It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 10:50


Omega TC I restoration

  • Author
  • Message
Offline

SASM

Techno Mage

Techno Mage

  • Posts: 663
  • Joined: 21 Apr 2008, 21:45
  • Location: EU

Omega TC I restoration

Post13 Dec 2014, 23:52

I bought that Omega TC I this summer, however the watch was heavily worn. In early November, I went to a big jeweller and Omega contractor here in Dortmund and asked them if they could refinish it and remove a big dent in the case. The seller at the desk was a young snooty-nosed little upstart (had to check my dictionary, don´t know if that´s correct) and he told me that they are not interested in doing such work on this watch although I know that they employ goldsmiths. I left the shop and decided to return just to ask another seller if they could do the work or send it to Omega in Switzerland. This time I spoke to a young Asian girl, however she couldn´t understand me because of language problems. Anyway she was clever and directly took one of their goldsmiths in and we finally agreed that they would send the watch to Omega in Switzerland. I told them that I would prefer them to do the work, but the goldsmith said it would be hard to fill the dent with a matching gold colour and they don´t want to do this kind of work.

Two or three days later I got a call that they are willing to do the work but it would take a bit of time and they cannot finish the job before Christmas. Last week I got a call that I could pick up the watch. I find that the goldsmith did an excellent job. He did a total restoration of the case, made the perfect and original brushing but left a bit of patina for example on the clasp. I am 100% satisfied with the result and can only recommend this goldsmith for similar work. I paid 200€. When I picked up the watch I spoke to another woman at the desk: She directly knew that this was an LED watch (I was missing the red crystal at that time) and she told me that they sold dozens of LEDs when she was young in the early 70s. During that time she asked herself if that was the end of mechanical movements. Funny how that changed again...

Here´re a few before - after pictures:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
Offline
User avatar

Kasper

Guru

Guru

  • Posts: 2442
  • Joined: 25 Aug 2011, 10:25
  • Location: Belgium

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post14 Dec 2014, 09:41

Wow, very nice, a beauty. I'm pretty sure Omega still have all the right tools to do this sort of job. Would love to have a guided tour there :-D

Btw where was the dent? :?:
Hey you all...this board is FREE and without ADS, so at least post something every now and then to show your appreciation.


Get the latest active topics of the board here.
http://www.newdwf.com/search.php?search_id=active_topics

- Kasper -
Offline
User avatar

charger105

Guru

Guru

  • Posts: 867
  • Joined: 02 Mar 2007, 02:11
  • Location: Australia

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post14 Dec 2014, 13:06

I love these solid 18K TC1s :mrgreen: .
You've got yourself a real beauty there Hanno. Congratulations.
Offline
User avatar

lucamd11

Techie

Techie

  • Posts: 114
  • Joined: 30 Dec 2006, 16:20
  • Location: Roma

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post14 Dec 2014, 19:02

Great watch Hanno, and great restoration!! The solid gold TC1 toghether with the 18K Pulsar calculator is among my favorites..
my wife tells my than i am very "ARABIC" in my watch tastes, but i can't resist to gold!!
Offline

gjlelec

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 484
  • Joined: 22 Apr 2006, 10:25
  • Location: wales uk

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post14 Dec 2014, 20:46

Fantastic job, congratulations. I want :mega:
Offline
User avatar

bucko170

Guru

Guru

  • Posts: 3646
  • Joined: 20 Oct 2007, 11:47
  • Location: Nottinghamshire: The Home of Robin Hood..... UK

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post15 Dec 2014, 00:55

Is the lettering on the crystal larger than that of the GF version - or is it me?
Offline
User avatar

Diginut

Techie

Techie

  • Posts: 238
  • Joined: 07 Jan 2006, 16:52
  • Location: Area 51, UK

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post15 Dec 2014, 03:27

Wow !

Best 200 Euros you'll ever spend :-)
Offline

coconutman351

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 254
  • Joined: 28 Mar 2011, 11:47
  • Location: Honolulu, HI

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post17 Aug 2015, 20:55

What a beautiful work of art, thanks for sharing! I've noticed that the brushed finsh on the TC1 watch band was vertical vs. horizontal. Was this vertical brushing on the band only done on the solid gold versions or was for all, including the gold filled versions? My Omega TC2 gold filled band finish appears to be horizontal.
Offline

gjlelec

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 484
  • Joined: 22 Apr 2006, 10:25
  • Location: wales uk

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post17 Aug 2015, 23:18

The rare leather strap version is vertically brushed, these were early in the range as most have just the Omega symbol only on the crystal, so before the Omega lettering.

