hello

I am new to this forum and would like to ask for some help.

I bought in 1986 in Australia an Omega Seamaster. Photo attached. Oddly, it was not water proof and I was advised at the time (and since) that despite the name Seamaster and it having the Seamaster logo on the backplate, it was not designed to be even water resistant and I was advised not to use it even in the shower.

I have not worn it for over 20 years, but quite like it’s retro design now, and thought it might be a nice change to wear it once in a while.

I have been looking for model details, but despite endless google searches, I have not been able to find a picture of it.

The band is now tarnished beyond repair, and I intend to see if I can find a watchmaker to remove the band and replace it with another bracelet or just a simple leather band.

Does anyone recognise this watch or have any details about it? I would be most grateful for any thoughts.

Thanks

Paul

 

Hello Paul,

Welcome to Omega Forums!
I'm not an expert on these but it looks like a Seamaster Mariner III. This Omega Vintage site shows more information, notably the case's water resistance is 30m,.which is certainly good for a shower (when it was new). The style derives from the famous Omega Marine Chronometer.

 

More on this thread

 

Mariner III as identified by @Deafboy.

The bracelet is an integral part of the watch and it will be extremely difficult to replace it with anything other than an original Omega 1394/087 bracelet.

Yours can be restored if it's not damaged or broken.

 

Thanks so very much. Really helpful.

Even from new, it was not water resistant. I lived back then in Australia on a beach at a block with a pool, and was always in the water, and the watch would mist up - the jewellers from were it was bought said it was not intended to be water resistant. I was probably naive then and just accepted it rather than demanding it be fully repaired or be given a new one.

The watch bracelet has alternate links of steel and some copper coloured metal, the latter being the problem heavily tarnished. I passed it to Chealwatch in the south of England who replaced the battery and serviced the watch, but who said the bracelet could not be repaired.

I do not know we’re to buy a new one. Any ideas?

Thank you

Paul

 

Thanks again. To be more precise, what I now know from your help and internet searching bracelet “1394/087” is that the bracelet is “...the original Omega steel strap 1394/087 with Ω folding clasp including 18 kt gold applications.....” - and it’s the gold applications that are badly tarnished. I am told they cannot be repaired, so it means locating a new one.

It’s a shame the tarnished bracelet cannot simply be replaced with a leather or rubber strap, which tend to be more comfortable anyway, especially in a tropical climate were constant changes from heat to aircon means one’s wrist expands and contracts during the day.

I live by the sea, and have a Rolex Submariner, a Tag Heuer Chronograph, and British Army CWC Quartz, and they are all better with a rubber strap if one is constantly on the water.

 

This model was never intended as a tool watch, it was a dress watch you wore out to dinner and to the casino where you subjected it to nothing harsher than the fragrance of fine perfumes and the scent of an olive martini.

If the only problem is the tarnishing, some work with one of these will do wonders.

 

Thanks JiminOz.

I had given it to an otherwise very reliable professional watch cleaner in the south of England (Chris Cheal of Chealwatch) and he could not get rid of the tarnishing.

But I had left it in a box and forgotten about it for 15 years, so maybe that’s why even the 18k gold has tarnished (the steel part of the bracelethas not).

But thanks and I will give your suggestion a try with Brillant Gold Polishing Cloths.

I agree it’s really only a dress watch - which was why I stopped wearing it - but a quarter of a century on, I am a bit less energetic and thought it round be nice to occasionally wear a dress watch rather than big clunking dive watches. That was why I was hoping to find that although an integrated bracelet, that it might still have some sort of spring loaded pins between the bracelet lugs that I could have attached a smart leather strap too.

Probably the next step is to go to a reputable watch service/repair centre and see what can be done to repair the tarnishing or take off the bracelet and see whst’s underneath.

Thanks again.

Paul

 

Just to say I have bought a Town Talk Gold Polishing Cloth, so we can see how that does. Thanks.