Getting a vintage serviced

Boskowski

My 1958 Omega Seamaster w Date needs a service. She's running a bit slow and gets even slower when it comes to shifting the date. Seems like she needs a good cleaning and oiling.
The last service was over 6 years ago with Swiss Time Services in England who did a very good job but their price has more than doubled since. I guess the Omega affiliation allows them to do that.

I read on the sticky and through the search function about a lady called Emily (watchrepairs.ie) and it seems people can't recommend her enough but would she do a vintage watch like that? I saw some comments suggesting she does not.

I got a decent quote from Watch Doctors in the UK and their reputation seems good, but I'd rather give the business to a crafty local lady if I can.

Wibbs

Nope watchrepairs.ie don't do vintage at all. A real pity and missed opportunity IMHO, as at least some more recent vintage stuff is not so different from current, because of very common movements and parts. I have an issue with one of my watches, a late 60's yoke and it's a simple enough issue and I have the spare parts should they be required and every single local watchmaker I approached, either hadn't a bloody clue about the movement(so that was a no no right away), or just turned me down flat. NB I didn't approach watchrepairs.ie as they had stated that vintage was out, they were honest and straight up about it and that's cool.

My advice? This guy http://www.michaelswift.co.uk/priceguide.php. Real quality work, won't turn down stuff, unless it's really fooked, or so rare as to be impossible and even then. You'll not find a bad word about that man anywhere online and BTW check out his prices. He's a fraction of the price of local "watchmakers" as far as a service goes. Another chap in the UK is http://watchguy.co.uk/. A little more expensive than the Micheal, but as good and will chronicle your repair/service and still way bloody cheaper than going local.

Don't get me wrong, if you have a modern watch in need of a service, I'd recommend Emily/watchrepairs.ie in a heartbeat and I reckon I'd have many supporters there and for good reason, but if you have something more unusual and vintage IMHO you're gonna have to go beyond our shores for both good value and quality. Put it this way, for many a year my go to guy was an ancient Spanish lad, with dodgy eyes and shaky hands who was a bloody master. He did balance work that Patek would be proud to call their own, real quality. Sadly he passed away a few years ago. So today, if I needed a service? The Michael Swift lad I linked above would be my go to guy.

Boskowski

Thanks Wibbs, appreciated, I take it you had a few ones serviced by Michael then.
Ever heard about WatchDoctor.co.uk yourself, they seem on a par with watchguy with regards to price?

Wibbs

I'd be going with Mr M Swift myself B. Real old stylee operation. And that for me is a good thing and I like to support lads like him and his family biz. Like I said, you'll never hear a bad word against the man or his service. A real class act and quiet with it. Even though watch nutters around the world bow down to the chap.

Boskowski

I'm going with watch doctors I think. I would have liked to go with Michael but I contacted him this morning and he can't do the water resistance guarantee pressure test thing. Unfortunately as I wear this watch every day it is quite important to me.
His prices are very very reasonable. He'd service her for me and get me a new glass too for under £100 in total which is fantastic but won't do water resistance. A Seamaster I can't be happy going into the water with is s bit of a contradiction so will have to go elsewhere.

Wibbs

Ahh that's understandable B. I'd be the same with a divers type watch. Of the yokes I have, only two would bring the issue of water resistance and both are non modern enough to say "Waterproof", hell one says "Super Waterproof". The days before mass litigation I reckon.

Then again B, If your Seamaster looks like this type(lovely watches);



IMHO I'd be very careful about subjecting a vintage watch of that age to anything but light rain and no way would I risk swimming. What was defined as water resistance back then generally wasn't that great and was often imaginative(outside Rolex Oysters and the like). To ensure its water resistance, such as it was, it would likely require new crown and back case gaskets

If it was one of these Seamasters(so much want, but I'd have to sell a kidney);

Then OK, as it was designed as a tool watch for skindivers(as they used to be known *Granpa Simpson voice*). However, even with one like that it would need all new seals and good condition sealing joints and a pressure test before I'd feel happy having a bath wearing one. One of my dive yokes, a Lip Nautic with a 200 m rating failed a pressure test before, cos the crown(s) gaskets weren't up to par.

Maybe that's why the Michael chap doesn't do pressure testing? He does mostly vintage watches from what I can tell, so doesn't feel confident in rating such watches as "waterproof"? Too many call backs on them?

Boskowski

Makes sense what you say but I never looked at it that way. A Seamaster is a Seamaster even if she's 1958 like my one. Once the gasket is renewed and the housing has no damage there shouldn't be a problem. I go swimming with my one all the time.

Wibbs

Fair play B and fair play it hasn't let in water. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid, but I'd be wary(actually I am para so... :eek::D). I think my actual divers watch failing a pressure test made me this way. I had a Tudor Oyster from the 50's that let in water too. Yep I'm para.

The Seamaster moniker when it first came out(late 40's IIRC) was a big improvement on then current dress/everyday watches as far as sealing was concerned. Tool watches as we know them today were rare, or didn't exist yet* and your average watch would often be ruined, or in need of immediate repair if it fell in a basin of water. The Seamaster did change this in a big way. However they're not particularly waterproof. Kinda like a 10 metre rating of today.