Rare leather versions

Image

Bloody rare versions :mega:

Image
Offline
User avatar

bucko170

Guru

Guru

  • Posts: 3646
  • Joined: 20 Oct 2007, 11:47
  • Location: Nottinghamshire: The Home of Robin Hood..... UK

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post17 Aug 2015, 23:41

gjlelec wrote:......

Bloody rare versions :mega:

Image


Were these models ever produced?
Offline
User avatar

bruce wegmann

Pulsar Moderator

Pulsar Moderator

  • Posts: 1287
  • Joined: 02 Aug 2004, 02:13
  • Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post17 Aug 2015, 23:55

As far as anyone has been able to determine, no. If any prototypes were actually made, they have not come to light.
Offline
User avatar

Mr Frequency 32768hz

Techno Mage

Techno Mage

  • Posts: 532
  • Joined: 28 Jan 2004, 00:02
  • Location: Lancaster 1972

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post18 Aug 2015, 00:22

Why are prototypes so much cooler. OK, not in all cases, but Id love one of those Omega prototypes.

Someone sent this pic to me. Looks like it was the thing back in the 70's to add different brush effects to cases. As I guess Omega would never do this.

Image
Offline
User avatar

bruce wegmann

Pulsar Moderator

Pulsar Moderator

  • Posts: 1287
  • Joined: 02 Aug 2004, 02:13
  • Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post18 Aug 2015, 00:37

Looks like a finer-texture variation of Florentine. I've got a GF Hamilton QED with a more standard Florentine finish. If you have the money, almost anything is possible (I bring to mind that ghastly sunburst-textured SS P3...ugh). This looks fairly well-done, technically, but I don't think it betters the overall "look" much. The elegant simplicity of the original watch is difficult to improve upon (a fine line between "elegant" and "gaudy").
Offline

gjlelec

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 484
  • Joined: 22 Apr 2006, 10:25
  • Location: wales uk

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post25 Aug 2015, 22:03

My guess is they were one off show pieces, produced and now probably held by the Museum (they only display a proportion of the watches they hold) They do have a couple of oddities on display :mega:

Image
Offline
User avatar

Kasper

Guru

Guru

  • Posts: 2442
  • Joined: 25 Aug 2011, 10:25
  • Location: Belgium

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post25 Aug 2015, 22:31

wow..love these omega prototypes.
beep beep ..yes..i need my cnc machine asap...beep beep. :-D

great pictures...never seen here..thanks Gjlelec
Hey you all...this board is FREE and without ADS, so at least post something every now and then to show your appreciation.


Get the latest active topics of the board here.
http://www.newdwf.com/search.php?search_id=active_topics

- Kasper -
Offline

gjlelec

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 484
  • Joined: 22 Apr 2006, 10:25
  • Location: wales uk

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post25 Aug 2015, 23:49

The led section is pretty uninspiring. More a case of "look, we've got some leds"

(pic Dickstar)


Image
Offline

SASM

Techno Mage

Techno Mage

  • Posts: 663
  • Joined: 21 Apr 2008, 21:45
  • Location: EU

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post26 Aug 2015, 13:05

Right, but you missed the very interesting part inside the cases.. :-D
Offline

gjlelec

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 484
  • Joined: 22 Apr 2006, 10:25
  • Location: wales uk

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post26 Aug 2015, 22:49

:scratch: :scratch: :scratch: enlighten us Hanno
Offline

Al_Mc

Nerd

Nerd

  • Posts: 34
  • Joined: 17 Jun 2014, 18:06

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post28 Aug 2015, 02:04

The Omega looks terrific. I have to get myself a nice Omega LED one of these days... I feel a hole in my collection calling to me.
Offline
User avatar

Led-Time

Guru

Guru

  • Posts: 970
  • Joined: 05 Jun 2005, 00:28
  • Location: Scotland

Re: Omega TC I restoration

Post17 Nov 2015, 21:40

Mr Frequency 32768hz wrote:Why are prototypes so much cooler. OK, not in all cases, but Id love one of those Omega prototypes.

Someone sent this pic to me. Looks like it was the thing back in the 70's to add different brush effects to cases. As I guess Omega would never do this.

Image


I love that textured finish... :O`~

Return to Omega and GP

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests