Inherited Grandfather’s vintage Omega Seamaster - need to bring her back to glory!

[Cerulean]

Hi friends!

A bit of backstory: I was visiting my mother for the weekend, and in the guest room saw a little saucer dish with odds and ends. Well, in that dish, I noticed an Omega watch. In fact, the exact style of watch that’s on my “one day” dream list. Oh my! What are the odds?!

Low and behold, it was my grandfather’s! A man I never had the honor of meeting, but I’m named after him, and have been told I look like and act like, and apparently we had very similar taste!

My mother graciously offered it to me, and I gleefully accepted.

This watch is at least from the 1960s. The strap is not original and I would like to replace it, and it needs a cleaning (the face has particles on it), the crystal is scratched, and I hear grinding when I change the time, and I was told it doesn’t keep time properly.

I want to breathe life back into this watch. It was owned by someone else in the family who took very poor care of it before my mother got it.

Where do I start? HELP! I know next to nothing about watches. I don’t even know what care is involved with an automatic watch…

Here she is, in the meantime…

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Congratulations, it’s lovely! I don’t know anything about watches either so I’ll tag @Dancing Fire since he has a lot of watch knowledge.

In general though, perhaps you could approach Omega and ask them for a quote to service the watch? I would always prefer to have the original maker do any repairs. You can also buy your strap from them!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Very nice watch. If the watch is keeping good time just wear it.

 

[MollyMalone]

fyi: Omega's restoration service is very pricey, and IIRC, according to the Omega aficionados on the watch forums I occasionally visit, Omega goes "overboard," e.g., gives the watches a high polish, totally replaces (rather than clean up/restore) vintage dials. Which for collectors means a loss of vintage appeal and market value. But that may not matter to you.

Are you in the States; would you rather have what appears to be a brand new watch (there are places, besides Omega, who would "go to town' on it) or would you prefer a more understated re-fresh?

 

[LLJsmom]

I will get back to you with details. My DH just sent his inherited Seamaster just like yours to the headquarters to get totally refurbished and repaired. Will take quite a while but he is fine waiting.

 

[MollyMalone]

I just visited Omega USA's website. Cost of restoration begins at $1,5000, but a complete service for your mechanical Seamaster (not a chronograph, does not have a quartz battery) would be $550, which includes a 2-year (limited) warranty.

Price information | OMEGA US®

www.omegawatches.com

Here's what a complete service consists of:

Main steps of a complete service | OMEGA US®

www.omegawatches.com

Given everything that's included, $550 for this "in-house" work isn't out of line imo.

But that's not to say that you couldn't have the work done you deem necessary for less elsewhere.

What a wonderful, meaningful surprise -- it looks fabulous on your wrist!!

 

[diamondringlover]

Very nice and a wonderful history behind it! Enjoy wearing it! My son has one similar to it, I think his is from the 70’s can’t remember, here it is with a brown leather band in case you are wanting to see it with a different band

 

[Efleon]

Wow!
It’s gorgeous.
I actually had a similar situation last year.
I was cleaning out some of my mothers jewelry for her and found an antique “bumper” Seamaster.
She said it was my grandfather’s but I don’t remember seeing him wear it.
I took it into omega and got the same quotes as above for service but I did not want to fix the wear it shows so I took it took my local trusted jeweler who cleaned it up inside but kept the crystal (which has a scratch) and the face.
I then purchased a new strap from Omega.
I love it!!!!
Congratulations on yours.
Enjoy!

 

[Cerulean]

Very nice watch. If the watch is keeping good time just wear it.

Thank you! It is not keeping good time unfortunately so it needs some work!

 

[Cerulean]

I will get back to you with details. My DH just sent his inherited Seamaster just like yours to the headquarters to get totally refurbished and repaired. Will take quite a while but he is fine waiting.

Thank you so much! Any advice would be useful! I’m not in a rush at all. I’d rather it be done well!

 

[Cerulean]

Wow!
It’s gorgeous.
I actually had a similar situation last year.
I was cleaning out some of my mothers jewelry for her and found an antique “bumper” Seamaster.
She said it was my grandfather’s but I don’t remember seeing him wear it.
I took it into omega and got the same quotes as above for service but I did not want to fix the wear it shows so I took it took my local trusted jeweler who cleaned it up inside but kept the crystal (which has a scratch) and the face.
I then purchased a new strap from Omega.
I love it!!!!
Congratulations on yours.
Enjoy!

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I love the leather strap too. Debating if I want a metal or leather strap.

