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Is this worth servicing before selling?

briandunning
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I have this vintage Omega F6238 automatic bumper, 1950, 14K gold filled with gold Seidel expansion band (s/n 12813226 if anyone cares). It came down from a relative, and I don't want it so I looked on eBay to see what they're going for, and it looks like anywhere from $300-$1000. BUT... this one is monogrammed. So it's going to be on the low end of the range at best.

I wound it and set it earlier, and was just going to list it when I noticed it had lost a few minutes in just the past hour. Soooo it clearly needs a clean/oil/adjust at a minimum. Sigh. I do not know any service places so would be searching in the blind, but it sounds like I'd do well just to break even.

What would you do? Would you service it first and risk being underwater, or just sell it saying nothing more than "it runs"? Searching through eBay listings, I don't see any that mention how well it runs or whether it's been serviced. But I don't want to be a deceptive seller.

IMG_3993.webp IMG_3996.webp IMG_3980.webp IMG_3981.webp IMG_3982.webp
 
ErichKeane
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I looked on eBay to see what they're going for, and it looks like anywhere from $300-$1000. BUT... this one is monogrammed. So it's going to be on the low end of the range at best.

Good research, I'd agree based on a few things. That dial looks suspiciously like a redial/refinish, and the hands don't look quite right, but I'm not familiar with this reference enough to answer definitively. Either way, both are in fairly rough shape, and a service doesn't really improve those. The case looks reasonably nice at least, though the movement is rough (which WOULD be fixed by a service).

However, a service is going to be a minimum of about $300 + parts, and at least the second hand is in need of a replacement, and a non-Omega part makes it even closer to the low-end. I'm guessing you'll need a few, so you are probably talking closer to $4-500 for a service.

At that point, it is probably going to be worth $3-500 at most. So in the end, you'd be lucky to get your service-cost back. IMO, not worth it when you could probably get $200+ for it if you listed it as an auction right now.

IF it were me (as you*), I'd list it honestly on ebay: "runs, but runs slow, needs a service". Else you risk an ebay return, which can be expensive.

*If it were me, me, I'd just treat it as a project, and try to do a service/track down parts myself, and spend a bunch of money getting it to be something I'd be willing to give as a gift.
 
dsio
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99% of the time there is no benefit in servicing a watch prior to sale, everyone buying off someone like yourself rather than a bricks and mortar dealer is going to want to have their own watchmaker do it their own way and you'll never get back the money you spend servicing it much less any additional money, its purely a financial loss.
 
JimInOz
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You will never recoup the service cost, just sell it as is and note "the movement runs but will need to be serviced for accurate timekeeping".

Due to the poor redial and incorrect hands it will be at the low end of the market unless someone wants a 6238 case or the movement.
 
repoman
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I agree with the others, from a dollars and cents point of view, it hardly ever makes sense. But, let me give you additional food for thought. it wasn't a watch, but a motorcycle I was selling that was due for a particular expensive planned maintenance. I had the option to sell without doing the service, or doing the service first and selling. I choose the latter because it just felt like the right thing to do, and, I really didn't want a buyer to call me after the sale complaining if something went wrong (even if the sale was "as is").

So, I had my local dealer complete the service, and then I listed the bike for sale, noting service was up to date. Shortly after, a buyer contacted me and came to see it. When he arrived to see the bike, he mentioned to me that he called the local dealer to ask general questions about this year and make of bike, and the dealer asked the buyer "oh, are you consider buying John's bike? If so, just do it, that guy takes really good care of his equipment and that bike is in perfect condition". He bought it no questions asked.

I'm sure I lost out a few bucks, but it was worth every penny to me.
 
SOG53
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Sell it on EB , no reserve start 1.00, Omega automatic watch, early 1950s , running but Service history unknown , as is. 14k gold filled case.
Movement caliber 34x. If you move the rotor you will see number.
Do not make any claim about originality of parts.
Don’t worry about the monogram most people don’t care.
It will reach market value include good quality photos and say photos are part of description.
Good luck
 
Dan S
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If a watch is in running condition, it's almost never worth the cost of a service, especially because you can never guarantee that a simple service is all that is needed. When the watch is disassembled, the watchmaker may identify additional problems, and you could go down a rabbit hole. In this case, the watch dial has been poorly repainted, and so the value is very low. If you can get $150 for it, you should be happy, IMO.
 
DON
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As mentioned. Say it runs, but slow and service needed. Start at one dollar and take your chances.

Movement in poor condition which is not a great selling feature
 
sheepdoll
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Dan S Dan S
If you can get $150 for it, you should be happy, IMO.
I think this is a low estimate. I would ❤️love❤️ to get this watch for 150. Start the watch at 0.99 with no reserve. It may go to 35 or 56 during the week. Then at the last seconds it will shoot up to around 200 or 300. This is the value of the movement OR the case. None of us are going to let something like this go for much less.

