Here's one I prepared earlier (Vintage Omega content)

[walkerwek1958]

Here's the final touches being put to a watch I`ve owned for around 15 years and hardly worn, a 1950 Omega Seamaster with a solid gold bezel (14ct I think) and gold-capped lugs and crown. I`ve never quite understood this style, sometimes described as gold-topped, and I can`t say it's my favourite, but it has a certain period charm. Almost sold it a couple of times but decided to give it the full treatment and get it properly sorted to keep.

The case work and dial refinish had been done prior to me buying it, not the best dial refinish I`ve seen but still in good condition and not bad enough to justify having it done again. A refinished dial will always be just that, the Omega Forum Originality Snobs will always turn their noses up at watches like this but that bothers me very little.....good luck to them.

After a straightforward stripdown of the movement, correct a couple of problems, fit a new mainspring, the watch was running well. Wear to the centre wheel pivots is present and that makes fitting the hands a bit tricky to avoid hitting each other and the applied batons, but the watch is older than me so I`ll cut it some slack. I gave the case and bezel a light dose of refinishing to get it as right as it can be, I fitted a new glass and a new genuine Omega handset I picked up on ebay recently. Spent around 1hr broaching the hands to fit and trial fitting them....so much for genuine parts! Every time someone tells me that hands can be fitted in 15 minutes I laugh and shake my head.

Final job to be done..........something's obviously not right!



The original stem had been cut and carved in the past, definitely better off replaced and I have a couple in my parts stash. Needless to say it's a bit long! First it needs a rough measurement to work out how much to remove.....measure twice and cut once is the best approach.



I clamp the stem in a wooden movement holder, mark with a marker pen then use the edge of a diamond file to cut most of the excess length away.



After trying the stem and measuring again, it gets closer



Close....but no cigar! Out with the feeler gauge to check how much needs removing, we're now talking about approx 10thou" (0.25mm)


I carefully trim the stem to fit using a flat diamond file plate, 15 strokes takes around 0.1mm off. I cut it them try it a couple of times till I`m happy. Ideally, there should JUST be a tiny gap between the crown and the case to prevent rubbing when the crown's being used, the smaller the gap the better because the crown should fit as snugly as possible.

That'll do for me.....and I`m a fussy bugger


So, how long did this take from start to finish?........approx. 30 minutes. How much should a repairer charge for this work?.........how about 30 minutes at YOUR hourly rate, does that sound about right Doesn`t worry me if it takes 15 minutes or two hours, it takes however long it takes to get it right.

Here's the end result, the watch is running like a good 'un, water resistant to 30M, keeping time to within a couple of seconds/day, and it's just been out for it's first curry after refurbishment! Note the chip of gold plate off the crown and the spec of dirt under the dial, the dirt's been sorted but the chipped crown's staying.....if I twist it downwards I don`t see it! The crown was new a few years ago so I'm loathe to replace it......but maybe I will whilst they're still available.

Paul

[pastrana72]

Love threads like this, thank you for posting.

Great watch.

[Mr Curta]

That looks great, Paul. I appreciate the informative write-up.

[willie_gunn]

What a very attractive watch, and a hugely informative post - particularly the piece about fitting the stem. Lovely work.

I can see Omegas from the 50's to the 70's becoming a bit of an obsession!


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[hopak]

Me too.
I'm so envious of anyone with the skill and knowledge to do this.

[greasemonkey]

what a beautiful watch,love the lugs.i have several omega's from around this period so i am biased.please if you have the time do more threads like this as they make very interesting reading.i have always wondered how you cut down a stem,now i know..