Daniel sent this one in, and said that “the watch was dropped in water and the movement has rusted”. Not what I really want to hear 😉
But not only is the movement rusted – somebody had broken off screws, and taken out parts and screws.
This watch will need some serious work and lots of spare parts…One day, I will learn not to accept watches like this one for repair 😉
The dial and hands are in good condition.
And the bottom plate doesn’t look too bad, but there might be more surprises below.
The date quick-set mechanism has seen better days.
The setting lever spring is rusted off.
And here comes the real damage – not much of this is reusable.
We manage to find an incomplete and taken apart parts movement on eBay.
The original movement in the two tubs on the left, and the parts movement in the two tubs on the right.
I start off with a new mainspring which I put into the donor barrel.
The gear train on the main plate.
The winding mechanism needs some serious attention.
After some acid treatment, I have at least some bits that I can re-use.
The first batch of new parts arrived – but we will need quite a bit more than that.
I can now put the base movement back together to see how that’s performing before going any further.
Good to have an extra set of parts to chose from!
The winding and setting gears go in.
Now I can start on the chronograph layer.
Again, lots of new parts are needed.
You can see the new friction spring for the chronograph runner in the middle with the green anti-friction coating on the tines.
I put the auto winder differential and reverser wheel in, but I can’t wind the watch freely. There is too much resistance.
The culprits are the differential …
I order them new, but the satellite wheel of the new differential is rusted onto the plate, so it doesn’t move at all! I make a return for the part, and get a new one back that works.
Here is the differential with the satellite wheel visible.
Finally, automatic and manual winding works.
Now it’s time for the minute recorder on the bottom plate.
This movement has a vertical clutch for the minute recorder.
The quick-set mechanism with new and cleaned-up old parts.
And the bottom plate is finished.
The dial and hands go on, but I notice some white paint missing from the minute hand.
So it’s back to the hand clinic.
The pushers are removed from the case.
The hands looking a lot better now, too.
Clean pushers ready to go back into the case.
Look at all the empty parts containers …
I notice that the minute hand resets together with the minute recorder, so the clutch doesn’t separate well enough. I swap it over with the one from the parts movement.
Now all is well, and the bezel ring and crystal can go on.
Just a new case back gasket to go, and we are done.
The case back is on, and an epic job is done.
So, in total, we used a parts movement for £270, and the following parts:
click 320-1104 £20
crown wheel 1040-1101 £52
reduction gear 1040-1432 £35
driving gear for ratchet wheel 1040-1437 £35
blocking lever spring 860-1733 £12
stem bolt for second hammer 1040-1759 £17
setting wheel 1040-1152 £11
winding stem £11
blocking lever 860-1726 + blocking lever yoke 860-1818 together £50 on eBay
spring for bolt-stem for second hammer £21 on eBay
friction spring for chrono runner 1040-1735 £28
wig-wag setting wheel spring £12
differential 1040-1475 £69
reverser wheel 1040-1464 £103
setting lever 1040-1109 £35
screw 2357 £8
screw 2480 £8
crystal £26
case back gasket £13
Not a cheap job, as my labour comes on top of that, but still well worthwhile for this watch.
Beautiful restoration!
I see you used 860 lever & yoke? I was looking to replace the delrin 1726 in my 1861 with a 1040 1726 (+ a 320 1818) but a watchmaker said these won’t suit (it would have to be 860 parts). 860 works for 1040 but not the other way around?
Hi, amazing work bring the watch back to life.
I have been given one of these watches and it is very special to me. It is in very good original working condition apart from the strap.
I have a few of questions to ask if you don’t mind?
1. Mine has the same flat ended hour and minute hands, many I have seen have pointed hour and minute hands. Is this a rare feature for the ST176?
2. The paperwork for mine also states model is ST1760007 is this correct or is it ST176.007?
3. Do you have an original stainless strap for one of these watches? Currently mine has a Geckota strap and I want to find an Omega one to fit. There are some 22mm ones online but no idea they will fit. I think the original is a 3 bar strap with ends which should fit the slight curve of the case.
