, it was gaining about 25 secs a day, but I found that leaving it face down overnight after a days’ wear has regularised it to the +3/4 secs a day. I think that’s remarkable considering its age.
     
    STANDY likes this.
  12. holnave Jan 2, 2019

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    My '63 Seamaster 30 is consistently losing 30 seconds every 24 hours. This is right after a full service. I was told this is normal for vintage watches. And to expect about 3-4 minutes variance every week. So in my case losing 3 and a half minutes each week.

    What do you guys reckon? Should I send it back for regulation?
     
  13. Ravineman Jan 2, 2019

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    I would send it back. My 2 Seamasters are of the same vintage and they lose less than a minute a month.
     
  14. Canuck Jan 2, 2019

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    The skill of the watchmaker you might take your watch to will have a lot to do with realizing the desired accuracy. But sometimes he is handicapped because of excessive wear and/or the skills (or lack of skill) of people who have worked on it before him. How you use the watch can be a factor, as well as what you are prepared to pay in order to achieve the desired results. A suggestion was made earlier in this thread that likely “regulating” the watch could be all it needs. Having an accurate watch relies on FIRST, repairing (thoroughly, including myriad adjustments and replacing parts as required), SECOND, rating (testing the watch over time in many positions, adjusting as necessary to achieve UNIFORM time keeping during testing). THEN THIRD, regulating the watch to bring it to a satisfactory rate. This is what a watchmaker will have to do do give you a high degree of accuracy. So be prepared to PAY to have such high quality work done. Unless the watch can be adjusted to give a uniform rate, regulating will likely not bring the results you want. Repair, rate, regulate.
     
    Edward53 likes this.
  15. holnave Jan 2, 2019

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    My watch did go through a full service and parts replacement such as crown, new spring, central wheel shaft, etc. All the parts have also been cleaned. Payed quite a bit for all that. So hopefully the watchmaker is willing to give it another go considering it is still within the warranty period.
     
  16. Dan S Jan 2, 2019

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    At the risk of oversimplifying many issues associated with timekeeping (e.g. positional variation, isochronism, etc.), if the watch is truly "consistently" losing 30s per day, it should be relatively easy to improve the average timekeeping significantly simply by adjusting the regulator.
     
  17. Canuck Jan 2, 2019

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    With it running out as much as it is, my suggestion is that it should go back. If it was the shop that did the work that told you to expect it to be out 3 to 4 minutes per week, then I suspect the repair (and adjusting) was not complete, or the rating was either not done, or was not satisfactorily done. Only after a COMPLETE service, adjusting as required to stabilize the rate in all positions, thorough rating to establish consistency in rate, can the watch be regulated for accuracy. Many “watchmakers” consider antique watches a waste of time as the repair time involved in servicing antique watches for particular customers cuts into their production, and profit.
     
  18. holnave Jan 3, 2019

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    I've been doing my own spartan tests on it (eyeballing) and it is pretty consistent at -30 seconds per day. The watchmaker did say that I could bring it in again if I was not satisfied. I hope that he would be willing to change it.
     
  19. holnave Jan 3, 2019

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    It would be indeed a shame if they did a half-@ss job at it. However I will give the watchmaker the benefit of the doubt as he has been operating for many years and his brand has built up a decent reputation around town. He has been very helpful and cooperative when I asked for a detailed list of parts he will be replacing.

    So I will send it in again and say I'm not happy with losing -30 seconds a day. Hopefully he will be willing to look into it.
     
  20. holnave Jan 3, 2019

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    Watchmaker agreed to take it back for regulating!