absolutely fantastic finish, what a result! vintage Omega is something I'm very interested in, hope to one day own a Constellation or a Seamaster of this era. It's a shame someone along the line glued the dial and left so many marks on the movement, but also amazing to see the balance hairspring and the delicacy of your work - for something of this age it's so cool to see it able to be fixed... with things being so disposable now, watches remain a bastion of history and human ingenuity. love it! keep growing those nose hairs, my man
My father gave me his first communion Seamaster, from 1956 I believe. Looks just like this one. It was in really bad shape, he had worn it recklessly for more than 20 years. I had it repaired "at the best of your abilities" by Omega in Switzerland a few years ago. It is a heirloom after all. 810€ total, and a little bag of vintage used parts came back with the watch. It looks pretty much brand new with a vintage dial, and runs at +2''/day. Not waterproof anymore, so I skip dishwashing with it.
What a masterpiece of a description of the British skin! And when they go on vacation for several weeks, the spectacle repeats itself week after week.- I admire your unagitated way of narration. Cheers PS: I have the feeling that the dial becomes cleaner just by staring at it, I could observe this myself in your video.
Stian, you did another masterful job in restoring this piece while preserving its well-used character. The movement seemed to have been a bit abused previously with an inordinate amount of scratching like an earlier watchmaker trapped a cat in it. On the other hand, there did not appear to be any evidence of water intrusion, which was quite remarkable for a watch of such heavy use and age. A true heirloom.
Great restoration work Stian and particularly interesting for me as I have an early 1953 Seamaster bumper with sweep seconds hand. It has a small brown mark where the luminous paint burnt the dial but hey, its all part of its history. BTW I'm from Britain and I loved your observations on our strange sun worshipping procedures.
My dad has worn an early Seamaster ('53 or '54, I can't remember) pretty much every day since the mid 70's when his grandfather gifted it to him. It was gone a few months in the 90's when it underwent some major surgery/repair, and again in the early 2000's when the case got repairs and 'refinished'. I don't think he's ever owned another watch as an adult. It's case is still pretty beat up, and the dial is rough. But, he loves that thing, and I can't imagine seeing him without it. He's promised it to my boy (7 years old) when he's 'old enough'. Amazing that a 70 year old mechanical device can be worn daily for thousands of days with only routine maintenance and a handful of major services. Probably not worth much monetarily considering the wear, but truly an heirloom that will be in the family forever. I've been looking for a similar vintage example to add to my collection. Quite a few of then are in similar shape to my dad's... and probably share a similar life story. That's a testament to the quality put into these watches when new.
@@jonathonschram3429 That is wonderful, they really are very hard wearing and timeless watches which still look very at home compared with modern watche. I haven't owned mine as long as you dad has but it feels like an old friend when I wear it.
I bet the person that glued the dial face to the movement was very proud of themselves. They probably where like screws who needs screws it's perfect never mind the next next guy who works on the watch. Amazing job getting it apart with out scratching up the movement. Thanks for sharing 👍.
My apologies up front...the rapid extraction method of removing the mainspring made me laugh out loud to the point where I startled my dog! Brilliant work as always. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Welcome back Stian. And what a treat you have again given us, so thank you very much. Here is what I have been thinking about lately: in watches we have bridges and cocks. The latter term should be replaced with "piers". As James Joyce wrote in his masterpiece Ulysses, a pier "is a disappointed bridge". Isn't that most fitting?
Wow, so impressive! Several very delicate operations involved in this restoration. You made that septuagenarian run like a sprightly teenager again! Applause to the surgeon! I particularly liked your point about older movements having more robust parts owing to a change in "the business model". Great reason to seek out a vintage watch.
Lovely restoration work Stian great to see that there is no trouble in paradise. Keep well from New Zealand we have that usual English summer weather downunder cool and wet at the moment.
Ein Mega-Video. Großartig !!! Ich habe noch nie so ein halbautomatisches Uhrwerk gesehen. Fantastisch mit wie viel Liebe das Werk restauriert wurde.😋💓👍
Such excellence in handling that hairspring. I’ve been learning watch repair on old movements (1950’s) for about 1 year now and I’m still struggling to make those adjustments. Simply brilliant-I learn so much watching these videos. Thanks
I finished up a Omega 351 Bumper movement which is essentially this movement but with a center seconds hand. It too had the bridle in the mainspring barrel.
