Forums Latest Members

Resurrecting my new-to-me Seamaster titanium chronograph

  1. rainking Feb 23, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    A few months ago, a good friend who has a couple of watches mentioned to me he pretty much no longer wears them. He ended up giving me his old (I believe 2000-ish era) titanium Seamaster chronograph on basically an indefinite loan, free of charge. While it was far from destroyed, neither was it in anything resembling great shape. He recalled having it serviced one time at an unremembered date.

    I know this style Seamaster is a classic Omega look, but it never really did much for me. But since my buddy handed this one over at no cost, I started looking at it in a different way, and I got an idea. I decided to have it serviced fully and dropped it off at the Swatch (Omega) SC in Culver City, CA (close to where I live) at the end of December. Just got it back this week, and I'm thrilled with it. After refinishing the case very well and replacing loads of parts including the faded and banged up bezel, hands, springs, seals, pushers, crown, escape valve etc etc, it looked damn good.

    Only one lingering problem: I always hated the original bracelet on this watch. But that was OK, because I already knew what I was going to do about it. I hit up my local OB for a new cordura strap and deployant clasp. The results are, as I hoped they would be, excellent. I tend to buy too many similar-looking watches, like Speedmasters and other black-faced chronographs and dive watches. I never would have bought myself a watch that looks like this, but now that I have it refreshed and re-strapped, it's like an entirely different animal and a hugely welcome change-of-pace addition to my lineup. Been wearing it the past three days and love it. Below is a photo of how it looked when I got it, and what it looks like now. Funny how a watch I once had almost no interest in is now making me quite happy.

    Seamaster1.jpeg

    Seamaster2.jpeg Seamaster3.jpeg Seamaster4.jpeg
     
    ahsposo, jam karet, jetkins and 8 others like this.
  2. bama2141 Feb 23, 2018

    Posts
    560
    Likes
    1,239
    Be careful — with the refurb and new strap your friend may reassess the loan!

    Nicely done.
     
  3. rainking Feb 23, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind LOL. I won't be showing it to him anytime soon, that's for sure. In all honesty, it's not an issue. He's not a guy who becomes attached to "things," and was happy to give it to me knowing it would get some use rather than sitting for another five years in his drawer.
     
    BrianMcKay likes this.
  4. nurseford25 Feb 23, 2018

    Posts
    1,119
    Likes
    5,980
    Looks great! Did it cost you extra to replace the bezel or was it included in the service cost. I’ve been debating sending in my non chrono version.
     
  5. rainking Feb 23, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    Yeah the bezel hurt. $550 on top of the standard $750 service fee to replace, which I presume was extra pricey because of the titanium. But considering how it all came out in the end, I'm not complaining.
     
  6. nurseford25 Feb 23, 2018

    Posts
    1,119
    Likes
    5,980
    Ouch yeah that’s what I was afraid of. It did come out really nice though. Congrats.
     
  7. larryganz The cable guy Feb 23, 2018

    Posts
    2,808
    Likes
    8,198
    That looks great afterwards! I have the same watch (if yours is also a 2298.80), that I bought in 2014 right after the previous owner had it serviced.

    With my 80,xxx,xxx serial number mine is probably one of the last to be produced in the early 2000's. The $750 for service is about what Omega is now charging for all chronograph services, in Ti or Steel. The $550 seems awfully steep for the bezel, as I bought a spare NIB Planet Ocean bezel in 2014 for around $300.

    [EDIT - just checked and I'd saved the price for a spare bezel at ofrei.com in 2015 which was $512]

    After the work done to that Ti model, it's worth about $3K or more, but you certainly should keep it and not flip it to honor your friend that gave it to you. He wont be asking for it back when he knows you now have $1300 tied up in it + the new strap. You could buy a 2000 Seamaster Pro in it's entirety for what you've invested in it.

    IMG_7279.JPG

    Ofrei.com:page663.html titanium bezel Screenshot 2015-02-06 17.15.04.jpg
     
    nurseford25 likes this.
  8. boltman Feb 24, 2018

    Posts
    214
    Likes
    107
    Great transformation, never been a big fan of that bracelet either.
     
    rainking likes this.
  9. rainking Feb 24, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    Thanks dudes. I thought I knew how it would look once complete but you never know for sure till you put it together in the flesh. Definitely quite pleased over here.
     
