Forums Latest Members

Omega service vs local watchmaker.

  1. avidmark May 10, 2020

    Posts
    233
    Likes
    224
    I guess this has probably been asked many times in different ways but I'm wondering if Omega offers anything extra for a service vs a local watchmaker. I know the turnaround time and total cost is less doing it local. However Omega will give me warranty, documentation and possibly other things like new springbars, other parts, travel box etc. Are there times one is more suited than the other?
     
    Mad Dog likes this.
  2. OhMeeGah May 10, 2020

    Posts
    10
    Likes
    22
    I think an AD is a happy medium. To me, sending the watch off to potentially have a part I don't want replaced replaced with a huge turnaround time isn't worth it.
     
  3. ZIELSZIEK May 10, 2020

    Posts
    334
    Likes
    722
    Go local only if the service shop is competent to service Omega.
    If you don't want to have it done by Omega but you want a quality service, have it done at a known good watchmaker.
    Quality independent watchmakers offer warranties as well. They also provide documentation on the watch, my WM gives out service bulletins that state what was done to the piece and the warranty interval.
    The free springbars and travel case sound like a gimmick to me, you can get those easily yourself.
     
  4. avidmark May 10, 2020

    Posts
    233
    Likes
    224
    What about polishing? Since the watch is made by Omega are they better at maintaining crisp edges when its polished? And is that included in Omega services?
     
  5. ZIELSZIEK May 10, 2020

    Posts
    334
    Likes
    722
    My suggestion is that you provide your location and give info on what is it that you consider having serviced so that the people here with more experience can help you.
    Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "crisp edges". Polish works by removing metal on the case.
     
  6. avidmark May 10, 2020

    Posts
    233
    Likes
    224
    Sure. I'm in Winnipeg, Canada. Watch is a Speedmaster 3570 from 2012. I belong to a local watch club and have access to a watchmaker via the same club.
    As to the "crisp edges", I understand metal is removed however I don't know if the edges will be better maintained by Omega polishing equipment. Basically does Omega do a better job at polishing cases than local watchmakers, on average. Of course some are more/less skilled at polishing than others.
     
  7. ConElPueblo May 10, 2020

    Posts
    9,587
    Likes
    26,961
    That's basically it.

    Most work I've seen from Omega has been good looking from a distance, but generally it has seemed like a lot of metal has been removed in order to get there. My guess is that Omega has a pretty strict policy on just how a refinished watch should look like when leaving the shop and that policy is more biased towards making a watch look great rather than keeping the watch looking original.

    If I really wanted a banged-up case looking like new again, I'd seek out a specialised shop with a single guy doing all the work instead of getting it done by Omega.
     
    Skipper_S and ZIELSZIEK like this.
  8. Evitzee May 10, 2020

    Posts
    6,250
    Likes
    11,555
    One big question you need to ask of your local watch guy is, "do you have an Omega parts account?". If he doesn't what is his workaround ? Are you ok with non-OEM parts being used?
     
    ZIELSZIEK likes this.
  9. scapa May 10, 2020

    Posts
    1,371
    Likes
    2,076
    If you have a larger jeweller's nearby, like a Birks or Independent, I'd expect them to have a competent watchmaker on hand and perhaps even one with an Omega parts account, although Birks may just send them out for repair. I've also sent things to the OB in TO and used them as repair depot or middleman.
     
  10. speedytoronto May 10, 2020

    Posts
    183
    Likes
    205
    Send it to Archer in London ON since you’re in Canada. He’s on the forum here, an Omega trained watch maker and has a parts account with Omega, and is extremely generous with his knowledge here.
     
  11. avidmark May 10, 2020

    Posts
    233
    Likes
    224
    He does.
     
  12. gbesq May 10, 2020

    Posts
    7,702
    Likes
    39,317
    Agreed, an Omega parts account is essential. I would be very wary of having any Omega serviced by someone who is not certified by Omega and doesn’t have a parts account, especially for models with a coaxial movement. Omega generally does a good job with service, but they are expensive and their goal is to return your watch to you in as close to new condition as possible. While this may initially sound like a good thing, what it really means is that Omega will service the watch as THEY see fit. That means that they may ignore specific instructions from you (e.g., no case polishing) and replace original parts with service parts (e.g., replacing an original tritium dial with a superluminova service dial) and devalue the watch in the process. Aside from the expense, I wouldn’t be too concerned about sending Omega a modern watch, but I would not send them anything that has a vintage character that you want to preserve.
     
