Hi guys, I'm new around here and I've been browsing around for a couple of days as I'm considering buying my first vintage Omega. The ad says it's from 1944, but it does look suspiciously clean... The dial might have been repainted, perhaps? How much would you guys say this piece is worth? Any ideas on what the model # might be? Thanks a lot for helping me out!
Does that ruin the value of the watch altogether? I'm just thinking of having it as a first nice piece I can wear everyday
As a watch? No. If it still keeps time it does it's job. That's a nice movement too. As a collector's piece? Yes. Originality is key and the dial can be 40% of the value.
Any ideas on how much it would actually be worth? I'm buying it in Brazil and it is priced at ~ USD 350
One other suggestion. Ask seller what is the timekeeping accuracy over 24 hours. Then try to get 30 day warranty on timekeeping accuracy or any malfunction
Hard to tell for sure from the photo, but the missing screw might be snapped off in the main plate...looks like there might be a remnant in the hole as it looks silver coloured...nothing that can't be fixed at the next service with a bit of alum, water, and time. It's one of the case screws so hopefully the movement doesn't flop around in the case.... Cheers, Al
Hi Al. Would you mind telling me how to take that out (with a bit of alum, water and time). Thanks a lot.
Sure - buy some alum (pickling section of the local grocery store), put it in a glass, mix it with warm water (strongest solution you can make), and after removing all steel parts from the plate, put the plate in the water and wait. Every so often you should remove the part and scrape away the black debris that will form on the part that is being dissolved, and expose more of the screw to the solution. Putting the solution on a warming plate will speed the reaction. If you can't remove all steel parts from the plate, you can submerge only the area where the broken screw is, or coat the steel parts with grease - just make sure the alum solution does not get to the steel parts you don't want dissolved or they will be gone too. You can also do this with vinegar, and some people boil the vinegar down to concentrate it. I use alum and I am not normally in a big rush (I have plenty of other watches to work on) so if it takes 24 hours I'm good with that. Then clean off the plate thoroughly rinsing with fresh water, dry, and run it through your cleaning machine (or whatever cleaning process you use) again. Cheers, Al
I ended up getting the watch and even though it had been restored and all it's a very pretty thing to look at in my wrist. I can hardly wait to get a not-messed-with vintage Omega.