My eBay Purchase Nightmare: The Ugly Truth Behind Vintage Omegas

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[larryfromwisconsin]

It's sort of the same as buying a vintage car. It can fail the day after you buy it and it's no fault of the seller.

[zenitram]

Any time I buy a vintage watch, I always budget the extra money for work on it by a watchmaker. Just in case.

[lonewolfemcquade]

I absolutely 💯 love vintage Omega. Way more than modern Omega. Would love a vintage Omega Mark 3 or a Flight Master

[matrixegg]

What‘s the better deal? Pay for watch winder power supply for decades or get the movement fixed once?

[gregtolley]

I'm currently looking for a 70s TV Omega and it's nuts trying to find one that's in decent shape from a non sketchy source.

[IvMacCuts]

Not arguing here, but a watch winder on a vintage watch is like a new transmission on a vintage car. It'll end up breaking other parts if you don't get a new engine to go along with it.

[inspector]

Thanks for a quick reality check on the vintage watches we love. I've always been on the fence about winders, would like to hear more about them. Lots of opinions on winders, few with the science to back them up.

[harkonen]

Out of about 10 watches I wear, 2 were never serviced (a Casio W-59-1V (seldom worn) and G-Shock GW-7900 (mud resistant solar, practically a ball of plastic and rubber with metal armor bits just in case)). Stuff happens, in the end, the best watches are the ones you *want to* keep running.

Several were broken from the start, but fixed, and work.

[rhgrabowski]

A watch winder, much like a trickle charger for the vintage Porsche that is rarely driven. A wise investment for a great Omega.
Thanks for sharing.

[terjemarken]

I'd go for older Omegas from the 50s and 60s, these movements are better and stronger than the 1000-movements. Back in the 60s labour was still cheap and things were made for lasting. During the 70s (quartz crizis) the watch brands had to save money and produce cheaper movements. I think there's even plastic parts in the 1020 movement.

[JosephCarrion]

I am a watchmaker and have a collection of about 20~24 watches...and yes, in my OWN collection, sometimes a watch goes astray. The only difference between me and regular folk is that I can sort it myself. I love the OMEGA Seamaster1022, it easily will get up to COSC parameters with calibration. Here's a suggestion for day/date complications. Unless you must have the day and date set (pilot, astronaut, wilderness trekker, etc.) just LET IT GO. Eventually I just look to see what watch is already close to the actual day and date and wear that one.

[Jason-hveu]

Hey Joey,

How did the repair go? Did you end up placing it on a winder?

I recently purchased a clean 166.0213.

[UserKR]

Is it as bad as not returning a watch you loaned from Whatawatches?

[darkphotographer]

i think my father had one like this one, a omega from 70is in gold, in think my ant has it some ware after my mother has pass, how much is that worth more or less

[castor]

Insanity. I got a caliber 752 Seamaster just recently and this exact same thing happened to me. Luckily someone gave it to me for a steeldive Willard ( told guy it wasn't a fair trade ). Would love to know what this cost to fix. Been told between $400 - $1000. Other than the date change over it keeps great time and day changes.

[jonjensen]

The cal 1000 series was omega's fall from grace. 500 series are the only way to go when buying a vintage omega.

[theimpaler]

I almost pulled the trigger on a Deville but when I found out how small it was 32mm I got disinterested. Then I get this feeling like I might get a Frankenstein watch or something else I read in all the bad reviews. I guess I will wait longer while I look more.

[Jalas]

Thanks, I almost make the same mistake.

[millivanilli]

How much would a reasonable price be for such a watch?

[voidifremoved]

Have owned many 1020 & 1022 movement Omegas. I stopped purchasing them and sold them off because vintage Omegas are just to fragile. Never had a problem with them but you must treat them as if they have 0 water resistance and the acrylic crystals are not very robust, parts are old and amplitude is always a challenge. You need to be very careful of originality, there are so many franken vintage Omegas that are redialed, replated etc. Its fine to purchase them but you need full transparency.