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perks713
·Below are some things to think about before you decide to have your watch serviced or at least help know what questions to ask when you've found yourself in possession of a vintage watch that needs a service.
Vintage watches can hold many different values. Some being monetary due to their originality and collectability, some sentimental, or some simply because they look really nice and shiny. Many people on this forum are primarily focused on collecting vintage pieces. When collecting vintage, originality is key.
1) What are you hoping to get from this watch:
- A collectors item that maintains its original parts and finish?
- A watch you want to wear every day because your parent/aunt/uncle/grandparent did the same?
- A watch that looks nice and people will notice but you don't really care for it to be a collectors item?
2) What are your service options:
- Omega Certified Watchmakers with parts accounts: Have access to the Omega knowledge base and the ability to order official replacement parts
- Watchmakers that work on vintage watches: Generally speaking someone who has the skills and knowhow to service a watch that might be 50-60 years old
- The person with a kiosk in the mall: Might be the best watchmaker in the world or might be someone who spends most of their time replacing batteries and fitting new bands (probably best to avoid all together)
- Jewelry Stores / Watch stores: Many partner with watch repair centers or a specific watch maker.
- Sending it to Omega: they have access to replacement parts and can service any of their watches. Omega does not prioritize originality. Their goal is to put the watch in as close to "like new" condition as possible. This may mean replacing hands, dials, crowns, crystals, or refinishing(repainting) a dial.
3) How to find a recommended Watchmaker near you:
- Search the forums directly: https://omegaforums.net/search/
- Search the forums using google: "site:https://omegaforums.net watchmaker near Florida"
- Contact your local Omega retailer and see if they have any recommendations
4) What to talk to your Watchmaker about prior to service:
- Explain your answer to #1 above.
If originality is key
- Focus first on finding an Omega certified Watchmaker or one that appreciates vintage pieces. Stick with the following basic instructions. Ultrasonic cleaning of case, keep original hands, keep original crown, do not refinish/paint/re-lume the dial, do not polish/buff the case. You may decide (as I did on two watches serviced by a Watchmaker on these forums) that you want to replace the crown or pushers to better ensure the watch is waterproof, if you do make sure your Watchmaker returns the original parts. For me it was a financial issue, I was investing a lot of money having the watch serviced and I felt safer knowing water would be kept out. A few years from now when my finances are hopefully more stable I can put the original crown back on the watch.
- Check what kind of warranty the Watchmaker offers, it will be their own warranty. There's always a chance that person will no longer be in business if you have trouble within that window.
If you decide to work with a jewelry or watch store
- Understand where they're sending your watch. Make sure they agree with the instructions you've given them. A friend of mine brought his Oris Aquis into an authorized Oris dealer to send out for service. His understanding is that they were sending it to Oris as he'd had this conversation with them several times over the preceding year. In the end the watch was sent to a service center the store partners with who did a poor job with the bezel (blew off the black enamel in the numbers) and did a sloppy job with some lume plots. Be clear about who will be servicing your watch.
- Check what kind of warranty the watch will come with.
If you decide to send your watch to Omega
- Your dial may be repainted
- Your hands may be replaced
- Your crown/pushers may be replaced
- Your dial may be replaced
- You may get your original pieces back but they may be in one bag (meaning the hands might be in worse condition then when sent because they've been riding along with some other parts)
- You will have a 2 year international warranty
5) Be prepared to be without your watch for some time and to spend several hundred dollars on a service
- Servicing a watch takes time, it's important to be patient but probably good to check in now and then if you haven't heard anything
- The best watchmakers likely have a long line of people waiting for service
- Finding parts can be difficult (Watchmakers with parts accounts may be able to find parts faster but not everything is easily available)
- If something's broken inside your watch the parts can be very expensive. What you hope might be a $300 service could quickly turn into a $1000 service.
--
Remember to take lots of photos of your watch before you send it out for service. Watchmakers are human, accidents happen, messages get mixed, instructions get ignored. There are many threads talking about new scratches on a watch, a different finish, a questionable lume plot. Do yourself a favor and make sure you have high quality photos of your watch before you send it in for service. They aren't likely to 'hold up in court' but it's helpful to have a reference point if something unexpected happens to your watch.
