Anyone Willing to Repair/Service Seamaster Cosmic 2000 1022 166.129

[ZBrink]

I have a daily wear 166.129 (press-out style movement) with a 1022 movement. It's getting "stuck" i.e. will randomly stop and when I notice, tap it with my knuckle, then it starts up again. Otherwise it keeps pretty good time. I need it to be reliable for daily wear but can't afford to send it the authorized Omega watchmaker I used to utilize as the prices have gone up far too much (apparently Omega requires him to replace a standard set of parts, even if fully functioning, provided direct by Omega as part of every service). His labor rates are fair but the factory Omega parts are crazy expensive in my mind.

Is there anyone here capable and willing to repair and possibly do a service? I'm in the US and have no issue shipping the watch off.

Edited: Aug 18, 2024

 

[Davidt]

Are you UK, Aus, EU, US?

If we knew your location it would help with recommendations?

 

[ZBrink]

Davidt

Are you UK, Aus, EU, US?

If we knew your location it would help with recommendations?

The US. Sorry, didn't even think of that.

 

[Wlcutter]

Any good independent watchmaker with an Omega account should be able to help you out. The watchmaker I take everything to is Donovan Paradise, at Paradise Time Service: he's obsessively good, can work on absolutely anything from vintage chronographs to annoyingly over-engineered Futurematics, and he usually doesn't have much of a wait. He's CW21 and Omega certified, has an account, and has made comically quick work of basically any issue I've thrown his way.

 

[Archer]

ZBrink

apparently Omega requires him to replace a standard set of parts, even if fully functioning, provided direct by Omega as part of every service

Mandatory and recommended replacements are laid out in the "general information for calibers" documents. When I look through the one for the 1010 series (which covers the 1022 in your watch) there are only 3 parts that Omega recommends changing on the movement. One is the setting lever, and it's to avoid it getting stuck - it is not listed as a mandatory change, but only a recommendation. This is about a $50 part.

The others are the winding wheel (reversing wheel) and the ratchet wheel driving wheel, both for the automatic winding system. The design has changed, so if one of these is worn, both need to be changed as a set. The driving wheel is about $45, and the winding wheel is around $300. The older versions of these 2 wheels are no longer available, so if one of them is worn there's no choice but to replace them both - mixing old and new physically will not function.

The winding wheel is the big one, but he wouldn't be replacing it unless it was needed. So to have a "reliable" watch, these repairs cannot really be avoided.