Advice please - Omega Speedmaster strap (and more)

Hi.

Would really like some advice please. My son has inherited an Omega Speedmaster, I think from the late 60s. Have attached a few photos. I know very little about Omegas apart from what I’ve read about them here. It’s in good condition, although it’s got a scratch on the glass and it looks like it could do with a clean. But it’s been serviced previously by Omega, I think, and it hasn’t been worn much in recent years.

I’ve got two questions:

1. Firstly, the strap is way too big for my teenage son, and the links on it seem quite gappy and loose. We took it into a local jewellers who said that none of the links were removable and offered instead to replace the strap with another Omega strap (I think by sending it off to Omega). Should we do that? We’re loathed to replace something that was part of the original watch with something new. Is that sensible? Is the original strap repairable maybe? Or is it possible to buy another strap from the same period? Would replacing the strap with something new (or something old) affect the value of the watch?

2. And secondly, how can we best care for the watch? It’s a fantastic heirloom (from his submariner grandfather), and my son will probably only wear it occasionally, so should we wind it regularly? If so, how often and how much?

Thanks for your advice. It’s a beautiful watch and an amazing piece of engineering, so we just want to make sure we’re looking after it properly.

C

Hello

To know more about the watch you would need to get someone to open the caseback and then note the numbers there.. or post a photo here.

The dial has been replaced and out likely the hands.

There are a number of bracelets that would work for the watch and that one is not particularly valuable nor likely it's original.

The local jeweler was correct, all of the removable links have been removed. Your son must be somewhat young yet. There is no shame in removing that bracelet for now and setting it aside and using something else. A Velcro-based strap might be a decent idea.

If your son is still in the gawky groing-too-fast phase, you may want to suggest not wearing it yet, because banging it around is inevitable... in which case, a covered military-style Velcro strap makes the most sense.