Omega from great grandfather

[Blackaust]

Hello, I and a newbie in this matter so I would like some opinions.
I have this Omega that grandmother gave wich was from her father, the watch was buried in dirt and was lost and untouched for a long time.
I don’t know the model, but I would like to know if it’s even worth to repair it, or if it’s possible.
I already have a schedule at an Omega official dealer to see the watch and give a budget for the repair, but would like more info about it before going to the official shop.

 

[X350 XJR]

Do you have the back for the watch?

Important information regarding the watch should be marked inside.

Serial number dates to ca 1963.

 

[Blackaust]

X350 XJR

Do you have the back for the watch?

Important information regarding the watch should be marked inside.

Serial number dates to ca 1963.

unfortunatly is lost, that’s something I was hoping they would get a replacement at the official dealer.

 

[X350 XJR]

Blackaust

unfortunatly is lost, that’s something I was hoping they would get a replacement at the official dealer.

Sorry, that's not going to happen.

 

[DaveK]

Blackaust

unfortunatly is lost, that’s something I was hoping they would get a replacement at the official dealer.

Maybe a clear crystal back would be available, there was a thread mentioning them earlier this week. But you’d need the ref # to buy the correct crystal I think

 

[Davidt]

I’d cancel that appointment. They’re unlikely to tel you anything of interest and getting it restored by Omega will cost more than it’s worth.

I’d try and get it serviced by a good independent watchmaker in your area and see if they can supply a caseback that fits.
As it has sentimental value, when the Omega extract from the archives reopens soon you could apply for one for around £100 and that will confirm the reference (it’s usually inside the caseback). At that point you could try and source a replacement caseback from eBay. Another option would be to try and find a donor watch and use both the caseback and dial as yours is heavily damaged

 

[JimInOz]

Blackaust

..............................
I already have a schedule at an Omega official dealer to see the watch and give a budget for the repair,............

You had better wear three pairs of undies when you go for the estimate. Better make that four pairs.


It's highly unlikely that Omega will be able to do anything with the watch, and if they do offer to do a genuine Omega restoration, it will cost a princes ransom and will have none of the character remaining from your GF.

The movement also looks to be in very poor condition so even having an independet watchmaker with an Omega parts account will be an expensive proposition.

I usually encourage owners of "family inheritance" watches to do a sympathetic restoration which retains the little scuffs and marks that were looked upon with the eyes of the original owner and thus, bridge the gap between the old wearer and the new one.

But.......in this case, I think it may be a bridge too far.

 

[padders]

Is it solid gold? Another option is to sell it for the scrap value ( which will be significant) and buy a piece in your great-grandfather’s memory. Or at least sell the bracelet to finance the rest. What you have there is too far gone to be usable without a lot of expensive work and perhaps a dial swap and then won’t be very original.

I am being less tactful perhaps, but I think the post above mine is saying the same.

Edited: Aug 10, 2024

 

[Blackaust]

padders

Is it solid gold? Another option is to sell it for the scrap value ( which will be significant) and buy a piece in your great-grandfather’s memory. Or at least sell the bracelet to finance the rest. What you have there is too far gone to be usable without a lot of expensive work and perhaps a dial swap and then won’t be very original.

I am being less tactful perhaps, but I think the post above mine is saying the same.

yes, it is. And selling the bracelet to finance the rest would definitely be a possibility.
But from what I can read that might not be a worth it after all.

 

[Blackaust]

Davidt

I’d cancel that appointment. They’re unlikely to tel you anything of interest and getting it restored by Omega will cost more than it’s worth.

I’d try and get it serviced by a good independent watchmaker in your area and see if they can supply a caseback that fits.
As it has sentimental value, when the Omega extract from the archives reopens soon you could apply for one for around £100 and that will confirm the reference (it’s usually inside the caseback). At that point you could try and source a replacement caseback from eBay. Another option would be to try and find a donor watch and use both the caseback and dial as yours is heavily damaged

When will those archives open and where can I apply for them?

 

[Blackaust]

DaveK

Maybe a clear crystal back would be available, there was a thread mentioning them earlier this week. But you’d need the ref # to buy the correct crystal I think

A crystal clear back would be great and I prefer it than a piece of metal hiding the mechanism.
But might not be worth all the work.

 

[TIMElyBehaviour]

Unfortunately it’s toast but would make a cool segment for a you tube restorer like Marshall from wrist watch revival.

 

[Blackaust]

Davidt

I’d cancel that appointment. They’re unlikely to tel you anything of interest and getting it restored by Omega will cost more than it’s worth.

I’d try and get it serviced by a good independent watchmaker in your area and see if they can supply a caseback that fits.
As it has sentimental value, when the Omega extract from the archives reopens soon you could apply for one for around £100 and that will confirm the reference (it’s usually inside the caseback). At that point you could try and source a replacement caseback from eBay. Another option would be to try and find a donor watch and use both the caseback and dial as yours is heavily damaged

Any topic with a list of those independent watch makers in Europe?

 

[Mark020]

Where do you live?

 

[Dan S]

I hate to say it, but my feeling is that the watch is too far gone to be worth restoring.

 

[sheepdoll]

No watch is ever really gone too far. If nothing else they become a pile of parts.

The hardest part is the parts breed and multiply. Sometimes this is a good thing. Most of the time it is completley random. Which in turn leads to more parts.

Breeding case backs is difficult. I actually got a sapphire disk recently to see how easy it would be to make a display back. The only thing worse than a missing case back is a missing bezel.

I have a chart from 1961 of case clamps. If the movement is 562 (photographs are blurry) there are 10 potential cases that use the 550.1911 clamps. Expanding this to domestic manufacture cases the number goes up from there.

Still it would be a place to start. The numbers all start 147 and the suffixes are 01,03.21.28,43,60,62.63.70.

A parametric caliber search of the vintage omega site gives some possibilities. https://www.omegawatches.com/vintage-watches?fullPage=1&v_watches_calibre=3068

562 was probably one of the best non chronometer movements ever made. In production a long time. Millions made.

One would of course have to rule out the unishell examples.

Almost any of the 55x/56x/75x calibers 27.9mm will fit this case. The non auto 60x might also fit. So there are a lot of potential backs out there.

 

[Blackaust]

Mark020

Where do you live?

Portugal

 

[Grandad Wales]

Hi all / OP,

I am hoping to restore my grandfathers watch, pls see my post here

https://omegaforums.net/threads/dennison-13308.158049/

Thread 'Dennison 13308' ·

Gifted to me at the age of 20 (I'm in my 50's now) when my Granda passed.

Wore it at work, broke the glass a couple of times, ending up putting it away for safe keeping to revisit when I was...

Grandad Wales Apr 2, 2023

Do we have compatible watches and if so would the OP consider selling his watch to me?

Thanks for your input.