Help with a 351 based Omega from 1950

Dan S · Mar 26, 2022

GrouchoM
Would mine have had that ring just inside of the numbers&markers? I assume the newer paint and lume can't be removed without damaging the original aesthetics.

Probably. Most of the dials I saw in the search with these applied markers had that railroad track. You would not be able to restore it by removing paint; I've never heard of that being successful. Also, you have to understand that the dial was repainted for a reason, it was probably damaged. You can keep an eye open for a loose dial. Sometimes they show up if you have patience.

GrouchoM · Mar 26, 2022

Nah. This was my grandfather's. I don't recall if it was redone before I got it (by either him or my grandmother...she wore it for 15 years after he passed) out by me when I sent it out 15 years ago for service. Either way, it still is the original face/hands underneath the facade.

ConElPueblo · Mar 26, 2022

GrouchoM
Am I correct that it's a Seamaster, non-COSC, correct hands and face but both relumed?? I wonder what technical attributes the COSC 351 had that this one lacks.

I am not particularly familiar with this reference, but a cal. 351 is never a chronometer. It would probably have a cal. 352 instead. Try a image googling for some pictures of that movement, it varies a fair bit from the standard ones.

EDIT: I see from the link provided that it also came with a cal. 354; in that case this would be a chronometer-rated 354 (a movement that, confusingly, was offered as both regular and chronometer-rated).

Dan S · Mar 26, 2022

GrouchoM
Nah. This was my grandfather's. I don't recall if it was redone before I got it (by either him or my grandmother...she wore it for 15 years after he passed) out by me when I sent it out 15 years ago for service. Either way, it still is the original face/hands underneath the facade.

Sorry, I was suggesting that you might be able to buy an original dial on eBay or elsewhere. That's a common approach for collectors. I didn't mean that you would find the actual original dial for your watch.

GrouchoM · Mar 26, 2022

CEP - From that page, the movement section states that some 351 were COSC. Whether that's correct or not, I don't know.
Dan - I'd rather have the original face/hands that my grandparents had than immaculate OEM ones that my grandparents didn't own. It's far from a collectors piece... servicing is possibly costlier than replacing.

Dan S · Mar 26, 2022

GrouchoM
CEP - From that page, the movement section states that some 351 were COSC. Whether that's correct or not, I don't know.
Dan - I'd rather have the original face/hands that my grandparents had than immaculate OEM ones that my grandparents didn't own. It's far from a collectors piece... servicing is possibly costlier than replacing.

great attitude, I respect that immensely.

GrouchoM · Mar 26, 2022

Unfortunately, my attitude is my only positive characteristic.

SkunkPrince · Mar 26, 2022

An expensive alternative is to send it to the mother ship, where they will refinish the dial according to how they think it should be. Not necessarily advocating that, but it is an alternative.

GrouchoM · Mar 26, 2022

SkunkPrince
An expensive alternative is to send it to the mother ship, where they will refinish the dial according to how they think it should be. Not necessarily advocating that, but it is an alternative.

Thanks but, from what I've heard, that's the opposite of what I'd want to do as it's likely that they'd swap out the face and hands (that my grandparents relied on) for modern parts.

GrouchoM · Mar 29, 2022

So, the first place I contacted estimated that the cost to service the movement would likely be in the $800-$1000 or more range. This was based on the images I posted in this thread. Does they sound reasonable?

SkunkPrince · Mar 29, 2022

It does for me but I pay a little extra for more service.

ConElPueblo · Mar 29, 2022

GrouchoM
CEP - From that page, the movement section states that some 351 were COSC. Whether that's correct or not, I don't know.

I have never come across a 351 Chronometer and as far as I know a 352 (which is always chronometer-rated) is "based" on a 352, so it would surprise me if this was the case. AFAIK, the 354 is the only Omega movement from that era which has both chronometer and non-chronometer versions.

precisionhrlgy · Mar 29, 2022

GrouchoM
So, the first place I contacted estimated that the cost to service the movement would likely be in the $800-$1000 or more range. This was based on the images I posted in this thread. Does they sound reasonable?

That sounds about right to service by the time all is said and done, assuming it’s a reputable shop doing the job right. To give you a baseline, the last one I just serviced came to $1400 CAD. However, it needed custom bushing, new crystal, crown, movement parts, etc. It was certainly one of the more involved services/restorations.

gatorcpa · Mar 29, 2022

ConElPueblo
AFAIK, the 354 is the only Omega movement from that era which has both chronometer and non-chronometer versions.

The cal. 501 also had both chronometer and non-chronometer versions. These came out only a year or two after OP’s watch.
gatorcpa

padders · Mar 30, 2022

You would expect an 'adjusted to X positions' statement and maybe a fancier regulator than std if it were chronometer rated, regardless of model. Nothing I see there suggests to me it was anything other than a std 351 bumper. In any case chronometer rating is about how the watch performed back when new, it is irrelevant from that point forward in practical terms, it just adds some dial and movement interest.

