A tale of two watches.

[Norman Verona]

I asked on here in February 2012 for a recommendation for a watch repairer for my Omegas.

 

I found someone in Norwich and sent him an email. He implied he was the watch repairer but it turned out he subbed the repairs.

 

So it goes like this.

 

I sent him the De Ville as it had stopped. After a few months it came back and I sent him the Speedmaster which had water in it (only slight, not drowned). 

 

After a few weeks the De Ville stopped again. I had to wait for the Speedmaster to come back before returning the De Ville. No watch to wear, which is like cutting my finger off (wonder why I thought of that metaphor)

 

Speedmaster back and DE Ville sent back. 

 

After a few days I notice the new glass on the Speedmaster has splintered on the inside.

 

I wait for the De Ville to come back and return the Speedmaster. I get a hard luck story that the supplier of the glass and Omega do not want to know about a free replacement so he'll have to pay for it.

 

That was the 3rd December 2012.

 

It came back today.

 

Now, I need to find someone to reseal the DE Ville which is letting in water (very little) and adjust it so it doesn't lose 40 seconds a day.

 

I'm just going to take a picture of these two watches, back soon.

 

OK, back. The black face is the Speedmaster. The stopwatch second and minute hands are at 12 O'clock. The small dial at 6 O'clock is the stop watch hour indicator  and the one at 9 O'clock is the sweep second hand and the 24 hour indicator. The white face is the De Ville with separate dials for stop watch minutes and hours. Seconds are measured by a large sweep hand which rests at 12 O'clock. The dial at 9 O'clock is the sweep second hand. The minute and hour hand can obscure these dials and my eggs will not be done to perfection.

 

[BLiNK Motorsport]

Norman;

 

might be blindingly obvious but why is this posted on the WSCC forum - a better response will be given on a Watch forum??

 

On the other hand (pardon the pun) - just buy a Rolex and the problem will be gone!

[alexander72]

Blink,  I think Norm has posted it on here as there are quite a few horologists on here and he might get a good steer.....

 

on the other hand he could get a casio like mine and have a old westy with the change 

[Norman Verona]

Fraser, posted out of interest as it really is "stuff & nonsense". There was a thread about watches a few days ago.

 

I like Omega, seeing as one is 37 years old, worn all the time (except when I fancy a change and swap over) and is well battered and the other likewise but 10 years old, the odd service isn't to be expected. The problem is finding someone who knows what they're doing with them.

 

James, the sort of knocks these watches take I doubt a Casio would last long.

[ajpearson]

Send them back to omega direct, thats what I do Norman

[jeff oakley]

One of the most highly recommended is Ryte Time www.rytetimewatchrepairs.co.uk/. I had my Emmas repaired there after recommendation and the service was fantastic. He looks and gives a quote followed by warranty on his repairs.

 

Not cheap but everything is done in house.

[Norman Verona]

Aj, there's a huge waiting list for Omega in France. Omega in the UK is the swatch repair centre in Southend. I gave up with them when the Speedmaster went back 4 times because they hadn't zeroed the hands properly.

 

Jeff, I may use them next.

[ajpearson]

Norman, my watch has never been to Southend, gets sent overseas when my gets repair and that is going through an Omega dealer in Cornwall.  It might have been France, but do not remember

[peterm135]

http://www.chealwatch.co.uk/watch_names.htm

 

 

i use this guy norman.

[Norman Verona]

Aj, I took it to the Omega dealer in Nantes who refused to accept it for repair as Omega service in Paris had a 6 month wait before they could accept the watch.

Mind you, in hindsight I should have sent them as it would have been quicker and been done right.

Peter, I've made a note, thanks.

[ajpearson]

Well if you find a good local one then let me know, the Omega needs a new strap

[Wile E. Coyote]

Aj, I took it to the Omega dealer in Nantes who refused to accept it for repair as Omega service in Paris had a 6 month wait before they could accept the watch.

Mind you, in hindsight I should have sent them as it would have been quicker and been done right.

 

Why would the outcome have been any different to the one in the UK?

 

FWIW, after hearing some horror stories about small watch repairers, I wouldn't send mine to anyone other than the manufacturer unless I could take to them it to them in person.

[Norman Verona]

Wilie, I stopped sending it back to Omega in the UK, when we lived in Sheffield. It was going to the Swatch repair centre in Southend. It went back 4 times with a clearly identifiable fault. Maybe they couldn't read but it came back every time exactly the same. I sent it to an Omega specialist who worked from home and it came back fixed. He's since retired.

Omega in France are in Paris and the dealers have to log a repair and send it on a specified date. The current wait is 6 months before it can be sent. As it took 18 months to get the place I sent it to to fix them satisfactorily, had two goes at both, so I've paid 4 lots of postage (not as dear as the UK government ) I would have been better off waiting the 6 months and sending them to Paris.

By the way, in case you're not aware, Omega is owned by Swatch. They have no one there with any experience of Speedmasters (or other Omega watches except the battery models)

Ed to add that the service centre in Paris is still Omega and they have knowledge and experience of the Speedmaster and co-axial watches.

[Wile E. Coyote]

By the way, in case you're not aware, Omega is owned by Swatch. They have no one there with any experience of Speedmasters (or other Omega watches except the battery models)

 

 Was aware of the ownership structure, but given the group owns a few other premium brands it's astonishing if they don't have anyone with any mechanical experience in the UK... but wouldn't entirely surprise me as, from what I've heard from friends, Omega seems to fall into the "not built how they used to be" category.

[Norman Verona]

My newest is 10 years old now, how time flies.

I always wanted a Speedmaster and read that the new one was battery operated. I phoned every dealer in London and eventually found one in Watches of Switzerland in Bond Street. Paid £140 for it. Turns out it's an extremely rare model as they used a case from a seamaster and only made a few hundred of them. Probably had mechanisms and no cases.

That was in 1976.