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  1. flw history nerd Sep 5, 2015

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    Hi all -

    My 1966 C-case is just back from service ... new hands and crown, and a new alligator strap also. I thought I'd share a shot or two. IMG_20150905_163715013.jpg IMG_20150905_163550879.jpg IMG_20150905_163532501.jpg
    Something old and something new!
     
  2. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Sep 5, 2015

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    Very, very nice. Definitely to be worn with pride. :)
     
  3. italy1861 Sep 5, 2015

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    Watch looks great!
     
  4. sryukon Sep 6, 2015

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    Very Nice!! Congrats Can you PM me for the Co that did your Service?
     
  5. flw history nerd Sep 6, 2015

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    No need for a PM actually ... I took it to the Omega boutique in Troy, Michigan. They sent it out to the Omega service center in Seattle (I was afraid that it might have to travel to Switzerland and I wouldn't get it back for ages). The service took a little over a month from drop off to pick up. Full service (by all indications the first one ever), new hands, crown, and acrylic crystal, and new strap. They said they couldn't restore the original brick bracelet - too stretched and worn out. I got back all the original parts as well, except the old crystal (it was badly scratched up anyway). They also recalibrated and re-certified the movement, with a two-year warranty (although my certificate came with a prominent note to the effect that the watch is no longer water resistant!).

    I'm actually thinking of taking the watch to an independent shop nearby to see if they can put the original hands back on. That may void my new warranty, but at some point it might be fun.
     
  6. vinn2 Sep 6, 2015

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    how was the omega service center in seattle? i have a 1967 speedmaster that needs some parts
     
  7. flw history nerd Sep 6, 2015

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    My experience is limited to the service I just got, but based on the quality of the work and the look of the watch when I got it back, I'd go ahead and use them. You'll get all your old parts back as well.
     
  8. vinn2 Sep 6, 2015

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    thanks for the reply. - vinn
     
  9. VetPsychWars Wants to be in the club! Sep 7, 2015

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    The fun isn't worth it. If the hands look the same, why change them?

    Tom
     
  10. Northernman Lemaniac Sep 7, 2015

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    Vintage hands will often have lume aged similar to the dots on the dial. The new hands have a lume material that is not matching the dial, and that reduces collectibility.
    Not too bad on the watch in question, but I would like to see the original hands. If they are otherwise in good nick I would have considered the same.
     
  11. flw history nerd Sep 7, 2015

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    My thoughts exactly. I may still do it at some point, although the new hands are visually practically identical to the original ones. I'm not sure if the old lume was tritium, since the "Swiss Made" at the bottom of the dial doesn't say "T Swiss Made T", but I'm pretty sure that the new hands have the current SuperLumiNova. In any case, only the hands glow ... The hour marker pips glow for a fraction of a second.
     
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  12. VetPsychWars Wants to be in the club! Sep 8, 2015

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    I'd be reluming the dial, then.

    Tom
     
  13. flw history nerd Sep 8, 2015

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    Ah ... Good idea! Thanks for the suggestion ... I'll investigate that.
     
  14. Northernman Lemaniac Sep 8, 2015

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    And reduce the value of the watch further? Not a good idea IMHO.
     
  15. VetPsychWars Wants to be in the club! Sep 8, 2015

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    What is this collector obsession? A watch is supposed to tell time. Lume is there to help you tell time in the dark. Some of us don't care about "value". My WWI watches are all relumed so that they are useful and not fetish objects.

    There is no devaluation, in my mind, of sending your watch to Everest Watch Works (for example) and having tiny dots of worn-out lume replaced.

    Tom
     
  16. Northernman Lemaniac Sep 8, 2015

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    In the vintage market in general there is a preference for originality down to the lume dots. In terms of resell value your advice to relume is not a good one.
    In terms of usability I see your point fully. However if your focus is practical use then I would suggest a modern watch which also is waterproof.
    At the end of the day the owner decides.
     
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  17. flw history nerd Sep 8, 2015

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    Well, the owner (that would be me) may decide, but not without the influence of others. I appreciate the food for thought. Of course, the manufacturer apparently has some influence as well - I imagine that Omega is not the only watch company to replace various parts during a service, in my case the hands (I thought the originals were fine) and the crystal (which really did need to go). They didn't replace the dial, but I've heard of instances when that happens too. Doesn't the company have some interest in keeping its products as original as possible? (Obviously they replaced worn parts in the movement - nobody would expect otherwise.)
     
  18. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Sep 8, 2015

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    No, not at all. Their goal is to make the watch as close to new condition as possible. If that means replacing perfectly good parts like dials and hands simply because they don't glow anymore, stripping value off the watch, that is what they will do. If it means using parts that are not quite the same as the original parts, such as crowns and pushers, they will replace them. The factory will take the easiest and most expedient path they can to turn the watch around quickly, and have it meet all their current specifications so they can warrant it. This is fine for the "average" watch owner.

    Since this is a collector site (a fact that seems to continually surprise old Tom as illustrated in this thread yet again) most here value originality over function, as collectors tend to do. ;)

    I am wearing a vintage Speedmaster right now that has beautiful patina on the dial and hands, and they no longer glow. I could not care less if they glow personally, because I don't wear this watch in the dark - I sleep with another watch on that glows like a torch. My wife sometimes complains about how bright it is...

    [​IMG]

    If you send a watch to Omega, you will lose control over what gets done. The only positive is that they do tend to send the old parts back, so if you don't mind voiding the factory warranty you just paid them for, you could have those old parts put back on. Rolex is not so kind...they will destroy your valuable dial worth thousands of dollars, and you pay them for the privilege.

    I'm not sure on this model, at this time, that we are talking about any really huge value at stake here with reluming the dial (these gold watches don't really interest me personally so others would know better on this one). It would not be my choice personally, but I do believe that the owner should decide. I also believe there is nothing wrong with pointing out the potential loss of value in a collector sense. Why some people take offense to someone pointing this out is puzzling to me, but whatever.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  19. VetPsychWars Wants to be in the club! Sep 8, 2015

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    I thought it was an enthusiast site. If everyone else here is a collector, then I'm in the wrong place.

    I honestly care zero about the collectible value of any of my watches. They have to keep time, look mostly original, and if the lume is worn out, it's replaced.

    Tom
     
  20. Hijak Sep 8, 2015

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    You sure are!:rolleyes:
     
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