Noob question! Is this inherited OMEGA worth restoring>

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Hi
I humbly join the long line of newbies who must have asked this, but I am curious about my grandfathers wartime OMEGA. He wore it until the 1980s. He wasn't a pilot but was in the RAF in WW2, building airfields. He made a point of leaving it to me, but I haven't worn it. I would be grateful for any advice.
Thanks
 
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Hi and HappyNew Year
I would be very grateful for any advice on what to do with my grandafther's watch. He left it to me a while ago, and I wore it until it stopped working - is it worth servicing? I think it is an RAF watch, although he worked in the Air Ministry in WW2. Any help gratefully received.Sorry about the photos - taking good pics of a watch is surprisingly diffcult!
Many thanks
 
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Absolutely worth having the movement serviced, period. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT touch the dial or case.

Tell us where you are located, someone will have a recommendation on where to get it serviced.
 
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My grandfather gifted me his old watch, which started me in this hobby…kinda wish he’d just kept it 😉. Jokes aside, his watch is my most treasured memento of him.

Your watch is absolutely worth the cost of a service since it has sentimental value (I assume!). I’ll let others chime in on the watch itself. Hopefully someone can decipher some of the caseback military markings.
 
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Welcome!

I would get it serviced and enjoy it with a leather strap. Both the top and bottom right lugs look a little bent, but that could be from the photos. A light polish on the crystal would be nice. I would keep the rest as-is.
 
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Yes it is worth restoring! Looks like a very nice and honest example from the 40s. Model number is 2292. I wouldn't do much except a crystal polish and movement service.
 
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Absolutely worth it. Take it to a good independent watchmaker who has an Omega parts account and experience servicing vintage watches. Ask him/her to service the movement, clean (but not polish) the case and polish the crystal. It should clean up very nicely and it’s a wonderful way to remember your grandfather and honor his memory. I’d ditch the bracelet in favor of a nice leather strap.
 
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No doubts this watch deserves a service : it should not be too expensive since it is a manual wind movement, unless some important parts have to be replaced which would be difficult to find, but I doubt it would be the case: usually, such watches are extremely strong and often just need a good cleaning/oiling : a good professional watchmaker would open it, check it and tell you what is wrong at no cost, and give you an idea of the cost of service : here in France, it would cost approx. 200-300 € to be serviced unless some parts need to be replaced. And as already mentioned, do not let the dial case be touched/ restored. Good luck.
 
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In my opinion the dial is perfect as is (love the hands especially). You’ve got a lovely example of a spitfire watch. Extra good that you have this as a reminder of his war service.

The 6B/159 is the RAF stores marking (showing it was intended as a pilot or other crew watch), the A28205 is military serial number for the watch.
 
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That is a collectible military issued watch and a great heirloom.
 
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As others have said, that's a wonderful watch even without considering its sentimental value. It would probably fetch over £2000 if sold. Here's a dealer that specializes in this type of watch, and you can see that the prices listed for your model range from £3,295 to "price available on request."

When you ask if the watch is worth "restoring," it's probably good to be careful with the terminology. "Restoring" has a connotation of making the watch as good as new, and might include refinishing the dial, polishing the case, etc. You almost certainly do not want to do that. It will significantly reduce the watch's value (watch collectors place a great premium on originality), and, on a personal level, diminish the connection to your grandfather. It is after all, the nicks, scratches, and blemishes that made the watch uniquely his.

"Servicing," however, would definitely be fine. So long as the service was limited to disassembling the movement and cleaning it, and then reassembling it and re-lubricating it. If necessary, some internal parts (e.g. the mainspring) might need replacement, but if the watch was running fine and simply stopped one day (i.e. it wasn't dropped on a hard surface), that will likely be all that's required to get it running as good as new. I don't know about U.K. prices, but in the U.S. that service would cost around $300 from a competent watchmaker. If you do have the watch serviced, finding a watchmaker that specializes in vintage timepieces would be well worth the effort. I'm sure that there are forum members here that could make recommendations if you don't have someone in mind already.

If the watch's value is a significant surprise to you, enough to make you worried about wearing it, then there's no need to rush on the service. It won't hurt the watch to sit idle for a while. The biggest danger in delay is that parts are getting scarcer as time goes by. If you do plan to continue wearing the watch (I would, fwiw), one thing to be aware of is that the watch case is, I believe, alloy rather than steel. (I can't tell for sure from the photos.) That alloy becomes somewhat brittle with age, so there is a danger that one of the lugs could break off. I wouldn't describe it as fragile, but it's something worth taking care with.

Thank you for sharing the watch with us here. It's a very refreshing change from more typical queries.
 
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That is a damn fine family hand me down watch.
 
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stunning watch - be proud to wear it ! Don t "destroy" this watch by any amateurish workshop.

Were are you located?
 
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How was the engraving on the case back done back in the day? This looks like it has been done with an end mill.
 
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Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply and share your expertise. I absolutely get the message about keeping the watch as original as possible. My grandafther served in WW1 and narrowly survived a gunshot wound in his chest, then he was in the RAF in WW2, though he wasn't a pilot. So I think the least I can do is look after his watch! I am based in London, and would be very happy to hear any recommendations on somewher/someonee that will undertake to get it going again.
 
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Fantastic watch that has everything…family heirloom, history, great story, and lovely patina. You’ve gotten great advice here. Have it serviced by a recommended professional and wear it in good health! Welcome aboard! (Now figure out a nice avatar and dive in 😀 )