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Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

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dutchsiberia

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Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

Post08 Feb 2012, 17:59

Back from service! (please scroll down :) )



I got this one on the local dutch marketplace site, marktplaats.nl

first owner, he wore it for about 15 years. He decided to have the battery replaced recently and got a bullsh*t story from his jeweler about a "lead accu" that wasn't for sale anymore. I told the seller a renata 344 should do the job. The bidding went higher than my max. bid, but the seller contacted me and asked if I still was interested. The higher bids all seemed to be from the kind of guys that pay you the "419" way.

Opening the watch I discovered a very empty renata 343 mercury cell. Banned in europe a long time ago...
The battery clamp screw was missing half of his head, an other screw holding the tuning fork was loose.

I replaced the screw, tightened the other screw and put in a 344 cell. (heart pounding) And it works!!! It still needs a cleaning and oiling though, but no replacement parts :) (replacement parts are made of "unobtanium" )

Very dark blue dial behind the scratched omega crystal

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omega sign on the caseback almost invisible

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inside of the caseback

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The running movement, dating I believe from 1972.
The little square is the oil filled "micromotor" explained in the links below

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original bracelet!
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useful links with explanation

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/make/ ... asonic.php

I love this site:
http://www.crazywatches.pl/omega-1230-m ... utron-1973

http://members.iinet.net.au/~fotoplot/acctech720.htm

movies: (video embedding seems not to be enabled?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvIeSQ-NOH0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgjRyfJVKLo
Last edited by dutchsiberia on 11 Mar 2014, 21:09, edited 1 time in total.
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abem

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post08 Feb 2012, 20:06

Wow. The Megasonic is hands down the coolest tuning fork / electromechanical movement ever made. Congrats on the super cool find.

I was curious - is it very audible / noisy? I have a couple of hummers near my bedside and some of them make quite a racket. I thought I read somewhere that the 720 Hz megasonics were more audible than the lower pitched 360 Hz Accutrons or the 300 Hz ESAs. I don't know the perceived loudness has more to do with the pitch or the size of the fork. In my experience, the 360 Hz 214/218 Accutrons seem the loudest, followed by the 300 Hz 9162/9164 ESA's followed by the 480 Hz 230 mini-Accutrons. However, that could be due to the size of the forks rather than the pitch.

-abe.
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dutchsiberia

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post08 Feb 2012, 20:32

Well it seems to be quieter than my Tissot tissonic (ESA 9162) Or my bulova accutron 218.

Nevetheless, first words of my girlfriend: "You won't keep that one near your bedside!"
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Kasper

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post09 Feb 2012, 01:45

incredible nice watch..congrats...it was just the same thing my wife said when we went to bed.
now go clean it up, cause this beauty needs to be around your wrist. Personnaly i go for a dark blue leatherband, so the watch is more in the centre of attention.
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 -
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LED

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post09 Feb 2012, 08:41

I'd rather call it a whistler than a hummer ;-) Holding it close to your ear more like a sort of crazy asthmatic turbine which somehow fits the maritime flair of the Seamaster version below; still beeing an LED watch enthusiast this is the only analogue watch I was ever tempted to own:

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I'm also keeping some 1220 spare movements to it to be on the save side. As the known week point is the ingenious micromotor itself, its sealing may brake down which causes the oil fill to dry up -> new tuning fork required. Indeed I have seen it several times :eek: Can be recognized by the size of the two little air bubbles increasing, when they grew big enough to touch the rotor they act like brakes and the movement will start loosing time drastically, in the range of minutes per hour.

No big problem to take it apart for service I'd say, only caveat is not to touch the magnetic gears with steel tools.
From my experience you can run it with any battery you have at hand, no matter whether alkaline, sliver, mercury, or NiMh accus. Unlike with the earlyer 300 hz movements battery voltage is not critical here at all.

As a quite interesting read I could provide a copy of the original Omega service manual as a .pdf file - if anybody interested.
Last edited by LED on 09 Feb 2012, 08:54, edited 1 time in total.
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charger105

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post09 Feb 2012, 08:53

Please stop talking about these non-digital watches !!
The last thing I need is another 'strand' to my watch collecting maina :lol:

After reading these threads I've found myself searching for Accutrons and f300s and Megasonics. Worst part of it will be if they break down, I won't have a hope of fixing them................all those tiny cogs and wheels !!
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LED

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post09 Feb 2012, 10:33

Thats it, especially LED watches are carefree other than mechanicals but nevertheless people manage to ruin them the only possible way: By forgetting dead batteries or somehow producing moisture in them.
!@@!
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dutchsiberia

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post09 Feb 2012, 21:03

Well, tuning fork movements can be thoroughly destroyed by the fumes of forgotten leaky batteries.

@Led, your lobster watch looks fricking awesome!!! I would like to receive a copy of your service manual :)
I found one on the net, but it's a bit dark.
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LED

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post09 Feb 2012, 23:14

@dutchsiberia
Best if you give me your email adress via PM, then I can send you the manual. But maybe it is the same you have already as I remeber I found it somewhere in the internet too.
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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post22 Feb 2012, 20:37

Bought my first Omega tuningfork watch and Megaquartz. 8-)
Can not wait untill i get them, they are in the mail, but i have pictures. :O`~

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And a not sure if it is really a tuningfork watch Megaquartz 32KHz :-D

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He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.
The reason i collect watches is because it feels like i'm buying time.
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dutchsiberia

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post23 Feb 2012, 23:05

awesome watches :) The F300 is based on the esa 9162 tuning fork caliber and the 32Hkz omega is the first "inhouse" quartz watch made by omega :) It uses a tiny motor, not a tuning fork. (though it's a high quality movement)
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dutchsiberia

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Re: The "accutron killer" ;-) Omega Megasonic 720Hz

Post11 Mar 2014, 21:08

It's back from a service by Paul from electric watches :)
http://electric-watches.co.uk/

It needed a new circuit because the fragile coil didn't survive the trip to the UK. Lots of abrasive dirt between coil and tuning fork.
But it's humming happily again :) Well humming? It emits a high pitched whine, with the metallic background noise of screaming little robots killed in a tiny meat grinder. :no:

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And it sure looks good with the new crystal :)
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And with the original rattly bracelet
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Hopefully the micromotor lives a long time :)
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Re: Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

Post23 Mar 2014, 20:09

Very nice restoration!!! :Hi:
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Re: Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

Post26 Mar 2014, 02:19

He certainly made a good job of it. How long did he take with the restoration?
I have just bought an Omega Constellation f300 that needs a new crystal as it is cracked along the outer edge. There is also some lifting on the dial but it does keep good time.
I was going to contact Omega but I think I would need deep pockets for any kind of restoration work carried out by them ££££!
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Re: Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

Post26 Mar 2014, 21:33

The repair and service only lasted a few weeks, the searching and waiting for the new circuit and the waiting for the package to arrive took more time :)
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Re: Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

Post10 Jan 2015, 05:59

Ask Paul for that old scratched crystal he just replaced and maybe you'll get it for free.
It should polished out and is better than your cracked crystal.
"The first and still only LED watch maniac in the East Block" - www.crazywatches.pl
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Re: Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

Post10 Jan 2015, 12:27

When Jürgen showed me the above watch I started searching but wasn´t successful. Now, with these postings up again I have to start again! Thank you!
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dutchsiberia

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Re: Omega Megasonic 720Hz update: back from service!

Post11 Jan 2015, 11:36

I've got another search word for you. "Speedsonic" :) (this is mine, but the "Lobster" version is also super cool)

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