Omega 2998-6 opinion

chri.89 · Nov 9, 2020

Hi all,

I've been following this forum for a long time reading about vintage Omega Speedmaster.

I recently had the chance to acquire an Omega Speedmaster 2998-6 that would require some repair/upgrade.

As you can see from the pictures, the obvious things would be:
1) poor bezel: I have a replacement bezel, would you recommend to replace?
2) incorrect crown and (I think) pusher: I have a replacement crown, pusher buttons should not be too difficult or find
3) alpha hands: guess not much to do here?
4) chrono hands: the one on the right has probably been replaced. Should I replace the other two as well?

Please note I am not an expert.. Just a newbie, especially on vintage Speedmaster so any advice on what would be better to do it would be really really helpful.

I did read a bit here on the forum as mentioned and also looked into Speedmaster101 but just want to get your opinion before to do anything!

Thanks

View attachment 1099821
View attachment 1099820

Seaborg · Nov 10, 2020

Hi,

It's a really nice Speedmaster you have here, congrats !
I would only change the crown (the one on the left on your picture seems appropriate).

Please, don't put the service bezel on this watch...

Once more, this is a very nice Speedy with what looks to show a stunning dial 🥰

Regards.

Dr R.

Marsimaxam · Nov 10, 2020

Don't know how much $ you are into the watch for and this could be a deciding factor in determining how much you spend. A poor condition 2998-6 still sells for 8k and yours is somewhere between poor and fair.
1. The bezel insert you have is incorrect, it will cost you another 2k+ to find a decent looking insert and more for a very fine one.
2. Crown...replace with the narrow flat feet, pushers might not be as easy to find as you think, but, time is on your side.
3. The alpha hands, I would relume... and generally, I'm not for reluming, but, in this case relume
4. Replace the other chrono counters to match.
5. Leave the dial alone.
6. Case is over polished, but leave alone.

If you can get the hands looking better, the right insert and the right crown... it will look ok and definitely something you'd wear. It's a great watch and highly collectable. If you decide to just replace the crown and leave the rest as is... it's got character. Your decision ultimately.

Small pushers for sale on eBay for 250.00:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Om...891414?hash=item23c1f4a656:g:3mMAAOSwDCtdN4gF

I don't know fee for relume, but there are people who do excellent work. Ask the Forum about restorers in your area.

This insert is up for sale on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Om...985908?hash=item23e40e1e74:g:1cAAAOSwBCtfbJHr

chri.89 · Nov 10, 2020

Marsimaxam
Don't know how much $ you are into the watch for and this could be a deciding factor in determining how much you spend. A poor condition 2998-6 still sells for 8k and yours is somewhere between poor and fair.
1. The bezel insert you have is incorrect, it will cost you another 2k+ to find a decent looking insert and more for a very fine one.
2. Crown...replace with the narrow flat feet, pushers might not be as easy to find as you think, but, time is on your side.
3. The alpha hands, I would relume... and generally, I'm not for reluming, but, in this case relume
4. Replace the other chrono counters to match.
5. Leave the dial alone.
6. Case is over polished, but leave alone.

If you can get the hands looking better, the right insert and the right crown... it will look ok and definitely something you'd wear. It's a great watch and highly collectable. If you decide to just replace the crown and leave the rest as is... it's got character. Your decision ultimately.

Small pushers for sale on eBay for 250.00:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Om...891414?hash=item23c1f4a656:g:3mMAAOSwDCtdN4gF

I don't know fee for relume, but there are people who do excellent work. Ask the Forum about restorers in your area.

This insert is up for sale on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Om...985908?hash=item23e40e1e74:g:1cAAAOSwBCtfbJHr

@Marsimaxam thank you very much for the detailed explanation 😀

Whether I am only going to change the crown OR I go for a more extensive overhaul (bezel, pushers, relume of hands, etc) depends on the total cost of doing so and whether the money put into this would eventually lead to a more desirable and valuable watch, just in case in the future I want to trade/sell this watch (I might be very calculative on this but it is a factor to consider I think).

Probably there is not a correct answer for this, but at least I have some $$ to work with in terms of how much a more complete overhaul would cost.

Personally, I feel the current bezel could be replaced as it is in a poor condition. Regarding the bezel for sale on eBay you mentioned in your comment: would you say it is in "decent" conditions? Given you mentioned 2k+ but this one is below that amount (albeit slightly).

I suspect the replacement bezel I have is suited for a mid-90s speedmaster.. The watch came with it so I am probably just going to sell it.

Small pushers at 250$ each, not cheap! I thought I could find them at much cheaper 🤔

As for reluming, seem there are always very different views... I find your suggestion makes a lot of sense. I might ask for a quotation to James Hyman in the UK, even though that would mean I need to ship the watch as I live in Hong Kong, unless someone else has a better suggestion.

Would be interesting to hear which material would he used for that. Given this watch should have a radium lume, with a very small chance of it being tritium given Omega seems to have transitioned from radium to tritium around 1962/1963..

Cheers

mountainunder · Nov 10, 2020

The part number for the 2998 pusher is 086ST0023
The 2998 has a silver tension ring.

chri.89 · Nov 10, 2020

Searching online for a DON Bezel Dot Over 90 I found the below example. Does it look legit? The dot over 90 has been erased by a chip, while the dot under 70 looks fine, but other than that, not sure..

Thanks

This is how it looks on the seller's watch

Marsimaxam · Nov 10, 2020

C chri.89
@Marsimaxam thank you very much for the detailed explanation 😀

Whether I am only going to change the crown OR I go for a more extensive overhaul (bezel, pushers, relume of hands, etc) depends on the total cost of doing so and whether the money put into this would eventually lead to a more desirable and valuable watch, just in case in the future I want to trade/sell this watch (I might be very calculative on this but it is a factor to consider I think).

Probably there is not a correct answer for this, but at least I have some $$ to work with in terms of how much a more complete overhaul would cost.

Personally, I feel the current bezel could be replaced as it is in a poor condition. Regarding the bezel for sale on eBay you mentioned in your comment: would you say it is in "decent" conditions? Given you mentioned 2k+ but this one is below that amount (albeit slightly).

I suspect the replacement bezel I have is suited for a mid-90s speedmaster.. The watch came with it so I am probably just going to sell it.

Small pushers at 250$ each, not cheap! I thought I could find them at much cheaper 🤔

As for reluming, seem there are always very different views... I find your suggestion makes a lot of sense. I might ask for a quotation to James Hyman in the UK, even though that would mean I need to ship the watch as I live in Hong Kong, unless someone else has a better suggestion.

Would be interesting to hear which material would he used for that. Given this watch should have a radium lume, with a very small chance of it being tritium given Omega seems to have transitioned from radium to tritium around 1962/1963..

Cheers

The bezel insert I used as an example is in fair condition. It all depends how far you go with restoration, if that is the option you choose.
If you do minimal restorative work on the watch, I would not get a pristine bezel insert, but, rather one that has some wear but not unattractive.
You can probably find a decent example for less than 2k. As for the lume on the dial, it is quite possible that it is tritium as this particular reference used both, radium early, tritium later. It can easily be determined what type of lume you have on the dial as radium will still register on the radiation detector.

Good luck... and remember to post photographs after you are done... whichever direction you choose to go.

Sherbie · Nov 10, 2020

C chri.89
Searching online for a DON Bezel Dot Over 90 I found the below example. Does it look legit? The dot over 90 has been erased by a chip, while the dot under 70 looks fine, but other than that, not sure..

Thanks

This is how it looks on the seller's watch

Cant see any point in spending lots of money on a replacemeNt DON bezel insert, if you cant see the dot !!!!

Dgercp · Nov 10, 2020

Personally I would trade up for a nicer don and get correct crown and pushers. I would hold off on the hand relume and live with the watch for a while before making that decision.

