Omega Seamaster - winding

Fian

I have an automatic Omega Seamaster watch, self winding. Or at least it was self-winding until I was hit by a very large wave when abroad on holidays, I was driven towards the sea-bed I managed to protect my neck/head and keep myself off the seabed by putting out my arms. The impact fractured my arm and subsequently it appears that the impact also broke the self winding element of the watch. I can still hear it whirring and it probably is winding the watch to some extent but I need to wind it manually every few days or it stops. The cost of repair is pretty prohibitive so I am making do. Still like the watch and want to continue to wear it.

The problem is this watch does not really seem to have been designed with manual winding in mind. The winding cog is pretty small so i am raising blisters/calluses on my index finger and thumb from winding it. Probably not surprising since it was always meant to be self winding.

I am hoping there is some sort of device out there that would help with the job of winding it. Obviously the ideal would be a motorised device that would grip the winder and rotate it. Failing that a plastic disc with a hole in the center to grip the winder and let me wind it by rotating the larger disc would be enough.

Anyone aware of any gadgets along these lines.

All google shows me are boxes for storing watches that activate the auto self winding mechanism, those are no good to me since my self winder is broken.

Bluefoam

You want to buy a mechanical device that will wind your watch for you... but you don't want to pay to have the watch restored to its intended level of function? Are you sure it was your arm you broke and not your head?

blue5000

OP just bite the bullet and get it fixed and serviced. For all you know there could be something loose in there causing even more damage.

Fian

blue5000 wrote: »

OP just bite the bullet and get it fixed and serviced. For all you know there could be something loose in there causing even more damage.

I have been quoted €725 to have it looked at, no guarantee that it will be fixed for that price. If the choice is between manually winding it every few days and spending the guts of €1k - I have better things to spend my money on.

I expect that a device to wind it for me or to assist with the winding would cost a fraction of the cost of repair.

Pat Mustard

Fian wrote: »

I have been quoted €725 to have it looked at, no guarantee that it will be fixed for that price.

Is there any possibility of claiming for the cost of repairs under holiday insurance?

Mitch Buchannon

Fian wrote: »

I have been quoted €725 to have it looked at, no guarantee that it will be fixed for that price. If the choice is between manually winding it every few days and spending the guts of €1k - I have better things to spend my money on.

Who quoted that price if you don't mind my asking ?

Anjobe

Mitch Buchannon wrote: »

Who quoted that price if you don't mind my asking ?

If it was from Omega then obviously it could be done cheaper elsewhere, with the caveat that some independent watchmakers won't touch the co-axial chronometer movements.

OP: unfortunately these sort of expenses are part and parcel of owning a high(ish) end mechanical watch, and you would have to fork out for a service at some stage anyway. My advice would be to get it serviced and repaired, but shop around to try and find somewhere it could be done cheaper than through Omega themselves.

Anjobe

Pat Mustard wrote: »

Is there any possibility of claiming for the cost of repairs under holiday insurance?

Worth a try, or possibly under the all risks section of house & contents insurance?

Fian

Mitch Buchannon wrote: »

Who quoted that price if you don't mind my asking ?

Weirs, price was to send the watch to Omega.

Anjobe wrote:

If it was from Omega then obviously it could be done cheaper elsewhere, with the caveat that some independent watchmakers won't touch the co-axial chronometer movements.

OP: unfortunately these sort of expenses are part and parcel of owning a high(ish) end mechanical watch, and you would have to fork out for a service at some stage anyway. My advice would be to get it serviced and repaired, but shop around to try and find somewhere it could be done cheaper than through Omega themselves.

TBH the cost is just too high to justify, when the alternative is just to continue to wind it up by hand. Plus we are no longer in the Celtic Tiger where we were when I bought it! I have no idea what movement is in it - this is the watch from a google image search:



Edit: Re insurance , as this happened the summer before last it is probably too late to notify insurance company even if it would have been covered under policy - I have no idea if it would have been. Watch spend a few months in a drawer while my arm was healing.

