Please help identify and maybe find Omega cal 351 replacement parts

drgary · May 25, 2021

Hi Everyone:

I have a 1949 Omega bumper watch that was my dad's. A couple of years ago I had it serviced, and it ran well for a year. Then it stopped holding a wind. The watchmaker said he couldn't find the parts and identified them as the two parts that hold the bumper, not the bumper itself. I found parts diagrams online, including one from Otto Frei in Los Angeles. I spoke with them today and they could not identify the part numbers needed. The guy there tried to help and told me the 351 is based on the 330 and has many of the same parts. Here's a link to the parts diagram and list on their site, which isn't https, so my browser says it's not secure. It is the actual company, though.

http://www.ofrei.com/page1457.html

Here are photos of my watch, which I sent to Swatch / Omega to see if they could repair just what was needed. They quoted $650 plus tax and shipping and only offered to restore or replace everything that was worn. I want to keep the patina on the face and everything else had been working, so no thanks!

Archer · May 25, 2021

Not sure what your watchmaker means when he says “the two peta that hold the bumper”?

If you fully wind the watch by the crown, how long does it run for?

Dan S · May 25, 2021

You might want to consider Omega's offer. Just decline any cosmetic work.

X350 XJR · May 25, 2021

Bushing and axle?

drgary · May 25, 2021

Archer
Not sure what your watchmaker means when he says “the two peta that hold the bumper”?

If you fully wind the watch by the crown, how long does it run for?

Sorry for my typo. I'll get back to you on how long it runs.

drgary · May 25, 2021

Dan S
You might want to consider Omega's offer. Just decline any cosmetic work.

I tried to do that up front. They were only willing to offer the full service. I wrote back about what I was asking and got no reply to that.

Dan S · May 25, 2021

drgary
I tried to do that up front. They were only willing to offer the full service. I wrote back about what I was asking and got no reply to that.

I think that a full service is what you want. No decent watchmaker would just replace parts without doing a full service of the movement. However, there is no reason they would need to do anything to the dial. That would be optional. It's possible that you are misinterpreting what they mean by replacing worn parts. Usually that refers to mechanical parts, seals, etc. Not cosmetic parts.

If you would like help understanding the quote from Omega, feel free to post a scan. People on the forum have a lot of experience with Omega/Swatch Repair Center and may be able to interpret their language accurately.

DON · May 25, 2021

There are 3 parts in regards to the rotor. The top bridge (with serial number), the rotor arm (attached to the rotor) and the underside rotor bridge (not seen in the Otto Frei parts image)

Parts - 1009, 1013 and 1403 Two parts that hold the rotor arm pins are the first two

Crown not original. Omega, but not the right design. Leave it.

10:00 index is loose and not positioned properly

Parts not that rare and should be easy to find. Do an Ebay search on the numbers

DON

drgary · May 25, 2021

Dan S
I think that a full service is what you want. No decent watchmaker would just replace parts without doing a full service of the movement. However, there is no reason they would need to do anything to the dial. That would be optional. It's possible that you are misinterpreting what they wrote.

If you would like help understanding the quote from Omega, feel free to post a scan. People on the forum have a lot of experience with Omega and may be able to interpret their language accurately.

The reason I didn't want the full service is that it had been serviced and was running well for a year. Cosmetically it looked like I wanted it to. My local watchmaker told me that these parts had failed. This particular watch is fairly common and goes for about half the price of the Omega full service on sites like eBay. But I'm guessing you're suggesting that having Omega fully go through it would ensure that all of the parts are up to factory spec and nothing else is going to fail anytime soon. That's worth considering, but I don't think I want to spend for it. You get what you pay for of course!

drgary · May 25, 2021

DON
There are 3 parts in regards to the rotor. The top bridge (with serial number), the rotor arm (attached to the rotor) and the underside rotor bridge (not seen in the Otto Frei parts image)

Parts - 1009, 1013 and 1403 Two parts that hold the rotor arm pins are the first two

Crown not original. Omega, but not the right design. Leave it.

10:00 index is loose and not positioned properly

Parts not that rare and should be easy to find. Do an Ebay search on the numbers

DON

Thanks, Don. That's very helpful.

I didn't understand this: "10:00 index is loose and not positioned properly." I don't know if it can be explained in the way that a non-watchmaker like me would understand, though.

Dan S · May 25, 2021

drgary
Thanks, Don. That's very helpful.

I didn't understand this: "10:00 index is loose and not positioned properly." I don't know if it can be explained in the way that a non-watchmaker like me would understand, though.