I plan to keep the watch due to its sentimental value.
If you can help with any info I would be grateful?
Regards, Paul V
Hey!
Hope you don’t mind me bumping an old post. First of all, great job, as always. Second – the question 🙂 How do you replace the pusher gaskets? As far as I can figure out, they sit behind a “washer” of some sort. Is this supposed to be removed prior to fitting? If so, how do you do it and how do you put it back?
Thanks and sorry for the many questions :))
You can remove the old gaskets with a fine needle. If there is any dissolved rubber, clean that out with alcohol. You can slide the new gaskets in through the upper ring. Gaskets in all sizes available at cousinsuk.com.
Awesome! Thanks.
Hi, Christian. I see that you were able to find a replacement Omega crystal for this watch. I recently purchased one of these Seamasters but the crystal is an off-brand acrylic model that has some scratches. I’d like to replace it but having trouble finding one. Can you tell me where you ordered yours from?
Hi Keith,
I got mine from cousinsuk.com, but they aren’t available any more.
Hello
Great explanation and work. May I ask how you did remove the glass : from the top or after removing the movement ? Mine is broken on the bottom side and I am trying to find a spare one for this 176.007 version without omega sign in the middle. May I kindly where you purchased it from ?
Many thanks in advance
Ph. Meyer
The crystal is pressed out from the inside out. You won’t find a generic crystal that fits with the bezel ring – only the Omega original crystal will fit.
An amazing work indeed! Could you please Write the Reference Numbers for the crystal and the Tachymeter Ring and where you bought it from.
Hi Toni,
You can look that up and order it from http://cousinsuk.com/
Excellent presentation…as a novice restorer I am curious did you refinish both hands?
If so could you do a presentation on just hand refinishing? I have tried for many years experimenting with different techniques. Some success. Thanks
The hands on this particular watch were replaced with new ones, but we restore a lot of hands as well. We will put up a post on hand restoration in the near future.
An exceptional article, fabulously illustrated. Many thanks.
For a more pedestrian discussion of this model, this blog may interest:
https://vintagewatchblog.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/omega-seamaster-chronograph-st-176-007-part-1/
I will upload Part 2 soon.
Even those of us who possess no particular talents in tasks mechanical can appreciate the skills–and patience–of those who do. Thanks for this site and congratulations on another watch resurrected.
Though some might argue that the expense involved wasn’t worth it in purely practical terms–I suspect none of your readers/fans would fall into that category, mind you–I am reminded of another pair of mechanics and their advice. I’m speaking of Tom and Ray Magliozzi (Tom is now deceased), better known as Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, who gave car advice to callers on their show “Car Talk.” Whenever a caller asked how much a major repair would cost and was stunned at their response, the brothers would ask the caller to consider how much a new car would cost Instead. Typically, the caller would then see the question in a new light. And doing the (car) repair rather than simply junking the thing would also serve, on however great or small a scale, to conserve our limited resources.
Well done, and thanks again for your teaching.
Absolutely brilliant!!!!!! I have one of these….it was my 21st birthday present, so I have had it a long time. As a present to myself I decided to have it refurbished through a jeweller and watchmaker in Brigg and he sent it to the Omega factory is Switzerland to get done. It took a long time, some 3 months, but I got it back last Saturday looking fantastic complete with a complimentary (no such thing as a free lunch ) presentation box. The total cost including jewellers fees etc etc was £520 inc VAT. I didn’t have nearly as much done, but included glass, seals, wider, crown wheel, face work, hand work and push button work, but also its steel bracelet repair. These watches are not cheap and I thought it was damn good value. I will never sell this due to its sentimental worth to me and although I have a reasonably large collection of watches, over the last 40+ years my Omega is the only one I seem to wear……speaks for itself really.
Gary in Lincolnshire UK
Amazing job – it’s great to see a ruined movement lovingly restored and returned to working order. Congratulations and well done to the owner as well for having the watc restored.
Question is, how did the movement get so badly rusted? It must have been sitting in water for a while to get this badly corroded – normally you’d expect the owner to realise as soon as the crystal mists up.