Watch dials: Before, the Merusa watch dial factory in Biel (Switzerland) made a lot of them for Omega and also had the printing plates. They moved the factory to the nearby suburb of Brügg but later got bankrupt, at least in Switzerland. I'm not shure if they didn't go to Mauritius or some similar places. Stettler sapphire crystals already are in Mauritius for many decades and produce the original crystals for the Rado Swiss Watch. Swiss? On the island of Mauritius, they earn $ 100 per month, a little less than in Switzerland.
The rapid extraction method for a mainspring was a textbook example. Masterfully executed. I've been there my friend. In all seriousness, it is not an if but a when rapid extraction happens to all of us. Thank you for the jokes and the reminder that this should be fun. Keep up the amazing work.
As a pasty Brit myself, I can't help pass comment on your analysis of British reactions to the warm weather, which is pretty much 100% accurate, I'd say.
Hello Stian - Tony here. Another fascinating and informative video, thank you ! So here are my comments: First off, this Omega is a real classic beauty and reminds me very much of a watch (Rodania, 17 jewel incabloc) that I was given when I was 7 years old (my first watch) - I'm now 60 and I still have it. Aside from the Montrose you are aware of, the Rodania is next on my wish list for maintenance - if you'll consider it, of course! At 5:32 and 29:39, there are close-ups of the barrel bridge and, I noted the Omega logo with a number 344. What is that? Also, I very much appreciated the usual commentary with those spectacular close-ups (10:43, 30:45 and 33:30) - really very helpful to us folks that are following your references and then seeing the actual shot. I very much enjoyed your sense of fun in the "Rapid barrel extraction" event... (11:56-12:10) and could hear your murmuring at 11:59... 😉. In terms of question - you probably covered this in another video, but you please explain what exactly the oil in the jewel holes accomplishes, practically? Ok... so that's it from me - look forward to your comments. Great video production and, I am very much in awe of your skill in this craft. Keep it up!
Hello Tony, thanks for watching! 344 is the number of the movement, thus Omega caliber 344. And I was actually a bit surprised I didn't swear when that hairspring took off, but I'm pretty much in the zone when working, so I generally stay calm :) The oil in the jewel holes provides gentle lubrication of the pivots, so that the friction of them rotating against the jewel is minimized. That helps the watch runs better and prevents wear. Your Montrose will be featured in the pretty near future!
Another great job Stian. I recently bought a similar Seamaster bumper (but with center seconds) and can't wait to see it serviced and cleaned. I was unsure how to deal with the bumper but now you showed me how, thanks!
Bloody brilliant as usual sir. I always learn something and get both inspired and relaxed by watching your vids, and always laugh too. That's a pretty great combination. 😄 And on top of that we get a really nice watch ready for the next few decades of its history.
We get a ton of European tourists here where I live in Florida. Mid 90s to 100 degrees is the normal in late spring through September/October. We get a lot of "lobster people" here just like you said. Bright pink to bright red, usually slathered in aloa and sunburn cream. But we are grateful for the dollars they spend no matter what color they turn into.
I am a 1949 person and my stainless Seamaster is also a 1949. I am starting to get a little worse for my wear, but my beautiful old Seamaster on my wrist is still in basically perfect condition. It has been mine for about 45 years, and I wear it every day.
Another first class job, your macro photography is of a very high standard. I have two Zenith bumper movements cal.133.8 and the more rare date version cal.71, once fully wound on the wrist one does not feel any “bumps “
Good to see you in action & on form once again , had me laughing out loud on a few occasions ,must admit iv'e never heard of the mother-daughter saying before but hey whatever you can get away with . Great job on giving this handsome fella a new lease of life . Oh ..yes the heat in the UK has been toasty to say the least but i can't complain too much as the cold ,wet , dark & miserable weather seems to be around for a damn site longer .
The adjustment of the beat error on this Omega bumper automatic is enlightening! I wonder if my father’s 1950 Cortébert bumper automatic movement CAL 451 could be adjusted as well!
Well Stian I do enjoy your videos, apart from the usual brilliant watch work and calm narration throughout I particularly thought your description of us brits and our weather was particularly spot on, made me chuckle . Best wishes.
Thanks, David! I worked in the UK for a few years and got my degree from the British Horological Institute, so I feel I can mock the British a bit with good conscience 😉 I am certainly one of the bright red sunbathers myself though!
What a beautiful old watch, great to have as a birth year watch. Always in awe of your work, Stian.. Another great restoration of a classic. Love your little quips too, like when using the cleaner saying ..while 'marinating'.. Made me laugh. Thanks for the journey...Kudos
What a surprise! I have a 1954 Omega Seamaster with this same 344 movement. Case is 14K and the dail is a champagne color w/ gold markers. Recently had it serviced. It still runs fine about 7+ sec/day. Omega has some of the nicest looking movements. Thanks for the interesting video.
