Vintage omega stopping

ponch10 · Jan 31, 2020

Hi All,

I would like to gather your opinions on the following. Last month I have got a 60 years old omega from my father (it is his own). It's a mechanical dress watch, I am unsure of the calibre, but sure of the age.
This watch has been serviced, or at least clean by an independent watchmaker 2-3 years ago, and it has not been worn much since.

I have been wearing it very sporadically myself, and I noticed that while it keeps usually perfect time and the power reserve is about 30 hours, every once in a while, on the second or third consecutive day of usage, it seems to stop, even if fully wound in the morning. The full wind is confirmed by the fact that if I try to rewind it once stopped, it only does 4-5 turns (instead of the 15-20 for a full wind).

Are vintage watches required to get their cogs and mechanism going for a while before expecting full reliability, or if they work, they should always work?

Gumby992 · Jan 31, 2020

I take it this is a manual wind watch. You can check to see if it will keep running by itself (without wearing it). Ensure the watch is fully wound and then set it down and note how long it runs. If it is well short of what would be expected for a full wind then clearly something is amiss. Wearing it and trying to judge what's happening may just cloud the issue as the extra impetus from movement may be complicating the matter.

It does sound like a watch that needs servicing, despite that it may have been serviced not that long ago. The service history you relate is not definitive. Movements that want to stop are telling you that something is wrong - it may simply be that it is struggling to overcome friction due to being dirty and/or insufficiently lubricated. Of course, there could be other specific issues, but you're unlikely to know short of having a good watchmaker look at the watch.

Dan S · Jan 31, 2020

It would be better to have more information about the watch, the OP is very short on details. However, 30 hours is really not an acceptable power reserve for an Omega movement from 1960. Of course, without photos we really can’t verify any of the information provided.

ponch10 · Feb 3, 2020

Hi All,

As I said in the original post is a mechanical and not an automatic watch. By leaving it on the desk it runs in excess of 30 hours, keeping excellent time. The odd stopping happens if I rewind it for 2-3 days in a row.

So there isn't such a warm-up period thing, is it?

Also, would you suggest going official Omega with this? They intend to charge £450 which I don't think is worth it.
Pic of the watch below.

Sergeant Major · Feb 3, 2020

ponch10 said:
Hi All,

As I said in the original post is a mechanical and not an automatic watch. By leaving it on the desk it runs in excess of 30 hours, keeping excellent time. The odd stopping happens if I rewind it for 2-3 days in a row.

So there isn't such a warm-up period thing, is it?

Also, would you suggest going official Omega with this? They intend to charge £450 which I don't think is worth it.
Pic of the watch below.

View attachment 14837235

Do you consider it a family heirloom to keep passing on? If yes I would go to Omega. If not, find a nice watchmaker with vintage experience.

Gumby992 · Feb 3, 2020

"Mechanical" does not necessarily indicate a manual-wind watch. Both manual-winds and automatics are mechanical watches. Using accepted terms can avoid misinterpretation.

No, the stopping you mention is not in any way a normal issue for a watch in good condition and properly serviced.

I would look for a good independent watchmaker. You don't really know the state of service.

fourthirteen · Feb 3, 2020

Its an heirloom and a great-looking hi-quality watch that should run reliably so a servicing should take care of that. And you should be able to find a local person that works on them.

Dan S · Feb 3, 2020

Normally I would have an independent watchmaker service/repair a watch like this, but perhaps not the same watchmaker that performed the previous service.

Vintage omega stopping

ponch10

Gumby992

Dan S

ponch10

Sergeant Major

Gumby992

fourthirteen

Dan S

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