Calling Watch Officiandos

[smokeysmoo]

After Dad died in March his Omega Seamaster watch came to me.

Unfortunately it's not working at the moment despite a new battery, it starts and stop intermittently.

Omega have sent me pre paid fully insured packaging to send them the watch for an assessment/estimate.

My question to any watch officianado is simply, is it worth paying Omega a minimum of £330 if the watch just needs a service, or can any reputable watchsmith work on it?

The sentimental value is obviously immense, but the actual value is probably not much more than the cost of the service, and when Dad had it he was often frustrated with it as the battery didn't seem to last long, and the Omega process only frustrated him further in cost and time taken to get it back.

Sorry for the rambling but hopefully some of you have experience of Omega servicing and may be happy to share.

 

[midlife]

There's a monster watch thread on lfgss which seems to have a big following.... Perhaps post there as well?

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/143800/?offset=27225#comment14211717

 

[vickster]

I don't know if Watchfinder service more inexpensively?
I don't own an Omega but I did get my Tag from them

http://www.watchfinder.co.uk/watch-servicing

 

[swee'pea99]

£330 for the most basic service? Blimey. I've bought cars for less than that.

 

[CharlesF]

Contact Martins of Glasgow - https://www.martinsjewellers.co.uk/. They have fixed a number of watches for me, cheaper than sending to Switzland. And my Tag was fixed when Tag themselves said it couldn’t be repaired.

 

[Cycleops]

£330 for the most basic service? Blimey. I've bought cars for less than that.

You don't want to buy an Omega or Rolex then.

 

[Beebo]

I would find a good local watchmaker who will fix it for much cheaper than that.
It is like getting your car repaired at good local back street garage rather than a main dealer.
I have had a few broken links in expensive straps repaired when omega wanted to charge me for a full new one.

 

[DRM]

If you have a Watch Hospital franchise near you, go see them and explain what is wrong with the watch, the one in the White Rose Centre in Leeds was very good and refreshingly honest when I spoke to them about Mrs DRM’s Tag Heur, the jeweller we got it from wanted £180 to service it plus £80 for a battery, when I explained what it was doing the Watch Hospital guy said it’s telling you it needs a battery, it cost £25 including a pressure test, quite a difference

 

[Cycleops]

If its quartz and is not running despite a new battery it could need a new movement. Quartz movements have a finite life but high end ones like your Omega can run without problems for a very long time.

 

[MarkF]

Been collecting watches for 20+ years................it's not a mechanical automatic Seamaster (shame your father didn't go for one) so the proposed cost is ridiculous. I'd get in touch with this guy who has a long time solid reputation in horological circles. No offence to previous posts but it is worth some money, it's an Omega and needs knowledge so I would not take it to a high st watch "hospital" and repaired/serviced by Chealwatch will enhance it's value should you decide to sell.

http://www.chealwatch.com/index.php

 

[DRM]

Been collecting watches for 20+ years................it's not a mechanical automatic Seamaster (shame your father didn't go for one) so the proposed cost is ridiculous. I'd get in touch with this guy who has a long time solid reputation in horological circles. No offence to previous posts but it is worth some money, it's an Omega and needs knowledge so I would not take it to a high st watch "hospital" and repaired/serviced by Chealwatch will enhance it's value should you decide to sell.

http://www.chealwatch.com/index.php

Well they seemed to know what he was talking about, was telling me a few things that jewellers had tried ripping people off with and they sorted them out without needing a remortgage

 

[MarkF]

Well they seemed to know what he was talking about, was telling me a few things that jewellers had tried ripping people off with and they sorted them out without needing a remortgage

Yep, I know them and I'd take a watch there (If I couldn't deal with it myself) but the OP has an Omega, dealing with a pro will only help to keep it's value. If he came to sell it, the value if serviced by "Chealwatch" would only be enhanced. Would I buy an Omega Seamaster serviced by "watch hospital"? Er, no thanks and I wouldn't go anywhere near a "jeweller".

 

[smokeysmoo]

Thanks for the replies peeps. It's gone off to Omega today so I'll await their estimate then go form there. I'm not committed to anything with them so I can request it back without charge if I decide not to proceed with them.

In the meantime I'll investigate the options up thread and see what happens.

Thanks again

 

[AndyRM]

Do you have a picture of the watch? Or a serial number?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Do you have a picture of the watch? Or a serial number?

It's a Seamaster Quartz 1342