I moved to Portugal from UK to avoid the heat. Great comedic value in this one Stian. I especially like your new quick mainspring removal method. Cheers, Howard
Love the mother and daughter joke.. brings back bad memories! Our pine seeds in the us are digested by goats.. anyway another awesome video and I learned something once again!! Thanks for posting.
On the topic of the English summer; I went to a country pub for the midday "session" then went back to the cottage garden and fell asleep in the sun. When I awoke I was suffering from something akin to sunstroke. My headache was such that if I had been forced to have access to a gun (Swiss style), I would have used it to stop the pain in my brain.
Glad to see you back Stian, and with a great video too! I have a 1948 Seamaster 600, or so the man told me, so this was of special interest to me, but it was interesting to watch your adjustment of the hair spring and beat error. Did the smoothing out of the hairspring cure the beat error or was it necessary to move the stud to correct that? Great cinematography by the way! I feel for you European folk having a heat wave. I know what that’s like as summer days here are all at least 104 F. You get used to it :-). Cheers,
Hello Randy, I thought about that after posting the video that I didn't really make clear why it's important that the hairspring develops uniformly. The reason is that the positional accuracy will vary much more and there's a greater chance the hairspring will touch either other coils or the center wheel.
I have found, from personal experience, that rapid spring removal is rarely a time saver for me. You sir, made it look like an easy procedure 😉. Great video and lovely watch. Appreciate the inspiration and you sharing your craft, thank you.
Another great video - the first bumper automatic movement I’ve ever seen. Fascinating. BTW Billy Connolly describes Scottish people as having blue-white skin. We get even less sunshine than our English brothers.
Hi Tiaan, thank you again for a great video. Please continue doing the commentary as it helps to understand the process. I enjoy your continued jokes. I look forward to your next one. Regards Mark, South Africa.
I suspect the residue might be some vapor that offgassed from the curing glue. I've noticed super glue leaves a frosty haze around where it is applued under some conditions.
Love you commentary and technique of quick extraction of MS, but really interested in dial cleaning solution. May I know of the chemistry? Dials are such a pain. Thanks
This was a hilarious video to watch. Who knew watch restoration could be so entertaining? I also loved your description of British tourists - here in Australia, we have no shortage of them going around in summer, looking like cooked lobsters.
A rather sweeping statement regarding UK citizens which I know was made for comic effect, but it's a good job I'm a loyal follower. Love the sound of the massive metal objects falling into the cleaning solution.
Oh yes, sweeping statements are fun :) I've worked for years in the UK and have my degree from there so I feel close enough to the Brits that I can make some friendly fun of them 😉 And yes, that description could be applied to Nordic people as well!
@@VintageWatchServices don't worry, I'm not massively upset. 😉 You'll still be the one to service my father's Jaeger LeCoultre if I can persuade my brother to let me have it. 👍
Hi Stian. At 20:46 when you are cleaning the pivots, can you please explain the use of the piece of wood you're using? Are you jamming the pivots into the wood, making a hole? (Surely not!) Thank you! Also, as a pale / pinkish Brit who has just suffered through that 40C heatwave, I can confirm that I did indeed lose several layers of skin when I foolishly ventured outside for a few moments just after sunrise on Sunday. However, staying indoors for the next 48 hours with the blackout curtains closed meant that I managed to avoid worse damage. I'm pleased to say that it was a bit rainy here today, so we're getting back to normal at last.
Hello Paul, I can honestly say that as a Norwegian I would have succumbed to the heat had I not had airconditioning in my workshop... :) Yes, I'm jamming the pivots into the wood, but this isn't the most solid of woods, it's so-called pithwood. It's very soft and great for cleaning pivots!
I wish I had the funds to restore my dad's square omega constellation. He bought it new and wore the hell out of it. Never took it off his wrist even after he cracked the acrylic crystal. Dial is now green instead of silver and the case back screws are rusted in place. The movement is no doubt rusty too.
It looks perfect with that strap. Thanks for posting. I've been stuck home with covid for a week, and I guess I could be using the time for watchmaking, but even with a mild case it's hard to concentrate on anything because all I want to do is sleep.
Thanks Stian for another great video! This Englishman escaped the hot weather and went on a Norwegian cruise! What was the dial cleaning fluid? Lovely job!
