Community Stories

My Speedmaster Professional

A
Posts
7
Likes
2
20220315_111728.jpg 20220315_111728.jpg 20220315_110600.jpg 20220315_111728.jpg 20220315_111059.jpg 20220315_111317.jpg 20220315_111341.jpg 20220315_111059.jpg 20220315_111317.jpg 20220315_111341.jpg
Hello,
I need some help with my Speedmaster. The watch was given to me new as a gift in the early seventies.I wore it daily until around 1981. Since then it has been in a box on my dresser. For some reason or other I got it out the other day. It had been in there for who knows how long. The watch still runs, but the chrono does not. The start pusher does not function. It also has a crack in the crystal. I would like some advice on where to get it repaired. The watch is a 145022-69ST, 861 caliber, serial number 29115318. I have two bracelets with the watch, both marked number 12. The end pieces are marked 47. One bracelet has longest end link 18.7mm and the other is 17mm. One bracelet has flat links and the other is rounded. I have sent some photo's, forgive the quality. The watch has never been serviced.
20220315_110600.jpg
 
gbesq
Posts
8,999
Likes
46,213
If you tell us where you are located, we can probably help you find a watchmaker who has experience servicing vintage Omega.
 
C
Posts
1,579
Likes
15,221
There are also many local watchmakers; but definitely get a recommendation from someone here first. Like @gbesq said, let us know where you live and you could get a local recommendation.

If you are in Chattanooga, TN, you are out of luck. 馃檨
 
gbesq
Posts
8,999
Likes
46,213
I wouldn鈥檛 send this one to Omega if maintaining originality is a concern. The tritium dial and hands will be the first things to go.
 
C
Posts
1,579
Likes
15,221
gbesq gbesq
I wouldn鈥檛 send this one to Omega if maintaining originality is a concern. The tritium dial and hands will be the first things to go.
100% true. I threw it in my list because OP didn't say one way or the other what he or she cared about.
 
C
Posts
1,579
Likes
15,221
blufinz52 blufinz52
Harris Durakovic is only 4 miles from me and he has worked on several watches for me. I highly recommend Haris.
He's working on two for me right now, including my Speedmaster.
 
blufinz52
Posts
2,997
Likes
7,868
C ChiefMark
He's working on two for me right now, including my Speedmaster.

He's the one that gave me the Breitling hat when I told him I had the Breitling Day Date. Good guy.
 
140dave
Posts
1,794
Likes
9,018
C ChiefMark
The mother ship (Omega), Nesbit's, Haris Durakovic (USA Watch Service).

https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/customer-service/interventions-and-prices

https://www.nesbitswatchservice.com/

https://usawatchservice.com/omega-watch-service.html
gbesq gbesq
I wouldn鈥檛 send this one to Omega if maintaining originality is a concern. The tritium dial and hands will be the first things to go.
Depends on ultimate goal and how much time and money you have. As stated Omega/Nesbit's will replace the dial and most likely the hands. If you want it to look like new, send it to them. But if you want to keep it original either send it somewhere else or go the restoration route.

The dial needs work, the hands look nice. You could send to Omega for service, they will get it looking and working like new and will send you the old parts. Then you send the original dial to be restored/relumed (LA Watchworks or like) and then replace the original (now relumed) dial & hands for the service dial Omega sends. Then you can keep or sell the service parts to offset the costs if desired. This is the more expensive & time consuming route but will maintain originality for the most part if that is the (or part of the) goal. You could do the entire service at LAWW (or similar) but that would be the most expensive way to go.
 
A
Posts
7
Likes
2
gbesq gbesq
If you tell us where you are located, we can probably help you find a watchmaker who has experience servicing vintage Omega.
I am located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
 
A
Posts
7
Likes
2
C ChiefMark
There are also many local watchmakers; but definitely get a recommendation from someone here first. Like @gbesq said, let us know where you live and you could get a local recommendation.

If you are in Chattanooga, TN, you are out of luck. 馃檨
It looks like usawatchservice.com/omega is the closest to me. I would like to keep as much originality as possible. I do not mind paying a reasonable price for repair, just not more than the watch is worth, whatever that may be.
 
C
Posts
1,579
Likes
15,221
A Arquette
It looks like usawatchservice.com/omega is the closest to me. I would like to keep as much originality as possible. I do not mind paying a reasonable price for repair, just not more than the watch is worth, whatever that may be.
Depending on what you want done the sky is the limit. To get it back to factory new-ish is going to be $750 & perhaps up. If you want to preserve as much of it as possible...
Any mechanical watch is going to need a service like this periodically. It's part of the TCO, unfortunately.
 
gbesq
Posts
8,999
Likes
46,213
A Arquette
I am located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Ah, a beautiful area to live. I know it well and have family in that area. Alas, I know of no watchmakers in that area who I can recommend. If you don鈥檛 mind shipping the watch, I can recommend Tanner Morehouse at TM watch Company in North Dakota. His shop specializes in vintage Omega restoration.
https://tmwatchco.com/
 
crd
Posts
244
Likes
2,226
If your ultimate goal is to sell the watch, you might be best to sell it as it is and let the next owner decide how they want to keep it. If you want to wear your original watch, that's a little difference. If it were me, I would decide on a budget that I'm comfortable spending (and never seeing again) and proceed accordingly.
 
ortope
Posts
360
Likes
591
gbesq gbesq
I wouldn鈥檛 send this one to Omega if maintaining originality is a concern. The tritium dial and hands will be the first things to go.
If you would send the watch to Bienne there is a serious risk that they will exchange the original tritium dial and hands with some new, in my opinion worthless, service parts.
Beware.
 
Archer
Posts
27,341
Likes
69,721
^^^ LOL! Errr...thanks for pointing that out????
 
A
Posts
7
Likes
2
gbesq gbesq
Ah, a beautiful area to live. I know it well and have family in that area. Alas, I know of no watchmakers in that area who I can recommend. If you don鈥檛 mind shipping the watch, I can recommend Tanner Morehouse at TM watch Company in North Dakota. His shop specializes in vintage Omega restoration.
https://tmwatchco.com/
It is a beautiful area, been here for 73 years. You might know the answer to this question. Which of the two watch bracelets would you think came with the watch, the 17mm rounded link or the 18.7mm flat link ?
 
Dan S
Posts
20,168
Likes
46,826
A Arquette
serial number 29115318.

Given that serial number, I have to ask ... does the dial look brown in the sunlight? BTW, I have 29115371, pretty close.
 
8 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

R

Welcome to my speedmaster collection

Reelcloud9 Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
impaw
impaw
Posts
4
Views
1K
hook785

Dropped my speedmaster 3861

hook785 Modern Omega Watches
bsowers34
bsowers34
Posts
40
Views
3K
caruso.salvatore

First Impressions: Milano Straps Suede on My Speedmaster

caruso.salvatore Open Discussion
mseamaster
mseamaster
Posts
10
Views
1K
Kmmdad57

New to my Speedmaster sapphire professional.

Kmmdad57 Modern Omega Watches
ErichPryde
ErichPryde
Posts
2
Views
2K
BAJJ

So, I sold my Speedmaster

BAJJ Open Discussion
SOG53
SOG53
Posts
46
Views
4K
Robert-Jan

Speedy Tuesday: Unraveling The Mysteries Of My Speedmaster 105.003-65 Ed White

Robert-Jan Modern Omega Watches
M'Bob
M'Bob
Posts
2
Views
2K