Good evening, I am trying to like this piece but at the moment, i am struggling. Bought cheap from ebay serial, 4530692 , scratched glass, not overpolished, keeps good time. I just find the dial unappealing, water dammage maybe on the top side? I am looking here to confirm my opinion or not. Is anyone aware of the costs involved in cleaning the dial ? And will the finished product be worth it? Thanks for reading
It's a lovely watch...thin...elegant...new! What's not to like? (thanks) A classic watch from a well-respected brand. Lots of love for these by the cognoscenti on this forum: https://omegaforums.net/threads/eterna-matic.18900/ https://omegaforums.net/threads/i-blame-this-on-lou-and-norm.2858/ https://omegaforums.net/threads/fastest-shipping-ever-eterna-content-part-deux.6172/
The crystal does look pretty dinged up. I would suggest giving it a going over with some Polywatch and taking a second look, as the way the light reflects off the faceted indexes is part of the look of these watches. It seems pretty nice to me but, de gustibus etc...
I'll give it a go with the Polywatch , but i think yhe glass is beyond saving. I think i will keep it , 50 £ is not a lot. Any recommendations for replacement glass and a service ? Thank you
I don't think cleaning the dial will be better. Like the other said, try and polish the crystal or swap that one out. It's crazy what a polish or new crystal can do with the looks of a watch! Here's my Centenaire 61:
In the UK Cousins is the biggest supplier. But you can also give it in for repair and have the watchmaker source the part from them or another supplier.
Which is probably the easiest method as placing a new crystal is quite tricky for the first time and without the proper tools!
I love mine. The beautiful movement alone has me sold on it. Yes, you do need a crystal. Any watchmaker should be able to fit one nicely. It appears yours has a terminal chip.
Replacing the crystal might be a challenge. I think the minutes chapter ring on this model is actually a modified type of reflector ring. The inside diameter of the crystal must be a precise fit for the reflector ring, and the outside diameter of the crystal a precise fit for the case. If I am right, this type of crystal is a press fit, using a crystal press. This type of crystal usually comes complete with a new reflector ring. But this model requires that you re-use the original reflector ring. You may have to send the case to the crystal source.
While we have so many Centenaire '61 enthusiasts on this thread, can anyone confirm whether the crown on the OP example is original? I haven't seen a signed crown on this particular reference, and the ad Vitezi posted does not show one either.
These watches had 'hidden' or 'invisible' crowns, so the crown had to fit tight dimensions. This example has a signed logo crown and a good view of the tolerances: (thanks) Here's another example: (thanks)
I have a similar model and have a question about this one: Does the crown move clockwise or counter-clockwise while winding it in the flush position? The crown on my Eterna only moves in the counter clockwise direction (towards me, away from the 12 position) and makes a quick clicking sound. It refuses to move in the clockwise direction and I’m not sure if moving it counter clockwise is actually winding the mainspring. Here is a picture of my Eterna.