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60s Seamasters Cal 552 with white dial

mangozac
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My hunt for the perfect (to my taste) vintage Seamaster continues and from all the knowledge here on the forum I think I'm starting to get adept at spotting redials. This one on ebay caught my eye as exactly what I'm after but upon closer inspection there's no way that's an original dial! https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE...IAL-AUTOMATIC-CAL-552-MANS-WATCH/233029238007

s-l400.jpg


I'd really like a white dial with gold hands and indices, a stainless case and 552 movement but I suspect that these watches around the 165.00X range weren't actually offered in a plain white dial. Can anybody confirm if that's the case? Am I just going to have to settle for a silver dial (which can often show as off white in sunlight in photos I see)?
 
Puma_135o
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It's a redial, but it's well executed. Looks more a restoration, in my view.
 
Dan S
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The seller indicates in the listing that the dial is a "professional redial". It's important to really read the listing.

Screen Shot 2021-03-18 at 11.15.01 AM.png
 
No Mercy
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Puma_135o Puma_135o
It's a redial, but it's well executed. Looks more a restoration, in my view.
Horrible redial work, IMO. Ugly scripts, over polished hour markers and franken Omega logo, it is from early 1950s.
And what a price 😲
I could offer you an all original 165.003 in excellent condition for less than that price 😟
Edited:
 
Spruce
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My 165.003, 552 stainless steel with gold indices and a slightly patinated silver dial. I prefer the dauphine hands of the 003 to the stick hands of the 002 - but that’s just a personal preference

FB9A3067-5533-41B3-940D-D8BAE7172262.jpeg
Edited:
 
Spruce
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No Mercy No Mercy
Horrible redial work, IMO. Ugly scripts, over polished hour markers and franken Omega logo, it is from early 1950s.
And what a price 😲

And the wrong hands for a purported 165.003
 
mangozac
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Dan S Dan S
The seller indicates in the listing that the dial is a "professional redial". It's important to really read the listing.

Screen Shot 2021-03-18 at 11.15.01 AM.png
Oops, I did indeed miss that. Although in my defence, it's a pretty extortionate price to be asking to then state it's a redial!

No Mercy No Mercy
Horrible redial work, IMO. Ugly scripts, over polished hour markers and franken Omega logo, it is from early 1950s.
And what a price 😲
I could offer you an all original 165.003 in excellent condition for less than that price 😟
Oh so I'm correct in my understanding that the 60s 552 variants only have the more rounded S in Seamaster?

If you actually have a 165.003 to offer I would be interested 😀

Spruce Spruce
My 165.003, 552 stainless steel with gold indices and a slightly patinated silver dial. I prefer the dauphine hands of the 003 to the stick hands of the 002 - but that’s just a personal preference
Personal preference indeed - I prefer the stick style hands!
 
mangozac
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Spruce Spruce
My 165.003, 552 stainless steel with gold indices and a slightly patinated silver dial. I prefer the dauphine hands of the 003 to the stick hands of the 002 - but that’s just a personal preference

FB9A3067-5533-41B3-940D-D8BAE7172262.jpeg
So this is a silver dial? It looks a very flat white in that photo!
 
JwRosenthal
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Sadly, most of the public (not watch collectors) would see “professionally restored” or “dial professionally refinished” as a good thing. We seem to always think that a refinished dial hurts value (and to actual collectors, it does), but we really aren’t the bulk of the consumer base for vintage watches these days.

I spoke to one dealer who said that original but lightly patina’d examples can sit for months, but a clearly described fresh redial will fly within days of posting for serious money.
 
Spruce
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mangozac mangozac
So this is a silver dial? It looks a very flat white in that photo!

I find that it’s always difficult with photos.

This one was white/off white and is now patinated and ‘creamer'. [The watch, not the dog 😉]

upload_2021-3-18_21-3-38.jpeg
 
Spruce
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mangozac mangozac
Personal preference indeed - I prefer the stick style hands!
Then you may want to look for a 165/166.002
 
DJG2645
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My 165.002 has a silver dial but in the daylight the dial looks white, absolutely love it.
IMG_20210203_124022_031.jpg IMG_20210201_124829.jpg
 
mangozac
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Spruce Spruce
Then you may want to look for a 165/166.002
That's what I have been doing, but since the majority of listings omit detail such as the model code I've been tending to just browse visually. But it's good to confirm that a 165.002 should only come with the stick hands.

DJG2645 DJG2645
My 165.002 has a silver dial but in the daylight the dial looks white, absolutely love it.
IMG_20210203_124022_031.jpg
Yes, that's what I had been noticing! Outdoor shots of the silver dial often look to be almost white! What I would really like is that style but with gold hands and indices.
 
mangozac
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Spruce Spruce
This might fit the bill for you
Thanks, I had seen that one and it's very nice but I find that silver on silver on silver is a little too plain for my taste.
 
mangozac
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Can you guys tell me the difference between a standard Seamaster and a Seamaster Geneve, both in a 165.002 case with 552 movement?

s-l1600.jpg
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