Watches - another OCD problem
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I figured as much @marlin .
I’ve just read up on the development of the movement for the Seamaster. The watch is currently in the shop that assessed the repairs but when I get it back I’ll make a point of finding out exactly which model it is.
Fixing it for its capital value isn’t really the point but it would make it a less sentimental expense and more of an investment if it was actually worth something.
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Omega have a restoration service at Bienne, but it's an expensive process.
https://www.omegawatches.com/customer-service/interventions-and-prices/restoration
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At the moment I’m not even sure that a 400USD refurb us worth it so my 15 year old can have a cool watch. He isn’t very interested in watches generally but if he wanted one I’d be more inclined to get him an entry level Seiko 5 or Prospex for 250USD.
This is probably the best course of action for him now. Maybe in a few (or several) years he'll be more into watches and more interested in a restored antique.
When I was about the same age, my dad offered me the Zodiac Sea Wolf he purchased and wore while stationed in Vietnam. I asked for a Swatch instead. Luckily, he didn't hold it against me.
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I have a vintage Omega Seamaster DeVille my dad was awarded for top of his medical school class (the apple having fallen far, far from the tree) and it is really old, but the minute you move the thing the rotor spins up and the seconds hand ticks. It's on the right of a vintage pulsomiter here:
Rolex ultimately passed them in prestige for many, but I'll always love Omega.
I'll also always love Seiko, and Prospex is a great choice. Presage has a number of affordable dressier options too.
(Big Ugly posted below)
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@neph93, a restoration in Switzerland with Omega can cost easily 800.- to 1400.- € depending on the model and condition of the watch.
Further some notes from a watchmakers side. You should be aware of, if you decide to get the movement replaced by a new/modern one, that this leads to some problems. The biggest one is, that the feet's from the dail are very probably do not fit on the new one. The feet's are securing the dail from turning around, they give the dail a secure fit on the movement. In order to get the dail on the new movement they have to be removed. The dail needs then to get glued to the movement by a special double tape, which is always a botch and leads sooner or later to problems. The next problem is that in a lot of cases the original hands do not fit anymore. In some cases you can make them fit, but if the difference is to much they have to be replaced as well.
If I understood you correctly are the outer parts like the winding/setting-crown and the face-Plexicrystal (don't know the correct name) are still original. The crown has a gasket which is probably dried out and/or broken and doesen't seal the case anymore. Same for the crystal if there are some cracks.
I'am saying this because if you decide to spend this much money, the watch still needs to be worn very carefully, like it's not a every day watch for doing everything.
I totally understand the emotional value which goes along with a piece like that. I've got a Omega from my father my self. He bought it in Switzerland when he was working there as watchmaker him self.
I truly love this watch and this for many reasons.
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Does your son want to "own" a 70 year old watch or "wear" a 70 year old watch?
I don't know about your son, but having that watch overhauled and then worn daily would mean a second overhaul quickly if he were to wear it daily, at least if your son was like me when I was 15.
The water resistance generally can't be trusted on such an old watch, the crystal is probably hesalite so it'll scratch easily, and if he does any kind of sports he's going to need to take it off at school which is an opportunity for it to get stolen.
The only thing my stepson was good at when he was 15 was destroying nice things.
I'd take your $400 and get him a watch he'd actually like and wear (and can either repair or replace easily), and start putting money towards an overhaul in Bienne sometime in the future.
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Thanks very much for the insight gentlemen. The way forward is clear. I’ll take care of it until the lad is finished in High School and look at getting it rebuilt by Omega then. In the meantime, G-Shock.
Great analogy @DougNg
Agreed on G-Shock, but this came across my feed for a Seiko 5 large automatic sport watch option with a flieger-esque dial:
https://gearpatrol.com/2018/11/28/seiko-5-snzg-sale/ -
Been wearing this one a lot lately. I was worried that the lack of a second hand would irritate me, but it's kinda relaxing.
I was also worried that the daily winding would get tedious, but I'm finding that I like the routine. -
I have two threads kind of going in my "wants." One is to get another dive watch. Despite the novel rendered on the dial, Tudor Pelagos is on that list. A sporty GMT would be interesting too as long as it has a screw-down crown, jumping hour, is rugged enough, yet could pair with a suit.
The other is a dress watch, and despite initial distaste for them, I find myself liking some of the simpler Nomos models. For these I am open to manual winding–I think I would also enjoy the ritual. I am less thrilled with the lack of a quick set date function though.
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https://www.hodinkee.com/watch101/jump-hour
I think what you're looking for is a "quick set GMT"
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Yeah those are rad. Aesthetically like Lange and Nomos had a baby but completely novel mechanically.
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When in Rome….
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Nice.
I'm not generally a fan of Disney themed merchandise, despite how much of our money goes to the House of Mouse, but that watch is just fun.
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That probably has more to do with Hirst than Disney.
Went to one of the nicer jewelers in town yesterday and gawked at their Grand Seikos. In terms of case fit and finish and dial beauty (aside from the loathsome upside-down power reserve indicators on Spring Drive models), they really did hold their own against everything else in the store perhaps excluding their PP selection.
Now that Grand Seiko have addressed some of their excessive dial verbiage issues, if they moved the power reserve indicator on this or that to the back of the movement, visible through the case-back as in this Credor, it would be very difficult to resist, especially if it were not rendered upside-down and backwards.
I've been admiring this beauty for a long time. In addition to the stunning dial, it has a bracelet I much prefer to the Speedmaster clones more generally in use across the line (though I enjoy the Speedy bracelet on my Speedy). As expected, in person, the dial is even more beautiful than in videos or images. The larger, but not gigantic, size is appealing too, and there are a couple of more 28.8k vph references in larger sizes using that larger movement, with a larger date and more OP / less Speedy bracelets out now too. The brand is becoming more and more attractive to me with their newer models.
Also saw a Pelagos LHD in person for the first time. Really nice, but the roulette date is off-putting to me–an all red date would be cool, but alternation triggers my OCD. So I think the blue Pelagos still is my favorite Tudor, though I couldn't refrain from complaining about the excessive text on the dial to the sales rep, who agreed and mentioned a similar annoyance with overly-badged cars, then indicated the Snowflake is next on his list. Of course I held my tongue on the power reserve indicator, and it is indeed a beautiful watch.
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Picked up this today: 1986 GMT Master II 16760 “fat lady”. Been toying with a modern Rolex but the lack of availability and the shiny polish of the new models made me look at the 5 digits.
This watch has had a dial and hand change, the original dial and hands would have been tritium but this dial is superluminiva I believe.
I was looking for something that I did not have to baby so ruled out the acrylic crystal 1675’s.
Been a long journey looking for this timepiece. I have to thank @graeme for all his input and listening to my watch purchase rationale.
Seasons greetings all!