Parts for these are becoming more difficult to find, although at the moment bumpers like this are trending on the auction sites. Probably due to massive scrapping of gold cases.

I have 4 or 5 movements what need a hairspring. Since they do not have cases or dials, they just sit in the box.

The motorcycle analogy does not really apply here. While there are similarities, this is no concourse car. this one is a rusted out wreak as far and any buyer is concerned. Even worse, some use car dealer painted it the wrong color.
 
ErichKeane
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sheepdoll sheepdoll
I think this is a low estimate. I would ❤️love❤️ to get this watch for 150. Start the watch at 0.99 with no reserve. It may go to 35 or 56 during the week. Then at the last seconds it will shoot up to around 200 or 300. This is the value of the movement OR the case. None of us are going to let something like this go for much less.

Parts for these are becoming more difficult to find, although at the moment bumpers like this are trending on the auction sites. Probably due to massive scrapping of gold cases.

I have 4 or 5 movements what need a hairspring. Since they do not have cases or dials, they just sit in the box.

The motorcycle analogy does not really apply here. While there are similarities, this is no concourse car. this one is a rusted out wreak as far and any buyer is concerned. Even worse, some use car dealer painted it the wrong color.
6 days left, it is already at 152.50, so 😀 But it started at 150 IIRC. I suspect it'll hit ~300 with how it was listed.

I'm in on it right now, though I'll likely be outbid before its over.
 
padders
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ErichKeane ErichKeane
6 days left, it is already at 152.50, so 😀 But it started at 150 IIRC. I suspect it'll hit ~300 with how it was listed.

I'm in on it right now, though I'll likely be outbid before its over.
Bearing in mind your appraisal of the watch above (which I substantially agree with) I am surprised you are bidding. It is hard to see the appeal with this for a collector.
 
ErichKeane
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padders padders
Bearing in mind your appraisal of the watch above (which I substantially agree with) I am surprised you are bidding. It is hard to see the appeal with this for a collector.
See
"*If it were me, me, I'd just treat it as a project, and try to do a service/track down parts myself, and spend a bunch of money getting it to be something I'd be willing to give as a gift."

It isn't collectable at all, and I'd not wear it as such. But a half-decent running omega bumper movement I could work on and only waste a few hundred dollars on, followed by handing it off to someone who might appreciate it? Worth... a little.
 
padders
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ErichKeane ErichKeane
See
"*If it were me, me, I'd just treat it as a project, and try to do a service/track down parts myself, and spend a bunch of money getting it to be something I'd be willing to give as a gift."

It isn't collectable at all, and I'd not wear it as such. But a half-decent running omega bumper movement I could work on and only waste a few hundred dollars on, followed by handing it off to someone who might appreciate it? Worth... a little.
Fair enough. I didn't give that sentence enough attention. The big problem with low cost projects like these of course is that the viability is sunk by any parts requirements or servicing costs out of the ordinary. The engraving is a big red flag for me too. On a plated or filled case it can't be easily or cheaply removed and who wants a stranger's initials on a watch? As you say, if cheap enough it might be fun but I wouldn't be bidding on this personally at any price. No offence meant to the OP, just my opinion!
 
ErichKeane
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Fair enough. I didn't give that sentence enough attention. The big problem with low cost projects like these of course is that the viability is sunk by any parts requirements or servicing costs out of the ordinary. The engraving is a big red flag for me too. On a plated or filled case it can't be easily or cheaply removed and who wants a stranger's initials on a watch? As you say, if cheap enough it might be fun but I wouldn't be bidding on this personally at any price. No offence meant to the OP, just my opinion!
I am nothing if not a glutton for punishment on these projects. IF I were to win this project, I'd spend 2x more than it would ever be worth getting replacement parts/fixes/etc than it would ever be worth. It would be far from the first time I've done that.

Initials are a pretty big turn off too, but dealing with that is a 'later' and 'only if' problem.
 
sheepdoll
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ErichKeane ErichKeane
But a half-decent running omega bumper movement I could work on and only waste a few hundred dollars on, followed by handing it off to someone who might appreciate it?
My sentiments exactly.

There is a reason some of us like Omega Automatics. They are the easiest watch in the world to work on and service. No one else has ever made such nice mechanisms, with such precision in such quantity. Chances are no one ever will again.

When I started collecting 35 or so years back, I was into automata dolls and clocks. I had no interests in watches at all. Quite the opposite. Then I got one of these. Then another. No one in the club wanted them. I was getting anything marked Omega (or Tissot.) I trended to chronographs and repeaters. Got stuck for a decade or so.

