Inherited FX6040 cal 490

I inherited this Omega watch from my Dad who passed in 2005 and it is a nice keepsake from him. I remember him wearing it, and having to wind it up but I never thought much of it at the time. Dad was a mechanic, handyman and all around working man. I thought this watch, with it's scratched up glass, really matched him well. I am thinking now that this is the only watch he owned for 47 years.

Recently, I thought about cleaning it up and passing it down to my son. I didn't open the back to get the model information and didn't have much information on it until today when I took it to a watch repair center to get estimates. I was given the model number, told it's worth roughly $1k and they recommend a deep cleaning, tune-up and replacing the crystal for roughly $500.

After some internet searching I found this forum, some eBay listings and discovered there is a whole group of people who make knowing and collecting vintage watches their passion. Amazing.

My questions for you esteemed forum gurus:

Does replacing the crystal greatly devalue the watch? Should I trust a local watch center in Texas to cleaning and turning my watch or do I return it Omega? Lastly, any idea of what this model of Omega would have cost back in the late 50s? My dad was shoe store manager with 4 kids around this time and doubt he had money for an expensive watch.

Thank you for any assistance provided.

Jon

Welcome Jon,
Try (with the help of other members) to find an OMEGA certified jeweller – in case spare parts are needed....