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Omega Seamaster 300M 25418000 newbie questions

Awse
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Hi All
I bought the above new in 2006. It has been languishing in a drawer and the battery is now dead. Any thoughts on next steps? A new battery or full service and where in UK around Cambridge you would consider reliable and good value? Also any thoughts on trading it in for a more updated version, with the more easily adjustable strap, which appeals to me.

Many thanks in advance
 
10mmauto
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Get a new battery. Don't need a new watch. Simply upgrade your bracelet with the new Omega adjustable clasp.
 
perks713
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Send it to me, I'll give it a good home and a battery 😉
 
Transitus
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It's unclear how long the battery in your watch has been dead for but you should get it out pretty quickly. Dead batteries have a higher-than-you'd think tendency to leak and obviously that's worse the longer you leave it.
In bad cases the corrosion can do permanent damage and necessitate replacing the entire quartz movement.
 
Donn Chambers
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Repeating what I said this morning in the OP’s identical thread in the Open Discussions forum:

First thing - get the back opened and remove the battery or replace it. Batteries can leak when they are dead and corrode the movement, ruining it. If you have the correct tools and know what you are doing, this is easy to do yourself, otherwise any watchmaker can do it. The important point is to do it immediately. Don’t know how long it has been sitting in the drawer with a dead battery, but if it is more than 2-3 years, good luck. You might have a watch that is only good for parts. There’s a reason most quartz movements have an end-of-life indicator on them - so you know when to change the battery before it goes dead and can start to leak.

I had a nice watch ruined about 20 years ago because I didn’t know this and let it sit with a dead battery for a couple of years.

If the movement IS good and you really want to get the newer model and “trade” this one toward that, your best option is to: 1) replace the battery and 2) sell it privately (either locally or on EBay). A dealer will give you only a fraction of it’s worth in a trade. Then use the money you get toward the new one.

Good luck.
 
Crunchie
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I’d say find a decent independent jeweller that sells a proper Swiss watch brand, not a fashion brand, and ask if they can do an in-house battery change and pressure test.
At a push a branch of Timpsons could do it. No point planning for what you’ll do if the battery has leaked and destroyed the movement if all you need is a £30 battery service + test to get it back on your wrist.
No reason at all to “upgrade”, it’s a great watch. Add, maybe, upgrade, never!
 
Awse
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Thanks All. I’d said dead about a year. I might try Timpsons. Was quoted £275 inc vat by Watchfinder for a full service and battery. Here’s hoping it’s not completely bust.
 
Awse
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By way of update, collected my watch with new battery and pressure testing results from Timpsons. They sent it away to Wolverhampton but got it back within a week. £85.
Cheers
 
vinny
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Awse Awse
By way of update, collected my watch with new battery and pressure testing results from Timpsons. They sent it away to Wolverhampton but got it back within a week. £85.
Cheers

Just came across this and wondering if you are pleased with the battery replacement, is it still working?
I just got quoted by Goldsmiths from £185 for just battery and reseal and £285 if it needs a service
 
Awse
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The battery was replaced and initially all seemed fine. Then, the watch would stop for short periods and then start again. This happened for a while, then it began working correctly and has been doing so for the past year and more. Overall I was quite happy with Timpsons. The service price quote you received from Goldsmiths seems good value. Cheapest I have managed to find was an independent near Tring that was £350, and that was last year so perhaps gone up further since then. I really do need to get mine serviced, if only for peace of mind. Been wearing some Seiko’s lately but this week the Omega and it has been nice to feel the difference in quality. Only downside remains the non micro adjust bracelet so it is not possible to get the perfect fit.
 
vinny
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@Awse
Thank you for you feedback. I can confirm that I went ahead with Timpsons in Asda Watford and had a great service.
 
Awse
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Just replaced battery again at Timpsons for £65, with WR to 100m only. Adjusted bracelet too and all is good. I plan to get an Omega service fairly soon in the hope it will keep the watch as healthy as can be and also fix some of the appearances of aging shall we say! Have been thinking of another watch lately but unsure which way to go. Where do you go after this one? Latest model is nice but certainly chunkier in the flesh. Tudor seem decent enough but not wowed. May be sacrilegious but newish Tag 300m seems decent. 2254 Peter Blake always been on my list too.
Ah such dilemmas.
Cheers
 
ErichPryde
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2254 or electric blue if you aren't wowed by the modern ceramic. I like the modern heritage line as well and honestly think my summer blue heritage wears slightly better than my 2531 despite being thicker, but you may not like the addl thickness.
Edited:
 
502 to right
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If I was you I would send it to an Omega Service Center for a full service and get a new dial and bezel. They will replace the hands, crowns, and gaskets as part of the service and also make sure the movement is running perfectly. You will basically get back a new watch, or at least a new looking watch, for thousands of dollars/pounds less than buying a new watch. I just did this with my 2541.80 I bought years ago. It looks brand new. You have to pay extra for the dial and bezel but it's worth it.