DON · Mar 30, 2022

GrouchoM
So, the first place I contacted estimated that the cost to service the movement would likely be in the $800-$1000 or more range. This was based on the images I posted in this thread. Does they sound reasonable?

Well I hope he's at least supplying the chair he's bending you over.

Movement looks like at least an 8.5/10 in condition

Maybe I'm out of touch as I haven't restored one since my watchmaker passed, but it's a simple movement and maybe $250.00 for a COA (clean, oil and adjustment) if no parts are required.

Watch doesn't look abused

Find someone more reasonable

DON

precisionhrlgy · Mar 30, 2022

DON
Well I hope he's at least supplying the chair he's bending you over.

Movement looks like at least an 8.5/10 in condition

Maybe I'm out of touch as I haven't restored one since my watchmaker passed, but it's a simple movement and maybe $250.00 for a COA (clean, oil and adjustment) if no parts are required.

Watch doesn't look abused

Find someone more reasonable

DON

Im thinking that perhaps he was quoting a range to service. Perhaps it’s based on past service experience, etc. Based on a photograph you have no idea the condition of bushings, pivots, etc. A COA (a term I truly despise) is rarely required on a vintage watch. You can ask any watchmaker on the forum. I agree that if this is a base service cost, then it is very high. However, throwing around statements like ‘that’s too expensive!’ isn’t exactly helpful to people looking for advice. There is ABSOLUTELY no way of telling the condition of a watch by looking at a picture of a movement. You could have a movement that looked practically NOS, never serviced and every bushing in it could be worn oval and every pivot deeply scored.

SkunkPrince · Mar 30, 2022

There are very few watchmakers left in metro Milwaukee, and they all charge numbers that make some of the people here cringe. Mine is very meticulous, but he does do adjustments for me becaue that's what I ask for, not to just accept what came before. For this he charges me extra, but I have a dozen Omega I wear a few days here or there before I switch to a different one, so it's not like they'll need yearly service, so I'm fine with that. What is considered "expensive" is quite location-dependent, but I've also read people on this forum that say "as long as it's within a minute a day I'm happy"... and for me that is quite unacceptable unless it's a hundred-year old pin lever or something.

Dan S · Mar 30, 2022

Each watchmaker, or watch repair enterprise, chooses their own way to quote prices, I suppose, but transparency is important to me personally. A large service center will sometimes give a firm quote, while independent watchmakers will often have a "base" price, and add on costs beyond the base services once they know what is required. The second approach is my preference with a trusted watchmaker, since I understand the process well enough to take the additional costs in stride when they happen ... you win some, you lose some. If a watchmaker tells me that the base price for a service is $X, and additional parts or service will be based on a menu of charges for different services, or by time and materials, I would be happy with that, because he has transparently explained how he determines what he will charge. Setting expectations is important.

Obviously, the information we are getting from the OP is secondhand, but he seems to suggest that a watch repair shop gave him a vague estimate of "$800-$1000 or more". If that's really what they said, honestly I don't think I would be happy with that, because I have no idea what to expect, or how the charges will be determined.

DON · Mar 30, 2022

ATracyWatches
Im thinking that perhaps he was quoting a range to service. Perhaps it’s based on past service experience, etc. Based on a photograph you have no idea the condition of bushings, pivots, etc. A COA (a term I truly despise) is rarely required on a vintage watch. You can ask any watchmaker on the forum. I agree that if this is a base service cost, then it is very high. However, throwing around statements like ‘that’s too expensive!’ isn’t exactly helpful to people looking for advice. There is ABSOLUTELY no way of telling the condition of a watch by looking at a picture of a movement. You could have a movement that looked practically NOS, never serviced and every bushing in it could be worn oval and every pivot deeply scored.

Fact is. Watchmaker quoted a price without even seeing an image or examining the movement, but when they start throwing out numbers like that. You can pretty much assume they will run the price up.

As stated by the watchmaker - "the cost to service the movement would likely be in the $800-$1000 or more range" without examining it

Not all businesses are going to be honest. If some feel they have a fish on the line. They're going to reel them in

Throwing out statements like ‘that’s too expensive!’ makes people think twice, get other quotes and prevents them being taken advantage of.

DON

Help with a 351 based Omega from 1950

Dan S

GrouchoM

ConElPueblo

Dan S

GrouchoM

Dan S

GrouchoM

SkunkPrince

GrouchoM

GrouchoM

SkunkPrince

ConElPueblo

precisionhrlgy

gatorcpa

padders

DON

precisionhrlgy

SkunkPrince

Dan S

DON

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