Drooling a bit over that onyx and diamonds bracelet - what a regal pairing!

 

[Cerulean]

Very nice and a wonderful history behind it! Enjoy wearing it! My son has one similar to it, I think his is from the 70’s can’t remember, here it is with a brown leather band in case you are wanting to see it with a different band

Oh yes this is very helpful! I wear a lot of brown leather (bags and shoes) so this is helpful!

 

[Cerulean]

I just visited Omega USA's website. Cost of restoration begins at $1,5000, but a complete service for your mechanical Seamaster (not a chronograph, does not have a quartz battery) would be $550, which includes a 2-year (limited) warranty.

Price information | OMEGA US®

www.omegawatches.com

Here's what a complete service consists of:

Main steps of a complete service | OMEGA US®

www.omegawatches.com

Given everything that's included, $550 for this "in-house" work isn't out of line imo.

But that's not to say that you couldn't have the work done you deem necessary for less elsewhere.

What a wonderful, meaningful surprise -- it looks fabulous on your wrist!!

Honestly $550 seems reasonable to me, it might be worth it. I really appreciate you looking it up and sharing details!

I would prefer to retain some of the vintage charm and want more “understated” refresh!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Thank you! It is not keeping good time unfortunately so it needs some work!

Ok, then you need an overhaul and a new strap. Good luck.

 

[Efleon]

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I love the leather strap too. Debating if I want a metal or leather strap.

Drooling a bit over that onyx and diamonds bracelet - what a regal pairing!

Haha!!!
Yup, pure unheated Australian sapphires that are thankfully NOT imitating onyx on my bracelet….but thank you
And the great part is I don’t think you have to choose between a metal band and leather. It may take a trip to your jeweler to do it but I’m pretty sure you can swap them out.
Your lucky. Mine was always leather. Difficult to find those metal bands.
Oh. One more thing. I went with a navy blue band and it was approximately $250 if my memory serves. But they had a ton of different colors!!! I’m thinking I may need a hot pink or butter yellow next.

 

[Efleon]

Hi friends!

A bit of backstory: I was visiting my mother for the weekend, and in the guest room saw a little saucer dish with odds and ends. Well, in that dish, I noticed an Omega watch. In fact, the exact style of watch that’s on my “one day” dream list. Oh my! What are the odds?!

Low and behold, it was my grandfather’s! A man I never had the honor of meeting, but I’m named after him, and have been told I look like and act like, and apparently we had very similar taste!

My mother graciously offered it to me, and I gleefully accepted.

This watch is at least from the 1960s. The strap is not original and I would like to replace it, and it needs a cleaning (the face has particles on it), the crystal is scratched, and I hear grinding when I change the time, and I was told it doesn’t keep time properly.

I want to breathe life back into this watch. It was owned by someone else in the family who took very poor care of it before my mother got it.

Where do I start? HELP! I know next to nothing about watches. I don’t even know what care is involved with an automatic watch…

Here she is, in the meantime…

Sorry. I’m just seeing that your metal strap is not original,
Well, it still compliments the watch very nicely which is no easy feat!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I just visited Omega USA's website. Cost of restoration begins at $1,5000, but a complete service for your mechanical Seamaster (not a chronograph, does not have a quartz battery) would be $550, which includes a 2-year (limited) warranty.

Price information | OMEGA US®

www.omegawatches.com

Here's what a complete service consists of:

Main steps of a complete service | OMEGA US®

www.omegawatches.com

Given everything that's included, $550 for this "in-house" work isn't out of line imo.

But that's not to say that you couldn't have the work done you deem necessary for less elsewhere.

What a wonderful, meaningful surprise -- it looks fabulous on your wrist!!

Also to add - I think the price depends on where in the world you are. I checked a few countries and the price fluctuates. I saw it as low as ~$315 on the Indian website and as high as ~$625 on the UK website, translating the currencies, for the non chronograph mechanical full service. I don’t think you would need restoration, since that seems to apply to their watches from before ~1940.

I would probably get Omega to do the servicing, personally, since you’d also get a warranty out of it. Even if you’re US based and it comes to 550 that’s not an unreasonable price. Though if they’ll make the watch look “like new” then you’ll have to see if that’s okay for you! Best of luck!!

 

[Cerulean]

Haha!!!
Yup, pure unheated Australian sapphires that are thankfully NOT imitating onyx on my bracelet….but thank you
And the great part is I don’t think you have to choose between a metal band and leather. It may take a trip to your jeweler to do it but I’m pretty sure you can swap them out.
Your lucky. Mine was always leather. Difficult to find those metal bands.
Oh. One more thing. I went with a navy blue band and it was approximately $250 if my memory serves. But they had a ton of different colors!!! I’m thinking I may need a hot pink or butter yellow next.