  13. NikoMartinez_SYD May 11, 2020

    Posts
    134
    Likes
    179
    All depends on the job required of course, I found a really found a really good happy medium - a private watch maker who worked at the omega service centre for 9 years and then started up his own shop. Gets great access to parts etc. I've dealt with him for many years now. I'd recommend doing a search on watch makers in your areas and seeing if they are Omega Certified. Here is a good search tool that doesnt just show omega boutiques:
    https://www.omegawatches.com/customer-service/finding-a-service-centre/
     
  14. mayankyadav May 11, 2020

    Posts
    451
    Likes
    678
    I read in some other thread a post by @Archer where he said non OEM parts for at least Omegas aren't a concern. I think he meant that all Omega parts are OEM whether serviced by Omega/omega authorized/ somebody having Omega parts etc or not. Of course there could be tiny bit risk but what I think he meant is the risk is almost non existent.
     
    ConElPueblo likes this.
  15. RARJ May 11, 2020

    Posts
    201
    Likes
    170
    For what is likely a not too large difference in price I would tend to defer to sending my watch back to Omega directly. I've taken the local watchmaker approach with guys I really liked and do a good job but if you want the case/bracelet restored to factory/new specs then sending it in is really the only way to make sure it's spot on.
     
  16. thelinendial May 11, 2020

    Posts
    389
    Likes
    390
    @avidmark I recently had a vintage watch serviced by Omega Switzerland via the Swatch Group in Toronto. If you can wait till the weekend, I'll do a full review with pictures.
     
  17. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 12, 2020

    Posts
    26,342
    Likes
    65,045
    Just to clarify, what I said was that for movement parts, there aren't many fake/aftermarket parts out there. For the cases though, there certainly are, so it's case parts that tend to be the issue.

    For example a Speedmaster case came to me with fake pushers on it last year...

    In each photo the genuine part is on the left, and you can see the differences in both the quality of the part, and differences in dimensions and shapes:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The genuine parts are machined to a much higher level, and the fake tube had an unthreaded portion:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The unthreaded portion caused the pusher tube to not fully screw into the case - here is the fake part on the case:

    [​IMG]

    And the genuine:

    [​IMG]

    The person who sold the case didn't know they were fake, and had bought them as "genuine" Omega parts off eBay I believe (he stepped up and paid for genuine pushers for my customer). There are well known parts distriobutors who have been making replacement crystals specifically for Omegas, and I've read reports that the quality isn't terribly good.

    In general, genuine movement parts are usually easier to get on the secondary market than case parts are, because one movement can be used in many different models that require many different case parts - crowns, crystals, piushers, hands, seals, etc.

    So two advantages of working with a watchmaker with a parts account is that they will have access to the genuine parts, and likely those parts will be cheaper than sourcing them on the open market. That doesn't mean someone without a parts account can't do the job, but they may pay more for the parts and have to search to find them (and might not be able to find them in the end).

    Cheers, Al
     
    ZIELSZIEK and DaveK like this.
  18. Explorador May 12, 2020

    Posts
    139
    Likes
    408
    So, is it safe to say that the waterproofness of our modern Omega and/or Rolex watches can hold 10 years?

    Sorry if I ask this again, but am not sure if I could retrieve a clear answer to this question in this thread.
     
  19. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 12, 2020

    Posts
    26,342
    Likes
    65,045
    I certainly would not count on it...
     
  20. Explorador May 12, 2020

    Posts
    139
    Likes
    408
    I was afraid that you said that...
    That is also what I think, but though I love watches almost as if they were pieces of art, I admit beeing extremely ignorant about their inner life.

    So what would be a safe rule of thumb to keep them swimm safe?

    Please excuse my ignorance!!!!