Edited my post: Recently retrieved my father’s 1968 De Ville Chronograph Chronograph 1968 caliber 860, Reference 145.017 and had a query about servicing

 

Congratulations. Always lovely to hear these stories.

I don't know about where best to get it serviced in your part of the world but hopefully somebody else will chime in.

Wear it in good health

 

Thank you

 

Although, my main query is, should I bother to service it? I note all parts being original and it having acquired appropriate wear, And still holding good time, I am so wary of Jakarta’s Omega service centre doing a rather too complete overhaul and replacing hands, re-luming with non tritium and so on and so forth…Am I right to want the watch to remain as original as possible with appropriate wear after 54 years of adventures?

 

Hello and congratulations for having this one back to you. I think you should have it serviced but not at an Omega boutique. Find a good watchmaker who will do what you ask specifically, i.e. a simple service of the movement.

 

@sliceoftime_ should be able to help you out. He’s also in Jakarta.

 

Echoing the other posters here in saying that a service would be a good idea. Seems like you have a lot of memories with this watch and want to keep it running in the long term. A nice trip to the spa would be a great idea. Think about it like buying a used car. The guy you bought it from says he is sure he had the oil changed last year but doesn't have the receipt. Its a good idea to have it in for some preventative maintenance and start the timer on the next service. A ounce of prevention, a pound of cure, and a dozen other proverbs I am sure apply.

Local watchmaker is a good idea they tend to be more sympathetic to vintage pieces. If it went off to Omega they would likely polish out all those dings your dad put into over the years which would be a shame. Not to mention possibly swapping hands ect..

Mostly just stopping by to say that I think you have a beautiful watch there. I am thinking about adding a similar looking midcentury, manual wind, two register chrono to the collection soon. I'll be luck if I can snag one as sweet looking as the beauty you got there. Good luck! I hope you can make some beautiful memories of your own with that watch on your wrist!

 

Thank you so much, and yes, consensus seems to be to find a good watch servicing chap and have it serviced, (without replacements of originals.) If this watch could talk, it would have such a tale, before my lifetime, including my father pointing out to his unbelieving maid in Kampala ‘69 that indeed there were men standing on that moon, evacuation from Uganda in ‘73, halcyon days lobster fishing in the Cayman Islands and thereafter, within my lifetime: cutting bamboo in lion infested game reserves at midnight, a lung puncture, a marathon or so, being held hostage, well just endless…I would like it to just keep on ticking and witnessing, to hand on to next, and so shall keep it as original as can be, with, (gratefully received advice,) servicing to ensure it does keep on.

 

Send me DM bud if you need my help.