Omega Seamaster Memomatic - need an advice!

misha1973 · Jun 20, 2017

Dear fellow Omega fans, I would have like to present the wrist watch I have inherited and ask four your opinion as well.
My late Dad left me his Omega Seamaster Memomatic, first generation 166.072 case, with famous calibre 980 movement. He bought it as a birthday present for himself in 1975. I believe, and wore it till the end in 2005.
Watch was serviced one or twice and had the original leather bracelet replaced.
It wasn't used for 12 years and when I decided to give it a go this year, after some rewinding, it actually started! It was working for a day and half and then stopped completely.
It definitely needs a service and a good clean, as 3-position control button is stuck. There is no use having it, if it doesn't work, right?
I would also consider replacing a plexiglass and a bracelet, to improve the appearance.
My question would be - what would you do in my case? Is it financially wise decision to invest in it at all.
Any point of view is welcome!
P.S. I'll upload photos, as soon as my Imageshake account get back in life 😀

Foo2rama · Jun 20, 2017

misha1973
P.S. I'll upload photos, as soon as my Imageshake account get back in life 😀

You can upload directly from a computer or cellphone. No need for third party services.

misha1973 · Jun 20, 2017

Thank you for the advice! 😀 I missed the "add photos" button ...

gatorcpa · Jun 20, 2017

misha1973
My question would be - what would you do in my case? Is it financially wise decision to invest in it at all.

The watch itself has some intrinsic value. You will find plenty for sale on the internet. Google is your friend.

These will cost more than a time only watch for service, due to the alarm complication. Omega will charge you around $1,000 for service. An independent watchmaker should be in the $250 to $400 range for one of these.

An Omega crystal will add around $50 to the bill. A proper bracelet will be rather expensive, so you might be better off with a good leather strap from Keleran USA. They start at around $15 and you can work your way up. from there I think the lug size on these are 18mm or 19mm. You can measure it to see the size.

When it comes to a family piece, there is no such thing as "financially wise" when dealing with sentimental value.

If you are just going to sell it, then better to sell it non-working, as-is and let the next owner worry about the costs of refurbishment.
gatorcpa

misha1973 · Jun 20, 2017

Thank you for your input! You have really answered most of my questions.

Now I have to decide whether to wait for my trip to Switzerland in November, to include a visit to Omega (as that seems to be the closest reliable place to service an old Omega watch with complicated mechanism), or to sell it as-is.
Prices for service on official site are about the same I paid 20 years ago to service my Breitling (with new bracelet included), but if it needs a refurbishment ( a $2000 job...), then it's a whole different story.
Anyway, it's a food for thought.
Any idea what would be a acceptable price for non-working watch? So far I have mostly found Memomatics, albeith rarely this particular model, in good condition on sale, with prices ranging from $ 1000 to $3000.
I do know that aforementioned non-working Breitling Navitimers (with rather less sophisticated mechanism) sell for $ 500-600.

Foo2rama · Jun 20, 2017

Wait.. 2k to service a Breitling, and 806's for 600??? In my world those numbers are inverted.

Edit
Oh missed the new bracelet... still high though. Breitlings use pretty run of mill of the shelf movements.

Northernman · Jun 20, 2017

No need to go Omega for service.
Omega did not even make these. The cal 980 is a variant of Lemania 2980.
Depending on where you are located I am sure the community can advise better service alternatives at non-extortionate prices.
Btw: A very cool watch!

gatorcpa · Jun 20, 2017

misha1973
o far I have mostly found Memomatics, albeith rarely this particular model, in good condition on sale, with prices ranging from $ 1000 to $3000.

Here's a very similar watch that recently sold. Has the correct bracelet (I think) and was in working condition. Case not as nice as yours:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ome...-steel-case-cal-980-ref-166-072-/352074062200

Another one in better cosmetic, but non-working condition (bad alarm):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Omega-Seama...Silver-Dial-Auto-Wind-Alarm-Watc-/13220436225

I think yours would bring about the same as these.
gatorcpa

misha1973 · Jun 20, 2017

Foo2rama
Wait.. 2k to service a Breitling, and 806's for 600??? In my world those numbers are inverted.

Edit
Oh missed the new bracelet... still high though. Breitlings use pretty run of mill of the shelf movements.

I may have created slight confussion 😀
Let me try to clarify - recommended service prices quoted on Omega site are CHF 550 for non-chronograph mechanical watch and CHF 750 for chronograph. That should be about 10% less in $.
For full restauration, they quote CHF 2000.

