Does this make sense? Junk to NOS-like conversion by sending a watch to Omega

kaplan · Jan 20, 2021

There are threads about Omega restoring watches to NOS-looking conditions even against the owners wishes

Now I'm wondering if I buy and send a junk (not even ugly, or aged, or patina'd, but dial-wise, junk) 168.029 to them, will it come back polished as original with a new dial and new crystal?

If that's the case, maybe it's worth paying ~$1000

S.H. · Jan 20, 2021

It may come back polished with a new crystal, but also probably with a repainted dial and not costing only $1000 for the adventure...

kaplan · Jan 20, 2021

So no way to know/specify whether it's a repainted dial or a NOS dial installed? I don't know whether NOS dials are available for Constellations from Omega - the C-Case's aren't that popular, so they may be?

STANDY · Jan 20, 2021

Replacement dial, polished case and wrong hands and crown and new and old movement parts is not really NOS

$500 for a ugly watch
$1000 + + as it’s $1000 without a parts quote until they look at it. So say $1500.

now your $2000 in on a watch that will be hard to sell for $1000. But it will look good to everyone but us.

kaplan · Jan 20, 2021

50 years from now, could it not be worth it?

For example for Seamaster 300's, newly produced and different cases, I also think is not valuable

However, an Omega restoration, with an authentic/original dial - seems like a good thing to me

I don't sell my 168.029's by the way, so this is not from a selling point of view, but rather from a collection/preservation point of view

STANDY · Jan 20, 2021

Oddly you could buy a 168.029 for cheaper than a service by Omega

https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-constellation-day-date-ref-168-029-cal-751-serviced-c-shape.91911/

kaplan · Jan 20, 2021

Yeah I know that one, it's beautiful, and great as a reference

But something like that comes up once every 3 months on average, and even when it comes up, I miss it most the time

So buying the $500 bottom barrel ones and giving them a new life, started seeming like an option

Rudi99 · Jan 20, 2021

kaplan
Yeah I know that one, it's beautiful, and great as a reference

But something like that comes up once every 3 months on average, and even when it comes up, I miss it most the time

So buying the $500 bottom barrel ones and giving them a new life, started seeming like an option

The thing is, the watch you would get back from Omega would not look like the above 168.029 at all!

They only way to get a good looking vintage piece like this is getting one in good condition, there are a few things one can do to improve something damaged like polishing the crystal, but there are things that just can't be undone to the case and the dial/hands.

Best, Rudi

cristos71 · Jan 20, 2021

kaplan
50 years from now, could it not be worth it?

For example for Seamaster 300's, newly produced and different cases, I also think is not valuable

However, an Omega restoration, with an authentic/original dial - seems like a good thing to me

I don't sell my 168.029's by the way, so this is not from a selling point of view, but rather from a collection/preservation point of view

The major problem with this idea is you won't be getting an original and period correct dial for the majority of the collectable vintage references, but Omega's new interpretation of one. And the older the reference, the less chance of getting an acceptable looking replacement.

I have a couple of pics on my HD of a recent listing I saw for an Omega restored 50's Seamaster, I'll post them later.

kaplan · Jan 20, 2021

If they don't have/use NOS or 1:1 dials, it's obviously a bad idea, I agree - I assumed/hoped they still had original/1:1 dials that they can install

cristos71
The major problem with this idea is you won't be getting an original and period correct dial for the majority of the collectable vintage references, but Omega's new interpretation of one. And the older the reference, the less chance of getting an acceptable looking replacement.

I have a couple of pics on my HD of a recent listing I saw for an Omega restored 50's Seamaster, I'll post them later.

Thanks, looking forward to them

cristos71 · Jan 20, 2021

Here we are, I can't find the listing now, it could be on Ebay. But you can see that it neither looks like, nor has the charm of a vintage piece but probably cost around €800-€1000 to achieve. I'm not sure of the servicing prices for this calibre and period, but I can imaging €500-€600 for the service and the rest for the dial.

For a 70's watch or later I think you'd have a much better chance of receiving a more correct and possibly even 'NOS' dial, although actually, thinking about it, I'm not even so sure about that, as a 70's lumed dial would have tritium and it's possible Omega's policy regarding this would be a super luminova version of a 70's dial....anyway, someone else will surely know more than me about that!

YY77 · Jan 20, 2021

cristos71
Here we are, I can't find the listing now, it could be on Ebay. But you can see that it neither looks like, nor has the charm of a vintage piece but probably cost around €800-€1000 to achieve. I'm not sure of the servicing prices for this calibre and period, but I can imaging €500-€600 for the service and the rest for the dial.

For a 70's watch or later I think you'd have a much better chance of receiving a more correct and possibly even 'NOS' dial, although actually, thinking about it, I'm not even so sure about that, as a 70's lumed dial would have tritium and it's possible Omega's policy regarding this would be a super luminova version of a 70's dial....anyway, someone else will surely know more than me about that!

Could you be referring to this one:

Dan S · Jan 20, 2021

I think the OP keeps writing "NOS" when he means to write "service".

Archer · Jan 20, 2021

kaplan
So no way to know/specify whether it's a repainted dial or a NOS dial installed? I don't know whether NOS dials are available for Constellations from Omega - the C-Case's aren't that popular, so they may be?

Omega has dials for many vintage watches, but certainly not for all. It would be a bit of a crap shoot to know if they have one for the specific case number, colour, and style to match the original.

Franco · Jan 20, 2021

About 20 years ago Omega Bienne quoted me for a replacement Omega dial in a 30t2SCrg. They did a very good job (along other intervention on movement and one of the lugs), but what I got was a top-class repaint job - not a NOS dial.

kaplan · Jan 21, 2021

Thanks for sharing all the experiences, indeed seems like a bad gamble, especially going in blind

nkhandekar · Jan 21, 2021

I had a junk Seamaster calendar I bought for a few hundred dollars. Sent it to Omega for a service and a redial, knowing exactly what I was getting myself in for. Gave the watch to my wife. She rides horses every day and it has stood up to a solid beating for a couple of years now. It was never a collectors watch, it will never be a collectors watch but it looks and runs great and no one will shed a tear if it gets scratches and dings.

As it was sent to Omega

How it came back (I added the sweat-proof Kodiak strap from TC Straps with an Omega buckle)

And how it is getting used now.

kaplan · Jan 21, 2021

I think we can all agree that instead of ever buying a new watch, it just makes so much sense to make Omega restore an old one 😀

They just do an incredible job, thanks for sharing

I think what they do adds a base value to any vintage Omega out there

Does this make sense? Junk to NOS-like conversion by sending a watch to Omega

kaplan

S.H.

kaplan

STANDY

kaplan

STANDY

kaplan

Rudi99

cristos71

kaplan

cristos71

YY77

Dan S

Archer

Franco

kaplan

nkhandekar

kaplan

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UPDATE And you ask why sending a watch to Omega for service is a problem?