1956 Seamaster cal. 501 2846-2848 SC reface advice needed

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You are basing your stance on many rocky assumptions. Firstly how can we assume the dial originally said DV when no other 2846 with it has been seen. Secondly the 15m serials ran into 1957 so your certainty over date is also flawed unless it is a particularly low serial. You haven't stated why you are so convinced the dial is solid gold. That is occasionally seen on Constellation models but not to my knowledge Seamasters, even solid gold cased ones from 1956/7. I have one by the way, a solid 18K 2846 with a non chronometer 501 movement so am not just pissing in the wind with my comments. You say you don't want opinions but facts. Well the learned opinions on here that there were no mid 50s SMDVs is rather telling. Yes it may have had such a dial in your memory but I bet it didn't leave the factory like it.
Fair enough,
You are basing your stance on many rocky assumptions. Firstly how can we assume the dial originally said DV when no other 2846 with it has been seen. Secondly the 15m serials ran into 1957 so your certainty over date is also flawed unless it is a particularly low serial. You haven't stated why you are so convinced the dial is solid gold. That is occasionally seen on Constellation models but not to my knowledge Seamasters, even solid gold cased ones from 1956/7. I have one by the way, a solid 18K 2846 with a non chronometer 501 movement so am not just pissing in the wind with my comments. You say you don't want opinions but facts. Well the learned opinions on here that there were no mid 50s SMDVs is rather telling. Yes it may have had such a dial in your memory but I bet it didn't leave the factory like it.
Fair enough. When I had the watch apart, I was looking for a way to remove the face, have always liked taking things apart and putting them back together, didn't see any way to do so but, did see that the back of the face was gold. Not brass, not bronze but gold with machining marks on what I could see, which granted wasn't much. Don't currently have $200 to spare for some papers from the factory but when I do, I will just because I like to know stuff. Going to keep digging. Thanks for your input, still digging.
 
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Well, now that we've established that the watch was re-dialed 40 years ago ... or had the dial replaced ... or said "DeLuxe", and that the dial is solid gold ... or not ... perhaps the OP can get some answers to the pressing question that motivated him to join OF. Where can he get his dial refinished? 😁

Other questions ... yes, the scribbling inside the case-back are markings from watchmakers recording repairs and services from over the years. Often it is an enigmatic code, so even if you could read it, it wouldn't provide any useful information. Yes it is common and traditional to scratch them with a scribe, although in recent years people are using Sharpies more often. I guess we're all quite used to it, so it doesn't seem odd to us anymore.

A given high-quality (chronometer-grade) movement (e.g. cal 501) can be chronometer certified, or not, it's done on a case-by-case basis.

By the way, I think the case of your watch is more typically called gold-capped as opposed to gold-filled. It's a subtle difference, but the gold-capped cases have a very robust layer of gold. When we see stainless steel showing on the underside of the lugs, we know it's a gold capped case. The differences between gold-plated, gold-filled, and gold-capped are well-documented in other threads, so no need to discuss it again.

OK ... back to the main event. ::stirthepot::
 
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Hey, I found another (refinished) Seamaster DE VILLE dial on a not Seamaster DE VILLE. 😁

 
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Hey, I found another (refinished) Seamaster DE VILLE dial on a not Seamaster DE VILLE. 😁


This is perfect - now the OP knows how his watch can look in the future. If only we knew who refinished the dial ...
 
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Hey, I found another (refinished) Seamaster DE VILLE dial on a not Seamaster DE VILLE. 😁

Ew! Didn't look like that, looked more like this, very fine script, Swiss made below the six marker. Very fine lines for seconds.

 
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Fair enough,

Fair enough. When I had the watch apart, I was looking for a way to remove the face, have always liked taking things apart and putting them back together, didn't see any way to do so but, did see that the back of the face was gold. Not brass, not bronze but gold with machining marks on what I could see, which granted wasn't much. Don't currently have $200 to spare for some papers from the factory but when I do, I will just because I like to know stuff. Going to keep digging. Thanks for your input, still digging.
It looked shiny. 🙄

Pulled it apart again, here's a pic of the face/dial from the side. That's gold. In the early sixties, when gold was relatively cheap, it's quite possible the face was upgraded from a gold "De Luxe" to a gold "De Ville" and I would have been too young to notice. I do notice now that all the De Villes I'm seeing have skinny legs... The upgrade would have been done by Omega however so does that make it a franken or an original?



I've also noticed that unlike all the De Villes, the hands are stubbier and do not go out over the hour markers. Learning as I go.
 
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Hey, I found another (refinished) Seamaster DE VILLE dial on a not Seamaster DE VILLE. 😁

Also this looks to have luminous hands but no luminous dial markers, missing the Omega in block letters under the symbol.
 
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Pulled it apart again, here's a pic of the face/dial from the side. That's gold. In the early sixties, when gold was relatively cheap, it's quite possible the face was upgraded from a gold "De Luxe" to a gold "De Ville" and I would have been too young to notice. I do notice now that all the De Villes I'm seeing have skinny legs... The upgrade would have been done by Omega however so does that make it a franken or an original?



I've also noticed that unlike all the De Villes, the hands are stubbier and do not go out over the hour markers. Learning as I go.