I've noticed that the older watches (like this one) have all the balancing screws around the edge, while newer ones have none. Is this because they got better at making the balance balanced from the get go?
A movement that was robust and dependable despite its simplicity. My grandfather had a similar one and I got to inherit it after he died. But unfortunately it was stolen. I have missed it.
Interesting Stian, you don't peg throught the hole of the jewel, I guess your Elma cleaning machine is so good so you dont have to, correct? Thank you for showing this Omega, it's a great help for me!
Hello Watcheyes, maybe I wasn't entirely clear with what I said; what I mean is that the main objective with pegging the jewel holes is to remove any old crud, and mostly this will be in the oil sink. If the watch is very cruddy, I'll sometimes use a smoothing broach to make sure the actual hole sides are also squeaky clean. Nice growth of your channel, btw!
@@VintageWatchServices Hello Stian, Yes I could follow that. Aha, doing with a smoothing broch was a very clever idea, never thought about it, makes it easier so you don't have to sharpen pegwood many times during cleaning. Yes I got a bit lucky with my latest video :), thank you for answering, have a good day! /Josef
@@Watcheyes A bit lucky perhaps but also a great video! I was like "what?" when I saw the 1.5M views on your video, but as I said before I think you have some of the best videography online 💪I will btw send you an email for something different 😉
@@VintageWatchServices ohh glad you liked it, I've learnt alot from your work here so a big thanks to you! Haha yes, I was quite chocked when it passed 100k so :D. Glad you like my videograhpy, trying to make it look better for every video. Do so :) Have a good day /Josef
absolutely fantastic finish, what a result! vintage Omega is something I'm very interested in, hope to one day own a Constellation or a Seamaster of this era. It's a shame someone along the line glued the dial and left so many marks on the movement, but also amazing to see the balance hairspring and the delicacy of your work - for something of this age it's so cool to see it able to be fixed... with things being so disposable now, watches remain a bastion of history and human ingenuity. love it! keep growing those nose hairs, my man
Thanks a lot, Tom! Nose hairs growing a little every day 💪😁
your prowess in watchmaking stems from the nose hairs, like the power of Samson's hair. Thanks for your great content!!!
LOL, what you said about us Brits in the 'Summer' is so true.
I would've chosen black strap. Stunning watch.
Gotta love the word "Anyway" how you say it! 😊 😊
Lovely! It is very interesting to watch your servicing.
Beautiful watch and an excellent service you did it brining it back to (some) of its original glory :)
My father gave me his first communion Seamaster, from 1956 I believe. Looks just like this one. It was in really bad shape, he had worn it recklessly for more than 20 years.
I had it repaired "at the best of your abilities" by Omega in Switzerland a few years ago. It is a heirloom after all. 810€ total, and a little bag of vintage used parts came back with the watch. It looks pretty much brand new with a vintage dial, and runs at +2''/day. Not waterproof anymore, so I skip dishwashing with it.
Thanks for a big smile from the main spring removal method. Great to listen to your sense of humor!
What a masterpiece, both the restoration and the many funny jokes, particularly the one about poor Brits.
For me this is one of the finest looking watches ever made. The design of the case and dial are just about perfect!
What a masterpiece of a description of the British skin! And when they go on vacation for several weeks, the spectacle repeats itself week after week.- I admire your unagitated way of narration. Cheers
PS: I have the feeling that the dial becomes cleaner just by staring at it, I could observe this myself in your video.
Beautifully done
Thanks for sharing
Stian, you did another masterful job in restoring this piece while preserving its well-used character. The movement seemed to have been a bit abused previously with an inordinate amount of scratching like an earlier watchmaker trapped a cat in it. On the other hand, there did not appear to be any evidence of water intrusion, which was quite remarkable for a watch of such heavy use and age. A true heirloom.
It's a beautiful watch! Omega made so high quality pieces back in the day, man...
What a masterpiece,both the restoration and the many funny jokes, particularly the one about poor brits.....we Love love you Omega blanc????
Stian, congratulations to you being you. Thank you very much. Cheers.
Great restoration work Stian and particularly interesting for me as I have an early 1953 Seamaster bumper with sweep seconds hand.
It has a small brown mark where the luminous paint burnt the dial but hey, its all part of its history.
BTW I'm from Britain and I loved your observations on our strange sun worshipping procedures.
My dad has worn an early Seamaster ('53 or '54, I can't remember) pretty much every day since the mid 70's when his grandfather gifted it to him. It was gone a few months in the 90's when it underwent some major surgery/repair, and again in the early 2000's when the case got repairs and 'refinished'. I don't think he's ever owned another watch as an adult.