Oh gosh my mistake - I lazily glanced and see that I was dead wrong! It’s beautiful!

I love the idea of different straps. The metal ones are tricky to find in the vintage style, and are frankly likely out of budget for now…good to know I can easily swap later if I can’t decide!

I wish the metal strap I had now was original. It’s one of those Speidal stretchy metal bands that were popular on watches I’ve seen from the 50s and 60s…it’s not my thing AT ALL but my grandfather was a doctor so it must’ve been practical…

 

[Cerulean]

Also to add - I think the price depends on where in the world you are. I checked a few countries and the price fluctuates. I saw it as low as ~$315 on the Indian website and as high as ~$625 on the UK website, translating the currencies, for the non chronograph mechanical full service. I don’t think you would need restoration, since that seems to apply to their watches from before ~1940.

I would probably get Omega to do the servicing, personally, since you’d also get a warranty out of it. Even if you’re US based and it comes to 550 that’s not an unreasonable price. Though if they’ll make the watch look “like new” then you’ll have to see if that’s okay for you! Best of luck!!

Oh I see good to keep in mind. So this is…a non chronograph watch? I feel like such a newbie!

There’s an official Omega boutique in my city. I may pop in to see what they recommend or if they can assist

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[MollyMalone]

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I love the leather strap too. Debating if I want a metal or leather strap.

Drooling a bit over that onyx and diamonds bracelet - what a regal pairing!

An Omega leather strap will be appreciably less expensive than an Omega stainless steel "bracelet" (and some of us would opt for leather even if they were the same price). My ex sold the bracelet style that came with his Omega and slipped the watch on to a leather strap (he had several) for winter and more formal occasions; rubber for sailing, etc. and had a "wardrobe" of striped, grosgrain ribbon straps (those weren't Omega) for summer wear.

There’s an official Omega boutique in my city. I may pop in to see what they recommend or if they can assist

Oh that's great -- keep us posted, please!
P.S. Here's a Seamaster pictorial history-ID guide

The Seamaster Story from 1957 to 2014 >>> a...

www.watchuseek.com

from the Omega forum of WatchYouSeek:

Omega

Forum dedicated to Omega watches. Omega is a Swiss watch brand part of the Swatch Group.

www.watchuseek.com

 

[foxinsox]

Lovely watch! And how cool that it was your grandfather’s.
If it’s important to you that it stay looking as original as possible, be careful taking it to Omega for an official refurbishment and overhaul. A lot of the watch forums recommend against that because they take original parts out and replace them with new which can destroy the value if they’re an old or rare watch.

 

[Cerulean]

An Omega leather strap will be appreciably less expensive than an Omega stainless steel "bracelet" (and some of us would opt for leather even if they were the same price). My ex sold the bracelet style that came with his Omega and slipped the watch on to a leather strap (he had several) for winter and more formal occasions; rubber for sailing, etc. and had a "wardrobe" of striped, grosgrain ribbon straps (those weren't Omega) for summer wear.


Oh that's great -- keep us posted, please!
P.S. Here's a Seamaster pictorial history-ID guide

The Seamaster Story from 1957 to 2014 >>> a...

www.watchuseek.com

from the Omega forum of WatchYouSeek:

Omega

Forum dedicated to Omega watches. Omega is a Swiss watch brand part of the Swatch Group.

www.watchuseek.com

I love the idea of a little wardrobe! I especially like the alligator leather straps!

thanks so much for sharing the forum. I will definitely check it out. I did a little poking around and the De Violet line was specifically part of their 1960s catalog

 

[Cerulean]

Lovely watch! And how cool that it was your grandfather’s.
If it’s important to you that it stay looking as original as possible, be careful taking it to Omega for an official refurbishment and overhaul. A lot of the watch forums recommend against that because they take original parts out and replace them with new which can destroy the value if they’re an old or rare watch.

