Omega Service/Refurbishment
CRC007
Posts: 31MI6 Agent
Hi all
Sorry if this has been covered before. I did search but only found one topic that was similar to what I want to ask.
After 6 years of owning my 2003 Seamaster 2531.80 I have finally had to decide to send my watch to Omega to be serviced. Performance is far from where it should be but having never been serviced it's long overdue.
Just before Christmas I took the watch into Regent Street Omega to find out more about pricing and timescale.
They told me that the whole process will take (normally) 8 weeks and that the full service is around £400.
I also mentioned that I was thinking about replacing the bezel because its got scratched, faded. They told me this would be an extra 250 to 300 pounds.
I asked them about the process, what they would do etc. But I wanted to check with members on here who have also sent their watches for refurbishment by Omega what the watch should come back like?
It is in need of a good polishing/rebrushing and refinishing. For around 600 to 700 pounds should I get the watch back aesthetically and mechanically as close to brand new as you could expect.
Can anyone offer their experiences with the regular Omega service?
Thanks
Sorry if this has been covered before. I did search but only found one topic that was similar to what I want to ask.
After 6 years of owning my 2003 Seamaster 2531.80 I have finally had to decide to send my watch to Omega to be serviced. Performance is far from where it should be but having never been serviced it's long overdue.
Just before Christmas I took the watch into Regent Street Omega to find out more about pricing and timescale.
They told me that the whole process will take (normally) 8 weeks and that the full service is around £400.
I also mentioned that I was thinking about replacing the bezel because its got scratched, faded. They told me this would be an extra 250 to 300 pounds.
I asked them about the process, what they would do etc. But I wanted to check with members on here who have also sent their watches for refurbishment by Omega what the watch should come back like?
It is in need of a good polishing/rebrushing and refinishing. For around 600 to 700 pounds should I get the watch back aesthetically and mechanically as close to brand new as you could expect.
Can anyone offer their experiences with the regular Omega service?
Thanks
Comments
I use Swiss time services who are authorised by omega to service there watches, they are cheaper and can’t fault the work they do. I have had 4 watches done by them and was just about to send them another, same timing around 6-8 weeks and you can have the watch polished to make the case look like new again.
I have made some extra requests in the past and they have had no problem sorting them out.
Ross
Cheers :007)
I'll be sending it off soon and look forward to when it's back to its former glory again
Have them serviced and gaskets replaced and those horrid friction pins being checked out.
That‘s all you need.
Don‘t agree having bezel insert/dial/hands replaced - it just looks horrible!
And that advise applies to other brands as well - in particular Rolex!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I've had my Omega seamaster 007 40th anniversary one for 18 years now and its never had a service.
So glad I requested a new bezel too for the extra price.
Thoroughly recommend it if you're undecided!
I understand the argument against replacing things such as the bezel but I never want to sell this watch on so all of the aesthetic things done bother me.
The hands and dial weren't replaced.
Omega sends back the old parts they do replace and I am very surprised with how little needed to be replaced considering the age of the watch.
Now running really well too at about +1 second every day
I disagree. I did a total refresh on my 2531.80 and I'm thrilled with the result - thread here: https://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/50629/total-overhaul-of-my-253180-w-pictures
But I agree on not allowing anyone polish the case and bracelet. I've yet to see that turn out ok.
Did you have the dial hands and bezel insert all replaced at the same time?
I know Omega gives you all the original parts back so it makes it a little more bearable because you can always revert it back.
Good for you!
Part of the appeal of owning an expensive watch is, that it accompanies you for a good part of your life. New parts on a 20 year old watch will not look 100% like they have looked back when the watch was new.
And replacing the most important parts of your watch with spanking new ones (as an example Tritium cannot be used anymore on dials and hands) is just like doing a dramatic facelift on a 40 year old person who still looks ok now.
I am still angry that my watchmaker replaced the crown on my 40 year old GMT - the alloy just looks different to the case ‚colour‘ and sticks out like a sore thumb - while tecnically it made sense to preserve the waterresistance.