It's case is still pretty beat up, and the dial is rough. But, he loves that thing, and I can't imagine seeing him without it.
He's promised it to my boy (7 years old) when he's 'old enough'.
Amazing that a 70 year old mechanical device can be worn daily for thousands of days with only routine maintenance and a handful of major services. Probably not worth much monetarily considering the wear, but truly an heirloom that will be in the family forever.
I've been looking for a similar vintage example to add to my collection. Quite a few of then are in similar shape to my dad's... and probably share a similar life story. That's a testament to the quality put into these watches when new.
@@jonathonschram3429 That is wonderful, they really are very hard wearing and timeless watches which still look very at home compared with modern watche.
I haven't owned mine as long as you dad has but it feels like an old friend when I wear it.
I bet the person that glued the dial face to the movement was very proud of themselves. They probably where like screws who needs screws it's perfect never mind the next next guy who works on the watch. Amazing job getting it apart with out scratching up the movement. Thanks for sharing 👍.
Yes indeed. Those sharp objects are good for removing glued on dials as well as removing some blood cells, if not used carefully...
My apologies up front...the rapid extraction method of removing the mainspring made me laugh out loud to the point where I startled my dog! Brilliant work as always. Thanks so much for sharing!!
My heartfelt apologies to your dog! 😂
What a great looking watch. A design done so well it almost looks modern.
Welcome back Stian. And what a treat you have again given us, so thank you very much. Here is what I have been thinking about lately: in watches we have bridges and cocks. The latter term should be replaced with "piers". As James Joyce wrote in his masterpiece Ulysses, a pier "is a disappointed bridge". Isn't that most fitting?
A nice sympathetic restoration retaining some of the "well loved" look. Thank you.
Wow, so impressive! Several very delicate operations involved in this restoration. You made that septuagenarian run like a sprightly teenager again! Applause to the surgeon!
I particularly liked your point about older movements having more robust parts owing to a change in "the business model". Great reason to seek out a vintage watch.
A superb video, informative and fascinating. Thank you for your excellent explanation and illustration of the process of repairing the hairspring.
The gratuitous slo-mo for the case-cleaning solution on this one was particularly hilarious.
Absolutely love the commentary! You are one of a kind..... The good kind 😊
Thanks Mike 😊
Lovely restoration work Stian great to see that there is no trouble in paradise. Keep well from New Zealand we have that usual English summer weather downunder cool and wet at the moment.
Ein Mega-Video. Großartig !!! Ich habe noch nie so ein halbautomatisches Uhrwerk gesehen.
Fantastisch mit wie viel Liebe das Werk restauriert wurde.😋💓👍
Such excellence in handling that hairspring. I’ve been learning watch repair on old movements (1950’s) for about 1 year now and I’m still struggling to make those adjustments. Simply brilliant-I learn so much watching these videos. Thanks
You know, what's REALLY sad is when the highlight of your day is watching someone else get the balance wheel going.
😂
I totally agree and feel your pain, I myself will grow a pair and start my research and study now, we only live one life!
I finished up a Omega 351 Bumper movement which is essentially this movement but with a center seconds hand. It too had the bridle in the mainspring barrel.
Watch dials: Before, the Merusa watch dial factory in Biel (Switzerland) made a lot of them for Omega and also had the printing plates. They moved the factory to the nearby suburb of Brügg but later got bankrupt, at least in Switzerland. I'm not shure if they didn't go to Mauritius or some similar places. Stettler sapphire crystals already are in Mauritius for many decades and produce the original crystals for the Rado Swiss Watch. Swiss? On the island of Mauritius, they earn $ 100 per month, a little less than in Switzerland.
The rapid extraction method for a mainspring was a textbook example. Masterfully executed. I've been there my friend. In all seriousness, it is not an if but a when rapid extraction happens to all of us. Thank you for the jokes and the reminder that this should be fun. Keep up the amazing work.
Thanks Jake! It takes practice to make perfect 😉
As a pasty Brit myself, I can't help pass comment on your analysis of British reactions to the warm weather, which is pretty much 100% accurate, I'd say.
