Thoughts on Omega Service on vintage watches

Hi all

Before I will spend some time to write down my latest experience with Omega and my vintage piece, never ending desaster started Nov. 2018, I like to know your experience with Omega services and how did they satisfy you at the end ? How did the watch look like after a full service, Omega is asking 1.100 AUD for at the moment ?

Please let me know, I like to better understand what happened to me within the last year and 4 reworks on my Mark 2 with still poor outcome...

We know the horror stories. Did you do any research here before sending to Omega? There are about 1000 posts warning not to send vintage to Omega.

Hmmm, sadly I did not.... Feels much better not to be the only one 😀

https://omegaforums.net/threads/upd...atch-to-omega-for-service-is-a-problem.32472/
I know firsthand. Post your photos. There are still some members suggesting sending vintage to Omega for service. We need to make sure others are aware of the pitfalls.

Overall experience was shocking. Had to send it back 4 times.
1. Only Glass and Pusher replaced even I paid for a full service (excl. Hands and Dial replacement which I wanted to keep vintage)
2. Watch received back with no Case polish still (part of full service according to Omega Website), now Hands replaced but dial still not, so very shiny hands on a patina dial. Got upset at the boutique and realised later that the h stop function did not reset to 12 o clock position even full movement service done this time
3. Watch received back, but during trouble shoting they broke the brand new Crystal... Case still shows signs of scratches, Bracelet untouched and scratched still, and yes, same issue with the h counter again. Now I asked to stop hiding behind emails and requested a call from Omega. They called me, offered me money back and to send the watch to Switzerland, also got a small Omega leather bag ...
4.Watch received today, delivered in express bag. No email or call prior to inform me. Watch in Pouche and no letter or paperwork. Still some scratches on case and clasp, checked it on my timing machine, plus 16 sec a day and only 240 Amplitude, considering full spring winding and the fact that spring and other parts been replaced

Very poor !

I have had my share of issues too, even though I have mentioned Omega for service because my local watchmaker suggests it.

Like a caliber 1861 Speedmaster where the chronograph hand doesn't return to zero. Or caliber 2500B De Ville that had to go back because it was 15 seconds a day fast. My watchmaker actually bought the rate adjustment tool for that one.

This is obvious stuff that never should have gotten out the door, and it concerns me.

Anyone can have a bad experience at any time because people are people and make mistakes. It's a preponderance of issues that get concerning.

Tom

For those of you in USA who have sent any watches to one of the four Omega service centers, which did you use? I'm told by my local jeweler, who has handled my servicing in the past, that they use the Florida center, and that they are somehow required to. My bad luck has been with Florida.

Who have you used?

Tom

I knew not to send into Rolex, did not know Omega was similar.

The question is, which is worse at vintage, Rolex or Omega haha

Pest against Cholera. You choose.

Despite the bad reviews here i took a risk sending my vintage Cosmic to Omega in Biene. Still havent received it back, once i get it i will see how it turns out and post here on forum. They promised to leave the dial untouched. Waiting since 8 weeks already, no info yet..

So, to be clear, you actually requested that they replace all the patinated original parts and polish the case?😕
And they didn’t manage to do it??

Maybe they are getting better after all!

All three watches I've sent to New Jersey Service center came back with problems.

1) Seamaster automatic diver came back with stuck bezel that wouldn't turn.
2) Planet Ocean 2500 came back with HeV that would not open.
3) Speedmaster Date came back with some unpolished center-link stripes. and the bezel polished until the black ink in the tachymetre was gone

Several watches after that went to Culver City instead, and all but one were great. The one they gave me grief over - I sent a POLMLE to Culver City Service center and they honored my request to not polish but they put a bunch of pin-hole like marks in the LM bezel around 6:30 o'clock that were NOT there in the photos that both I and my OB took before they shipped it off.

These marks were so small they looked like a smudge that would not wipe off, and you needed a 10x loupe to see that they were like little pin-pricks. Nobody could explain how marks like that could be made in a ceramic and liquid metal bezel. It was also running faster than +6 sec/day after service.

So I made them send it back, and Omega wanted $600 for a new bezel to be installed! I fought them using my photos to prove it was not done by me, but Omega said our photos were not good enough to prove the marks were new. Then the OB said they would only charge me their cost (about $430). I said NO just send it back, since the marks were nearly invisible to the naked eye. They did note that if I paid the $430 I would get the new bezel plus my old one back - so maybe I should have done that?

Anyways, the watch came back running much better at -1 sec/day consistently, and the bezel had been replaced for free with no mention of it in the paperwork, and there was no charge on the second trip. So I didn't say anything to the OB when I picked it up, lest they try to go back and charge me after I had already refused the new bezel. They did not include the damaged bezel, which they were going to do if I'd paid for the new one.

Turned out that the local swatch group tried to repair my watch. They tried and tried. For me it looks like that they are under a lot of time pressure and can imagine maybe the staff get not paid enough. At the end the old story, they are a outsourced cost centre who does not care about a brand, just repairs whats on the table next without passion and thinking.

More shocking Hardy Brothers at Collins Street in Melbourne. Big Omega sign over the entrance door and messed it all up at the beginning. As I said at the start, I went in with my Mark II for a glass replacement and got a price for a FULL service excl. Hands and Dial replacement. Glass replacement price offered 300 AUD, FULL service price offered and paid was 802 AUD.
after the watch came back with the glass replaced only the argued with me that the 1.100 FULL service price on the Omega page is just an estimate amd old watches are more expensive ... what a BS.
They fingerpointed to the Swatch Group in regards to the price even it was clear that only the glass was replaced.. The Swatch Group said they only got the order to replace the glass and so on and so on. At the end Hardy never refunded me and at some stage basically told me to deal with Omega directly, what a poor poor certified Omega Dealer ship that is. Well never ever will buy anything from the Hardy Brothers

Once in my life I had to deal with IWC and I can tell you that was the best experience I had so far. Quick responds, nice local contact with a lot of knowledge
Always received updates and at the end they send me a personal letter and a strap for free. Well done IWC, thats how you look after customers who spend months of income for one of your products

I find the "service" threads for vintage Omega that I've read so far, most disturbing. I have a couple of Speedmasters: late 60's and early 70's that I would love to bring back to life. I've been reading before I start a post in the vintage thread asking a bunch of questions.

I posted in the introduction thread yesterday.

Steve

Welcome Steve. Go ahead and make a new post in the vintage Omega section, let us know where you are located and someone will make a recommendation for a watchmaker.

Appreciate the reply Dave. Lots of reading and note taking for the past few days.

I'll go see these guys http://illinoiswatchcompany.com/ early next week, they're close and appear to work on Omegas and I'll start a thread in Vintage.

Thanks, Steve