Would you trust this watch to be water tight still?

Dan S

Not necessarily. Omega charges a flat rate, whereas many independent watchmakers will charge in an a la carte way, depending on what parts are needed. When you buy a second-hand watch to wear in the water, I would think that the cost of a full service would be part of the calculation. If that additional cost makes the watch more expensive than you wanted, then you should probably just flip it and buy a different watch as a beater. There are plenty of dive watches you can buy pre-owned for about $1000, add a service, and your total will be well under what you paid for the Seamaster.

Archer

Well, I personally don't know too many watchmakers who are going to fully service a watch for between $124 and $224. It actually would be less than that, once the cost of internal parts are included - the mainspring would be replaced (or complete barrel), plus any worn parts. There are virtually always worn parts.



I think they are in error on that one - Omega will charge precious metal prices on some two tone watches, but only when the crown is precious metal - see notes at the bottom below (this is for Canada):

Since the crown on your watch is made of stainless steel, you should get the lesser pricing...

Deafcon

I’m personally located in Rochester MN, @Archer is in Canada. Right now I have a back log of 4ish months as I’m still working in another industry before I switch to watches full time. To service the watch in question would likely be $200 +\- in just parts. Add labor and you can see where Omegas prices come from. If someone is charging $100 for servicing a watch, they aren’t doing it to be a business and don’t value their time and experience correctly. They also aren’t replacing some parts that should be replaced in the case of a water resistant watch. A properly set up shop can be pushing or over $40k in equipment and tools.

Dan S

When you buy a second-hand watch to wear in the water......

rudagger

Beater + water resistance = G Shock = Ironman....IMO

sheepdoll

A problem when one is looking for spare parts on eBay (and other online sites.)

I am in favor of self servicing. When one gets to the case stuff, that is a different skill set. For the most part this is not an issue with the pre 1970s stuff. Once upon a time, there were a large number of independent watchmakers. Most jewelers had one as did some drugstores (dry goods.) There were a lot of material houses and lots of spare parts. In some ways the markets were over saturated.

If one is lucky there is someone selling such NOS parts in the factory or distributor packaging. This supply is dwindling down. There also seems to be a practice of opening the packaging and selling the individual pieces. The hardest parts to find are consumables like gaskets, crystals and bezels. Gaskets have a shelf life which makes it hard to know if one online is fresh, or something pulled from another watch. Or sat around for 40 or 50 years.

Ideally there should be some sort of program or certification for those of us who self service our own stuff. It is not economical (Mostly liability.) to work on other folks watches. Customers have high expectations.

In practice there were too many taking the easy out and manufacturing their own watches from spare parts. So one can see why the manufacturers want to limit the parts availability. This also seem to be more of a liability issue. The temptation to make something from nothing happens even at the high levels.

Such seems to be human nature. To game the system. We all want that barn find. Some of us to simply enjoy it. Others feel the need to profit by it. Rules these days seem more like guidelines, which is probably the cost of freedom.

jstump2490

I do have a G-Shock actually, but I almost exclusively wear it to work around the house and to amusement parks. I know they are great watches, but when I am out, I like to have at least a Seiko or something mechanical on. I kinda feel like a kid wearing a G-Shock in public.

Donn Chambers

A quick google search found Sheiben Jewelers in Cleveland, who list themselves as an Omega AD with in house watchmakers servicing Omega.

did you try them? Their prices are likely in line with Omega, but at least they are local.

if you don’t want to pay the price to have it fully serviced, then I see three options.

1. Wear it as is, but don’t take it in the water. It will eventually keep bad time or break.

2. Wear it in the water and pray.

3. Sell it and don’t buy old watches that are expensive to service.