Omega Co-axial Service Costs

[dkpw]

Hi,

A couple of questions for the Omega owners out there, as I'm factoring in service costs on a potential purchase for a slightly older Omega with a 2500 co-ax movement.

1. Would you trust an independent with a co-ax?
2. What sort of costs would we be looking at for a full service including some cosmetic tarting up, either from Omega or an indie such as STS?

Thanks for all and any advice.

David

[MR T]

Omega now have service prices on their website:

http://www.omegawatches.com/customer-se ... ice-prices

Hope this helps, as far as I know it is worth getting serviced at an approved centre such as TSG or STS as the coaxial escapement is reliant on specific cleaning and lubrication to work effectively, so the repair needs to be done to Omega's specifications

[Omegamanic]

Omega, or STS for me - despite the horror stories of some. I would hand over the watch and they would only be handing it back once it was to my satisfaction - it's a fairly modern movement, so I have no issues in taking a new watch if they completely mess it up ;)

[dkpw]

Thanks for that link Mr. T most helpful and refreshingly inexpensive compared to Rolex prices we've recently seen discussed. I wonder if they consider a 2500 co-ax to be a current calibre.

@Omegamanic, I have suffered the vagaries of Omega's service delays before, although to be fair they did manage to regulate a new Speedy down from +24 to +5 without damaging it. :D

[angeche]

If I recall well, the co-axial is regulated moving the tiny screws in the balance wheel. I doubt any independent has either the knowledge or the tools to service it.....

[glazba]

If I recall well, the co-axial is regulated moving the tiny screws in the balance wheel. I doubt any independent has either the knowledge or the tools to service it.....

Any freesprung watch from the past hundred (or two, my history is getting dusty!) years is regulated in the same manner. I think the harder problem with regulation is that older watch timing machines don't understand what they're listening for with Co-Axial escapements and just get confused, leaving the watchmaker with little choice but to leave it on test like in the old days.

I'd imagine an authorised centre wouldn't have this trouble as they're probably required to own certain tools in order to stay an authorised repairer.

[angeche]

If I recall well, the co-axial is regulated moving the tiny screws in the balance wheel. I doubt any independent has either the knowledge or the tools to service it.....

Any freesprung watch from the past hundred (or two, my history is getting dusty!) years is regulated in the same manner.

Yes, you are right: my old pocket watches do have screw in the balance wheel....

[walkerwek1958]

If I recall well, the co-axial is regulated moving the tiny screws in the balance wheel. I doubt any independent has either the knowledge or the tools to service it.....

The tool is available from Cousins for around £60. Fairly easy to regulate once you have this item....provided you're experienced with working on watch movements. Serious risk of a costly slip, so you have to be careful.

I don`t think there are any major pitfalls in servicing the co-axial 2500. Not sure about the lubrication procedure for the escapement but I know a man who'll share the info with me.

As for the correct lubricant, this shouldn`t be a problem. Easy to find out what to use, then buy it.

Re. the timing machine issues, I`ve used one on a co-axial I owned without problems. I think the microphone has to be fairly sensitive if I remember rightly and the watch has to be firmly gripped.

I intend to get set up to service them eventually.

Not sure about the latest versions but I guess there won`t be a major difference.

Paul

[744ER]

If I recall well, the co-axial is regulated moving the tiny screws in the balance wheel. I doubt any independent has either the knowledge or the tools to service it.....

The tool is available from Cousins for around £60. Fairly easy to regulate once you have this item....provided you're experienced with working on watch movements. Serious risk of a costly slip, so you have to be careful.

I don`t think there are any major pitfalls in servicing the co-axial 2500. Not sure about the lubrication procedure for the escapement but I know a man who'll share the info with me.

As for the correct lubricant, this shouldn`t be a problem. Easy to find out what to use, then buy it.

Re. the timing machine issues, I`ve used one on a co-axial I owned without problems. I think the microphone has to be fairly sensitive if I remember rightly and the watch has to be firmly gripped.

I intend to get set up to service them eventually.

Not sure about the latest versions but I guess there won`t be a major difference.

Paul

The oiling points and amounts are different on the different versions of the co-axial. You need to do it under a microscope too. Not hard if you know how, as you said. But you wont be able to buy any movement parts unless you have the parts account and training.

Witschi watch expert 2 and above with the Spe1 program can be used to time the co-axials.

[walkerwek1958]

I`d heard that Omega were restricting parts supply for the latest versions; does this apply to the older 2500 too?

Paul

[744ER]

I`d heard that Omega were restricting parts supply for the latest versions; does this apply to the older 2500 too?

Paul

Yes you cant even buy a gasket from Omega now unless you have 100m pressure tester etc etc. If they havent done it in the UK yet they will soon. I believe you always needed to have co-axial training from omega to be able to buy parts to the escapement though.