Repair and service: Omega Constellation 2852-1SC calibre 501

IMG_3792Ben has had some trouble getting his watch repaired. The first watchmaker inspected the watch and gave Ben a long list of spare parts that where needed for him to service the watch this including a new balance, the intermediate wheel for the auto winder and a forth wheel; certainly an expensive affair considering the price of spare parts for an Omega. Ben managed to source the parts but by that time the watchmaker decided not to take on the watch anyway. The watch then went to another watchmaker who had the watch for 3 months without inspecting the watch. When Ben asked to have an inspection the watchmaker did not like the inquiry and sent the watch back. After securing a slot at Watchguy I was asked to inspect the watch straight away if I could fix it nor not. I could feel that the setting lever spring was broken and see there was a missing case clamp and the hairspring had broken off the stud. Cosmetically I could tell the dial had been restored and the plating on the movement at one point had some kind of chemical reaction. All in all nothing looked to frightening and we decided to service the watch.IMG_3791The movement.IMG_3794Movement out of the case and hands removed.IMG_3795I remove the dial, and, as expected, the setting lever spring is broken.IMG_3799I have to remove the third wheel bridge to be able to remove the centre seconds pinion.IMG_3800Removing the train bridge reveals the gear train.IMG_3801Old mainspring.IMG_3917After cleaning all the parts I manage to re-pin the hairspring onto the stud.IMG_3916I fit a new mainspring that Ben also had supplied.IMG_3918The gear train is coming back in to the movementIMG_3919I find the early 500 movements are a little trickier than the later 550 movements due to the two wheels on the third wheel.IMG_3924As I put the balance in the movement starts straight up.IMG_3923After a considerable amount of adjusting the watch preforms amazingly well.IMG_3925New generic setting lever spring in place.IMG_3926Dial and hands back on the movement.IMG_3927Movement back in the case.IMG_3928Auto winder mechanism back together. I would show a photo of the auto winder and rotor back in place but due to a blurry photo I decided to let you use your imagination;)IMG_3932I think that the watch turned out rather good in the end. Ironically I did not use any of the spare parts besides the mainspring. I advice Ben to hold on to the spares as Omega parts will just get harder and harder to source now that Swatch Group is closing the tap on spare parts.

8 thoughts on “Repair and service: Omega Constellation 2852-1SC calibre 501

  1. This watch was a slightly rash ebay purchase about 15 years ago. It has never really been in working order since I bought it despite having been looked at (bodged) by numerous watchmakers.

    The service from Mitka was outstanding and I am really pleased with the result. It’s great to find a company like this with both the expertise and care to do a job properly and thoroughly.

    It keeps excellent time (better than my recent Seamaster CoAxial). I’d be interested to know more about the electronic machine pictured and what the readout means.

    Thanks again!

  2. I’ve actually got an Omega that needs some work done to it. From reading your blog you’ve given me the confidence that you’d be the person for the job. How would i go about finding out a quote price? Should i send you in some images of the watch and what i’d like done?

  3. This Blog is like the Lost series, meaning that it is terribly interesting and one episode appears every two weeks or so.

    Great work!
    And keep’em coming!

  4. A nice looking watch and a great servicing job. However, I tend to stay away from restored dials, even perfectly executed ones, and whoever did this one seems to have used a paint brush about twice as thick as what would have been appropriate.

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