😁👍
Hello Stian - Tony here. Another fascinating and informative video, thank you ! So here are my comments: First off, this Omega is a real classic beauty and reminds me very much of a watch (Rodania, 17 jewel incabloc) that I was given when I was 7 years old (my first watch) - I'm now 60 and I still have it. Aside from the Montrose you are aware of, the Rodania is next on my wish list for maintenance - if you'll consider it, of course! At 5:32 and 29:39, there are close-ups of the barrel bridge and, I noted the Omega logo with a number 344. What is that? Also, I very much appreciated the usual commentary with those spectacular close-ups (10:43, 30:45 and 33:30) - really very helpful to us folks that are following your references and then seeing the actual shot. I very much enjoyed your sense of fun in the "Rapid barrel extraction" event... (11:56-12:10) and could hear your murmuring at 11:59... 😉. In terms of question - you probably covered this in another video, but you please explain what exactly the oil in the jewel holes accomplishes, practically? Ok... so that's it from me - look forward to your comments. Great video production and, I am very much in awe of your skill in this craft. Keep it up!
Hello Tony, thanks for watching! 344 is the number of the movement, thus Omega caliber 344. And I was actually a bit surprised I didn't swear when that hairspring took off, but I'm pretty much in the zone when working, so I generally stay calm :)
The oil in the jewel holes provides gentle lubrication of the pivots, so that the friction of them rotating against the jewel is minimized. That helps the watch runs better and prevents wear. Your Montrose will be featured in the pretty near future!
Watch dials: Before, the Merusa watch dial factory in Biel (Switzerland) made a lot of them and also had the printing plates. They moved the fa
Another great job Stian. I recently bought a similar Seamaster bumper (but with center seconds) and can't wait to see it serviced and cleaned. I was unsure how to deal with the bumper but now you showed me how, thanks!
Bloody brilliant as usual sir. I always learn something and get both inspired and relaxed by watching your vids, and always laugh too. That's a pretty great combination. 😄 And on top of that we get a really nice watch ready for the next few decades of its history.
You really did an outstanding job bringing this time piece back to life. Excellent work on the case also!!
Thank you kindly!
Hi. Thanks for your videos. You totally restored a silver dial similar to this awhile back. That was one of the coolest things I've ever seen!
We get a ton of European tourists here where I live in Florida. Mid 90s to 100 degrees is the normal in late spring through September/October. We get a lot of "lobster people" here just like you said. Bright pink to bright red, usually slathered in aloa and sunburn cream. But we are grateful for the dollars they spend no matter what color they turn into.
I am a 1949 person and my stainless Seamaster is also a 1949. I am starting to get a little worse for my wear, but my beautiful old Seamaster on my wrist is still in basically perfect condition. It has been mine for about 45 years, and I wear it every day.
That's very nice to hear, David. I hope you can enjoy your watch for many decades more! 😊👍
Another first class job, your macro photography is of a very high standard.
I have two Zenith bumper movements cal.133.8 and the more rare date version cal.71, once fully wound on the wrist one does not feel any “bumps “
I love these old Omega bumpers! I must have 4 or 5 of them. Very cool! Thanks!
Beautiful restoration. Again a beautiful watch is saved by your magic hands. Thanks for the upoad. I really enjoy them.
Good to see you in action & on form once again , had me laughing out loud on a few occasions ,must admit iv'e never heard of the mother-daughter saying before but hey whatever you can get away with . Great job on giving this handsome fella a new lease of life . Oh ..yes the heat in the UK has been toasty to say the least but i can't complain too much as the cold ,wet , dark & miserable weather seems to be around for a damn site longer .
Great work! Beautiful result!
The adjustment of the beat error on this Omega bumper automatic is enlightening! I wonder if my father’s 1950 Cortébert bumper automatic movement CAL 451 could be adjusted as well!
Amazing work, I'd to add that I just had my first mainspring mishap, very similar to yours, exciting to say the least.
Well Stian I do enjoy your videos, apart from the usual brilliant watch work and calm narration throughout I particularly thought your description of us brits and our weather was particularly spot on, made me chuckle . Best wishes.
Thanks, David! I worked in the UK for a few years and got my degree from the British Horological Institute, so I feel I can mock the British a bit with good conscience 😉 I am certainly one of the bright red sunbathers myself though!
What a beautiful old watch, great to have as a birth year watch. Always in awe of your work, Stian.. Another great restoration of a classic. Love your little quips too, like when using the cleaner saying ..while 'marinating'.. Made me laugh. Thanks for the journey...Kudos
What a surprise! I have a 1954 Omega Seamaster with this same 344 movement. Case is 14K and the dail is a champagne color w/ gold markers. Recently had it serviced. It still runs fine about 7+ sec/day. Omega has some of the nicest looking movements. Thanks for the interesting video.
