and is having trouble with disassembly of my vintage Speedy 125. He believes the central module should just push out, and it does give a mm or so, but so far is being stubborn. Google has been no help. Any suggestions appreciated.
Find someone who knows what they’re doing before he f****s it up. Where are you based? Someone will have a recommendation.
The O-ring that holds the "movement canister" in the mid case is probably hardened and there will also be gunk between the surfaces so it may take more than the normal amount of force to press the canister out. With the correct tools it should not be a problem.
It shouldn’t be for you to find out how to complete this task. If it’s not in their comfort zone, take it to someone more capable with vintage pieces.
If he's having trouble with getting the can out of the mid case, wait until he has to get the movement out of the can. Even if he succeeds in getting it serviced, it requires a special adapter to fit the crystal back into the can. If he's not confident I'd recommend finding a watchmaker experienced with these models.
I suspect it's similar to the way a motor vehicle mechanic can become a certified technician for "X" vehicles. They would also have difficulty I suspect with understanding something bought into their workshop that was 50 years older than they models had been qualified on.
It is a rare watch with a rare modular system that is over 50 years old. I don't find it at all surprising that a young watchmaker would be unfamiliar with it, as this is a piece they might encounter once in a career. He was correct in understanding how the module is to be removed, and he certainly has the tools for removal. He just encountered much more resistance to pushing it out than he expected. So he reached out for help. Seems to me to be a perfectly sensible way to handle the problem. And thanks Jim. I will have him push harder
Because nothing in Omega's certification process is related to vintage. In fact a watchmaker at your local Omega service center wouldn't likely be familiar either, because this would be a Bienne only watch given the movement inside...