In the last nine years I have torn through 50+ watches, many of them on the expensive side like Omega, Rolex, Tudor, JLC, Grand Seiko, and decided what I like best is a no-nonsense beautiful quartz Bond watch. I never have to wonder if it's wound up or if the time is correct. Just put it on and go. I'm not a big fan of the Bond bracelet so I nearly always wear it on a first gen Aqua Terra bracelet with a current gen adjustable Heritage 300 clasp. But there are also a lot of aftermarket bracelets made for the Bond SMP to choose from (Forstner, Uncle Straps, Strapcode). The OEM Peter Blake bracelet also looks great, and quite frankly, this is the bracelet Omega should have paired with the Bond SMP from the beginning.

IMG_9710.webp
 
Awse
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502 to right 502 to right
If I was you I would send it to an Omega Service Center for a full service and get a new dial and bezel. They will replace the hands, crowns, and gaskets as part of the service and also make sure the movement is running perfectly. You will basically get back a new watch, or at least a new looking watch, for thousands of dollars/pounds less than buying a new watch. I just did this with my 2541.80 I bought years ago. It looks brand new. You have to pay extra for the dial and bezel but it's worth it.

In the last nine years I have torn through 50+ watches, many of them on the expensive side like Omega, Rolex, Tudor, JLC, Grand Seiko, and decided what I like best is a no-nonsense beautiful quartz Bond watch. I never have to wonder if it's wound up or if the time is correct. Just put it on and go. I'm not a big fan of the Bond bracelet so I nearly always wear it on a first gen Aqua Terra bracelet with a current gen adjustable Heritage 300 clasp. But there are also a lot of aftermarket bracelets made for the Bond SMP to choose from (Forstner, Uncle Straps, Strapcode). The OEM Peter Blake bracelet also looks great, and quite frankly, this is the bracelet Omega should have paired with the Bond SMP from the beginning.

IMG_9710.webp
Many thanks for those considered thoughts.
Your thinking regarding the service resonates and seems to be the type of outcome I would hope for.
What the watch has reminded me of is the grab and go reliability and accuracy. Tired of inaccurate movements nowadays so if and when I do buy again it would have to promise rock solid timekeeping.
Cheers
 
Awse
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502 to right 502 to right
If I was you I would send it to an Omega Service Center for a full service and get a new dial and bezel. They will replace the hands, crowns, and gaskets as part of the service and also make sure the movement is running perfectly. You will basically get back a new watch, or at least a new looking watch, for thousands of dollars/pounds less than buying a new watch. I just did this with my 2541.80 I bought years ago. It looks brand new. You have to pay extra for the dial and bezel but it's worth it.

In the last nine years I have torn through 50+ watches, many of them on the expensive side like Omega, Rolex, Tudor, JLC, Grand Seiko, and decided what I like best is a no-nonsense beautiful quartz Bond watch. I never have to wonder if it's wound up or if the time is correct. Just put it on and go. I'm not a big fan of the Bond bracelet so I nearly always wear it on a first gen Aqua Terra bracelet with a current gen adjustable Heritage 300 clasp. But there are also a lot of aftermarket bracelets made for the Bond SMP to choose from (Forstner, Uncle Straps, Strapcode). The OEM Peter Blake bracelet also looks great, and quite frankly, this is the bracelet Omega should have paired with the Bond SMP from the beginning.

IMG_9710.webp
Took a Tag in for a battery and service. It will be interesting to see what the recommend. I think I will get the Omega done too in due course. Thanks for the info 502.
 
502 to right
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Awse Awse
Took a Tag in for a battery and service. It will be interesting to see what the recommend. I think I will get the Omega done too in due course. Thanks for the info 502.
Here's a before and after shot of a GoldenEye that was serviced. New dial, new bezel. It looks amazing. I found this on Reddit when I was researching whether I wanted to get my SMP serviced and dial replaced. This guy deliberately bought a cheap and beat up SMP to send in for full restoration. The results are amazing.

my-goldeneye-2541-80-1995-seamaster-back-from-service-v0-plnc0drvsqkb1.webp my-goldeneye-2541-80-1995-seamaster-back-from-service-v0-4pddxervsqkb1.webp
 
Awse
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502 to right 502 to right
Here's a before and after shot of a GoldenEye that was serviced. New dial, new bezel. It looks amazing. I found this on Reddit when I was researching whether I wanted to get my SMP serviced and dial replaced. This guy deliberately bought a cheap and beat up SMP to send in for full restoration. The results are amazing.

my-goldeneye-2541-80-1995-seamaster-back-from-service-v0-plnc0drvsqkb1.webp my-goldeneye-2541-80-1995-seamaster-back-from-service-v0-4pddxervsqkb1.webp
Incredible transformation!!
 
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