Vintage watches can hold many different values. Some being monetary due to their originality and collectability, some sentimental, or some simply because they look really nice and shiny. Many people on this forum are primarily focused on collecting vintage pieces. When collecting vintage, originality is key.
1) What are you hoping to get from this watch:
- A collectors item that maintains its original parts and finish?
- A watch you want to wear every day because your parent/aunt/uncle/grandparent did the same?
- A watch that looks nice and people will notice but you don't really care for it to be a collectors item?
2) What are your service options:
- Omega Certified Watchmakers with parts accounts: Have access to the Omega knowledge base and the ability to order official replacement parts
- Watchmakers that work on vintage watches: Generally speaking someone who has the skills and knowhow to service a watch that might be 50-60 years old
- The person with a kiosk in the mall: Might be the best watchmaker in the world or might be someone who spends most of their time replacing batteries and fitting new bands (probably best to avoid all together)
- Jewelry Stores / Watch stores: Many partner with watch repair centers or a specific watch maker.
- Sending it to Omega: they have access to replacement parts and can service any of their watches. Omega does not prioritize originality. Their goal is to put the watch in as close to "like new" condition as possible. This may mean replacing hands, dials, crowns, crystals, or refinishing(repainting) a dial.
3) How to find a recommended Watchmaker near you:
- Search the forums directly: https://omegaforums.net/search/
- Search the forums using google: "site:https://omegaforums.net watchmaker near Florida"
- Contact your local Omega retailer and see if they have any recommendations
4) What to talk to your Watchmaker about prior to service:
- Explain your answer to #1 above.
If originality is key
- Focus first on finding an Omega certified Watchmaker or one that appreciates vintage pieces. Stick with the following basic instructions. Ultrasonic cleaning of case, keep original hands, keep original crown, do not refinish/paint/re-lume the dial, do not polish/buff the case. You may decide (as I did on two watches serviced by a Watchmaker on these forums) that you want to replace the crown or pushers to better ensure the watch is waterproof, if you do make sure your Watchmaker returns the original parts. For me it was a financial issue, I was investing a lot of money having the watch serviced and I felt safer knowing water would be kept out. A few years from now when my finances are hopefully more stable I can put the original crown back on the watch.
- Check what kind of warranty the Watchmaker offers, it will be their own warranty. There's always a chance that person will no longer be in business if you have trouble within that window.
If you decide to work with a jewelry or watch store
- Understand where they're sending your watch. Make sure they agree with the instructions you've given them. A friend of mine brought his Oris Aquis into an authorized Oris dealer to send out for service. His understanding is that they were sending it to Oris as he'd had this conversation with them several times over the preceding year. In the end the watch was sent to a service center the store partners with who did a poor job with the bezel (blew off the black enamel in the numbers) and did a sloppy job with some lume plots. Be clear about who will be servicing your watch.
- Check what kind of warranty the watch will come with.
If you decide to send your watch to Omega
- Your dial may be repainted
- Your hands may be replaced
- Your crown/pushers may be replaced
- Your dial may be replaced
- You may get your original pieces back but they may be in one bag (meaning the hands might be in worse condition then when sent because they've been riding along with some other parts)
- You will have a 2 year international warranty
5) Be prepared to be without your watch for some time and to spend several hundred dollars on a service
- Servicing a watch takes time, it's important to be patient but probably good to check in now and then if you haven't heard anything
- The best watchmakers likely have a long line of people waiting for service
- Finding parts can be difficult (Watchmakers with parts accounts may be able to find parts faster but not everything is easily available)
- If something's broken inside your watch the parts can be very expensive. What you hope might be a $300 service could quickly turn into a $1000 service.
--
Remember to take lots of photos of your watch before you send it out for service. Watchmakers are human, accidents happen, messages get mixed, instructions get ignored. There are many threads talking about new scratches on a watch, a different finish, a questionable lume plot. Do yourself a favor and make sure you have high quality photos of your watch before you send it in for service. They aren't likely to 'hold up in court' but it's helpful to have a reference point if something unexpected happens to your watch.
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