Omega service is a bad thing for a vintage piece--but for the movement, too?

timoss · Jun 25, 2020

Hi, all-- I know it is widely agreed that sending your watch to Omega for service is a bad idea (because they will erase it's vintage character with over-treatments and parts replacement). But is that true of their service when looking just at the movement? Someone is selling an Omega-serviced movement and I'm wondering if that is a bad thing for a vintage movement alone...

Aludic · Jun 25, 2020

Hi @timoss,

Well, the main reason for many of us not to recommend Omega services is purely esthetics; Omega tends to replace vintage parts like hands, dials and bezels. For a movement service only, I would see no reason to avoid them. To the contrary; I’ve heard great stories. Only price might be a factor to decide otherwise.

killer67 · Jun 25, 2020

If you choose Omega to service, which isn’t better than a good watchmaker, the level of clarity to only service the movement cannot be overemphasized

Dan S · Jun 25, 2020

Nothing wrong with an Omega-serviced movement, but if it's a vintage watch, I'd look extra carefully at the rest of the watch for replacement parts.

JwRosenthal · Jun 25, 2020

Dan S
Nothing wrong with an Omega-serviced movement, but if it's a vintage watch, I'd look extra carefully at the rest of the watch for replacement parts.

And if the seller says it was Omega serviced- they should have a detailed invoice from Omega and a baggie with the original parts so if hands/dial/bezel were replaced, you can put the originals back if you so choose.

timoss · Jun 25, 2020

Thanks guys. All makes good sense.

JwRosenthal · Jun 25, 2020

Will also stress as has been stressed so many times before- if they don’t have a receipt from the watchmaker/Omega- it didn’t happen. And if they say they tossed it, I’m sure they can get another copy from Omega.
So often a seller will say “Omega serviced”, then you press them and they say “my watchmaker is Omega trained”, then push a little further and it becomes “he changed the battery on an Omega in the mall kiosk at which he worked last summer.”

irate.alien · Jul 12, 2020

I've heard that you can give Omega very specific instructions about what to do and what not to do. Has anyone had any experience with this? Do they follow instructions?

SkunkPrince · Jul 12, 2020

irate.alien
I've heard that you can give Omega very specific instructions about what to do and what not to do. Has anyone had any experience with this? Do they follow instructions?

My watchmaker at the Rolex dealer claims he did that with a customer's Constellation and they did everything asked. But there are at least three Omega service centers in the US, perhaps four, and just because one did one time doesn't mean it will always happen that way.

JwRosenthal · Jul 12, 2020

irate.alien
I've heard that you can give Omega very specific instructions about what to do and what not to do. Has anyone had any experience with this? Do they follow instructions?

Topic has been addressed many times, it’s a crapshoot. They may or may not. They may send it back and say they can’t do it the way you want, or your notes may not make it along the service line and they replace everything despite your specific requests (and they are simply that- a request). It’s a gamble.
As has been stressed many times, if Omega feels they cannot warranty the service, they won’t do it, nor should they. Lume that does not glow, hands that are missing lume, dial that has damage to the finish, case that has corrosion and won’t allow for a water tight seal or an original crown that has a rock hard gasket are not considered within spec.

Mouse_at_Large · Jul 12, 2020

This has been discussed at length, not least here https://omegaforums.net/threads/vintage-servicing-by-omega.53417/ and in other threads cross-referenced within.

WatchTimes · Jul 12, 2020

I would only look at something if it had the detailed bill to know what exactly was replaced.
I would not send a vintage watch to Omega/Rolex etc for service as there's just too much chance of finding something replaced that they had to without your approval etc.

SkunkPrince · Jul 12, 2020

WatchTimes
I would not send a vintage watch to Omega/Rolex etc for service as there's just too much chance of finding something replaced that they had to without your approval etc.

You can get away with that with Omega. You can't do that with Rolex, unfortunately. At least with getting new parts.

