Advice needed on how to proceed with a Cal 321 2915-1

[musomega]

Hi all, I inherited a scuffed up old Omega from my father a few years ago, put it in a drawer, and promptly forgot about it. Recently, I remembered I had this watch sitting around and decided I would take it to a repair shop to see if they could get it cleaned up and working again. To my complete surprise, it turns out, I may have been sitting on a very valuable collector's item.

This watch also has great sentimental value to me because it is the only item of value that survived from a time when my forefathers were wealthy businessmen in the old country. Sadly, our family became refugees when the communists nationalized everything.

I had a technician at the Omega store and 2 other watch repair experts verify that the movement is an authentic Calibre 321. My biggest question is, how should I proceed with repairs and potential part replacements? My goal is to maximize the value of this piece. The Omega tech pointed out that patina on the face is lighter than that of the hands indicating that the face was replaced more recently. It is obviously missing the bezel.

I'm also curious to know why the back doesn't have the image of the Omega hippocampus logo.

Thank you in advance for your advice!

 

[watchyouwant]

Which country was your father in ? And where did he migrate to? This watch has a service and the most valuable parts were replaced. Bezel, Dial, Hands and who knows what else.... First of all, get an excerpt from the archives from the factory. If 2915-1 is confirmed, I would proceed. If not, you have a rare watch with a value in parts only.... All original you can look up the recent values from Auctions. Replaced Dial, Hands, Bezel will deduct around 70% of the value of the Day. But you do not want to sell it anyway....

 

[watchyouwant]

Look up here private watch sales. A 2915-2 is for sale.

 

[Dash1]

What a wonderful inheritance.
The good news is that the Speedmaster is a very collectible watch and your one, reference 2915-1 is the very first of them (a first edition if you will) and is therefore highly sought after by collectors. The serial number is within range so likely original to the case ( as Achim said, you can apply to Omega for an extract of the Archive to confirm that) and it appears to have its original, and very rare, bracelet and end links (even the spring pins look original!)
The bad news is that the dial and hands have been replaced and the steel bezel is missing. These parts are extremely difficult to find and would carry a high value if you did find them (ie. 10’s of thousands of £/$.)
However if you intend to keep it I would have the movement serviced by an expert in this model (if you give us your location someone can recommend a watchmaker) and leave it in this configuration. After all, it is how your father wore it. You can always try and find the correct parts over time if that matters to you.
The case back is often blank on this model, so that’s not unusual.
Lovely watch, enjoy it!

 

[stefman]

A wonderful heirloom! To add to what others have said, would your dad have had the original parts returned when he serviced the watch and they're sitting somewhere around? That would be an added bonus.

 

[ALEJANDRO BOVONE]

any date on the bracelet clasp?

 

[Mark020]

M musomega

My goal is to maximize the value of this piece.

Put it on ebay. Don't think the big auctions houses will bring you better proceeds given that the most valuable parts are already gone

 

[KLXN]

Dash1

...After all, it is how your father wore it...

I think this is what should be important here. From that perspective, these "incorrect" parts could be more valuable to OP than proper ones. At least this would be a "healthier" way of looking at these issues.

However, it's always good to do proper research to know what you have. To add to the previously mentioned things: I think also clutch bridge was replaced during service, as this model should have a symmetrical one.

 

[JohnSteed]

too many replaced parts (from my perspective) including in the movement perhaps the only valuable item is the caseback?

 

[Davidt]

Are you looking to sell or keep and wear/store away?

 

[musomega]

watchyouwant

Which country was your father in ? And where did he migrate to? This watch has a service and the most valuable parts were replaced. Bezel, Dial, Hands and who knows what else.... First of all, get an excerpt from the archives from the factory. If 2915-1 is confirmed, I would proceed. If not, you have a rare watch with a value in parts only.... All original you can look up the recent values from Auctions. Replaced Dial, Hands, Bezel will deduct around 70% of the value of the Day. But you do not want to sell it anyway....