Very cool!
I moved to Portugal from UK to avoid the heat. Great comedic value in this one Stian. I especially like your new quick mainspring removal method. Cheers, Howard
Haha, that one made me guffaw 😂 Thanks, Howard :)
Lovely job Stian, some great information also. Funny when mainspring flew!, glad to see it happens to even the best!. Thank you. Adrian
I'm far from the best, but yes, even the best flub up every now and then :)
Lovely. I have a Chronostop from de 60s, that need that kind o tlc. Nice filming.
WHAAAAAAAT 😅 no loom shot . Great job on this watch . Looks amazing.
I have learned a lot from you. Thank you for the videos.
Love the mother and daughter joke.. brings back bad memories! Our pine seeds in the us are digested by goats.. anyway another awesome video and I learned something once again!! Thanks for posting.
There's another video in demonstrating how a bumper works. Compare and contrast with later mechanisms. Maybe?
Another great video Stian! Thank you for making these!
On the topic of the English summer; I went to a country pub for the midday "session" then went back to the cottage garden and fell asleep in the sun. When I awoke I was suffering from something akin to sunstroke. My headache was such that if I had been forced to have access to a gun (Swiss style), I would have used it to stop the pain in my brain.
I'm a Seattle native and we have a similar climate to England. Last summer we had the same weather and it was miserable
Glad to see you back Stian, and with a great video too! I have a 1948 Seamaster 600, or so the man told me, so this was of special interest to me, but it was interesting to watch your adjustment of the hair spring and beat error. Did the smoothing out of the hairspring cure the beat error or was it necessary to move the stud to correct that? Great cinematography by the way!
I feel for you European folk having a heat wave. I know what that’s like as summer days here are all at least 104 F. You get used to it :-).
Cheers,
Hello Randy, I thought about that after posting the video that I didn't really make clear why it's important that the hairspring develops uniformly. The reason is that the positional accuracy will vary much more and there's a greater chance the hairspring will touch either other coils or the center wheel.
What a fantastic vintage watch . Great work .
Wonderful job.
Beautiful camera work. Thank you 47:37
Thank you very much!
Thank you for sharing
Nice job on the dial! Looks great for something that’s just a little older than me.
I have found, from personal experience, that rapid spring removal is rarely a time saver for me. You sir, made it look like an easy procedure 😉.
Great video and lovely watch. Appreciate the inspiration and you sharing your craft, thank you.
😂 Thanks!
Love watching your videos! Your humour is exquisite! Looking forward to the next one! Cheers.
The marinated case ….. that was super. 😄😄😄bravo Stian. I like the color of the movement, different from the more common one.
Another great video - the first bumper automatic movement I’ve ever seen. Fascinating. BTW Billy Connolly describes Scottish people as having blue-white skin. We get even less sunshine than our English brothers.
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As a poor Brit, I resemble your remarks!....Great video, entertaining and informative...thank you.
That is a cool little watch. In my opinion, now, the dial has just enough age on it. Nice work.
Hi Tiaan, thank you again for a great video. Please continue doing the commentary as it helps to understand the process. I enjoy your continued jokes. I look forward to your next one. Regards Mark, South Africa.
Hello Mark, thanks for watching! Very cool to hear the channel reaches far :) Stian
I suspect the residue might be some vapor that offgassed from the curing glue. I've noticed super glue leaves a frosty haze around where it is applued under some conditions.
you made us wait for the "Ta Ta"....great work as always.
Looks great tremendously good job on dial
Great job as always....nice little piece this one.
I too have used the rapid extraction method a few times. Very quick but not very efficient.
Why I am having so much fun with this channel ?!?
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awesome watchmaker work
Love you commentary and technique of quick extraction of MS, but really interested in dial cleaning solution. May I know of the chemistry? Dials are such a pain. Thanks
Thanks a lot, Norman! I'm terribly sorry but this little secret I have to keep to myself... 😉
Great work Stian, true Norwegian master. I myself I’m ready to head back to Alaska because of Texas heat, but the wife hates mosquitoes.
Alaska sounds fantastic! Are there a lot of mosquitos there then?
@@VintageWatchServices Oh yeah, they’re bigger than the ones in Texas. Will swarm you when you try to go fishing.
This was a hilarious video to watch. Who knew watch restoration could be so entertaining? I also loved your description of British tourists - here in Australia, we have no shortage of them going around in summer, looking like cooked lobsters.
