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gemini4
··Hoarder Of Speed et aliaWhen is the next Cheyenne gtg?
Speedmaster chronograph fails at 59 seconds & stops watch
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ossfm
·GTG = get together. It's a meet up do guys can talk and show off watches. I think it would be fun, but I've never been to one either. I live in a rather small town.
Regarding your watch, I think that is a pretty good price. However, at this point it is hard to say what other service might be needed. Some other parts might need to be replaced too.
If you put in $600 in service, you'll have a watch that is good to go for about the same price as another one.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
Regarding your watch, I think that is a pretty good price. However, at this point it is hard to say what other service might be needed. Some other parts might need to be replaced too.
If you put in $600 in service, you'll have a watch that is good to go for about the same price as another one.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerPerhaps an issue with the hammer spring that advances the minute sub register.??
The hammer spring doesn't advance the minute recorder. There is a small finger on the central chronograph runner that does that. The hammer spring is what forces the hammer on the heart shaped cams to reset all the hands. The issue here is that there is simply not enough power in the movement, even at full wind, to keep the watch running under the additional load of the minute recorder tripping. This is because the watch needs servicing badly - lack of service leads to more friction, less power reaching the balance, and lack of power to handle the extra load of the minute recorder flipping.
There are some non omega certified watchmakers that will service more mainstream movements for $150-$200. The key though is finding someone whom you trust.
I would personally not trust someone who charges $150-200 for servicing an automatic chronograph, but YMMV...
I'm afraid this is not going to be an inexpensive service, and if the OP wants to keep the watch all original, it will require a watchmaker with access to Omega parts. If you look at this photo, that I've cropped:
You will see some marks on the rotor where I have added the upper red arrow, and this shows wear on the Côtes de Genève decoration. This is from a worn rotor bearing - lower red arrow. If the OP looks inside the case back, there will likely be evidence of the rotor rubbing. This video shows before and after with a worn bearing and a replacement rotor:
Unlike in a "normal" 7750, the bearing in the Omega movements is not easily replaced. On a regular 7750, a collar is removed and the bearing simply falls out, and can easily be replaced. For example like on the Panerai 7750 based movement I just finished recently:
On the Omega 7750's, the rotor bearing is burnished in place. Rather than exchange the bearing, typically the entire rotor is replaced, and those are a couple of hundred dollars on their own. In addition, given this level of wear (neglect), I would expect a number of other parts in the movement to be worn - most are not terribly expensive to replace. However, sometimes in cases where the watch has been worn for a long time without service the post on the automatic winding bridge can wear, requiring the entire bridge to be replaced - again another couple of hundred dollars.
You will also need access to Omega parts for that part, as again it's different than the regular 7750 part. You can use regular 7750 parts in both these instances if you like, but IMO then you would have a franken watch to many collectors. Note that since the case back has been opened, it will need a new case back seal to be fully water resistant again, as those are hard plastic seals that are one use only seals.
You might still be further ahead to keep this, but just make sure you choose a watchmaker who can do the work properly, and has access to the right parts. Hope this helps.
Cheers, Al
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WYO_Watch
·If the OP looks inside the case back, there will likely be evidence of the rotor rubbing.
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WYO_Watch
·@Archer Thanks again for your detailed write up - I took the back off and still didnt see any deep rub marks. But I believe I can see a circle where the plate may be rubbing.
After putting my tweezers on the rotor - I definitely saw/felt as much movement as displayed in your video. Watch is off now to curb any more damage being caused. I guess today I get to wear this gem
After putting my tweezers on the rotor - I definitely saw/felt as much movement as displayed in your video. Watch is off now to curb any more damage being caused. I guess today I get to wear this gem
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerYes, that is the mark you will see - it's been rubbing on the inside of the case back for sure.
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ossfm
·Are you from Wyoming too?
To @Archer 's points above: no one in my small town will service a mechanical watch. The one jeweller who would even talk about more than a battery change said he would box it and send it to NY for me. Well, I can do that and cut out the middle man. There is a larger town about 30 minutes away. I found several there that service a mechanical watches. They were comfortable with time-only watches and perhaps a day-date complication.
At the time I had an issue with my Speedmaster from 1969 with a 861 movement. No one in the larger town would service it. They said it was way too complicated for them. I appreciated their honesty and keeping out of a situation that could only get worse if they tore into the movement without the knowledge or access to parts.
I went to Charlotte NC for another reason last summer. I made a custom google map of 5 different places that would service mechanical watches. I found one place out of the five which I believe to be a good service shop. There are 2 watchmakers on staff (I know, wow! they have enough business to support 2). Both of them are Swiss or German judging by their names and accents. I handed them my Speedmaster. They said they service them all the time. They have a standard price list including the Speedy. A tear down, clean and reassemble with oiling started at $750. If repairs are needed, it goes up from there. I also asked about servicing a 1966 Constellation with the 564 movement and date complication. One of the guys piped up and said "Is that the 564 movement? If so, that is what I trained on." Service starts at $500 for that one due to the age.