Fatcat · Jul 12, 2020

In mi case never ever a problem, you can ask don’t change this and this ( dial hands) this is noted in the order, after they send you anyway a document with a picture giving you the actual state of the watch ( the guy feel deeply depressive) everything need to be changed and you get each part where you say NO, a « refused by the customer » , there is a note about the hands where it is stated in case of hands breaking during removal they should be changed but only if they are broken, after also your warranty is not granted .

it ever worked fine for me for each vintage omega watch send , after you pay high money for a service without warranty .

paul

Archer · Jul 13, 2020

timoss
Hi, all-- I know it is widely agreed that sending your watch to Omega for service is a bad idea (because they will erase it's vintage character with over-treatments and parts replacement). But is that true of their service when looking just at the movement? Someone is selling an Omega-serviced movement and I'm wondering if that is a bad thing for a vintage movement alone...

Omega can service the movements just fine, but they should not be trusted to keep things as you ask them to, despite what people here say. There are just too many examples of them doing things against people's wishes to believe that they will bend to your every wish.

Cheers, Al

snunez · Jul 13, 2020

Archer
Omega can service the movements just fine, but they should not be trusted to keep things as you ask them to, despite what people here say. There are just too many examples of them doing things against people's wishes to believe that they will bend to your every wish.

True. Case in point. I asked them not to polish the case on my recently serviced railmaster. They claim they didn't (rather, the girl says "we passed on your instructions" ... apparently the movements and case/hands/etc go to different folks (contractors?)) , but it sure is a lot less scratched. I did have to wait a long, long time due to the COVID shutdown, so it could be my memory is faulty on a new-to-me watch, but I swear they polished it. A good job mind you, but I asked them not too.

JwRosenthal · Jul 13, 2020

snunez
True. Case in point. I asked them not to polish the case on my recently serviced railmaster. They claim they didn't (rather, the girl says "we passed on your instructions" ... apparently the movements and case/hands/etc go to different folks (contractors?)) , but it sure is a lot less scratched. I did have to wait a long, long time due to the COVID shutdown, so it could be my memory is faulty on a new-to-me watch, but I swear they polished it. A good job mind you, but I asked them not too.

My watchmaker has specific instructions not to polish anything and that took a while for him to understand (as all his other clients want him to make it shiny). He finally got the no polish thing but then I brought him a watch that had brushed/polished finishes and when I got it back he has rebrushed the bracelet! I politely said, i didn’t want it polished. And he’s said he didn’t, he just “ corrected the grain” of the finish 🤦
Love the man dearly, he now knows- beyond the utrasonic- don’t do anything to case or bracelet.

Archer · Jul 13, 2020

JwRosenthal
My watchmaker has specific instructions not to polish anything and that took a while for him to understand (as all his other clients want him to make it shiny). He finally got the no polish thing but then I brought him a watch that had brushed/polished finishes and when I got it back he has rebrushed the bracelet! I politely said, i didn’t want it polished. And he’s said he didn’t, he just “ corrected the grain” of the finish 🤦
Love the man dearly, he now knows- beyond the utrasonic- don’t do anything to case or bracelet.

Many watchmakers were taught back in a time when the job wasn't complete unless they leaned your case up against a buffing wheel for a while to make it shiny...for some of these old timers, these habits are hard to change.

I always make it clear to people when I send them my pricing structure that refinishing is not included:

"Refinishing of cases/bracelets is available on request for an additional fee."

My default has always been not to refinish, as it should be for any watchmaker IMO.

rcs914 · Jul 13, 2020

So there are things that an independent can do that Omega won't do too. About 4 years ago (how has it been that long???) @Archer serviced my -76 Speedy. There was uneven wear in the main bridge, in the hole where the Barrel/train bridge is mounted (as I understand it). Typically, for an Omega service, this would have necessitated the replacement of the whole main bridge, at a cost of somewhere around $800 at the time. Instead Al corrected the issue with a bushing, as shown below.