Original crown and pushers vs Warranty/Pressure test 145.029

Makesbelieve · Jul 22, 2026

Hi all,

Following on from my earlier post about picking up this 145.029 cheap because it had been listed as quartz, I'm now working through a decision on the service and want the collective wisdom here.

My Omega certified watchmaker has said that if I want a guarantee on the work and a proper pressure test, the crown and pushers need to be swapped for new genuine parts. If I keep the originals, he'll still service it, but won't warranty the work or pressure test it.

So it's a straight trade-off... full originality with no guarantee and no confirmed water resistance, or a warrantied, pressure tested watch with two non-original though correct new service parts.

For those who've faced this call before, what would you do?

Keen to hear how others have handled it.
Matt

dsio · Jul 22, 2026

I consider anything that old to be splash resistant at best anyway, just don't get it wet. Not sure why it would impact warranty for anything other than water intrusion though, if its all clean and lubricated the crown and pushers shouldn't be a factor?

YVR785 · Jul 22, 2026

Get the new crown and pushers and guarantee waterproofness. This is standard practice in the industry. Any authorized service would require this as a condition to warranty the watch.

At the end of the day, they're just pushers, and should be very similar to the vintage parts (could be minor logo changes, etc.). This isn't a patina'd dial in question. Non-issue in my opinion.

jolyon · Jul 22, 2026

First off, lovely watch and great find!

Funny enough, I was just having a conversation with @Ron_W in another thread about this. I am also wanting to have original parts but maintain water resistance, specifically keeping humidity and moisture out. Apparently, you can dig out the old seals from the crown through an arduous task with tweezers and then poke in a couple of replacement seals. This can see you up to 3ATM which is more than you are ever likely to need on a 60 year old watch!

https://omegaforums.net/posts/2610954/

Ron_W · Jul 22, 2026

jolyon
What do you think about rebuilding an original one with new seals for water resistance?

I did it twice on a A2 type crown, it`s a "monks job" and can take 1 -2 hours prying out the old O rings goo/tar. Once cleaned it is easy to push in 2 !! new O ring in size 3.8 x 2.4mm available from sample sets on ebay. Your tube outside should measure 2.5mm diameter so check it first.
Both cleared the 3 atm test but it is not work an Omega watchmaker can do as per Omega rules, nor is it something they have time for...

Makesbelieve · Jul 22, 2026

YVR785
Get the new crown and pushers and guarantee waterproofness. This is standard practice in the industry. Any authorized service would require this as a condition to warranty the watch.

At the end of the day, they're just pushers, and should be very similar to the vintage parts (could be minor logo changes, etc.). This isn't a patina'd dial in question. Non-issue in my opinion.

What do you mean "This isn't a patina'd dial in question"?

YVR785 · Jul 22, 2026

Makesbelieve
What do you mean "This isn't a patina'd dial in question"?

I mean that this isn't a rare part being swapped out. They're just pushers and a crown, and having modern variants on the watch makes no impact on its value. It's only upside and no downside, plus you'll have the originals on hand.

YVR785 · Jul 22, 2026

jolyon
First off, lovely watch and great find!

Funny enough, I was just having a conversation with @Ron_W in another thread about this. I am also wanting to have original parts but maintain water resistance, specifically keeping humidity and moisture out. Apparently, you can dig out the old seals from the crown through an arduous task with tweezers and then poke in a couple of replacement seals. This can see you up to 3ATM which is more than you are ever likely to need on a 60 year old watch!

https://omegaforums.net/posts/2610954/

Ron_W · Jul 22, 2026

jolyon
What do you think about rebuilding an original one with new seals for water resistance?

I did it twice on a A2 type crown, it`s a "monks job" and can take 1 -2 hours prying out the old O rings goo/tar. Once cleaned it is easy to push in 2 !! new O ring in size 3.8 x 2.4mm available from sample sets on ebay. Your tube outside should measure 2.5mm diameter so check it first.
Both cleared the 3 atm test but it is not work an Omega watchmaker can do as per Omega rules, nor is it something they have time for...

Doubt the authorized Omega watchmaker would do that and spend 2 hours surgically removing dried up rubber from a crown. Cool concept, but replacement is the industry standard.

jolyon · Jul 22, 2026

YVR785
Doubt the authorized Omega watchmaker would do that and spend 2 hours surgically removing dried up rubber from a crown. Cool concept, but replacement is the industry standard.