Like I said fair play if you swim wearing it and it's a damn good advertisement for the old Omega Seamasters. Actually that's bloody cool

I defo see why you insist on the pressure test though. EDIT when you do get it serviced B maybe post up the results of that test. That would make interesting reading.







*when you consider that in WW2 when the British were building up frogman units they had no watches they could look to and had to ready up 19th century "explorer" cases for pocket watches by sticking lugs on them and dropping in a Longines movement. The Italians had beaten them to it by a few years with the Rolex Oyster based original Panerai, the first true "divers" watch.

Boskowski

You're an enthusiast by the look of it, fair play. And thanks a mill for taking the time and being so helpful.

I wouldn't call myself an enthusiast but I do appreciate nice things. My Omega - while it wouldn't exactly fetch a fortune - is one of my price possessions, I absolutely love it (my preciousss..... )

I'm actually torn now between Mr. Swift and Watch Doctor cos when I think about it she will still be OK for everyday jobs like washing hands without the cert. And I don't need to go swimming with her really. I like the look of this guy and I like his prices, too. He quoted me £48 for the service plus between £25 and £33 for an original Omega glass plus £7 for shipping. I'd feel almost bad paying that little for what surely is a highly skilled job. I'll sleep over it.

As you're an enthusiast I made a couple of pics. The glass will be replaced as it has a fair number of nicks and scratches by now. Last time she came back from the service she looked immaculate and I'm sure she will look immaculate again.

Wibbs

Cheers for the pics, that is a beauty B and definitely qualifies for the "nice things" category. TBH I love the thoughts of someone going swimming wearing that, fifty plus years on. Brilliant. And like I say a damn good advert for Omega. I can also see why it's watertight. It has a proper screw on back case like all properly waterproof watches. Most of that model I've seen before had a tight, but press on back cover. Yours is by far the superior.

Those prices from Mr Swift are really good alright. And it's not as if the chap needs the business. He's got a fast turnaround too. With a fair few out there you could be waiting months. If it went back to Omega you're talking an average of 6 months and a wallet extraction exercise that would have you wincing.

Menas

That watch will look great with a new crystal and case polish. The dial looks in good nick.
But a watch of that vintage will one day fail under water.....so personally I would prefer to anticipate that now and stop taking the risk.

bifl

Wibbs, quick question how to you ship you watches over to the UK. Who do you use and do you use insurance. I don't have a need such a service now but if I get to owning my grail watch these things will be a consideration !!

I would have probably gone with locals ones to avoid shipping costs and worries.

Deep Thought

My new Old Helvetia is winging its way to Mr Swift

WE had a nice chat he is a sound bloke who sees what he does as a calling and his son is in the job and just recently took on a new apprentice. so real old school

As he said, they don't restore, they repair

and BTW, am sending mine via registered post..

Wibbs

Yep registered post all the way. I've found it reliable. Personally I've had too much trouble with the big shipping companies.

Pack it well. Don't send it in it's original box IMH, it'll rattle around in most of them. Not good. Don't just stick it in a padded envelope. Stick the watch in a ziplock bag, wrap that in bubble wrap, find a small box, fill with newspaper or those foam ball things(I prefer the paper), stick the bubble wrapped watch in the middle of that.

Menas

Personally I package watches with bubble wrap in a plastic soap container. Then put that in a padded envelope.

Soap container like this...nice and rigid and cheap and gives a little extra protection.

Deep Thought

wrapped in bubble wrap, then into a small jiffy bag, then a large jiffy bag, and then into a box..

Boskowski

My watch is on the way to Mr Swift now.

Rang them this morning and they said the water resistance thing is not about vintage or liabilities or anything. They just don't have a pressure test machine.
So they will replace gaskets and she will be water resistant they just can't test and certify.

No brainer now.

Will report back when it's done.

CrowdedHouse

Although not for a vintage, I just managed to get a slot with Watchguy there at 7pm.

He opened for new clients with 10 slots, I filled in in seconds and got one, tried again immediately just to see and the 10 places were gone.

Boskowski

Mr Swift seems a very busy man, too.
Got an email saying the watch arrived well, was inspected and is in the queue now. All in good order, no new glass needed even, but it could be 6-8 weeks.
I'm pleased enough with that, seems a well run business. More modern payment methods would be an advantage, but that's a minor inconvenience.

Deep Thought

Boskowski wrote: »

. More modern payment methods would be an advantage, but that's a minor inconvenience.

Same as, 6-8 weeks aswell

Wibbs

I've an ultronic tuning fork watch with the chap for this sorta thing Electric watches UK and he reckons 3-4 weeks. TBH I'd be the impatient type :) but I'm ok with that. I have read on other forums how long services by original manufacturers can take. Omega can be 6 months to a year and can cost a thousand euros(sometimes more), I saw a Longines service/repair running around a similar timeframe. Never mind some of the mad - are you saying that with a straight bloody face - prices I've been quoted for a simple service for a vintage by Irish based dealers. A few weeks at far more reasonable prices by an enthusiastic one man band type watchmaker are OK by me. Pity there aren't more local ones like this, but there you go.

Boskowski

Just got her back last week with a nice personal note on how to set the date/time correctly for maximum accuracy. £62.90 was the total incl. shipping and she works and looks simply perfect.

Thanks Wibbs for your recommendation. Will be going back there without a doubt.