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Ive used Calibre recently after my local Rolex dealer and service jeweller/watchmaker retired.
https://calibrewatchrepair.com/
Very good service, can’t fault the experience.
Didn’t go to the shop. Used the posted option.
Sends a padded watch case. Fill out the insured form, send it to them before posting. Postage and insurance to get it to you and back included in quoted price.
Right. So that being the case, what’s the issue with Omega servicing their own watches? Or is the parts famine applicable to 3rd party repairs/servicing only?
Pretty much. Imagine you've bought an old BMW but you know the local official dealer is a douche never mind the extortionate hourly rate, but at least you've still got the choice to take it elsewhere for servicing... BMW would very much prefer to restrict supply of parts to independents and lock you in to main dealer servicing as then they could pick a number out of thin air when billing you for parts, but EU courts looked into that and deemed it anti-competitive and therefore illegal.
Same thing with Swatch; They want to force the customer into official servicing at a price that suits them very nicely, and again we've had a court case but this time the court has said that's fine.
There'll be many Swiss watch companies who were following this closely and are now breathing easily again.
Aaah OK. Panic over (not that there was one...). I though there wa World shortage of ETA bits for Omegas and mine would be relagated to box queen's. Happy to have them serviced by Omega themselves.
Thanks also for the Calibre link. Mrs B's Tag needs 'doing' so we'll give them a go.
My Rolex Submariner No Date 14060. I much prefer the no date versions. Think the cyclops is SOOO ugly...
As worn by the King of Cool Steve McQueen (not a 14060 obviously 😀 ) and other style icons.
As worn by the King of Cool Steve McQueen (not a 14060 obviously 😀 ) and other style icons.
You've outstyled them all with your insouciant use of a Nato that's at least 2mm too narrow.
Agree with your opinion on Cyclops'
Disagree with your choice of too narrow, knackered strap!
So I'll go with nice head, rather than nice watch. 😁
If we're doing Christmas gifts can I add the latest addition to my collection?
A stunning IWC gift from Mrs bigG. A Portugieser has been on my wish list for quite some time.
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Thanks for the Calibre recommendation, they've come back with a quote including delivery and a return which is £100 less than Tag.
@gaidong Go for it!
When I got my Sub it was a choice between the Sub No Date and the Sea Dweller
There was very little price difference back then but went for the classic Sub as wanted something more recognisable and sought after.
Hindsight. Wished I’d chosen the Sea Dweller when I had the chance and picked up the Sub later on.
I’d really like a Military Sub with the sword hands
My late father's Omega. Given to him in January 1967 for his 21st. Needed a little work when I inherited it. Now my most treasured watch.
Along side my latest purchase a Timefactors Smith's PRS-29A.
The Omega is a stunner
The Omega is a stunner
It is, and not a million miles different from the aforementioned one I bought off Wally. You've seen this (terrible) photo before but it was some months/pages back. I assume the dial was originally white, but it's got lovely patina now.
I'd like one of those original Omega buckles for it.
Wally is glad you are still enjoying the Omega. It's a very original watch and well over 50 years old. Lovely to see that beautiful strap on it.
New one for me, continuing the Omega theme...
Snide Omega buckles are available on Etsy, eBay, banggood, AliExpress and more.
Love the 70s Seamasters in auto and f300 guises.
In a similar vein to shredder's Smiths, today I had a pang for a Stowa flieger classic
Has anybody any owner experience of Lillenthal watches?
I really like the look of this chronograph model:
50th anniversary Speedy for my 50th?
Can anyone lend me £8000...? Sigh...
@ Kryton57 Just buy it 😀 worry about it later....
Working in an industry where every man and their dog has expensive watches, The Omega Speedmaster Professional is one of the rarities. In fact ive only ever seen 1 Speedy Pro on a wrist in real life.
Probably cos everyone is too lazy to wind it up.....
Rolexes, theyre like a$$holes, everyone has one. Tags abound like Carreras, LOADS of Omega Planet Oceans, IWC Portofino and Portuguesier, Panerai's, JLC Reversos and Master Controls.
Never actually seen anyone else wear a VC or PP in real life. Seen Loads of AP Royal Oak Offshores and Hublot Big Bangs on wrists.
Only ever seen one Tag Heuer Monaco on someones wrist.
50th anniversary Speedy for my 50th?
Nice idea I thought, and I like the muted tones of that dial...
That Speedy is lovely, go on Kryton, do it 😉
@SSS I'm lucky enough to have the 14060M....obvs more face clutter but still a lovely watch. Agreed about cyclops. The Sea-dweller of the time (2009) was simply too big and uncomfortable for my feeble frame!
My Sub is quite battered....rarely gets warn nowadays as a Garmin normally has first dibs!