Thank you so much! This is really good to know. Frankly I’d like to keep as much intact as possible, as I find the notion romantic! To own a machine that’s been working for over 60 years impresses me quite a bit! I’d hate for it to lose its charm

I expect that I’d never sell the watch, but I appreciate you warning me about Omega. Maybe an individual watch repair person would be best…

 

[LLJsmom]

My DH went to Omega.com and he called the office, which is in Culver City in the U.S. (We are U.S. based.) They needed to look at the piece so he had to mail it in. They sent him a box with a pre-paid packing slip and he shipped it off to them. They reviewed it and told him it would be about $625, and gave him a detail of the repairs and changes that needed to be made. However, it was too old for them to work on and it had to be sent to the HQ in Switzerland. If the watchmaker in Switzerland finds more that needs to be repaired or replaced, they will contact him for approval. There is a website where you would log in to check on the status of the repair. DH sent it on May 31. Culver City received it on June 7. The communicated with DH and it arrived in HQ in Switzerland on June 24, and now it's still in process.

DH's father's watch was still running, but not performing within factory specifications. DH asked for a complete maintenance. Not exactly sure what will be replaced but DH is fine with whatever the watchmaker thinks should be done.

Hope this helps.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Hi friends!

A bit of backstory: I was visiting my mother for the weekend, and in the guest room saw a little saucer dish with odds and ends. Well, in that dish, I noticed an Omega watch. In fact, the exact style of watch that’s on my “one day” dream list. Oh my! What are the odds?!

Low and behold, it was my grandfather’s! A man I never had the honor of meeting, but I’m named after him, and have been told I look like and act like, and apparently we had very similar taste!

My mother graciously offered it to me, and I gleefully accepted.

This watch is at least from the 1960s. The strap is not original and I would like to replace it, and it needs a cleaning (the face has particles on it), the crystal is scratched, and I hear grinding when I change the time, and I was told it doesn’t keep time properly.

I want to breathe life back into this watch. It was owned by someone else in the family who took very poor care of it before my mother got it.

Where do I start? HELP! I know next to nothing about watches. I don’t even know what care is involved with an automatic watch…

Here she is, in the meantime…

lucky for that watch it made its way to your mom and you saw it sitting there waiting for someone to love it again

 

[Cerulean]

lucky for that watch it made its way to your mom and you saw it sitting there waiting for someone to love it again

I am so incredibly lucky!

 

[Cerulean]

My DH went to Omega.com and he called the office, which is in Culver City in the U.S. (We are U.S. based.) They needed to look at the piece so he had to mail it in. They sent him a box with a pre-paid packing slip and he shipped it off to them. They reviewed it and told him it would be about $625, and gave him a detail of the repairs and changes that needed to be made. However, it was too old for them to work on and it had to be sent to the HQ in Switzerland. If the watchmaker in Switzerland finds more that needs to be repaired or replaced, they will contact him for approval. There is a website where you would log in to check on the status of the repair. DH sent it on May 31. Culver City received it on June 7. The communicated with DH and it arrived in HQ in Switzerland on June 24, and now it's still in process.

DH's father's watch was still running, but not performing within factory specifications. DH asked for a complete maintenance. Not exactly sure what will be replaced but DH is fine with whatever the watchmaker thinks should be done.

Hope this helps.

This is extremely helpful. I will look into this option. I like the idea of keeping original pieces but I also want this baby to tick for another 60 years! I get a little nervous finding some one to fix it independently…my
mom has had bad luck doing that…

I wonder if my local Omega boutique can manage shipping and whatnot. I am going to make an appointment and see what they say.

Thanks so much for sharing your DH’s experience. If you are willing, I would love to see before and after photos but I realize that might be imposing!

 

[LLJsmom]

This is extremely helpful. I will look into this option. I like the idea of keeping original pieces but I also want this baby to tick for another 60 years! I get a little nervous finding some one to fix it independently…my
mom has had bad luck doing that…

I wonder if my local Omega boutique can manage shipping and whatnot. I am going to make an appointment and see what they say.

Thanks so much for sharing your DH’s experience. If you are willing, I would love to see before and after photos but I realize that might be imposing!

No problem. Happy to share when done.
Good luck! I think Omega has a process, especially now with the brand and vintage watches regaining popularity. Let us know how it goes.

 

[foxinsox]

Thank you so much! This is really good to know. Frankly I’d like to keep as much intact as possible, as I find the notion romantic! To own a machine that’s been working for over 60 years impresses me quite a bit! I’d hate for it to lose its charm

I expect that I’d never sell the watch, but I appreciate you warning me about Omega. Maybe an individual watch repair person would be best…

Watchuseek is a good forum for suggestions on who is a good person to work on it. They’re a bunch of watch nerds, bit like Pricescope.

 

[Cerulean]

Watchuseek is a good forum for suggestions on who is a good person to work on it. They’re a bunch of watch nerds, bit like Pricescope.

Perfect! I’m definitely going to solicit help! Thank you so, so much!