300SM Big Triangle

[nickuk99]

Hi,

Please may I ask for help with this SM300 Big Triangle I have been offered. Any observations welcomed

Cal 565 #2795####, owner says it’s a 1968.

I’m concerned the dial and hands have been replaced?

Also the bezel insert appears blue ish?, I’ve seen this before on other Seamasters on the net, is this the correct bezel for a 68 watch? Are the blue bezels ok

Any comments and insight welcome

 

[masteroftime]

The dial has been refinished and isn’t a factory BT dial.

Blue bezels can be okay. Some are a little blue from a “rare” batch and there are some that are black but seem to look slightly blue in photographs. I’m not sure about this one. The insert looks fine, but the bezel seems very thick from the side view

 

[nickuk99]

Thanks for your reply,

The dial looks off as it has no line around the date window, and looks re-lumed, but I’m no expert so..

Any further insight into what you mean by re-finished?

 

[sheepdoll]

Something feels off about the dial. Could be the camera angle.

I have been studying the fonts on these. In some ways the serifs on the fonts look too good. The ink too thick. Could just be the standards then are not what they are now with digital replication. I suspect there is/was a lot of attrition making these dials.

I do agree the date window looks way off.

 

[AdamVT227]

masteroftime

The dial has been refinished and isn’t a factory BT dial.

Blue bezels can be okay. Some are a little blue from a “rare” batch and there are some that are black but seem to look slightly blue in photographs. I’m not sure about this one. The insert looks fine, but the bezel seems very thick from the side view

to me the bezel looks like a 166.073 but i could be wrong

 

[nickuk99]

N nickuk99

Thanks for your reply,

The dial looks off as it has no line around the date window, and looks re-lumed, but I’m no expert so..

Any further insight into what you mean by re-finished?

AdamVT227

to me the bezel looks like a 166.073 but i could be wrong

I think they look the same from the front , however the profile and click track is completely different so it won’t fit the 166-024 watch case

 

[nickuk99]

Any more thoughts on the dial from the expanders here ?

 

[masteroftime]

After taking a look at mine, the bezel is fine I think. The case is just so worn and polished that it seems thicker.

Like I said, the dial is refinished. It could be an original brass dial plate, but it was stripped and reprinted by a 3rd party. The hands are modern service replacements. The value of the watch is the sum of the remaining parts because the refinished dial carries no value.

 

[nickuk99]

Many thanks for the input

 

[Davidt]

is this the seller offering the watch?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25666596...aMjpz0rSAy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[JwRosenthal]

Davidt

is this the seller offering the watch?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25666596...aMjpz0rSAy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

£6k- fuuuuck that!

 

[Fallout Boy]

stay away!
My BT from 1968

Do not buy any "paint-work"!

 

[nickuk99]

Davidt

is this the seller offering the watch?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25666596...aMjpz0rSAy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Yes, this is the watch I was offered before it was put on eBay.

Also I noticed the date wheel is white with black writing, should be black with white writing, so the movement is probably from completely different watch, refinished dial and very worn and over polished case, very worn caseback , basically nice bezel and bracelet, and I think made up of parts.

He asked me for £10k !!

 

[Davidt]

Is this someone you know or just a local ‘dealer’?

Did you tell them the dial is refinished, the condition terrible and it’s worth about £2500.

 

[nickuk99]

Hi Davidt,

He is an eBay seller from Portland (a little island off Weymouth, UK).

I bought a very nice all original 1987 Speedy ST 145 022 with original full 1450 bracelet from him in August.

He mentioned to me at that time that he had a 1968 BT in for a service, and he would let me know when it was available, which he did yesterday.

He sent me the photos yesterday, and asked me for £10K !!, I declined it at the price and he said he'll put it on eBay, okay well that is what he did.

I have not told him about the refinished dial, the wrong date wheel, the overly worn caseback or the over polished case, nice bezel and bracelet but basically a Franken, the movement probably not from a 166.024, I suspect just a c1969 cal 565 from another regular Seamaster.

He believes it is an absolute gem and a gold mine, and worth a fortune,

When someone believes they have a £10K watch, they are not going to accept £2.5k, he's offered it for £6K and it is not worth anything like that.

I am sure someone will point out to him the watches issues, situation and problems and maybe he will correct his listing to properly describe them.

 

[Davidt]

Yeah I’ve been in the same situation. Bought a nice watch from someone in person at a fair price, we got talking and they start showing me lots of other watches they have. Unfortunately half of them were absolute dogs and the chap thought he was going to get top dollar.

 

[nickuk99]

Davidt

Yeah I’ve been in the same situation. Bought a nice watch from someone in person at a fair price, we got talking and they start showing me lots of other watches they have. Unfortunately half of them were absolute dogs and the chap thought he was going to get top dollar.

Exactly the situation here, he seems a nice chap, and he genuinely believes his watch is the best, the rarest and the most valuable collector’s piece.

I’m hoping a few experts will explain about the watch to him, if I had said all that he maybe would have thought I was just trying to chip him on the price, he needs to hear it from experts, and people who genuinely know about the 166.024

 

[JwRosenthal]

N nickuk99

Exactly the situation here, he seems a nice chap, and he genuinely believes his watch is the best, the rarest and the most valuable collector’s piece.

I’m hoping a few experts will explain about the watch to him, if I had said all that he maybe would have thought I was just trying to chip him on the price, he needs to hear it from experts, and people who genuinely know about the 166.024

I’ve learned that when people get in their heads that they have a rare gem, anything you say to try and “educate” them is taken personally as you are either trying to work them down to buy it, or have sour grapes and are trying to shit on their birthday cake.
I usually just tell them that’s it’s too rich for my blood and wish them the best of luck. No point in souring a relationship- they will figure it out in time.