Not-so regular service (it kind of fell on the floor - my mistake...) of my Breitling Navitimer (you're right, it does have rather common ETA Valjoux 7750-based movement ) was about CHF 450-500 in 1995. and bracelet was CHF 132. (I remember that vividly - changed it twice in 20 years).
So, service prices for both non-chrono Omega and chrono Breitling are about the same.
And, judging by those prices on Ebay, non-working examples are expected to fetch about the same price +/- $50 .

I may have neglected the fact that cal. 980 was in fact Lemania 2980. I should look for watchmaker with experience with these and decent stake of replacement parts, in worst-case scenario.

Anyway, thank you all for the suggestions!
I was considering posting the watch on sale here, but having rather limited privileges as a new member, I'll probably go straight to Ebay....if I decide to sell it.

BlackTalon · Jun 20, 2017

...if 😁

misha1973 · Jun 20, 2017

BlackTalon
...if 😁

😀 I am a Libra, and we do take a lot of time to weigh all the options, so anything is possible....😀

kingsrider · Jun 20, 2017

We need to see the movement to get a good assessment of the watch. The ebay examples you show were not good for comparison. I was watching those watches and they needed complete rebuilds and the dial on the Argentina watch was poor. Your watch appears to have a good dial and the case is ok.

misha1973 · Jun 20, 2017

You are right. I should try to make higher-def photos tomorrow, just to clarify this esthetic question.
More importantly, perhaps I should, after all, look for some competent local watchmaker, to ask him to open the watch and check actual condition of the mechanics.

Sherbie · Jun 20, 2017

My advice would be to get it serviced locally by a competent watchmaker and put a good new blue watch strap on it ( maybe to match the blue of the dial)

I wish my dad had handed me down an old omega to own, but alas

Sherbie · Jun 20, 2017

Ps mine says "hello"

tdn-dk · Jun 21, 2017

Get it fixed, it is a reel nice watch, here is mine:

Northernman · Jun 21, 2017

misha1973
I may have created slight confussion 😀
Let me try to clarify - recommended service prices quoted on Omega site are CHF 550 for non-chronograph mechanical watch and CHF 750 for chronograph. That should be about 10% less in $.
For full restauration, they quote CHF 2000.
.

Actually I have read that Omega has informed some while back that they would not service the 980 caliber any longer due to lack of parts.
No idea if this is true or not, but I would not be surprised.
As for parts, as long as it is not broken, it should be serviceable with relatively generic parts, and the rest you may find on ebay.

Are you in the US, Europe or....

misha1973 · Jun 22, 2017

Great watches, gentlemen! Well look-after, I have to add.
However, my daily routine really prohibits me from having any valuable watch on my hand, so I decided to sell Omega (as I did for my Breitling Navitimer). I would hate it to have it sitting in some drawer, but I would hate even more having to take it off ten times a day, just to preserve it.

In the side note, local watch seller (by the way, I live close to Belgrade, in Serbia) mentioned exactly the same problem with scarcity of spare parts for 980cal.
He said that if some part that effectively controled the alarm function needed replacing ( symptom usually is a blocked top button...), watch would be beyond repair, due to difficulty of obtaining aforementioned part.

Another source told me that really competent watchmakers were even harder to come by around here. Old guys are retired and "new kids" don't have enough experience..so, I could find somebody to diagnose the problem, but whether he could fix it, is altogether different matter...

It's a conundrum 😀

p.s. I should have payed a visit to Omega during my vacation in Switzerland in 2010. Missed opportunity...

misha1973 · Jul 1, 2017

Sold to a local Omega fan 😀

Omega Seamaster Memomatic - need an advice!

misha1973

Foo2rama

misha1973

gatorcpa

misha1973

Foo2rama

Northernman

gatorcpa

misha1973

BlackTalon

misha1973

kingsrider

misha1973

Sherbie

Sherbie

tdn-dk

Northernman

misha1973

misha1973

Similar threads

Omega Seamaster Memomatic -fake or real

Need help to identify an old Omega Seamaster Automatic

Omega Seamaster 1967 Gold Plated - Seeking Restoration Advice for Damaged Lugs on Inherited Watch

Seamaster Memomatic

First Time Owner of an Omega, My 166.010 & Questions on Beads Of Rice/BOR Options...

Omega Seamaster 60 ref. 166.062 - "Seamaster" font