Now it is back to Post WWII through the 1960s omega, and I can not get enough of them again.

The other side is this is the sort of watch mechanism a you tube vidder could get their hands on and have success with. So the competition is out there.

Just did a scrape of eBay. Missed out on an auto movement with good dial, what went for the cost of the dial. On the opposite end someone listed an automatic for 300. Which probably will sit for a week at that price till the auction ends.

As I have noted it is about the chase. The hunt. The gathering of the roots and berries. Waiting for the grain and fruit to ripen.

I hardly wear the mechanicals anymore. The apple watch is so much more fun. And to say I fixed the apple watch myself. (swapping a cracked screen) Is all the more fun.

The short of it is there are watches. And there are watches.
 
ErichKeane
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ErichKeane ErichKeane
6 days left, it is already at 152.50, so 😀 But it started at 150 IIRC. I suspect it'll hit ~300 with how it was listed.

I'm in on it right now, though I'll likely be outbid before its over.
Welp, I was about as accurate as could have been 😁 I put in an 'overpay' of $310 figuring it would go for high-200s and I could snag it as a bumper project (my previous bumper project went... poorly and donated to @sheepdoll's parts collection). ONCE it is in my hands, I'll be on the lookout for hands + dial I presume. Worst case, I'll have another donation to @sheepdoll.
 
ErichKeane
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ErichKeane ErichKeane
Welp, I was about as accurate as could have been 😁 I put in an 'overpay' of $310 figuring it would go for high-200s and I could snag it as a bumper project (my previous bumper project went... poorly and donated to @sheepdoll's parts collection). ONCE it is in my hands, I'll be on the lookout for hands + dial I presume. Worst case, I'll have another donation to @sheepdoll.
SO just got this. The dial isn't awful looking, but definitely a redial. I might be looking for one once I figure out sizes/etc on this one. The hands themselves are pretty ugly, the second hand is bent on its pivot (poked upwards), and were kinda mainhandled in. So I'll need those too.

The timegrapher app on my phone was not very friendly to this, it was a snowstorm.

On the bright side, it arrived quickly, the case is a 6/10, and it came with an older Omega presentation box that isn't too bad.

Overall, I overpaid by more than I thought, but less than I feared.

To OP: This DEFINITELY is going to be a case where I spend more fixing/replacing stuff than it will ever be worth.
 
ErichKeane
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Alright, FINALLY got this guy apart! It made it to the top-ish of my queue, so I figured I'd share in case anyone is interested. Put a full wind in it, and the results are bad.

1767242516119.webp


The hands are pretty bad, look pretty generic and the second hand doesn't match at all. I'll probably replace it. On the other hand, the dial is actually decent. The markers are all even/equal/etc, but the text is uneven. I might just roll with it and keep this as a bit of a 'beater' :

1767242594428.webp


Movement itself is PRETTY dirty, but I DID find something odd. Setting lever plus a few screws are BLACK! I've never seen that before!
1767242633006.webp


It came apart pretty easily, and other than a mainspring (the last coil is broken off) it doesn't seem immediately like it'll need anything. Its one of a few movements that I have in my 'next to service' list, so hopefully I'll get it cleaned up well enough soon!
 
sheepdoll
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Steel turns black like that when it is in contact with some de rusting agents like evapORust. What may contain citric acid. I think excess ammonia in cleaners can do this as well.

The black is an iron oxide which is fairly stable. I think it is called hematite which I just looked up. Basically this is iron ore. The black rocks on mars are made of this stuff. I think the red variation which is common rust is less pure or has more oxygen in it. This is also what gives blood it's red color, that turns black when dry.

Has interesting magnetic properties. I got a jar of it from Home despot. Called cement coloring. Can be used to develop magnetic patterns on things like credit cards and such. Should also be useful for making recording tapes and stripes. My plan is to see if I can use it to revive some old APS cameras.

Usually it polishes off. The resulting iron seems darker even when it takes a mirrored finish. Might be that it leaches out some of the carbon in the steel.

A lot of my rust rats have parts this color, especially the chronographs. Not uncommon to find the winding setting mechanism as you show. My uneducated guess off the top of my head is that something acidic may have leaked in through the crown.
 
ErichKeane
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Gave it a clean, a lot of the marks ended up being missing plating, this is NOT a particularly attractive version of this movement. That said, I got the keyless works/escapement/etc all together and it fired up! A very brief moment setting the rate and this is what I had! Not sure how much wind is in it, as it was basically just the amount I used to tighten up the ratchet wheel, but it looks like this'll be a lovely runner someday if I can find a nice set of hands (at minimum) and perhaps dial.
1767418047523.webp
 
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