My fathers Omega Geneve, after his fall. Is it possible to repair?

robbee · Jan 17, 2025

Hi all,

Apologies in advance if I'm posting incorrectly, and this query is on behalf of my elderly father.....

After a fall crossing the road a few years ago (2020), my fathers watch, which is the only watch he has ever had, and which was given to him by my grandfather as a wedding gift, was very badly damaged. One of the lugs is completely broken off, the glass was smashed, the outer ring has been cracked and the minute and second hands were lost, along with some quite bad scratching to the face of the watch.

I'm not familiar with Omega watches, so can only tell you what is on the watch itself - It say 'Omega Geneve Swiss Made' on the front and is about 33mm wide.
The back has the numbers 27342754 OMEGA WATCH Co SWISS 601. It was given to my father back in 1969.

It does work when you wind it as the movement turns back and forth on the rear side and the hour hand does go around, though unsure how long it last or how accurate it is.

A friend of ours said you would have to find a donor watch for any chance to replace the broken parts.

Just thought I would ask here if it is possible to repair or if a donor watch would be easily obtainable?

Any help or advise would be most appreciated.

Thank you in advance

robbee

JimInOz · Jan 17, 2025

Hi Rob,

Sorry to hear about your Dad and I hope has recovered.
As to the watch, it's pretty well stuffed. Even if you find a donor, the only thing useable in your watch is the movement.
Finding a case like your sans movement will be unlikely in the extreme and the expense involved to do a restoration would far outweigh the value of the watch, even considering sentimental value.
To put it bluntly, it's a lost cause.
Maybe you can get the parts (not bracelet) encapsulated in a lucite block as a memento of what it was, what happenned to it and what it means to you both.

Just my thought, other will offers theirs I'm sure.

robbee · Jan 17, 2025

Hi JiminOz,

Thank you for your very quick reply, and appreciate the suggestion to encapsulate it - that may well be what we end up doing, though my father really wanted to wear it again, as he dislikes the Casio digital he has 'borrowed' since the fall!

There is a watch seller in London who has asked to bring it in as they need to look at it closely - They are called Alsal Watches, based in the Strand. Anybody have experience or knowledge about them?

Thanks again,
robbee

Dan S · Jan 17, 2025

Can you please show a clear photo of the inside of the caseback? And of the movement? Your photos give a sense of the damage, but in order to help you think about restoration, we need to be able to first identify the watch. If you are not looking for that sort of help, you could contact a watch case repair specialist who can fabricate a new bezel and lug.

JimInOz · Jan 17, 2025

Dan S
Can you please show a clear photo of the inside of the caseback? And of the movement? Your photos give a sense of the damage, but in order to help you think about restoration, we need to be able to first identify the watch.

If you are not looking for that sort of help, you could contact a watch case repair specialist who can fabricate a new bezel and lug.

Yep, I thought of that (English 9ct case?) but thought that memories are better than cash that just slowly gets used up until it's gone.

Tony C. · Jan 17, 2025

Echoing Jim's thoughts, there is little chance that any watch seller would be able to have the watch restored at any reasonable cost. Put another way, a good example of the same model on the used market would almost certainly cost less.

Having said that, it is possible that this "orphaned" dial and movement are from the same model, and if so, it would reduce the renovation costs substantially:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26712669...75&ssuid=foROAuEUSze&widget_ver=artemis&media

robbee · Jan 17, 2025

Hi Dan S,

Thank you for your reply. Identifying the watch would be great.

Can you recommend someone in the UK (London) who could fabricate a new bezel and lug? That would be fantastic!

Here are some more photos of the case back and inside movement - I only have my phone camera so these are the best I can take.

I can just about make out 18k 750 mark on the caseback and some engraved numbers - I'll ask my father about those.

Tony C - thank you for your input and link to an orphan - how can I check the size of the 'hands' and that they will fit? - The hour hand looks ever so slightly different - the black inset section is split in two parts - also looks a little wider?

Tony C. · Jan 17, 2025

robbee
how can I check the size of the 'hands' and that they will fit? - The hour hand looks ever so slightly different - the black inset section is split in two parts - also looks a little wider?

The hands should be interchangeable, as the movements are identical. The question is whether they were two dial variations found in the same model, or if the cases were of different sizes. You can measure the width of your dial, and if it is also 29mm, they should be interchangeable.

Please do check with a watchmaker to be certain, though, before making the purchase.

On a related aside, I would strongly recommend asking forum members for watchmaker recommendations, based on their experiences.

Dan S · Jan 17, 2025

It is going to be difficult to say much about that case since it has no markings inside. No Omega marking, no case-maker marking. It could even be a custom made case. A repair could be your best bet, and you will need a goldsmith.

Canuck · Jan 17, 2025

Case back is not marked the way I would expect an Omega case back to be marked. But it is possible to see the .750 (18-karat stamp). A skilled goldsmith might be able to re-attach the lug, and solder the bezel. IF the broken lug is still available. It doesn’t show in the pictures. By the time the case is repaired, hands replaced, crystal, condition the movement (including necessary parts), the cost will be considerable! The dial is a mess, and he will have to live with it, unless the dial is refinished or replaced. Not a good prospect, I’m afraid!

Spruce · Jan 17, 2025

Mechanical items; cars, washing machines, radios, …. watches wear out and need to be replaced regardless of sentimental value.

Your best bet is to buy a similar replacement - have a look on eBay for Omega Geneve and find the closest match.

Alsal watches website doesn’t look promising. Just seems like a regular high street retailer who’ll offer to send the watch away for assessment.