Just look closely at the applied 10 o'clock marker and you will see that it is not oriented correctly.

SkunkPrince · May 25, 2021

My watchmaker drills out the worn holes and installs bushings. You need one willing to do that.

DON · May 25, 2021

Bumpers are not efficient winders if your a couch potato

If he didn't change the mainspring. Could have snapped

I've restored loads of these, but hard to actually know whats wrong without having it in my hands

I think it's the mainspring

Post your location. Maybe someone can mention a watchmaker to recheck it

DON

watchyouwant · May 25, 2021

DON is the guy ! Listen to him. Kind regards. Achim

drgary · May 25, 2021

Dan S
Just look closely at the applied 10 o'clock marker and you will see that it is not oriented correctly.

You have a good eye! Is something like that fixable?

drgary · May 25, 2021

Archer
If you fully wind the watch by the crown, how long does it run for?

It runs for about two minutes. BTW it didn't break by winding it too forcefully. I was winding as I had for the prior year.

drgary · May 25, 2021

DON
Bumpers are not efficient winders if your a couch potato

If he didn't change the mainspring. Could have snapped

I've restored loads of these, but hard to actually know whats wrong without having it in my hands

I think it's the mainspring

Post your location. Maybe someone can mention a watchmaker to recheck it

DON

I'm not a couch potato! LOL

I'm in southern WA, just north of Portland.

Archer · May 26, 2021

drgary
It runs for about two minutes. BTW it didn't break by winding it too forcefully. I was winding as I had for the prior year.

Then I suspect the problem isn't related to the automatic winding - there's something else wrong with the movement.

On the subject of sending it to Omega, I would advise caution. You cannot simply "decline" some work that is cosmetic if Omega determines that it's a problem. For example, one of the tests they do is to take a piece of wood, sharpened to look like a flat screwdriver blade, and they sort of dig it into the finish at the very edge of the dial - a location that wouldn't see when the movement is case. If the finish lifts, then there are only two options - replace the dial if they have a spare, or if not, refinish it. This is mandatory if you want them to continue with the service.

Please have a look at this thread, and read all the way through...

Information requested for my Seamaster Chronograph | Omega Forums

Wasn't obvious at first, but the owner of this watch had asked Omega not to change anything, and without any notice they refinished the dial. So when people say you can just decline any cosmetic work, that really isn't the case always, and this instance shows that you may not even get the chance to say "stop and send it back to me without fixing it"...

Cheers, Al

ScDevon · May 26, 2021

I would visit a different watchmaker. This movement is uncommon today, but it isn't particularly rare or complicated.

drgary · May 26, 2021

Thanks, Al. I read through the thread and am glad that I pulled that watch back from Swatch / Omega and refused service in Switzerland. That was a very cool watch in the other thread, at least at the start. After the redial? Ruined its history. I'm a fan of vintage espresso machine restoration and have tried my hand at that also. People too often make the mistake to make a vintage treasure look like new.

Added: From the thread that Al recommended, here's a photo of a great family heirloom sent to Omega before it was redialed:

https://omegaforums.net/data/attach...6e9e26f714fa.jpg.pagespeed.ic.BR90Ri02A2.webp

Here's the redial. I would have been furious. (If anyone can show me how to insert images from elsewhere on this forum, I'd love to do so.)

https://omegaforums.net/data/attach...ef8f3da90c88.jpg.pagespeed.ic.hAm1RfVVId.webp

I appreciate your letting me know that there's something wrong other than the bumper assembly. Yes, I'll need to find a better watchmaker. I hadn't mentioned, but I contacted Nesbit's and they said I should work with Omega. That's a shame because the parts are available if you search eBay. I also looked up Chronodeco in Oregon, and the website indicates that watchmaker has retired.

Something else I picked up from the referred thread is the idea that I may enjoy having this watch restored, even if it costs more than its eBay value, just for the sentiment and the ability to wear an elegant piece of post-war mechanical technology.

Can anyone recommend a watchmaker in the Portland or Vancouver, WA area? Otherwise, I'm happy to send my watch anywhere in the country to someone who works well with vintage pieces and won't charge excessive repair fees.

Please help identify and maybe find Omega cal 351 replacement parts

drgary

Archer

Dan S

X350 XJR

drgary

drgary

Dan S

DON

drgary

drgary

Dan S

SkunkPrince

DON

watchyouwant

drgary

drgary

drgary

Archer

ScDevon

drgary

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