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Stook1
·Hi Folks,
Seeking your feedback as I’ve been wrestling with this decision for a long while. My most treasured watch is my Dad’s 40’s Cosmic moonphase. My Dad gave it to me about 25 years ago and, believe it or not, it was a daily driver for me for a number of years.
The watch was given to my Dad when he was roughly 13 years old (1955 or so) by my great Uncle so that my Dad could walk to school and arrive on time. My grandparents, who were in the retail fashion industry, agreed to make a custom bracelet for the watch. It’s a vintage sterling silver ID bracelet that was custom made into a watch bracelet. Incidentally, when my Dad was in law school in Philly, someone tried to rip the watch off his wrist on a bus and the custom design of clasp and incredibly secure lug barrel integrated into the bracelet saved the watch from being stolen.
Interestingly this watch had almost no wrist time for my Dad when I was a kid. But it was always one of my favorites from his collection. His daily was a 14k Tiffany from the same era that was his Dad’s watch. Iirc it’s a movado based calendar watch.
In any event, I last had the Omega serviced in New York about 10-15 years ago and have really not worn it in a while. It’s not running now, unfortunately. And furthermore when it was last serviced the watchmaker could not get the complications properly working. I don’t recall why anymore.
Furthermore, the dial is in somewhat rough condition, albeit original, and has been rough for as long as I can remember… longer than 40 years. It’s not SO far gone that it MUST be redialed. But I have weighed if I should do so ever since I’ve had the watch. Not as big a deal but also believe the crown was replaced well before my time, not fully sure though.
My Dad passed away last December and I want to get this watch back in service. I want to enjoy it, I want my kids to see it on my arm and know the history and I want to get it in truly tip top shape. I won’t fully say that I don’t care what it costs to get it into proper order. Obviously there is a limit… but I’m willing to spend a good bit to make it right.
This watch will never be sold so long as I have it and I intend for it to go to my kids.
What’s the right move here? Send to Omega for a full restore? Is there someone in the US that would be as good? If I send it to Omega, I assume they will replace a lot and do a redial. I’d get the old dial and old parts back? I think? If I wanted to do a redial is this the best possible path? Any rough guess of the cost? Just to be clear, despite my comments I definitely have not decided to redial…. Seeking views on if it’s the right move and more generally how to handle the restoration mechanically and, maybe, aesthetically.
What would you do if you were in my shoes? What’s the best path forward?
Many thanks for your feedback and advice!
Seeking your feedback as I’ve been wrestling with this decision for a long while. My most treasured watch is my Dad’s 40’s Cosmic moonphase. My Dad gave it to me about 25 years ago and, believe it or not, it was a daily driver for me for a number of years.
The watch was given to my Dad when he was roughly 13 years old (1955 or so) by my great Uncle so that my Dad could walk to school and arrive on time. My grandparents, who were in the retail fashion industry, agreed to make a custom bracelet for the watch. It’s a vintage sterling silver ID bracelet that was custom made into a watch bracelet. Incidentally, when my Dad was in law school in Philly, someone tried to rip the watch off his wrist on a bus and the custom design of clasp and incredibly secure lug barrel integrated into the bracelet saved the watch from being stolen.
Interestingly this watch had almost no wrist time for my Dad when I was a kid. But it was always one of my favorites from his collection. His daily was a 14k Tiffany from the same era that was his Dad’s watch. Iirc it’s a movado based calendar watch.
In any event, I last had the Omega serviced in New York about 10-15 years ago and have really not worn it in a while. It’s not running now, unfortunately. And furthermore when it was last serviced the watchmaker could not get the complications properly working. I don’t recall why anymore.
Furthermore, the dial is in somewhat rough condition, albeit original, and has been rough for as long as I can remember… longer than 40 years. It’s not SO far gone that it MUST be redialed. But I have weighed if I should do so ever since I’ve had the watch. Not as big a deal but also believe the crown was replaced well before my time, not fully sure though.
My Dad passed away last December and I want to get this watch back in service. I want to enjoy it, I want my kids to see it on my arm and know the history and I want to get it in truly tip top shape. I won’t fully say that I don’t care what it costs to get it into proper order. Obviously there is a limit… but I’m willing to spend a good bit to make it right.
This watch will never be sold so long as I have it and I intend for it to go to my kids.
What’s the right move here? Send to Omega for a full restore? Is there someone in the US that would be as good? If I send it to Omega, I assume they will replace a lot and do a redial. I’d get the old dial and old parts back? I think? If I wanted to do a redial is this the best possible path? Any rough guess of the cost? Just to be clear, despite my comments I definitely have not decided to redial…. Seeking views on if it’s the right move and more generally how to handle the restoration mechanically and, maybe, aesthetically.
What would you do if you were in my shoes? What’s the best path forward?
Many thanks for your feedback and advice!