Worth every penny to get something meaningful working as intended. Great commentary as always C, fascinating to see how these beautiful little things work. Some sick mind to have designed it in the first place though! One day I will get one of your elusive repair slots, one day!
As the owner of this watch I want to thank Christian for his perseverance. I had previously left the watch with two other watch repairers who both returned it as unrepairable – I’m now wondering if it was one of those who was responsible for the missing parts and broken screws.
This watch had belonged to my best friend and was given to me by his widow so to have the watch working again and looking as good as new was well worth the expense and because the watch was a gift the cost of the repair is covered by it’s current value – not that I will ever sell it – it’s not left my wrist since getting it back!
Christian, why a parts movement and 20 other parts? Were these no good on the parts movement and if so what was used from the parts movement?
The parts movement wasn’t complete, and some of the parts were damaged. We needed the bridge, barrel, click wheel, and lots of other parts from the parts movement, which was well worth the money.
Cost is unrelated to worth – which is probably the only reason some of these old watches are still with us. Lots of work, but the result looks well worth the effort 😉
Spot on – most of the restorations we do are watches with a strong sentimental connection. Anyone who has their father’s watch will know.
What we have to remember is that even though it did cost a lot for repair….this watch will go on for years to come…..perhaps generations to come. It’s a stunning piece and looks as good as new 🙂 great job!!
I’m still waiting to get my job to you guys. Sadly I missed out this time 🙁
Best wishes
Nick
What an incredible restoration. So pleasing to see this done for such a rare watch.
A great looking watch, its quite unusual and I haven’t seen one before. What a mammoth restoration job too, well done!
Not too common, but not exactly rare either.
Here is a link to a forum thread that discusses the watch. Quite a few different ones pictured.
I own one of these.
http://omegaforums.net/threads/seamaster-chronograph-176-007-cal-1040.7166/
Seems they sell on average for around £1500. This did surprise me I was expecting more like £2500.
I’d say that is pretty much “spot on”. As always there are good and bad ones out there.
Most have service replacement hands (like the one featured here). The earlier (and not replaced ones) have pointed tip minute and hour hands.
Apart from this there are multiple choice in dial and bezel ring colors. Cases are either stainless steel of gold plated.
Thanks Anders, that was interesting, I didn’t know anything about that watch.
Fascinating reading and great work! Good to see another 007 ready to re-enter service!
Love the layout of the watch, and the 1040 movement is surely one of the finer automatic chronograph movements ever made (when they are not rusted that is).
The central minute counter is a design feature I am very surprised not more companies have utilized. Nothing comes close to the readability!
Another truly inspiring restoration! I doubted that this watch would preform the way it does! But hey thats why I’m the apprentice;)
And THIS is why we bring our beloved watches to Christian and Mitka!
Nice job guys!!
Hi Christian
You mentioned acid treatment, can you explain that a bit more.
Thanks, great restoration by the way
Jonathan
We use either vinegar or citric acid. Just put your parts into the acid for a day or two – this removes the corrosion.
Thanks alot Christian, keep up the excellent work
In fact not a restoration of one nice watch but of two. The donor also gets to live on – at least some of it. And perhaps the remaining parts of the donor will help restore other fine timepieces.
Great and masterful work. Well done.
This is no longer a service job, but a restoration one… Great stuff!
Yes Bogdan, but then again, almost all jobs here are at a certain level, I’d say… 🙂
as I said in an older comment – the degree of difficulty and technical skill increase with every watch they repair.
Yes!! Which is amazing! Keeps us coming here for more good stories!! 🙂
total bill with your labour of around a thousand then?
good grief that must have been the most labour intensive job so far for you Christian!
Wow! What a job (read labour)! And equally, what a bill 😉 but for such a beautiful piece I think it’s well worth while 🙂
How long was it exposed to water if you don’t mind me asking?
Congratulations Mr owner and great work Christian
Another amazing work! This watch is so beautiful and you resurrected it! You guys are amazing! 🙂 Congratulations Daniel!!