I sent my husband's steel and gold Deville to the repair center as it had stopped running. I got the repair estimate today and was shocked to learn the bezel was missing. They sent me this photo, and it is indeed gone. Is it possible it could have come off while being shipped? I'm certain it was there when I sent the watch off. Can bezels just pop off? How does the watch hold together without one?

 

Welcome to OF. Did you contact the repair center? I am not sure why they would have taken the bezel off during a look at the movement, but that is worth a try. Did they actually repair the watch? Because if they did, they would have performed a cleaning at which time they would have removed the bezel to clean it.

 

I called them and they claim it came to them without the bezel. They say it needs a partial service (including battery replacement) plus a new bezel. The bezel alone will cost $584. I'm in shock.

 

What repair center is this you sent it to? Did you take photos of the watch before you sent it?

If you know the specific model of the watch (the reference number) post it here and I will see what the bezel costs. If they are quoting $584 I'm assuming it must be a solid gold bezel...

Cheers, Al

 

That price seems low for solid gold. My 2254's SS bezel cost around $470. Are the gold bezels really just $100 more?

 

What is the entire reference number for your "2254"?

A new bezel assembly for a 22545000 is $275, so not sure where you paid $470 for one...unless yours is something different.

Keep in mind this is a small watch with a thin gold bezel, so no where near the size of what is on a men's dive watch...

 

2254.50.00. Last year I sent it to NJ OMEGA for a full service which cost, including the option for a new bezel, $807. I was quoted something in the neighborhood of $470 just for the new bezel.

 

Hi, Archer-
The reference number is 43101200. According to the repair estimate, it's a "STEELGOLD BEZEL DB1961150." I sent it to the Secaucus, NJ, repair center.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos before I sent it in and I am kicking myself for it. There was nothing wrong with the exterior of the watch; the only problem was that it had stopped running. I know there was a bezel on it when I packed it for shipping. Thanks!

 

Just got a quote for the bezel for this model in mid-November - price is $275 Canadian. They seem to be charging a lot to install it in NJ! LOL!

BTW installation takes about 15 seconds....

 

Full bezel part number is 082DB1961150. I will get a price for this and let you know, but it won't be for a day or two as they are off right now for New Years. I would personally push them to look for the bezel and tell them that it was on the watch when you sent it in, and if it's not there now, they lost it and should cover the cost of replacing it.

I always advocate taking photos of a watch before sending it for service, and you can be sure I take photos when they arrive in my shop as I unpack the watches. That way I'm not going to get blamed for marks that are already on the watch...IMO both parties need to protect themselves.

Cheers, Al

 

Error! I just called my AD. NJ charged me $336 for the bezel and installation. The total cost was $807 = $471 service + $336 bezel.

 

I think Otto Frei only charges $289 US for these bezels...http://www.ofrei.com/page663.html

Looks like the AD may be adding in a mark up on your service as well. I usually charge $30 for removing the old bezel and installing the new one - if done as part of a full service, I install it all for free.

Anyway, $470 was way out of whack so glad they didn't rip you off too badly.

Cheers, Al

 

The AD sent it to NJ and NJ quoted those prices to them. I am thinking about getting a new bezel in the near future, so Ofrei will be getting a call from me.

 

Well an AD gets quoted 2 prices - what they pay, and what you pay....these are obviously not the same numbers...

The AD always gets their cut.

Cheers, Al

 

I did not realize that. Thanks.

 

You might think it's easy money for the AD, but they have to take the watch in, arrange to send it off, contact you with a price, get your confirmation, pay for the service when it's done and then charge you when you pick it up, then deal with any problems that might arise.

Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not.

Glad this thread has been enlightening....BTW if you send your watch in directly, you will still pay the full retail price, but now Omega keeps the cut instead of the AD...factory service is a bit of a racket!

Cheers, Al

 

Hi, Archer-
Just wondering if you ever got a price on this...thanks!

 

No sorry - forgot but have included it now in a list of things I need prices for from this weekend's work. I'll get back to this thread as soon as they give me the pricing. Hopefully Monday sometime....

 

You have a PM.

Cheers, Al