Dan S · Nov 10, 2020

C chri.89
@Marsimaxam
Whether I am only going to change the crown OR I go for a more extensive overhaul (bezel, pushers, relume of hands, etc) depends on the total cost of doing so and whether the money put into this would eventually lead to a more desirable and valuable watch, just in case in the future I want to trade/sell this watch (I might be very calculative on this but it is a factor to consider I think).

This probably shouldn't be a major factor in your decision. Any improvements you make to the watch will increase its value, but not typically by more than the amount that you put into it. You could spend a few thousand $ to improve the watch and the value will increase by a similar amount. Maybe slightly more, maybe slightly less, it's really impossible to say. I'd suggest that you make your decision primarily based on what will give you the most enjoyment in wearing the watch for the time before you sell it. If you are really looking at this as an investment, you are probably going to be in for an unpleasant surprise, since it's not easy to sell a watch like this.

Of course, you may have budgetary limitations as well, but you haven't indicated how much you are willing to pay for restoration.

Personally, I agree with @Seaborg. Get it cleaned up, replace the crown, and enjoy wearing it.

Larry S · Nov 10, 2020

We have not yet seen the movement, case back (inside and out) dust cover or the SN. That’s important info upon which to base a decision on how far to go. Inclined to agree a cleanup and a crown is where I’d be. Pictures always highlight battle scars, I’ll bet to the eye, this is more pleasant to look at. Dial looks great.

chri.89 · Nov 10, 2020

Marsimaxam
The bezel insert I used as an example is in fair condition. It all depends how far you go with restoration, if that is the option you choose.
If you do minimal restorative work on the watch, I would not get a pristine bezel insert, but, rather one that has some wear but not unattractive.
You can probably find a decent example for less than 2k. As for the lume on the dial, it is quite possible that it is tritium as this particular reference used both, radium early, tritium later. It can easily be determined what type of lume you have on the dial as radium will still register on the radiation detector.

Good luck... and remember to post photographs after you are done... whichever direction you choose to go.

Thanks! I will definitely follow up with pictures later on 👍

harrymai86 · Nov 10, 2020

Why not trying to clean to bezel, touch up a bit of the paint loss.

chri.89 · Nov 11, 2020

harrymai86
Why not trying to clean to bezel, touch up a bit of the paint loss.

I haven't thought about that.. It could be an option, but I wonder what the end result could be. It might be worth to give it a try before considering buying another bezel.

Larry S · Nov 11, 2020

Before you do anything you need to open that watch. If the numbers inside check out, there is a restoration discussion. If not, this is all moot.

chri.89 · Nov 11, 2020

Larry S
Before you do anything you need to open that watch. If the numbers inside check out, there is a restoration discussion. If not, this is all moot.

The watch has a later movement: the original 1962 cal 321 movement was replaced with a 1968 cal 321, in good condition. Would you not restore it because of that?

View attachment 1100612

To be fair, if I need to pick, I prefer a nice dial and a later movement to a bad dial and a movement from the same year. Then of course I prefer a perfect watch to an imperfect watch....

Larry S · Nov 11, 2020

Just service it and wear, enjoy it. There is no basis for doing more.

chri.89 · Nov 11, 2020

Larry S
Just service it and wear, enjoy it. There is no basis for doing more.

OK. What do you exactly mean with "there is no basis for doing more"? Thanks

Larry S · Nov 11, 2020

Parts for these are very expensive. This is reflecting what @Dan S said. You will put major cash into something that will be hard to sell. Had you the original movement, there might be a case for restoration investment. Lacking that it’s simply not worth it.

td69 · Nov 11, 2020

Agreed with above. That wrong-period movement is like a nail in the coffin. If I read correctly, the watch hasn't been bought yet. Unless it's dirt cheap, I think the OP should walk away from it. There are some lume damages on the dial at 1 and 8 o'clock too, so not exactly a nice dial IMO.

Omega 2998-6 opinion

chri.89

Seaborg

Marsimaxam

chri.89

mountainunder

chri.89

Marsimaxam

Sherbie

Dgercp

Dan S

Larry S

chri.89

harrymai86

chri.89

Larry S

chri.89

Larry S

chri.89

Larry S

td69

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