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Do you know the old song; "Mad dogs and Englishmen (and now Norwegian men) go out into the mid day sun"? Well it applies to all day now!!!
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THANKS,,GREAT VIDEO
A rather sweeping statement regarding UK citizens which I know was made for comic effect, but it's a good job I'm a loyal follower.
Love the sound of the massive metal objects falling into the cleaning solution.
Oh yes, sweeping statements are fun :) I've worked for years in the UK and have my degree from there so I feel close enough to the Brits that I can make some friendly fun of them 😉 And yes, that description could be applied to Nordic people as well!
@@VintageWatchServices don't worry, I'm not massively upset. 😉
You'll still be the one to service my father's Jaeger LeCoultre if I can persuade my brother to let me have it. 👍
Hi Stian. At 20:46 when you are cleaning the pivots, can you please explain the use of the piece of wood you're using? Are you jamming the pivots into the wood, making a hole? (Surely not!) Thank you!
Also, as a pale / pinkish Brit who has just suffered through that 40C heatwave, I can confirm that I did indeed lose several layers of skin when I foolishly ventured outside for a few moments just after sunrise on Sunday. However, staying indoors for the next 48 hours with the blackout curtains closed meant that I managed to avoid worse damage. I'm pleased to say that it was a bit rainy here today, so we're getting back to normal at last.
Hello Paul, I can honestly say that as a Norwegian I would have succumbed to the heat had I not had airconditioning in my workshop... :) Yes, I'm jamming the pivots into the wood, but this isn't the most solid of woods, it's so-called pithwood. It's very soft and great for cleaning pivots!
@@VintageWatchServices Hi Stian. Thank you very much for answering my question!
I wish I had the funds to restore my dad's square omega constellation. He bought it new and wore the hell out of it. Never took it off his wrist even after he cracked the acrylic crystal.
Dial is now green instead of silver and the case back screws are rusted in place.
The movement is no doubt rusty too.
😔
Fiddly stuff, love the video and your commentary! Thank you for sharing!!!
It looks perfect with that strap.
Thanks for posting. I've been stuck home with covid for a week, and I guess I could be using the time for watchmaking, but even with a mild case it's hard to concentrate on anything because all I want to do is sleep.
Sorry to hear you've attracted it, Chris, get well soon!
That's a very appealing watch and an enjoyable video.
I was just gifted my first Omega, an early 60's gold filled Seamaster along with a le Coultre wrist alarm.
From Phoenix, Arizona. We will take 104 degrees any day. Summer is 5 straight months of well over 100 degrees.
Lovely work Stian. I might have to send you a right challenge!!!
Challenge accepted
@@VintageWatchServices right, you're on!!
@@MrLukealbanese You can contact me at stian@vintagewatchservices.eu if you have something that would be fun to work on :)
Thanks Stian for another great video! This Englishman escaped the hot weather and went on a Norwegian cruise! What was the dial cleaning fluid? Lovely job!
I've noticed that the older watches (like this one) have all the balancing screws around the edge, while newer ones have none. Is this because they got better at making the balance balanced from the get go?
Yep, that's pretty much it :)
A movement that was robust and dependable despite its simplicity. My grandfather had a similar one and I got to inherit it after he died. But unfortunately it was stolen. I have missed it.
Always a pleasure to watch. 👍
Interesting Stian, you don't peg throught the hole of the jewel, I guess your Elma cleaning machine is so good so you dont have to, correct? Thank you for showing this Omega, it's a great help for me!
Hello Watcheyes, maybe I wasn't entirely clear with what I said; what I mean is that the main objective with pegging the jewel holes is to remove any old crud, and mostly this will be in the oil sink. If the watch is very cruddy, I'll sometimes use a smoothing broach to make sure the actual hole sides are also squeaky clean. Nice growth of your channel, btw!
@@VintageWatchServices Hello Stian, Yes I could follow that. Aha, doing with a smoothing broch was a very clever idea, never thought about it, makes it easier so you don't have to sharpen pegwood many times during cleaning.
Yes I got a bit lucky with my latest video :), thank you for answering, have a good day! /Josef
@@Watcheyes A bit lucky perhaps but also a great video! I was like "what?" when I saw the 1.5M views on your video, but as I said before I think you have some of the best videography online 💪I will btw send you an email for something different 😉
@@VintageWatchServices ohh glad you liked it, I've learnt alot from your work here so a big thanks to you! Haha yes, I was quite chocked when it passed 100k so :D.
Glad you like my videograhpy, trying to make it look better for every video. Do so :) Have a good day /Josef