The Watch Doc Mark Sirianni said he can't fix a watch like this. It seems like he was the top recommendation for vintage repairs in all my searching. Any other ideas where I might send it? It went CLICK while winding and ever since then there a rattling loose piece inside. My partner will be very sad if we can't get this fixed. Thanks for your help.

 

Probably the sperving bearing no longer reacting to the panametric fam would be my guess! Seriously, how is it you are under the impression that someone in an on line message board is able to help you when you give no information, and a guy who actually had the watch on his bench says he can’t fix it?

 

Hello, welcome to the forum, don’t mind the tough love from some forum members,

Some watchmakers dislike ladies watches because the movements are tiny and the repair will probably cost many times more than the watch is worth on the market.
Many watchmakers are retiring and the true remaining craftsmen or women don’t want to have to fight or argue with lay persons who do not understand the level of work involved and not prepared to pay the price.

But if you make it clear it has sentimental value and you’re willing to pay the fair value of watchmaker’s work you might have better luck.
it would be easier to help you if you say in which country and region you are, members here are from all over the world.

PS edit / add -you also have to be aware that in some cases even very good watchmakers have a very hard time with a repair and that can make it extra expensive. There may even be instances where you pay quite a bit for a repair and still the watch will not run well. A good watchmaker should be able to take a first look and give you a preliminary assessment, but you need to understand they cannot commit on the final price or the final success.
However, in my few years now as a watch enthusiast having had a good number of watches repaired it has only happened to me once that I sank funds into a watch and it proved incapable of running well, however it was a very worn watch from the 1920s- yours is several decades younger.
The prognosis may depend on how well the watch was maintained over the course of its life and whether many parts are worn or damaged.

Best regards

 

He doesn't have it on the bench. When I sent the work inquiry he said he can't work on this type of watch and asked me not to send it in.
I'm just looking for advice of another watchmaker who might be willing to work on a vintage Ladymatic.
I am in the United States.
Seriously, how is it you are affronted by me asking for that advice here?

Sorry if I wasn't clear in stating my needs in the original post.

 

Thank you for your polite and helpful reply. This is what I expect, and the truth is am willing to pay (within reason I guess, how expensive could this possibly be?) and would like very much to revive this watch. There isn't a single modern woman's watch in the world that could replace this one for my partner. Cheers.

 

For clarification, I am in the USA (Colorado/New Mexico) and I am just looking for suggestions for a watchmaker who might be willing to work on a vintage Ladymatic with sentimental value.

 

Prices in the US are expensive, 600 dollars would not surprise me in this situation.

În your case I’d say the best option may be to just send it or bring it to Omega for service. Same overall cost but they would bring it back to factory specs and make it like brand new. The risk is much lower and it would be a nice present for your loved one.
@Archer who’s a respected watchmaker here with Omega experience and parts account might be able to give good advice.

 

Hi @lemisanthrope and welcome to the forum!

Try this search to find an AWCI (American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute) professional near you specializing in vintage watches. You may also try the NAWCC (National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors) search page for "watch repair."

Also, this post recommends this Colorado-based repair shop: https://propertime.net/repairs

 

I ran into that back in the 1990s. A lot of the reason I took up watchmaking for myself. Then I have had that 650 cocktail watch apart for probably 18 years. The local hardware store watchmaker said he could get the mainspring. That was two years ago. I finally found it for myself (and these forums.)

That was true 30 years ago. Ironically I was told that I was two old (at age 35) to attend WOSTEP (was between contracts in the Silicon Valley.) Their was a crisis in that all these luxury watches were being sold and there would soon be no one to service them. By 1996 the industry had recovered from the crash of the 1970s. Brands were consolidated, and the marketing improved. Ironically I aged out of tech contract merry-go-round at 40, Then took up private security work and pipe organ repair and installation. Try finding a pipe organ tech. You can get the instrument for free (better have a large hall) but the packing moving re-installation and especially the tuning is going to cost around 100,000USD. I work with one guy who maintains 35 instruments in Northern California. When he goes who is to replace him. I should qualify this is for theater organ work. Classical (Church) organs are a completely different thing.

It could also be that some of those in power do feel a bit threatened by competition. Attempts to diffuses this are often treated as a joke. Humor can be subjective.

Watchmaking requires a certain mindset. I suspect a lot who are attracted to it are on the spectrum. Dealing with people is not one of the strong skills. This is why there is usually a marketing person controlling the actual watchmaker. There are a lot of expectations on the customer side. I will admit I live with my parents who are in their late 80s early 90s. Fortunately still active. With all my activity he had to get out the watch they gave him after he worked 30 years. I was not to kind, as it was a house brand quartz. Whittenour or something like that. He wanted the battery removed. I popped the back, then could not get the back on as I do not work on quartz and did not have the correct die to press it on.

His disappointment was profound, and I felt bad. Years ago, I gave him a pie pan constellation. He had just come back from china with two fake rollexes (which he loves.) I had cleaned the constellation myself, did not time it, then it stopped working. (he sort of gave it back to me.) I tried to re interest him in it again. No go. Was more interested in my Mickey. Some people just do not get it. The solution was to order a cheap tool on amazon for replacing quartz backs. A lot of the snap backs on my watches are loose as I was more interested in the movement than in the case.

So if I can not fix things for family, then however could I do so for others.

I think this second wave and re awakening of my enthusiasm has made me more appreciative of the case hands and dial. After all that is what most people see.

-j
(sorry to hijack this thread.)

 

No Idea on what could have broken and would be rattling. I thought maybe a broken mainspring, but that wouldn't rattle

Maybe a caliber 455, 660 or 661

As Vitezi posted (I was going to). Check out the associations for a watchmaker near you.

Parts seem to be available in Ebay for the 3 movements, but would help if you knew the caliber inside

DON

 

Don’t take it personally. I’ve been berated and chastised multiple times on this forum because I asked a question or made a decision others found “objectionable”.