Thank you for your help! My dad grew up in Vietnam and we now live in Orange County. I don’t need the money so I don’t want to sell it but would like to make it as beautiful (and valuable) as possible

 

[musomega]

ALEJANDRO BOVONE

any date on the bracelet clasp?

None that I can find

 

[musomega]

Davidt

Are you looking to sell or keep and wear/store away?

I don’t need the money so keep/wear. As it needs repairs, I’m wondering what I should do to not take away value

 

[musomega]

stefman

A wonderful heirloom! To add to what others have said, would your dad have had the original parts returned when he serviced the watch and they're sitting somewhere around? That would be an added bonus.

Good idea! I will ask

 

[johnireland]

Whatever parts are missing no longer matters. The real value is now what this watch means to you. I believe Four Crowns in downtown Los Angeles has excellent vintage Omega experience and parts sources. Do the best you can to bring the watch back to life. Get it to run like new, even if it means incorrect (to a collector) parts. Give it a replacement bezel, and whatever else it needs, and then enjoy it fully. The changes made to this watch over the years are just part of its history...a family history that will now continue on your wrist. Just document the watch's story, including all the posts here, it is a survivor and worth the respect you will be showing it.

 

[Dan S]

M musomega

I don’t need the money so keep/wear. As it needs repairs, I’m wondering what I should do to not take away value

Reducing value further is not really an issue given what has already been done in the past. Have the movement serviced and add an authentic service bezel so that you can wear it.

 

[Spacefruit]

A few interesting points to note.

The number on the movement is similar to 2915s I have seen. However the movement itself has characteristics from a later model, and as such we cannot value this movement as an original 2915 movement.

The end links are the extremely rare number six single slot versions and I have seen them sell for over $2500 each. The bracelet may or may not beyond salvation, but even as it is it is probably worth quite a lot, although I won’t put a figure on it because personally I do not value it, but I have seen them sell for between $1000 and $3000 in this condition.

The case is where the value is, and this could be anything from 7000 to $15,000 depending on the condition on close examination. A crazy person might pay more but the vast majority of us would not.

Just so that we can have the point discussed and dismissed, in order to replace the dial and the bezel and the hands in this watch, to bring to original condition, my estimate would be that if you went shopping with $100,000 you would still be looking in 12 months time. I also think that if you did go shopping for the parts, and you actually found a dial, I would be very surprised if it was pleasing.

That gets the idea of value discussed and out of the way.

What I would do with this watch send it to a knowledgeable Speedmaster service person who has access to Omega parts . You don’t want to send it to Omega who would change even more parts. I would consider fitting a metal bezel. These can be obtained from eBay, as original Omega parts, as they were fitted to a recent model and with some adjustment can be made to fit this case. Before fitting I would reduce the outer diameter of this new part and perhaps the side profile, and whilst it will never pass as an original bezel it will have similar dimensions and therefore it will be more aesthetically pleasing then if you left it alone.

You could of course leave the bezel off the watch many people enjoy this look - however I feel the bezel does protect the crystal to some extent .

If I wanted to make this project pay for itself I would simply sell the end links to finance the entire operation!

Edited: Jun 13, 2022

 

[watchyouwant]

Yes and no. At present, values are there but buyers are not. Not a good time to sell. Service: yes, independent. Bezel: maybe. As a family heirloom it was used without the bezel. So.....Keep as is, serviced , enjoy it, wear it and wait what happens next. If you change your mind and want to sell your heirloom, list as is with $ 60.000 and offers. Have the excerpt from the Archives done and Wait, what offers come in . Good luck !

 

[padders]

As Mr Fruit alludes to above, the asymmetric clutch bridge is intriguing. Though the serial is in range, it rather suggests that the movement isn't fully original either.

 

[watchyouwant]

padders

As Mr Fruit alludes to above, the asymmetric clutch bridge is intriguing, though the serial is in range, it rather suggests that the movement isn't fully original either.

No problem at all. That clutch can be replaced easily. Tissot/ Omega . not that hard to find.