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rspace
·Hello Everyone,
It is fair to say that the Flightmaster was the reason i got into watch collecting in the first place. I remember it was an article in the lifestyle section of the newspaper quite some time ago. It ran a feature on 3 watch collectors. This was a time when watch collecting hadn't really caught on like it has today in this part of the world. The first was the descendant of a Maharajah who had (thankfully) decided to keep his family heirlooms consisting of Pateks, vacherons and cartiers. I don't recall the second one but the third was a pilot who was featured proudly wearing his 910 flightmaster. The shape, color coded pushers, blue hands and DC9 at the back - and i was sold!
Of course i couldn't afford one immediately and eventually managed to save up and get a good 911 (more on that at another time) but the 910 was still the goal. I've owned the 911 for well over 10 years now but here was the thing - i was always getting paranoid about the lume cracking or the paint on the pushers wearing off. To the extend i stopped wearing it.
So for that reason (and just for the fun of it) i decided to go a different route to get a 910 - find one cheap (read beat up), send it to Bienne, bring it to like new condition and daily wear it. After some search I finally found one on eBay that had a decent case (lost the bid at first but was eventually relisted - apparently the buyer couldn't find anyone who could fix it). Although i had heard horror stories here of watches that went to Bienne, i still hadn't come across a flightmaster that had got ruined. So off i went to the local omega authorized service center. I knew they would send it over to Bienne. The moment i took the watch out the guy at the front desk sort of lost interest. The conversation went something like this:
Guy: Oh you know this is could cost $XX. And take XX months.
Me: Yeah i know that's fine.
Guy: Well actually i have seen it go as high as $YY and sometimes take YY months.
Me: Well OK i don't mind as long they would get back to me on the scope of work and what would be done.
Guy: (sensing a break) Oh not really - new policy - Anything less than $YY they wouldn't ask -they would just go ahead. Else too much time and effort spent on nothing you see.
Me: Hmm, well OK but i can give instructions if i didn't want something changed right?
Guy: You could, but no guarantees- For example they may just change the whole case to a new one if they find it is not worth restoring.
That was the end of it. I get it - i have known of many sending in their sentimentally important omega's for restorations, only to run on hearing the cost. I just wish they had a better way of doing this.
After that episode i started researching recommended independent specialists. This forum was of great help there (Thank you OF for that!). i short listed some and finally decided to go with Adam from Lewis Watch Works @photo500 . I probably don't have to say anything about the quality of his work (i will let the pictures do the talking later) but what i would really like to highlight is his professionalism and his patience in explaining details of the work involved (and answer stupid questions) even though he didn't have to. i cannot possibly recommend him highly enough. OK enough words. First the before.
It is fair to say that the Flightmaster was the reason i got into watch collecting in the first place. I remember it was an article in the lifestyle section of the newspaper quite some time ago. It ran a feature on 3 watch collectors. This was a time when watch collecting hadn't really caught on like it has today in this part of the world. The first was the descendant of a Maharajah who had (thankfully) decided to keep his family heirlooms consisting of Pateks, vacherons and cartiers. I don't recall the second one but the third was a pilot who was featured proudly wearing his 910 flightmaster. The shape, color coded pushers, blue hands and DC9 at the back - and i was sold!
Of course i couldn't afford one immediately and eventually managed to save up and get a good 911 (more on that at another time) but the 910 was still the goal. I've owned the 911 for well over 10 years now but here was the thing - i was always getting paranoid about the lume cracking or the paint on the pushers wearing off. To the extend i stopped wearing it.
So for that reason (and just for the fun of it) i decided to go a different route to get a 910 - find one cheap (read beat up), send it to Bienne, bring it to like new condition and daily wear it. After some search I finally found one on eBay that had a decent case (lost the bid at first but was eventually relisted - apparently the buyer couldn't find anyone who could fix it). Although i had heard horror stories here of watches that went to Bienne, i still hadn't come across a flightmaster that had got ruined. So off i went to the local omega authorized service center. I knew they would send it over to Bienne. The moment i took the watch out the guy at the front desk sort of lost interest. The conversation went something like this:
Guy: Oh you know this is could cost $XX. And take XX months.
Me: Yeah i know that's fine.
Guy: Well actually i have seen it go as high as $YY and sometimes take YY months.
Me: Well OK i don't mind as long they would get back to me on the scope of work and what would be done.
Guy: (sensing a break) Oh not really - new policy - Anything less than $YY they wouldn't ask -they would just go ahead. Else too much time and effort spent on nothing you see.
Me: Hmm, well OK but i can give instructions if i didn't want something changed right?
Guy: You could, but no guarantees- For example they may just change the whole case to a new one if they find it is not worth restoring.
That was the end of it. I get it - i have known of many sending in their sentimentally important omega's for restorations, only to run on hearing the cost. I just wish they had a better way of doing this.
After that episode i started researching recommended independent specialists. This forum was of great help there (Thank you OF for that!). i short listed some and finally decided to go with Adam from Lewis Watch Works @photo500 . I probably don't have to say anything about the quality of his work (i will let the pictures do the talking later) but what i would really like to highlight is his professionalism and his patience in explaining details of the work involved (and answer stupid questions) even though he didn't have to. i cannot possibly recommend him highly enough. OK enough words. First the before.