You are 30 and I understand your goal to erase out the previous owner and make sure that you are not running out of spare parts - but I am sure, that when you are 50, you‘ll regret having done it.
That aside, the red tip of the secondhand ages to a beautiful color and so does the bezel. They are both statements that a watch had a life, was loved and was used.
And for serious collectors ( well we can debate if a SMP is really a collector‘s piece) you have just ruined any collector‘s value of your watch.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Im 25, grew up with the Brosnan films and so for me his four films (and the other 21) are responsible for the whole reason I am a Bond fan, a car fan, and watch fan today.
I've wanted a 2531 since seeing those films and bought mine about six years ago after starting out in my design career. A year into my apprenticeship back then I was able to finally buy one and it's been with me on every adventure since. So the watch means too much to me to ever sell it. So the value or collector's appeal means much less.
I completely understand both sides to this argument. The bag of replaced parts that came back from Omega had next to nothing in it. The hands, and the dial were untouched. If I was going to spend 450 on a refurbishment and service it only seemed sensible to buy a replacement bezel at the same time, especially because the parts will be more and more difficult to come across in a few years and the watch otherwise was in great condition.
For me I wanted to treat my watch to looking more like it would have if I'd have been old enough and wealthy enough to buy it the first time around in 2003.
Each to their own. Life's too short to worry about what others might have done or if a collector might have wanted your watch .
I just wanted to post the service experience on here if people were undecided about whether to go for it. For me it was well worth it.
I am since 35 years into watches and my perspective has changed over the years - several times.
I understand your motivation and your reasons - without wanting to sound snobbish, most of inexperienced owners of 2 or 2 high end watches ( I have over 45....) sound like that.
Don‘t be surprised if in 15 years you tell yourself „dang, that Higgins guy had a point“
I was giving my opinion and advise based on decades of experiences, mistakes and discussions with people who know far more than myself. YMMV
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
But I think it's an interesting (and, frankly, financially wise) perspective you shared. And anyone who believes they might become a proper watch collector should read your comments closely.
I completely understand where you're coming from. over 45! That is an impressive collection! I can only dream of having that many but maybe one or two more omegas one day
You may well be right and later on down the line if so luckily I will still have the old bezel.
From a collector's viewpoint I understand it. As I said before it's a watch I want to hold on to forever so I was less worried.
Personally I'm not sure what your thoughts are but I do wonder how collectable these will be in years to come. They've had a bit of a resurgence lately because of the latest redesigned SMP pro but they're still fairly cheap considering the pricetag s of the latest ones....and of course the very expensive NTTD version.
The elegance of the Brosnan ones were best in my opinion
I took mine in for a servicing (NYC store) last week and also inquired about the magazine. Got a phone call from them yesterday and they were happy to mail me a copy. As for turn around, they told me 8-12 weeks for a typical servicing.
Not a good experience with this watchmaker, so my other Omega will be serviced somewhere else. If anyone knows a good Omega service center in the Netherlands, please let me know.
Glad to have it back and working. The folks I interacted with did provide excellent customer service, just disappointed I got a watch back with issues.
On a different note. If you email Omega directly, they will ship you a mailer and free shipping label to send your watch in for service. If you do that, they provide a login to their site where they have the details of findings, photos of your watch and status updates including receipt, evaluation, waiting for parts, in progress, etc. I really like that experience over the mystery experience bringing it to an AD where you drop it off and one day they call you to tell you it's ready ( also wonder with the dealers if they are actually sending it to Omega, to a 3rd party, or just handling with internal staff). Sending it direct they also provided a summary of recommended items (full service in my case) and provided price information for optional cosmetic part replacements (new crystal vs polishing, etc.) that you can select. They take payment at that time before they begin service. If you decline all service I believe they just ship the watch back. They do ship all the original parts back in a little bag as well after service. Even though I never plan to sell the watch and the replacements looked identical in my case, Higgins comments did get me thinking about that a little differently - especially since I've since misplaced that bag