Vintage Omega quartz repair worth it?
Question for vintage Omega people.
my father purchased an Omega Seamaster quartz about 35 years ago and hardly wore it. Eventually it needed a battery so he took it to a jeweler to have a new one installed (mistake). A few days later it fogged up and stopped working.
he took it to a watch repair shop but they said the jeweler had screwed up the case and caseback, nothing to be done.
it still looks absolutely brand new dial and all. I guess the question is is it worth taking it to someone else to have a look or has the quartz movement sitting damaged for 3 decades likely completely done it in?
also if it is worth taking a look at is there someone anyone would recommend?
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Golden rule - NEVER have a jeweller handle a watch. Unless said jeweller is also a professional watchmaker. Let's be honest, watches have a jewelry aspect to them, but that does not mean that an earring tinkerer is qualified to handle one. That's gotta be the 20th or so story I've heard about these damn jeweller mooks mishandling watches.
If the case is done for, I guess all that can be done is giving it a new case. You might try sourcing one via eBay, or take it to an Omega-certified watchmaker with an Omega parts access account, but you're gonna pay through your nose. If the dial is pristine, it might be worth it. Don't count on a return of expenses by selling it - it's gonna make a great piece to wear, that much I'm sure of. Financially, you're looking at a loss anyway.
I know, huge mistake. I cringed when he told me the story.
Yeah I’m not worried about what it’s worth after. If it was an auto I would have already had it repaired for him.
i’m just thinking if the movement and case are toast other than the dial it would end up being a completely different watch so I may be better off just getting him another. Of course I’ve given him a few watches now and all he wears is the damn Apple watch my sister gave him but he still loves that Omega.
what’s eating at me is that it really looks brand new, I’ve never seen one in that good of condition (because he hardly wore it and it’s been protected for decades).
I guess I’ll bite the bullet and take it to Omega to see if anything can be done. Thanks for the input my friend.
Get another opinion from a watchmaker because it’s very hard to screw up a case and caseback it’s not unknown for someone to say it’s toast when it’s not. I recently took a watch to a well known watch repair shop it was a repair that I couldn’t handle because of the age of the Watch the watch maker told me the balance could not be repaired and they had no parts. So luckily I got a second opinion from another well known high end watch repair shop. They sorted the problem turned out only to be a small job. So don’t rely on the first watchmaker saying it’s damaged beyond repair.
To answer the OP question in in the title - no. I had one vintage Omega about that age that had a unique system to set the watch - you had to push a pin into the crown to move the hands forward. Everyone who touched the watch - including watchmakers - messed up repairs and battery changes. I eventually gave up on it - one watchmaker LOST THE CROWN on me. I'm serious. Omega wanted about a grand to fix it, and in now way was the watch worth a thousand dollars.
Vintage quartz from the 60s and 70s can be a real chore even for battery changes, and they are so fragile. I went that route for a while, but never again.
Good to know, I’m definitely going to take it to an Omega certified repair shop. He loves it enough to keep it that long even though it’s broken so I think it will be worth it.
Kind of hard to ruin a case and the case back. I would def go for another opinion. Its possible that the gasket was not installed leading to tour leak.
As has been said, it's unlikely the case is ruined. Don't take it to an Omega AD, any decent watchmaker will do. Have the gaskets replaced then pressure tested. If it's sealing, a replacement movement - likely an ETA - might be peanuts.
Kind of hard to ruin a case and the case back. I would def go for another opinion. Its possible that the gasket was not installed leading to tour leak.
He said the threads were destroyed but as a mechanic I know they would really have to mangle them to be unrepairable. I have to chase threads all the time after some gorilla decided to brute force something instead of stopping when they started to feel resistance. it is stainless so I have hope but the threads are so fine…
I’m sure the seal is shot after so long, it’s more of the movement that makes me worry.
As has been said, it's unlikely the case is ruined. Don't take it to an Omega AD, any decent watchmaker will do. Have the gaskets replaced then pressure tested. If it's sealing, a replacement movement - likely an ETA - might be peanuts.
That was my main worry, I know a fair amount about autos but hardly anything about quartz. I’ve fixed a few stuck ones but moisture intrusion then being left to sit for decades. I wasn’t sure what could be done about it but if they could drop in an ETA that would be great.
thanks for the info!
Keep in mind when your dad did that, it was pre internet. With all the resources available, I suspect a watchmaker today will give you a different answer. It's worth finding a well respected one in your area, and ask them.
After all the feedback I’m beginning to suspect the same. It’s definitely the plan now. Thanks for the encouragement!
He said the threads were destroyed but as a mechanic I know they would really have to mangle them to be unrepairable. I have to chase threads all the time after some gorilla decided to brute force something instead of stopping when they started to feel resistance. it is stainless so I have hope but the threads are so fine…
I’m sure the seal is shot after so long, it’s more of the movement that makes me worry.
Im a tool and die maker by trade. Watch threads are pretty fine, its possible that the jeweler cross threaded and wrenched the caseback in by force. That might be saveable with the correct files
Not a bad idea at all.