Originally Posted by
walkerwek1958
Here's my advice:
Get both serviced and sorted out. It's likely that they won`t be running very well, and it's also likely that neither will be water-resistant. Replacement glasses, seals and possibly crowns (might get away with an O-ring) should restore water resistance to a practical level ie wearable and able to withstand immersion in shallow water. That's enough for most people. It's better to keep water out rather than get them wet and then start putting the damage right.
The gold-bracelet watch would probably be more wearable on a strap. No need to pay silly money, I`m a big fan of Cousins straps at a few££££ each. I`d also go for modern-style genuine Omega buckles at around £20 rather than something off ebay which is likely to be fake. Buying 'Omega' straps is a pointless waste of money for stuff like these; no-one knows what the original strap was like so anything supplied with Omega's name on will be simply that.....a replacement strap with Omega stamped on and a big price. A £6 strap can be used and it'll look fine, Cousins do some 'Omega-style calf' at this price and they're virtualluy identical to what Omega offer; I use them all the time.
Both movements will benefit from a new mainspring and a thorough stripdown/clean/relube. The older one may have issues with the rotor bush/axle, but that can be fixed. It could also have problems with the auto-winding (reverser) which can also be fixed but it costs a bit more. I can usually get these movements running pretty well, even if they're worn (most are).
As from the end of 2015, Omega parts will be much harder to come by and less people will be offering to service them. Might be worth doing something about it before then.
As for values, it's hard to say without looking carefully. The older one will be around £250-£350, the newer one a little less.
Paul
Paul