  10. rainking Feb 24, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    Thanks Larry. Definitely not flipping it, that was never part of the plan.
     
  11. jaguar11 Feb 25, 2018

    Posts
    2,689
    Likes
    16,971
    Nice looker and I have always had a soft spot for these.
     
    rainking likes this.
  12. dinexus Feb 27, 2018

    Posts
    661
    Likes
    1,175
    Maaaan, that thing looks awesome. Very well done!
     
    rainking likes this.
  13. bonerp Feb 27, 2018

    Posts
    391
    Likes
    587
    I love a nicely renovated watch. I'm not one for collectors pieces as the damage/patina would drive me crazy. Nice job.
     
    rainking likes this.
  14. Pjotr1 Feb 27, 2018

    Posts
    361
    Likes
    4,417
    That looks really good. Nice story too. Tnx and enjoy the watch :).
     
    rainking likes this.
  15. Caliber561 Feb 27, 2018

    Posts
    1,473
    Likes
    2,511
    Nice! Definitely a beautiful piece, only made better by that strap!
     
    rainking likes this.
  16. rainking Feb 27, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    It's a lot like putting the right set of wheels on a car--it can transform the look! Of course, the full service made the watch itself look much better than when I got it, but only when I put this strap on it did I think, "whoa." It actually turned out even better than I thought it would when I first had the idea to go this route.
     
  17. larryganz The cable guy Feb 27, 2018

    Posts
    2,808
    Likes
    8,198
    The Ti bracelet when properly finished is actually pretty nice - the darker grey brushed links contrasting with the polished stripes really makes it stand out. The bracelet in the photo above looked worn smooth, and too glossy even without the bright shiny polished Seamaster Bond stripes on the inner links - it was all monotone and bland.

    That doesn't take away from the fact that the black cordura strap is a great match for this watch. I should get one for mine.
     
  18. rainking Feb 27, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    Totally right about that, Larry. Still, for me, for whatever reason, I just have never liked the design of this bracelet, even back in the late '90s. Not quite sure why, I guess it just looks dated to me and a little too fancy pants for this type of dive watch. I did get it refinished of course as part of the service and it looks much better but it's still not my cup of tea. The other thing is, my buddy just handed the watch to me one day. I doubt he even knows where the spare links are all these years later, and it was sized about a half-link too small for me. So I can't use the bracelet even if I wanted to.

    Funny enough, when I was in the OB purchasing the cordura, I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing. They only had the black with white stitching and an all red one in stock. Obviously the red was a no (though for about half a second I thought that might have been an interesting off-the-wall look). But I had this lingering feeling I should maybe order a black one with blue stitching (I think Omega makes one). I wasn't sure if the white really worked. But I didn't want to wait another 10 or so days, so I took this one home. I realized later I had totally made the correct call on that. The white works with the white indices and writing on the dial. Not to mention, if I wanted to, I could also use this strap on my Speedy Pro. The black with blue stitching wouldn't have popped nearly as much in person, and that color scheme wouldn't work on any of my other watches if I ever feel like switching things up--or if my friend decides to demand his watch back LOL. For the prices Omega charges for the strap and clasp--I was SHOCKED the clasp is as much as the strap, basically, but I should have known--I'd like to be able to use it on more than one watch if I so desire.
     
  19. larryganz The cable guy Feb 28, 2018

    Posts
    2,808
    Likes
    8,198
    Yeah, it's not entirely my cup of tea either. I usually wear my SMP ceramic chronograph on a 20mm heavy shark mesh, and my SMP ceramic is off the bond bracelet and on a 1610/930 "speedy style" bracelet that belongs on an older 2254.50 SMP.

    But the Ti watch is still on the Ti bracelet since the mesh is too shiny for the grade 2 Ti on the watch head.
     
  20. rainking Feb 28, 2018

    Posts
    368
    Likes
    445
    Ha! Get the black/white cordura as I did and end of story. Just credit me for starting a trend to bring the good ol' "Bond-style" SMP into 2018 LOL