1956 Seamaster 2850 SC - Melbourne Olympics XVI Special Limited

[MEugene]

Thought I would share the arrival of a special Olympic duo here....
Both the 2850SC prototype with enameled colored Olympic rings, AND the commercial released version with XVI gold markers have a new home.
Oh, and TWO ORIGINAL Boxes as well.

The special prototype with the Helsinki Olympic Crest of Merit and five colored enamel rings had been given to John Lupton (of Coca-Cola renown) when he was 30 years old. It is believed the presentation to the Mr. Lupton was related to the long time sponsorship of the Olympics by Coca-Cola.
The watch remained in the Lupton family until 1999 when it was purchased by a Hong Kong resident, from whom I purchased the watch, with its original caramel-colored leather presentation box that matched the watch band.
The commercially release Seamaster XVI was also purchased recently, but has been reunited with an original presentation box as well.

 

[Peter_from_NL]

Super Nice ones. Did not know they existed. I assume they are super rare. Congratulations.

 

[MEugene]

aps26469

Super Nice ones. Did not know they existed. I assume they are super rare. Congratulations.

Thank you so much! Yes, they are both extraordinarily rare...and largely unknown as a result. I loved the story of the prototype version and wanted to have a full story so I have started! There is yet another version with all red rings... And I know who has one... Lol

 

[MEugene]

More information can be read at these links:
1- auction notes at Catawiki- https://www.catawiki.com/l/11520395

https://www.catawiki.com/stories/43...otype-from-the-1956-melbourne-summer-olympics

2- Hodinkee - https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/...0sc-for-the-olympic-games?variant=49876138895

MEugene

Thank you so much! Yes, they are both extraordinarily rare...and largely unknown as a result. I loved the story of the prototype version and wanted to have a full story so I have started! There is yet another version with all red rings... And I know who has one... Lol

 

[apsm100]

Very cool finds. I don't know much about these references but my knee jerk reaction to the XVI is that it has seen a repaint?

 

[gatorcpa]

Maybe this will help?

http://www.old-omegas.com/seaxvi.html

gatorcpa

 

[STANDY]

gatorcpa

Maybe this will help?

http://www.old-omegas.com/seaxvi.html

gatorcpa

Just two! There is a member here that has a watch box full that has specialised in collecting this model



https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-seamaster-xvi-finally-has-come-out-of-sock-drawer.22682/

mac_omega

To shorten the waiting time you can have a look at my humble collection of Olympic SMs meanwhile...

 

[MEugene]

apsm100

Very cool finds. I don't know much about these references but my knee jerk reaction to the XVI is that it has seen a repaint?

Curious - certainly I'm no expert, but I do know that variants without minute markers are common in the wild (as Mac_omega's pic shows). I know far less about the XVI variant than the multi-colored ring watch I have. How would one determine if a dial had been repainted (yeah, I haven't been on the forum for 10 years accumulating all that knowledge yet) ?

 

[apsm100]

MEugene

Curious - certainly I'm no expert, but I do know that variants without minute markers are common in the wild (as Mac_omega's pic shows). I know far less about the XVI variant than the multi-colored ring watch I have. How would one determine if a dial had been repainted (yeah, I haven't been on the forum for 10 years accumulating all that knowledge yet) ?

Comparing with the the Hodinkee XVI you linked: The Seamaster script isn't correct (lack of serifs, crispness). Also I am not seeing the SWISS MADE at the 6 o'clock.

 

[wbfondren]

I have a friend with one of these XVI watches too that came from his grandfather. His is also missing the Swiss Made at 6 o’clock, so I assumed that it was a redial as well. Just so interesting it hasn’t left his family and (likely) has a replacement dial.

Any experts want to weigh in?

 

[Foo2rama]

Missing Swiss made and the minute track would make me think cleaned, or redialed.

 

[gatorcpa]

Foo2rama

Missing Swiss made and the minute track would make me think cleaned, or redialed.

I agree on the "Swiss Made", but there are variations on the dials. Some do not have a minutes track.
gatorcpa

 

[MEugene]

Thanks for the feedback!
I'm curious - does 're-dial' refer generically to a 'jiggered' replacement dial or to the refinishing/repainting of the dial?

