Roll the dice on this 2998?

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Or possibly it's to encourage purchase of the re-release. I'm sure if you send a new one in for service, they will use their parts stash to fix it.
That’s even more depressingly “Rolex - ish”.
 
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Or possibly it's to encourage purchase of the re-release.
That’s even more depressingly “Rolex - ish”.

Omega doesn’t exactly need this to help sell NEW321s - they aren’t making many, and the line’s around the block.

I don’t see why they would not tightly control the release of their NEW321 parts - including cases, dials, etc.? The NEW321 is Bienne only for service, which says it all.

Separately, I’m curious @Archer: does an Omega parts account give access to the 1st Snoopy dial? Caseback? The FOIS case? Wondering the historical line for unique/LE parts.
 
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The NEW321 is Bienne only for service, which says it all.

As is the “old” 321, that watchmakers all over the world service daily. As much as people may think that this movement is something very special, in reality it’s a very simple chronograph movement. Nothing special at all to service.

Omega makes this movement Bienne only in part by not selling the parts to watchmakers with parts accounts, other than a few things here and there that can be purchased. Most of the parts that can be purchased for the 321 are parts that carried forward to newer movements, like the 861/1861.

Separately, I’m curious @Archer: does an Omega parts account give access to the 1st Snoopy dial? Caseback? The FOIS case? Wondering the historical line for unique/LE parts.

Yes, those are parts I can purchase. But the issue here is movement parts, not case parts. Personally I don’t really care about servicing these new models, but keeping the vintage watches going.

The 321 parts I’m after are just normal wear parts such as train wheels, etc. Note that the 321 was not just used in Speedmasters, but other chronograph watches. Also many of the 321 parts are actually 320 parts, so don’t even apply to any Speedmaster, including the new one.

Cheers, Al
 
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Personally I don’t really care about servicing these new models, but keeping the vintage watches going.

The 321 parts I’m after are just normal wear parts such as train wheels, etc.

I’m all for this, and understand this frustration. I can’t come up with a good reason to not make available normal wear parts for any 321/320, except that if Omega’s plans to produce and service maybe only 10,000 NEW321watches in total (2k x 5yrs), perhaps it doesn’t in their view justify ramping up parts/service production for - what could it be? - several orders of magnitude, 100X perhaps, of additional watches?

Let’s say Audi decided to remake only 100 units of the 1980 Audi Quattro. Most all of those parts could be used in any B2 Coupé, for which there are several thousand still extant today. If (in this hypothetical) there were no non-OEM/aftermarket parts available for the B2 Coupé, then suddenly Audi’s OEM service parts built for the 100 Audi Quattro’s could all be used up quickly by the 1000’s of B2 Coupés needing parts.

Audi may be forced to choose between: (1) become a general parts manufacturer for all B2 Coupés in order to offer the 100 Audi Quattros, or (2) only produce parts for the 100 Quattros and tightly control availability (eg by making the 100 Quattros an Ingolstadt-only service item 😬).

My best guess is somewhere in process Omega thought it great to make some NEW321s as halo-products, but see no margin in separately becoming a broader service parts manufacturer for all vintage 321/320 movements?

Soon as I hypothesize it, I suspect you can give me plenty of counter-examples where they’ve done just that 😁
 
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Omega already makes the parts for their own use in servicing these watches. The only thing that not allowing the sale of parts to independent watchmakers does, is drive the service work to Omega instead.
 
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Omega already makes the parts for their own use in servicing these watches. The only thing that not allowing the sale of parts to independent watchmakers does, is drive the service work to Omega instead.

They are doing that more lately. For example, sm300 cases and dials could be ordered in 1-off quantities by parts account holders until very recently. Now they sell in exchange only, you have to send in the old parts being replaced.

Times are a changing...
 
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They are doing that more lately. For example, sm300 cases and dials could be ordered in 1-off quantities by parts account holders until very recently. Now they sell in exchange only, you have to send in the old parts being replaced.

Times are a changing...

Yes - that's a very recent change. I ordered a case in late July with no issues. Tried to order another 2 a coupe of weeks ago, and now they are only on exchange. Those who have "Watchco" SM300 pieces, their value just went up! BTW dials are not restricted, just the cases.
 
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Yes - that's a very recent change. I ordered a case in late July with no issues. Tried to order another 2 a coupe of weeks ago, and now they are only on exchange. Those who have "Watchco" SM300 pieces, their value just went up! BTW dials are not restricted, just the cases.

I tried first week of August and was told about the exchange thing. Sadly, I had all the other parts, now being repurposed.
 
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The watch was sold today, it ended up at circa USD 12 200 including fees.
I did not dare to bid at these levels for a watch that did not run, but I guess the price was pretty fair if not even good for a watch like this 😀
Edited:
 
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The watch was sold today, it ended up at circa USD 12 200 including fees.
I did not dare to bid at these levels for a watch that did not rut, but I guess the price was pretty fair if not even good for a watch like this 😀
Wow.
 
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One more bargain in my opinion...
Why didn't I wait to this crash in prices to buy my Speedies 😬😲😀?
 
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One more bargain in my opinion...
Why didn't I wait to this crash in prices to buy my Speedies 😬😲😀?
😁
 
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The loose hand is stuck between the second hand and the hour hand, this is probably the reason why the movement stopped.

I will post some pics when I get it.
 
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I think you did pretty well on that, congratulations. Looks pretty good as it is, well, apart from that small hand jammed under the hour hand. Looking forward to the photos.