Why not show us the back of the dial? 😀
I can only agree with the rest of the guys here. Your watch is not a De Ville and has never been a De Ville. Period.
The fact that the watch had work done doesn't make it less of an heirloom, and its definitely a great way to remember your father!
 
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Why not show us the back of the dial? 😀
I can only agree with the rest of the guys here. Your watch is not a De Ville and has never been a De Ville. Period.
The fact that the watch had work done doesn't make it less of an heirloom, and its definitely a great way to remember your father!
Can't see the back of the dial unless there is a spot through the movement that isn't obvious to my eye. The thickness of the face and its obvious makeup should be clear. Have a pictures of a different form of gold face? I notice much cynicism in the forums, everyone is quick to shout 'fake' or assume that there is something underhanded afoot when something that doesn't fit the mold pops up. It is interesting to see that the evidence does appear to point to a refacing in the sixties, it was certainly not a hack job and was, knowing my father, as a result of regular service from omega. He use to complain about it being expensive but, he loved his watch and saw that it was well cared for. In the 80's maybe earlier, we lived two doors from a watch technician, last name Kalmar, had the hots for his niece, who took care of it for years. I believe he has since passed away. Was fascinated by the little machine that he used to set the speed with its little ticker tape output. Notwithstanding, the watch was never in the hands of a butcher, until me anyway, and has been serviced only by qualified craftsmen. Rather inclined to see what Omega has to say about it, maybe a Christmas present to myself.
 
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Can't see the back of the dial unless there is a spot through the movement that isn't obvious to my eye. The thickness of the face and its obvious makeup should be clear. Have a pictures of a different form of gold face? I notice much cynicism in the forums, everyone is quick to shout 'fake' or assume that there is something underhanded afoot when something that doesn't fit the mold pops up. It is interesting to see that the evidence does appear to point to a refacing in the sixties, it was certainly not a hack job and was, knowing my father, as a result of regular service from omega. He use to complain about it being expensive but, he loved his watch and saw that it was well cared for. In the 80's maybe earlier, we lived two doors from a watch technician, last name Kalmar, had the hots for his niece, who took care of it for years. I believe he has since passed away. Was fascinated by the little machine that he used to set the speed with its little ticker tape output. Notwithstanding, the watch was never in the hands of a butcher, until me anyway, and has been serviced only by qualified craftsmen. Rather inclined to see what Omega has to say about it, maybe a Christmas present to myself.

Some of the people that you were lucky enough to have respond to your thread have an extraordinary level of expertise about vintage Omega that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere in the world (I'm not one of those people, by the way). They are not cynical, and they have no axe to grind or skin in the game with respect to your watch. If you had spent some time browsing the forum before posting, you would know that. It's hard to read some of your responses, given that you were the one who came here seeking knowledge. Everything you have been told so far has turned out to be true, and some of your own assumptions have been proven incorrect. If you hope to learn more, open your mind and accept what you came here to find.
 
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Noticed something in your picture here:



There is a notch on the dial. These were generally made by rediallers in order to re-orient the dial properly once the original printing was removed.

Not saying that I have any proof that this is what happened here.

All we can do is make conclusions based on the evidence presented. The more evidence, the better the conclusions.
gatorcpa
 
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Pulled it apart again, here's a pic of the face/dial from the side. That's gold.

Dials are typically made of brass, so the fact that it is gold in colour does not mean it is actually gold...
 
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Can't see the back of the dial unless there is a spot through the movement that isn't obvious to my eye. The thickness of the face and its obvious makeup should be clear. Have a pictures of a different form of gold face? I notice much cynicism in the forums, everyone is quick to shout 'fake' or assume that there is something underhanded afoot when something that doesn't fit the mold pops up. It is interesting to see that the evidence does appear to point to a refacing in the sixties, it was certainly not a hack job and was, knowing my father, as a result of regular service from omega. He use to complain about it being expensive but, he loved his watch and saw that it was well cared for. In the 80's maybe earlier, we lived two doors from a watch technician, last name Kalmar, had the hots for his niece, who took care of it for years. I believe he has since passed away. Was fascinated by the little machine that he used to set the speed with its little ticker tape output. Notwithstanding, the watch was never in the hands of a butcher, until me anyway, and has been serviced only by qualified craftsmen. Rather inclined to see what Omega has to say about it, maybe a Christmas present to myself.

Absolutely no one has claimed that your watch is a fake. No one has been cynical either. They have simply told you the truth about your watch, based on their years and yeeeeeears of experience in the field.
 
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Dials are typically made of brass, so the fact that it is gold in colour does not mean it is actually gold...
I have two 18K watches (Universal and Longines) with gold dials. When I asked both factories for information on them, both told me that dials were gold colored but not gold.

All that glitters....etc. etc.
gatorcpa
 
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I have two 18K watches (Universal and Longines) with gold dials. When I asked both factories for information on them, both told me that dials were gold colored but not gold.

All that glitters....etc. etc.
gatorcpa

OM SWISS MADE OM designates a gold dial, correct?

http://omega-constellation-collecto.../an-uncommon-omega-constellation-1675435.html
om4.JPG