That Speedy is lovely, go on Kryton, do it
There are 8000 reasons not too, its above my current affordability and not in my spending priorities. I'd have to really love a watch to buy it at that price, I need to keep looking for the holy grail, there's plenty of time - no pun intended!
Contrary opinion - don't do it, the grey looks like they put the primer on and thought "**** it, that'll do" and the astronaut is beyond tacky.
All these things are subjective but Speedies don't do anything for me, and £8k is silly money IMO, unless this is an investment thing.
But then my PPL (psychological price limit) for watches is around £1k...
You’ve outstyled them all with your insouciant use of a Nato that’s at least 2mm too narrow.
A close study of single frames in the first Bond movie shows the three-colour NATO strap fitted was about 2mm too narrow as well. It was Cubby Broccoli’s own watch, that he had Connery wear on set, because he couldn’t blag a free one for product placement, as nobody knew who he was, or what James Bond 007 was all about.
I was reading earlier that Rolex have just bumped up the retail price of their most popular models. Q’el surprise.
That Smiths is a lovely thing. Are they available only at certain times?
I see it's out of stock.
Eddie tends to build a few hundred, release, move on, repeat.
... a Garmin normally has first dibs!
This is why I don't have a smart watch. They make you a slave to the data, so proper watches don't get a look in.
I do wonder if there'll be another 'quartz crisis', (except it'll be a Silicon crisis) when millenials stop buying mechanical watches because Apple watches become the default wrist wear.
I do wonder if there’ll be another ‘quartz crisis’, (except it’ll be a Silicon crisis) when millenials stop buying mechanical watches
Careful what you say about Millenials or else you'll have 'Keeper of the Millenials' @Cougar after you. I got a good telling off yesterday for daring to poke fun at the poor lambs... 😀
Finally ordered a Speedy - have been looking for a while.
2019 Sapphire from Hackett watches - can't wait! Now to find a nice brown leather strap without paying silly money - any suggestions? Watchgecko a good starting point?
Hirsch straps and swap the hardware over - works for me on my breitling. Good quality leather straps.
For straps, if you want to spend the money, Bulang & Sons sell straps made by a fella called 'JPM' - he sells straps at a few places (Hodinkee, etc) - theyre expensive for what they are, but I own two and the leathers they use are second to none. I think a few other places in the UK stock JPM also.
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Here's another one on the theme of Speedmasters and aftermarket things.
I recently picked up a 1450 'Presidential' Homage by Forstner:
https://www.forstnerbands.co.uk/products/forstner-president-1450-bracelet-for-omega-speedmaster?variant=40862517919894
Read about the 1450 bracelet here (and be prepared to go down a rabbit hole of Speedmaster nerdyness:
https://www.fratellowatches.com/omega-speedmaster-376-0822-the-holy-grail/#gref
Some pics of mine:
I've absolutely fallen in love with this bracelet, it's incredibly comfortable and drapes perfectly over the wrist. It gives the Speedmaster a more of a utilitarian feel - one of the issues I always had with the 1861 Speedy was the bracelet, with the polished sections. Putting it on this bracelet has made me fall back in love with the Speedy on a bracelet.
The interesting thing about this bracelet is that it is entirely authentic to the original construction. It comes with solid links, but a pressed buckle. This means it's incredibly lightweight compared to a modern bracelet, which was jarring at first, but i've come to appreciate now I've worn it a bit more.
One day I think I'll try and get one of the current gen speedys, they come with a bracelet which pays homage itself to the 1450 presidential.
But for now, the Speedy is once again fighting the Explorer for wrist time!
Looks like a right rabbit hole! I think I'll be sticking with the Omega Bracelet - the brown strap is something I'd like just to have a change (and differentiate a little it from my 25 year old Seamaster) There are some lovely looking straps - I just need to understand the difference between a £30 strap and a £100 strap!
Will probably look to move on my Seiko Diver now - any suggestions as to a good site (this isn't mean't as a stealth ad!)
£8k sounds cheap now...
They make a good point, I love the current gen speedmasters and the details they have in the watches, but it is a massive shame they're now over £5k. The £3k pricepoint was perfect for your first luxury 'heavy hitter' watch with ultimate bang for buck.
Unsure thats as true at £5,000. Lots out there for that money.
SSS
Only ever seen one Tag Heuer Monaco on someones wrist.
You've seen two now, I bloody love my Monaco.
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£8k for a Speedy is quite expensive to be fair.... Id probably go for a used one about £2-3k myself.
On a completely different tangent... I have quite a few 70-80s casio modules.
Casio AE-21W TwinGraph II
Needs a battery tho.
Which was used by the 7th Doctor Who as a pocket watch 😀