It’s something you would have to do yourself or pay a watchmaker to do. It’s a pain but that’s the only workaround if you want to keep all original parts and maintain water resistance.

flqt-9000 · Jul 22, 2026

This thing is was certified 60m waterproof in the 70s. Nowdays it means that you must stay 60m away fromany water 😉
Having said this, beautiful example! This is one of the funkieat dial Omega produced

Makesbelieve · Thurs. 12:29am

Thanks for your responses… although I’m getting some mixed messages. Right now I’m leaning towards keeping everything original, there’s something nice about the way the crown angles into the case… from memory the modern crowns have a more flat profile on the case side of the crown…

Ron_W · Thurs. 1:34am

Makesbelieve
Thanks for your responses… although I’m getting some mixed messages. Right now I’m leaning towards keeping everything original, there’s something nice about the way the crown angles into the case… from memory the modern crowns have a more flat profile on the case side of the crown…

That is a nice watch, congrats !
If the pushers have screwed on caps you can change to new pushers for safety ( they have new tiny O rings ) and screw the old caps back on if the new ones are to different in color or shape. That worked fine on my Speedmaster.
I dont have experience with Seamaster crowns so i am not sure if the gap in the back is large enough to clean out the old O rings nor do i know the size for the O rings. Tube in the case outside diameter minus 0.1 mm = inside hole for the O ring .
Best option is to change to a new crown for safety and enjoy it, then wait for a rainy Sunday to see if you can clean out the old one. Also ask your watchmaker for an extra stem to use for the old crown.

Davidt · Thurs. 1:39am

It’s not like it’s an old flat foot logo crown and short, fat neck pushers.

If it’s going to be worn twice a month I’d leave the originals, if you’re wearing it more frequently I’d have service items used and keep the originals.

hen · Thurs. 3:01am

Get the new crown and pushers and keep the old in a nice little zip lock bag.

Donn Chambers · Thurs. 6:44am

I’m of the camp to always replace crown and pushers during service, even on a vintage watch, unless it is so much more valuable as an original untouched version that replacing them devalues the watch by a significant amount.

And this isn’t that type of watch. 😉

Makesbelieve · Thurs. 3:30pm

Thank you all for the valuable advice, very much appreciated. I’ve now been swayed back to new pushers and crown. I’ll post pictures once the service is done, looking forward to wearing this one. Thanks, Matt

Larry S · Fri. 6:51am

If this is a daily driver and you around water fairly often then get the full service.

jolyon · Sat. 6:29am

Fair enough, watches are for enjoying after all. At least you can keep the original parts safe in a zip lock bag with the box

Dan S · Sat. 7:32am

Unless the new parts look identical to the originals I’d keep the originals and just avoid water. I get no joy from vintage watches with new parts.

Larry S · Sat. 9:03am

Dan S
Unless the new parts look identical to the originals I’d keep the originals and just avoid water. I get no joy from vintage watches with new parts.

Years ago in the midst of some heated debate on lord knows what I wrote that OF is a collectors forum. I got a good beat down. There are collectors, enthusiasts and folks who like old watches. I used to cringe when someone would talk about swimming with a vintage watch but our watch makers here say it’s possible if the watch has been well maintained over its life. That caveat would include service stems, crowns and pushers. Living brands seem to have parts that look darned good on their vintage fleet. I’ve only been forced to do it a couple of times but I’d disclose if I sold.

Dan S · Sat. 11:48am

Larry S
Years ago in the midst of some heated debate on lord knows what I wrote that OF is a collectors forum. I got a good beat down. There are collectors, enthusiasts and folks who like old watches. I used to cringe when someone would talk about swimming with a vintage watch but our watch makers here say it’s possible if the watch has been well maintained over its life. That caveat would include service stems, crowns and pushers. Living brands seem to have parts that look darned good on their vintage fleet. I’ve only been forced to do it a couple of times but I’d disclose if I sold.

Yep, I think we all have different preferences. Live and let live.

Original crown and pushers vs Warranty/Pressure test 145.029

Makesbelieve

dsio

YVR785

jolyon

Makesbelieve

YVR785

YVR785

jolyon

flqt-9000

Makesbelieve

Ron_W

Davidt

hen

Donn Chambers

Makesbelieve

Larry S

jolyon

Dan S

Larry S

Dan S

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