Now I have not availed myself of their services yet. I may this year. I say all the above to get to this point. I think Archer is right. This watch is probably going to require service costing in excess of $1000. I'm guessing the seller knew that. That was the reason for selling the watch for such a low price ($700 for a Speedmaster automatic reduced if i read correctly).
Perhaps it is time to send the watch back and get your money back. Chalk this up to experience. I think you'll end up spending more than you really wanted to on this one. Keep this in mind the next time you go to buy a vintage/used watch.
One of the first lessons, that has to be relearned often at least for me, is that there is always another watch. Trust me, there will be other watches that come along and meet your desires. You don't have to settle fro this one.
All of this is my opinion. I've been in this hobby for just over a year. I wish you good luck and again, let us (or at least me) know what happens.
Mike
PS: I think that Caravelle looks nice, even though I know nothing about them.
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WYO_Watch
·PS: I think that Caravelle looks nice, even though I know nothing about them.
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WYO_Watch
·Update: Sent the seller a few emails detailing the problem and told him I would be willing to return it or get a partial refund towards getting it fixed. After 4 days of no response, I opened up a dispute. Still no response to previous emails or to the dispute. I have 6 days before I can escalate the dispute which I plan on doing.
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nygiants
·Check it with a reputable watch repair shop...doesn't have to be omega
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kkt
·Any update? Any luck getting a refund or locating a watchmaker? If you'll have to ship the watch anyway, I guess you could chose anywhere in the US.
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WYO_Watch
·Any update? Any luck getting a refund or locating a watchmaker? If you'll have to ship the watch anyway, I guess you could chose anywhere in the US.
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adi4
·So on the last day before I could escalate the claim on PayPal he offered me a partial refund. No messages through PayPal, no replies to my emails, nothing - so I took the money and ran. Sold it on eBay and bought another watch. The guy who bought it is super excited because he doesn't care about the chronograph function and was told by an Omega rep (supposedly) that it didn't necessarily need immediate serving.
Strange behavior on the seller's part, as well as the new owner. I guess as long as the state of it was disclosed, it's all good. Sounds like a relatively cheap/free lesson on what to watch out for!
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WYO_Watch
·Sounds like a relatively cheap/free lesson on what to watch out for!
To your previous point, yes it was disclosed. It is funny how such a disappointing watch experience for me turned into such a joy for him.
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kkt
·Wow, that turned out surprisingly well. Amazed that an Omega rep told your buyer that wouldn't require a service. 🤨
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Angelo_Barone
·If the watch keeps time and sounds "strong" when wound, then it's just an adjustment on the chronograph second hand wheel spring that tips the intermediate minute counting wheel. Not a big deal but it may be hard to find a watchmaker who will just make the adjustment. You don't even need to remove the second to do it. Vary easy.
I repair chronograph land all the time. The 7750 is one of the best made movements of all time.
I repair chronograph land all the time. The 7750 is one of the best made movements of all time.
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerIf the watch keeps time and sounds "strong" when wound, then it's just an adjustment on the chronograph second hand wheel spring that tips the intermediate minute counting wheel.
If you are suggesting that the finger is bent to such a degree that it is jamming on the minute counter driving wheel, that is unlikely. The finger would have to be bent to such a degree that it would be difficult to explain how that happened - the finger can get out of adjustment slightly, but I've never seen one so far out that it jammed the watch. Someone would have had to get in there and physically bend it to get a severe enough bend to cause it to jam and stop the watch. So people know what is being referred to (your photo isn't the best) here is a video of the finger flipping the minute counter correctly via the minute counter driving wheel:
Given the evidence of the movement's condition that can be seen in the photos, the more likely reason is that the watch needs a full service, and that lack of power is the reason the watch is stopping when the load of indexing the minute counter is added. If you are a watchmaker you already know that timing and the listening to a movement are not really very good diagnostic approaches, all this is moot now that the watch has been sold on...
Cheers, Al
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Angelo_Barone
·If you are suggesting that the finger is bent to such a degree that it is jamming on the minute counter driving wheel, that is unlikely. The finger would have to be bent to such a degree that it would be difficult to explain how that happened - the finger can get out of adjustment slightly, but I've never seen one so far out that it jammed the watch. Someone would have had to get in there and physically bend it to get a severe enough bend to cause it to jam and stop the watch. So people know what is being referred to (your photo isn't the best) here is a video of the finger flipping the minute counter correctly via the minute counter driving wheel:
Given the evidence of the movement's condition that can be seen in the photos, the more likely reason is that the watch needs a full service, and that lack of power is the reason the watch is stopping when the load of indexing the minute counter is added. If you are a watchmaker you already know that timing and the listening to a movement are not really very good diagnostic approaches, all this is moot now that the watch has been sold on...
Cheers, Al
It's all good! Two quick points.
: we don't know the history? Right? Recently serviced/not serviced? I don't know.....
I can almost guarantee you that one of two things are the problem when the watch stops at exactly at 58,59 seconds mark.
1. Not adjusted correctly. The 7750 is a tank it takes a lot to stop it.....
Or
2.need cleaning.
#1 is more likely
This is what I know without seeing the watch.
Anyway if you get stuck with a watch problem just ask. I'm a good problem solver.
Peace