To service or not to service

You need to define "worth".

If you value it, and would like it to keep good time, absolutely.

If it will cost more than it's sale value then perhaps not?

It has rust but a $300.00 service might get it going. Vintage is the minefield that blows up when the ticking stops.

I wouldn't. It's a Franken watch. You'd be much better putting the money elsewhere.

Service that bad-boy. You made the investment - you may as well enjoy and not worry about it for five years (after service of course...) They used mostly ETA movements so any local watchmaker should get you squared away for like $300.

I was just thinking that, I'd normally expect some Oris branding on the movement but maybe not at that age?

What makes you say its a Frankenwatch? How can you tell? The movement has 17 jewels on it, I can see that much, but for the rest 🤷‍♂️ no idea

Thats not an original Oris dial. Its a classic Mumbai Special. Bright colours, the font size of 17 Jewels and Swiss Made are way too big. If you look at it closely you can see its even that great a paint job they've done. It's not symmetrical.

It looks like a fhf movement which Oris did use but it could be from any number of different watches.

Thanks, l see exactly what you mean now!

Maybe do a movement swap?

Probably should have Oris stamped on it and a movement reference.

Yeah, when you zoom in that dial is really badly done isn't it!!!

Unfortunately these are rife on ebay and not always from Indian sellers. But once you know what to look for they are easy enough to spot.

I wouldnt bother servicing. Its a fake Oris with a cheap movement. I bought something similar when first got into watches, hopefully you didnt spend as much as I did. haha.

I see them all the time and 99% of the time they’re Oris. I wonder why that particular brand?

Unfortunately this definitely isn't worth servicing as it's a Mumbai special (Frankenstein watch) made to look like an Oris. I'd just wear it for what it is or sell it on.

For reference this is the sort of dress watch Oris were producing in the late 1960s. Much smaller font used for the dial text & nowhere near as brightly coloured

Were i come from wed say "you well truly pissed on his chips there".

🙄

Truth hurts - that thing is so spank I could hear the slap from here

Actually popping the back is the other clear giveaway as vintage Oris would be a pin-pallet. The Citizen-esque Parashock 17J movement is a pallet-lever, and is actually more appealing long-term than a pin-pallet, even an Oris pin-pallet. Quite ironic really…

perhaps new movement?

Cheap, poorly made Mumbai Special. Nobody from Oris, past or present, has ever touched that thing.

Hit it with a hammer.

Everyone has an opinion, and it's up to you. This to me, imho, is worse than a fake. There's not even the forgers pride on display: some attempt to make it look original. I'd agree with the guy who says hammer it - my implement of choice would be a sledgehammer. You only lost 25 quid.

I don't know. The other popular ones are Fortis, Camy Geneve and Favre Leuba. Maybe they were popular Indian brands.

Seiko 5 is also "Mumbai'd" in large quantities.

And look just as bad.

During the 80s I knew a watch seller who made a great living selling Franken watches, in those days we called them cocktails for mix and match but he didn’t hide the cheap ones which he sent dials to be redone in goofy garish colours and graphics. Looking back a collection of old Bulovas, Omegas Longines, Walthams, Gruens, Westfields and even some Tudors and cheap Rolex that were abused might have been a interesting collection. I mean an Apple red moonphase from Opera had to be a fake but a lot of buyers didn’t object.

You’re kidding, right? 👍

Nostalgic for the good old days, except for the dials the watches were genuine. He sold a lot of vintage watches to young fashion conscious customers who paid 50 bucks for a good looking watch with a painted dial.

I learned the hard way about Oris Mumbai specials! I thought it's a bit of a niche brand to imitate but as soon as it arrived I knew something was up. Good learning lesson early in my journey!

A shame, really. Unless you happen to collect them…😏

UPDATE:

Well this stopped working last night after a couple of hours, I got in touch with the seller who has kindly refunded me. But if it had kept going I would have kept it just for the novelty value.

Just looking at the screws gave me the creeps. Looks like someone recently used the wrong screwdriver, too much force, or they were corroded in place.

But yes, it wouldn't have been worth it.