Hi folks

This is my latest purchase on which I would love your opinion.

I know I should have got it checked out by you guys first, but it was a quick-decision thing and I took a chance for a pretty modest outlay. As such, feel free to sock it to me if I made a howler.

Its a 1962 Seamaster 30 with a linen dial, cal 269, ref 14389. I put the ref into the Omega database and the picture there had different hands, so I think they may not be original on mine, and I have my suspicions it may also be a redial.

Hopefully the photos are good enough.

Cheers

 

I've seen those come with both the pencil hands as you have and the dauphine hands so you're good there - but it is a redial. A nice one, but still refinished. You can tell by the SWISS MADE - it's centered under the 6:00 lime dot by the space, and not the whole phrase. It's also just a smidge too high. Normally it would be only just visible or partially obscured by the crystal retainer ring.

 

redial or not.... it sure is pretty. AND its a 30mm movement..... does life get better than that?

 

Thanks for your replies.

Seems like I got a good one then (if you're not too much of a purist with regards to the redial). When I unwrapped it, it just seemed so new-feeling, so light and clean, I did worry for a few beats that it may have been dodgy, but I am glad it's positive.

One thing though, its incredibly difficult to wind. You really have to but your back into it. I'm not too worried about this, as I have read on other posts about other difficult to wind watches, especially after a service (which I do not know if this has had). I first wound it at the same time as the TDMP, and then went to wind it the following day. The TDMP was still ticking away but the Seamaster had stopped, so I obviously hadn't given it enough turns as I thought it had reached its natural stopping point.

I was also a little worried as the crown seemed to turn back on itself a little bit after each turn towards the end, so I stopped winding it. Does this sound healthy or normal?

Thanks again

 

When I saw your pics last night I thought your click was off (the little ratchet that stops the big cog from unwinding).

Let me check on that.

 

No, looks OK.

If you are capable, you can remove the movement and see if the watch winds freely out of the case. If it does it probably means the crown seals are rather tight. If it still seems stiff I'd get it to a watchmaker. Maybe it just needs the smallest film of silicon on the seals.

Lovely example for a wearer too!

 

With these 30mm movements (26x and 28x) the crown should indeed spring back slightly as you release the tension on the crown at the end of each wind. If this little kick-back is sluggish the movement needs a service. If you remove the case back and watch the ratchet wheel and click as you wind the crown, you will see what happens. It should take about 35 to 40 winds from totally wound-down to be fully wound, and when it is fully wound you will feel the crown come to a dead stop. Stiff winding (and setting) is often caused by new crown seals, as Jim explains. Sometimes they bind up on the tube, and I have found a tiny drop of silicon polish dropped into the rear of the crown from a fine oiling pin will often sort this out. You do this with the crown pulled out into the setting position.

 

Not totally convinced it is a redial. The swissmade on my 269 is at nearly an identical location where the w in Swiss and the d in made line up to the 31 and 29 ticks. The movement is clean and the script is perfect. The only thing that may signal redial to me is the thickness of the type but I've seen thicker original font on linen dials before. And the omega is a thinner typeset which is not normally replicated perfectly with redials. You may need a watchmaker to confirm. It is a nice piece.

 

I like it very much. Here is my cal. 285 for comparison (if it serves any purpose). Excuse Apple's poor picture quality

View attachment 67908 View attachment 67909

 

I btw think that the writing looks the same on yours and mine, so I'm gonna go with original dial.

 

Wow, I'm glad it seems like it might be original after all, and at the very least, I'm glad its creating good debate. Thanks for all your feedback. And Togri, your pictures don't seem to be working, although Mods, I like the grumpy cat placeholder...humorous cats on the internet, who'd have thought?!
Cheers

 

Here we go again:

 

And again, sorry for the bad pic

 

The SM30 is one of my favorites. Own one myself