Homer

From the photo it looks like a standard automatic seamaster so you should have other options to get it looked at apart from weirs who are notoriously expensive if returning to the manufacturers.
Try www.ichrono.ie and see if they will take a look at it. They are based in Dublin and should be able to give you a straight answer as to whether it needs to go back to Omega or not.

Bluefoam

OP, €750 just to open the watch seems excessive. See if an independent watch maker will do it cheaper, otherwise think about selling it as a going concern. I agree that you may be doing further damage by not servicing it. You may be surprised, and it may be reasonable to repair. It's a shame to allow a watch you like to be neglected.

Mitch Buchannon

Fian wrote: »

Weirs, price was to send the watch to Omega.
TBH the cost is just too high to justify, when the alternative is just to continue to wind it up by hand. Plus we are no longer in the Celtic Tiger where we were when I bought it! I have no idea what movement is in it - this is the watch from a google image search:

Firstly , that price probably includes Weirs slice of the pie. You can send direct to Omega if you want. The contact details are on their website. They will even send you a box to ship it to them in.

As mentioned by Homer above. There are numerous independent watchmakers that can service the Auto Chrono you have. H has already said iChrono. In Dublin there is also Fastfix and Dawson Jewelers, Lunns (Belfast).
In the UK there are many more, for example. Genesis Watchingmaking, STS, Superlative Time.

http://dawsonjewellers.ie/
https://www.lunns.com/services/watch-repairs/watch-servicing
http://fast-fix.ie/
http://www.genesiswatchmaking.co.uk/omega-pricing.html
http://swisstimeservices.co.uk/
http://www.superlativetime.com/servicing-price-guide

Fian

ok, thanks all.

Didn't get what I was looking for (a winding gadget) but I will explore the options listed to look to see cost of repairing.

I didn't realise it is supposed to be serviced regularly.

alantul

Don't wind it manually. You will cause more damage and eventually break parts. You should get that watch properly serviced for 250-350.

Fian

alantul wrote: »

Don't wind it manually. You will cause more damage and eventually break parts. You should get that watch properly serviced for 250-350.

Really? winding it will cause damage? It does have a manual winding mechanism in it. In any case I have been winding it manually periodically for over a year now. I would have thought is it also designed to be wound, as well as being (formerly!) capable of self winding.

alantul

Fian wrote: »

Really? winding it will cause damage? It does have a manual winding mechanism in it. In any case I have been winding it manually periodically for over a year now. I would have thought is it also designed to be wound, as well as being (formerly!) capable of self winding.

Ya your forcing the entire auto mechanism as well as winding the watch. It's not designed to function this way. I wouldn't make a habit of it anyhow. It's fine to give it a start and then wear it an allow the auto mechanism to do the rest. But you can't do It that way obviously.

Winterlong

In normal wear automatic watches can be wound perfectly fine manually or using the rotor. It will not damage it to manually wind it and is designed that way. There is no forcing.
But with a watch where the automatic winding function is not working correctly I would not be manually winding as something is wrong and using a partially broken watch can not lead to good things, especially one as nice/valuable as your one OP.

Nonoperational

It could be as simple as the rotor coming loose. Bring it to one of the people linked here, it could be fixed for €50 if you're lucky.

alantul

Don't wind it manually. Bring it to someone that can look and actually tell you what's wrong.
You will do damage if it's due an overhaul it's easy feel the load your applying when winding compared to when it was new ?

Deep Thought

€750 for Omega themselves and No Guarantee to fix is a bit strange...

Seems the AD is trying to get a nice piece of pie

Winterlong

Deep Thought wrote: »

€750 for Omega themselves and No Guarantee to fix is a bit strange...

Seems the AD is trying to get a nice piece of pie

Weirs are well practiced at making sure they get their big slice of the pie!