Dear fellow Omega enthusiasts Three years ago I bought this 1969 Speedmaster Pro: https://mywatch.dk/1738-omega-speedmaster-pre-moon-1969.html As you can see it has already had the dial and hands changed from the original to a newer dial, so it's not intact, but I'm ok with that. I love it exactly as it is. It's functioning, although not perfectly reliable... I wear it daily and love it. However, it does occasionally have condensation on the inside of the crystal so I put it in for service at Central Watch in NYC. This is what they wrote back: --------------- Thank you for choosing Grand Central Watch. After careful examination of your watch, Omega, we have found that it requires a Complete Overhaul which includes the following repairs: * Complete disassembly of all parts of the movement * All pivots and wheels are polished by hand * Ultrasonic cleaning of movement * Replace worn movement parts * New mainspring * Upgraded Movement Parts * New crystal * New crown * New pushers x2 * Ultrasonic clean the case (No extra charge) Cosmetic Condition Of Watch As Received Hands - Age Marked Dial - Age Marked Crystal - Scratched Case - Scratched NOTE:Some ruse & corrosion on the movement from moisture damage Due to age of your time piece, after service, it will NOT be water resistant. Do NOT swim, shower or submerge in water of any kind. Your watch should be worn with care. The cost of the repair will be $1350 plus tax. The work will take approximately 4-6 weeks and includes a 24 month warranty. We will begin immediately upon your approval. **WE DO OUR BEST: *To complete the repair in the time frame listed above however, time frames for repairs are not guaranteed. The time estimate is based on the ready availability of the parts necessary to complete the repair. Acquiring parts may present delays particularly in watches manufactured prior to 1990.**** --------------- I'm curious what you would recommend. Central Watch was recommended by a friend. Overall my objective is to keep the watch running and functional at the lowest possible lifetime cost. Thus, I'm fine paying for service if it doesn't need another expensive service in 2 years.... but maybe an old watch is unideal for this? I appreciate your help.
Well, that's high for a service, but the condensation you mention is a very bad thing to ignore for any amount of time. Rust in your movement (which Central Watch says is present) can be very expensive to repair, often requiring parts to be replaced entirely. If you keep your watch out of water and leave it at home during periods of very high humidity, it should be just fine and won't require another service for at least 5 years. (After this service, it should be able to withstand a humid day, but those conditions are never ideal for a vintage watch)
Agree. If this were mine, I'd take it to World Time in San Jose CA. Cost would be $900--$1,000, and they're the best in the business in my opinion. They've done several Speedmasters for me, and the work is beyond reproach. They're collectors as well; Son showed me a 2915 he had just restored and sold the last time I was there---breathtaking. P.S. Would like to buy OP a vowel.
Just make sure they’re not replacing some vintage parts with modern equivalents unnecessarily. Ask for all replaced parts back.
Does that include replacement of however many rusted out movement parts though? And at current Parcel Pro rates, shipping his watch from New York to San Jose and back will add a minimum $100 to that bill too
Don't know about rusty parts, and shipping is always a risk/expense. Just wanted to put in a good word for a great watchmaker.
Big luxury repair shops like this tend to be overpriced. They cater to people with money to burn and pad their quotes to cover themselves for the worst case scenario. Of course, a 24-month warranty is also expensive to offer. They also have huge overhead associated with high rent, advertising, a fancy showroom, etc. Personally, I much prefer to work with an experienced sole-practioner watchmaker with whom I have a relationship. He will give me a base price for a service, but then take the movement apart before giving me a final price for approval. That way he gives me an accurate quote based on what is actually needed for my watch, instead of a generic price. It also ensures that I have good communication directly with him, instead of communicating with the manager of the service department (or maybe even a salesperson), who then passes the watch off to someone else to do the work.
@thnkclrly In the future, you should try to be extra careful to avoid getting the watch wet or exposing it to moisture. I wear vintage watches virtually every day, and I never see condensation inside a crystal, so it's not inevitable that you should get rust and corrosion inside the movement. It's likely due to the way the watch was treated. You can't take vintage watches for granted when it comes to moisture, you need to keep them totally dry. If it's raining, wear your G-Shock. Don't do the dishes wearing your Speedmaster. Etc.
Thank you all for your generous input here... I just spoke to Steve from Central Watch (the man who does the actual repairs — his grandfather started the business more than 60 years ago) and he helped me understand more of the specifics from his inspection of the watch and what I could expect. I now feel confident committing to this repair and will begin looking forward to wearing the watch again. M