1950's Seamaster advice

N

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Nordman

·May 4, 2023

Hi,

I inhireted this vintage Seamaster from my grandfather and I'm looking for some advice. I struggle to identify the exact model and woud like to know what to do with it and what to avoid. Unfortunately I don't know about the history anything except it's most likely been in the family since new but no service information is available.

I had the local watch shop open the back but unfortunately pics looks like being taken with potato. The shop confirmed mechanisms work alhtough not smoothly and the back seal has started to detoriate. Some kind of service is needed but I would like to know if it makes sense to pay for proper work or do I have some kind of frankenwatch on my hands.

 

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lucian23

·May 4, 2023

Hi. The model of the watch ( or reference number ) it's written inside the case back. I wasn't able to see it in your pictures because are very poor quality but it's there.. Your watch is authentic and because you inherited i think worth to restore it and keep it in your family. The machine looks very good but i am not an expert.

 

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padders

·May 4, 2023·Oooo subtitles!

Looks like model 2848 using movement 491. Probably from 1955-58 but if you list the serial we can narrow it down further. The movement looks very clean but will need a service. It’ll be worth it.

Edited: May 4, 2023

 

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MtV

·May 4, 2023

Looks legit, from what I can say of those pictures. Question is what you want to do with it. If you aim to sell it then don’t have it serviced, just take clear pictures and describe it well. If you want to keep it as a beautiful heirloom, have it serviced by a watchmaker who’s sympathetic to vintage watches. No polishing of the case, nothing done to the dial, just a mechanical service and new gaskets of course. The watch was serviced before, someone took care of it at least for a while. +1 regarding 2848 by the way.

 

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Nordman

·May 4, 2023

Thanks for the comments. If the watch is really legit it's not going for sale but will be serviced, used and passed on to next generation if it will last that long.

For the model informatio if I really squint it could say 2846-2848 on the back cover and either 1SC or 15C below.

 

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MtV

·May 4, 2023

The "1SC" isn't quite relevant. 2648-2848 will be in the case back, as the case is used for both references. 2648 is the center second version, 2848 the sub-second.

 

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Nordman

·May 5, 2023

I went to visit local authorized Omega service and unfortunately it seems Omega has stopped selling 491 movement parts and only service option would be sent it to the factory. Based on the not-so-stellar feedback from the forums this doesn't sound great option considering it would be super-pricey also. He also commented crown is not orinal although it's Omega part and crystal has been replaced at some point.

Lack of spare parts was bit of a bummer so I need to figure out what to do then. Unless I can find someone with existing stock of 491 parts willing to service it I think it will end up in the shelf as family heirloom.

 

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Davidt

·May 5, 2023

There shouldn’t be too much hassle getting this serviced. Yes Omega designate it as a vintage caliber with limited parts availability but a good independent will certainly be able to service it to get it in working order for years to come. Parts are available on the secondary market, some more readily available than others but it’s certainly doable.

Have a search of the forum for recommended watchmakers in your area/country as there a lots of threads on the subject

 

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padders

·May 5, 2023·Oooo subtitles!

To get you started, take a look at Watchguy, Mitka, onatelier, Simon Freese but there are many others who can put that back into fine fettle at around a quarter to a third of the cost Omega would charge for a Bienne restoration, which would be 4 figures and return a watch bearing little resemblance to its current charming state.

 

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Nordman

·May 5, 2023

padders

To get you started, take a look at Watchguy, Mitka, onatelier, Simon Freese but there are many others who can put that back into fine fettle at around a quarter to a third of the cost Omega would charge for a Bienne restoration, which would be 4 figures and return a watch bearing little resemblance to its current charming state.

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately I'm located in Finland so the availability of people with access to parts is more limited. I already tried with one of the recommended independent (Loppela) but if I find good recommendations will try elsewhere also.

 

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padders

·May 5, 2023·Oooo subtitles!

N Nordman

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately I'm located in Finland so the availability of people with access to parts is more limited. I already tried with one of the recommended independent (Loppela) but if I find good recommendations will try elsewhere also.

Apologies for my Anglocentricity. I'd confused your thread with another similar one where the guy was in the UK. Don't get too hung up on parts availability. A good watchmaker will likely be able to get that going even if they have to get creative or buy parts on the open market. None of the UK guys I mentioned there have parts accounts and yet they can work miracles with watches like these. In fact I had a pair of your watch's sister model, the 2846, put back into commission by 2 out of the 4 watchmakers I listed above with good results. Here are some pics of the work being completed on one of them. Note the crown on my watch was put back to the original cloverleaf, like yours it had been changed somewhere along the way:

https://workshop.mitka.co.uk/cgi-bin/library?action=show_photos&wat_id=352

Edited: May 5, 2023

 

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BLOW UP

·May 5, 2023

Nice!

 

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Dan S

·May 5, 2023

N Nordman

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately I'm located in Finland so the availability of people with access to parts is more limited. I already tried with one of the recommended independent (Loppela) but if I find good recommendations will try elsewhere also.

The watch looks basically legit to me except for the crown. Unfortunately, it's hard to evaluate the dial, because the photos are blurry and the hands are blocking some of the printing. But I think the information you have been given is correct.

You may or may not get recommendations in your country, but you have already been given good recommendations in the UK, and maybe you will have to ship the watch elsewhere. I'm in the US, and currently have watches in Australia, and Canada for service; one recently returned from the UK. Just box it up and put it in the mail.

Another option is to just put it away and leave it for the next generation. There's no reason to go to the trouble of servicing it unless you are going to use it regularly, the lubricants will just dry up over time.

Edited: May 5, 2023

 

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DON

·May 5, 2023

It's a nice gold capped model. You don't need to send it to Omega and watchmakers don't need an Omega parts account to get parts.

While a small number of parts are discontinued. There are many parts suppliers one can order from to get parts that are available and Ebay is another source for the discontinued ones.

I myself have sold parts to members here as I used to restore.

Crystals are available (ordered based of reference numbers in case back)

The crown is another thing. Guessing it takes the 4 notch model. While it is available. All crowns are now gold plated. Not gold filled or capped. Color will be a little off the case color or you try and find another vintage model in gold fill to use instead. Ignore a number of Ebay posts about NOS crowns. You can call anything NOS (new old stock), but original haven't been the same way since the end of the 60's?

It's worth getting restored if your going to wear it. If not. Store away.

DON