And, maybe this seems a greenhorn question to ask (cool, just tell me - LOL) but does a 'redial' indicate inauthenticity, and therefore a reason for seeking a refund on a purchased watch sold as 'authentic'? I certainly was not expecting to receive some sort of frankenwatch, but I'm still a bit unclear as to how serious an indicated 'redial' is, with respect to simply not being 'purely original components', or if it's in the category similar to a watch with a replaced Omega crown or replaced gear or mainspring... e.g., "no longer exactly as built"?

 

[apsm100]

MEugene

Thanks for the feedback!
I'm curious - does 're-dial' refer generically to a 'jiggered' replacement dial or to the refinishing/repainting of the dial?

And, maybe this seems a greenhorn question to ask (cool, just tell me - LOL) but does a 'redial' indicate inauthenticity, and therefore a reason for seeking a refund on a purchased watch sold as 'authentic'? I certainly was not expecting to receive some sort of frankenwatch, but I'm still a bit unclear as to how serious an indicated 'redial' is, with respect to simply not being 'purely original components', or if it's in the category similar to a watch with a replaced Omega crown or replaced gear or mainspring... e.g., "no longer exactly as built"?

It is still authentic and it still is the 'original' dial just with paint overtop of it. The seller should have stressed that it is a redial (if he was aware himself). It is just worth considerably less than one with original paint.

 

[STANDY]

Redial is a serious amount of discount $$ wise to an original and a lot harder to sell in the future.

 

[Sa Calobra]

About the minutes track. Some have 'dashes' while others have small circles. Is just one of them correct? (Obviously it could still be a redial based on other parts, but I'm specifically talking about the design of the minute markers)

 

[ALEJANDRO BOVONE]

most of the enamel ones i got to see had issues in the olympic rings. lovely to see one that has them all intact. anybody knows hoy many enamel were produced roughly?

 

[VII]

As an Australian in enjoy coming across threads on the Seamaster XVI.
Currently chrono24 has for sale a one-off (?) Cross of Merit Seamaster XVI with a none std Z.J. Fluckiger enamel dial. It comes with Cross of Merit box and an Extract of the Archives.
https://www.chrono24.com.au/omega/seamaster-xvi-cross-of-merit-full-set-prototype--id3259179.htm

Watches of Lancaster also has an 18ct Rose Gold std. enamel [more technically Chinese lacquer] Order of Merit version of the Omega Seamaster XVI. It has a lovely 18ct Rose Gold Milanese Bracelet & Pin Buckle. The WoL website noted that as Omega wanted to make something really special making for 1956, something to be a cherished piece of horological history. So, they drafted in their best of the best Z.J Fluckiger (one of the best dial makers of the time) and Jean-Pierre Matthey-Claudet (Omega's most successful prototype watchmaker). The case incorporated the rarely seen” Frog Leg” lugs and the dial used Chinese lacquer to incorporate the Olympic Cross of Merit in the dial. But what makes this watch even rarer is they only made 100 in rose gold and 100 in yellow gold. This was because Omega didn’t properly secure the rights to use the seal on the dial of the watches. A later version was therefore released with a roman numeral XVI on the dial. Omega received the Olympic Cross of Merit” for outstanding service to the world of sports” from the President of Finland after the Helsinki Olympics in 1952.
https://watchesoflancashire.com/product/1956-omega-seamaster-2850s-c-melbourne-olympics/

 

[TimeODanaos]

Now that finally le jour de gloire est arrivé, I wanted to celebrate by posting my own SM XVI.


This photo shows the scratches on the crystal, but the point is the beautiful "buttermilk" tone and texture of the dial: the lacquer has real depth, and is hard to pick up on camera.



Buttermilk is apt, because the surface can range from the yellow above to the cream seen here. But this picture reminds me just how very aggressive is this piece's styling, which must have raised a few eyebrows back in 1955-56. It clearly prefigures the (toned-down) style language of the dog-leg Constellations, and even reminds me vaguely of the then-outrageous London 2012 Olympics logo (not reproduced here in case of c/r hassle).

These photos illustrate that the dial furniture is very chunky and uncompromising, completely in tune with the case.

The distinctive hexagonal crown is so stylistically impressive as to be near-impossible to use...


The enamel rings on the dials of some special models rightly generate a lot of excitement, but don't let that devalue the superb caseback medallion, which deserves a lot of admiration in its own right.


So, if I were a Corinthian 1950s gentleman, gathering my sporting equipment for a tilt at the Olympics, what better could I wish for, both to complement my national blazer and to keep me on time for the departing steamer! Allons-y!

Edited: Aug 16, 2024