Horologist · Jan 17, 2025

Welcome to the forum Robbie,

As for finding someone in the UK is going to be a hit or a miss. From the little that I see, the case seems to be a locally made, possibly licensed by Omega to avoid import tariffs like Dennison case makers in the Uk and L&K in the US, I cannot see for sure if it is 18k solid gold but the broken lug section seems to show a different base metal than 18k from the poor image you have posted. If solid gold a gold smith may be a solution. If your father would like to restore it at whatever he deems as reasonable cost, I know of two case restorers that have worked on Rolex watches and other brands of watches but are not in the UK . If you are willing to send it abroad then you can make enquiries with these guys by sending an email with the same question you posted here, Firstly visit their webpages to get an idea as they seem to do the type of work you may be interested in. They may even know someone in the UK that does the same sort of work. Good luck!!

https://www.watchcaserepair.com/peter
and
Bob Ridley who has worked wonders on Rolex cases
on
https://watchmakers.com/

bgrisso · Jan 17, 2025

If there was no sentimental value, no one would recommend repair. If there is really significant sentimental value to your father or you, such that you are willing to spend whatever it takes, there are always options. If you start replacing key elements like the dial or case, you get into a ship of Theseus situation, where you might wonder if you will end up with the same object that has all the sentimental value to begin with. I would consider where the sentimental value lies, and how much you are willing to spend on this project, and proceed accordingly.

robbee · Jan 18, 2025

Hi All,

Thank you for your time to post your insightful comments. I really appreciate it.

Unfortunately the broken lug was lost along with the hour and minute hands, at the time of the fall.

The watch does have sentimental value to us and I don't ever recall seeing my father without it throughout my entire life.

I am meeting him next week and will try and uncover more of the storey, particularly with regards to the non standard 'custom' back. Along with the basic 18k 750 stamp, there is also some hand engraved text which I can just about read, 'AR4485' and 'E4415' under that. I can also make out '40895' scribbled randomly.

My father's family are from Spain, as was my mothers family, so the watch must have originated from there.

I think its becoming clear that the watch is not economically viable to repair for us. I will keep trawling eBay and the like for replacement parts so that my father may be able to wear it again, and will keep all the old parts for a long term restoration project for me.

If the 'back' is custom with no model number, does anyone know how else to determine the actual model number? Here is a picture with the dimension - its 33.4mm diameter.

Thank you again. I'll let you know as I discover more about it.
robbee

JimInOz · Jan 18, 2025

robbee
My father's family are from Spain, as was my mothers family, so the watch must have originated from there.

This explains a lot. It is most likely a locally cased Geneve. As such it will have no actual Ogega case reference
In the past, Omega shipped movements (with dial/hands) to be cased locally by an approved agent.
This was done to reduce import duties on precious metals and even so called "jewels".

Unless a highly skilled goldsmith/watchcase maker is able to rebuild your case you are highly (extremely) unlikely to be able restore it and the cost would be considerable.

Buying another watch case or other parts will result in the ship of Theseus as noted earlier.

I stand by my earlier proposal to embed it in a tomb which can be viewed and passed on through the family.

The other option is to part it out for the gold and sell the movement for parts.
Note that the metal mounting ring holding the movement inside the case is not gold.
The cash can be put towards a similar vintage Omega Genève if that's what your Dad would like.

hen · Jan 18, 2025

I am so sorry to read this. I hope everrything sorts out good.

Everything is repairable. As @Canuck said above bezel may be soldered and the missing lug made new and soldered in place by a goldsmith. I have no idea of the cost, but maybe a goldsmithing school may be as touched by the story as OF and make it cheaper?

robbee · Jan 18, 2025

Thanks JimInOz and Hen,

I now understand why there is no case / model reference.

I'm going to look into finding a Goldsmithing school to possibly have the case lug and outer ring soldered, and in the interim try and find a 'similar' case to put the movement into so my father can wear it. Without a model number, will any case that has a Cal 601 movement accommodate the internal of my fathers watch, or how else could I ensure the movement will fit into a donor case?

Thanks again,
robbee

Dan S · Jan 18, 2025

You are asking the right questions. It is certainly possible that a case from a different Geneve reference with cal 601 might work. Certainly the movement will fit. However, there are nuances that could make this hit or miss. For example, not every Geneve with the cal 601 movement necessarily has the same size dial.

robbee · Jan 18, 2025

Thanks Dan,

I just measured the dial, which is 29.5mm diameter.

I thought I found a very similar dial on a 601 movement on eBay with a different case, though its silver coloured. Seller is saying its 35mm case. Do you think the dial would have fitted (in case one comes up in gold)?

Thanks again.

Horologist · Jan 18, 2025

robbee
Thanks Dan,

I just measured the dial, which is 29.5mm diameter.

I thought I found a very similar dial on a 601 movement on eBay with a different case, though its silver coloured. Seller is saying its 35mm case. Do you think the dial would have fitted (in case one comes up in gold)?

Thanks again.

I am not sure if you have seen this one listed on ebay in 18k gold that is as close as the one that belongs to your father with the same type of dial. The other plus is that it is also in the UK (Bristol) and the asking price for the watch would be astronomically cheaper than to get the gold lug and bezel made. Even the case back shows no typical markings indicating it is a locally made case. As a bonus you would also have e the dial and hands with a spare working movement. See if he accepts an offer for an immediate purchase? eBay item number:115748569289 (Disclaimer: this is not my watch that is for sale, nor belongs to anyone I know either from this life, past life including any parallel universe, as the information is purely to help your grief in finding a solution to a similar problem that I have experienced in horological restorations)

My fathers Omega Geneve, after his fall. Is it possible to repair?

robbee

JimInOz

robbee

Dan S

JimInOz

Tony C.

robbee

Tony C.

Dan S

Canuck

Spruce

Horologist

bgrisso

robbee

JimInOz

hen

robbee

Dan S

robbee

Horologist

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