Reply With QuoteI'd go STS and let them know exactly what you want.
Guys, I've got an Omega pie-pan Constellation inbound and even though it looks in very good unmolested original condition, it will need a service and perhaps a bit of a tidy up generally (it's on its original steel bracelet too). I'm wondering whether I should be sending it to STS or to Omega at Bienne - what factors should I be bearing in mind here? Quality of the work? Cost? Time? Parts?
Any pointers would be great, and I'm sure would be useful to other folks in similar situations.
I'd go STS and let them know exactly what you want.
It's just a matter of time...
Why send it to either?
Plenty of repairers (myself included) who could sort the watch out for you. Nothing too challenging about one of these, no particular difficulty in refinishing etc. and unless the movement's really poorly it's straightforward to service. I would recommend STS or Bienne for certain Omegas, but not a 'run of the mil' model like this.
My problem at the moment is having too much work to finish .......that's why I`m not offering to do this one unless you don`t mind waiting till February 2013 at the earliest.
I guess there's a 'warm feeling' aspect to sending a watch to Bienne or STS....plus a big hole in the wallet (don't expect change from £400).
Apologies for being cynical, but the obsession with using STS or Bienne for the more humble stuff bugs me a little when there are others out there who can do just as good a job at a fraction of the price.
Paul
Last edited by walkerwek1958; 21st November 2012 at 01:36.
^^^^^
I agree with this bloke.
STS and Bienne are fine if you need impossible to find Omega parts and you like spending a lot of money.
A service and clean up by a good watchie will cost a fraction of what those other places will charge.
Cheers,
Neil.
I agree totally. The only reason to go "OEM" is if they can provide spares that are otherwise not available to independent watch workshops.
We all have to use and encourage our local independents, otherwise they simply won't be there.
D
Paul,Originally Posted by walkerwek1958
Very interesting post - thanks for that. Oddly enough, I would have thought that - say - a renovation of modern Seamaster or something would be something simple enough to do, and that a 60's Constellation with a cal. 564 would actually be much more difficult (due to parts issues, angular surfaces on the watch case, quirks of the less-seen movement etc.)? I'm speaking from a position of perfect ignorance here, of course, but I'd be interested in understanding more about this.
The main reason I'd consider paying more to STS or Omega Bienne is because I'd expect absolutely top-notch work on products they have extensive experience with, and the parts, equipment and training to facilitate that work.
My experience of getting vintage watches repaired is that you get what you pay for, like most things in life.
You pay your money, you take your choice!
I think I'd only look at the Bienne route if I had an overwhelming desire for paperwork (I assume that this, being vintage, doesn't have any). If the service with an independent threw up the lack of an essential spare part then I'd expect them to put the watch back together, return it and not charge me; otherwise they shouldn't have taken on the job.
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
Agree with this. Unless you are very lucky to have a local guy with a stock of old parts.
The benefit of STS & Bienne is a 2 year warranty and correct Omega parts. A £60 service by your local man may include generic parts (glasses etc) which can be ok, but not for everyone.
it all depends on how much the watch cost you in the first place and whether the cost of the service adds value (not necessarily from a resale perspective, by the way) to you.
For some watches, you'll only be happy if you know it went back to the OEM, IMHO. For others, a service by the bloke next door will be fine ;-)
Cheers
Foggy
Yes, regardless of the quality of the work done and two year warranty/paperwork, what quickly adds up is the cost of spare parts that would be all inclusive with an STS or Bienne service, glass, glass gasket, crown, back gasket, date wheel, pushers, movement parts, etc...
The flipside of course is that you can't go to them if you just want your watch to be looked into and spruced up a bit.
Last edited by webvan; 21st November 2012 at 20:46.
Another vote here for a COMPETANT independent. I've never understood the obsession with the STS/Bienne wallet emptyers (unless its a ropey carboot CK2915-1 or suchlike!)
I had a 70's 5513's service rep' hands relumed 'vintage' to match the plots at a small local Rolex AD..........£28!
I got a very cheap STS service but then an ex's uncle used to work there :)
It's just a matter of time...
I`ve spoken to Simon at STS a couple of times; despite their agreement with Omega not to sell parts he's actually very helpful.
I`m not sure what new parts STS include in their 'normal' service quote; however he did tell me that they don`t get 'special rates' on new parts from Omega and he also (contrary to my belief) said they don`t have a big stash of good second hand parts. They charge around £375 for a full service and refinish on a vintage Omega; I think bracelet refinishing is extra. For a watch that doesn`t need parts(other than a mainspring and gasket) that's expensive. However, if several new parts are needed, such as a a rotor, reverser wheel, balance etc it's a bargain....provided they don`t bump the cost up to cover these!
If I come across a vintage Omega that's really poorly (ie needs several expensive parts) I would advise the owner to send it to STS. I haven`t had to do this yet but I`ve sourced second hand parts for one I`m doing at the moment because the owner is working to a very tight budget on it. On the other hand, I have a 1960 Omega cal 268 hand wound 18ct rose gold watch sat on my bench at the moment which has cost only £10 to service; that was for a new mainspring. Throw in a genuine Omega crown and a generic glass (Omega can`t supply a 'genuine' one) and the cost bumps up by another £20. It's a watch I`ve restored to sell, but if I`d serviced it for someone they'd be looking at a service bill (in total) of around £90. Add on £30 to refinish the case and the total comes to £120. However, if the same watch had needed several new parts (or good second hand ones if new aren`t available) that cost could easily have doubled.
As for the previous 'you get what you pay for' comment, I`d take issue with that. He's implying that a full service for (say) £70 can`t possibly be right, and in some cases I`d agree with him. Clearly, in some cases it CAN be right, all depends who you're dealing with and how meticulous/thorough the guy doing the work is.
STS is still the best way forward for some vintage Sports watches which may need dials/handsets/bezels which are hard to source. Despite what I`ve said, STS still seem able to conjour up certain parts that others can`t.
Horses for courses, in my opinion.
Paul
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