I am looking to buy my first Omega and I am looking at this watch below. I just love the vintage look of the older Seamaster 300s. This is the information I have been given by the seller.

"It is fitted with Omega rubber strap but does come with original Omega vintage steel bracelet
Everything is correct on the watch and it has the correct Omega calibre movement. Timekeeping is also good and movement has been serviced. Comes with paperwork from my company and can also provide independent valuation. Case diameter is 42mm"

Other information on the watch is:

SN: 34026387
Movement: 565
055 ST 166.0324

I am looking for any feedback or advice on this watch for the "guru's" on this great forum site. I have tried to look up the serial number on Omegas website but not had much luck. Also what do people think it is worth on today's market.

I enclose some photos for you.

 

Hi Hilly. You won't find the serial number in Omega's database as the watch was not manufactured by Omega. WatchCo in know for assembling watches such as this with NOS Omega parts. They may be correct and original parts, but the watch is not a legitimate Omega.


Sent from Speedmaster using Tapatalk

 

@benny40 you won’t find the serial number in Omega’s database because Omega’s online database doesn’t have any serial numbers. The movement (the only serial number on the watch) is certainly a legitimate Omega movement, it was just likely not born inside a SM300.

 

So will this be still serviced by Omega then?

 

There, clarified it for you.

 

Why would you want Omega to service it when there are much cheaper and more reliable options available?

 

And some suggested reading.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-seamaster-300-review.221/

 

Ok so what sort of value would you put on this watch in today's market?

 

Thank you. I will go back to lurker mode now.


Sent from Speedmaster using Tapatalk

 

if you like this model and the price is right, buy it. looks like it was serviced on 2015 anyway. as a daily wearer you still have a few years before any service. and I`d not send it to omega anyway; their service is rather not cheap and any good watchmaker can do it. rgd. price: ask watchco for a new one and deduct 20%. but from your pics. it looks like, this described one here is from watchco anyway...... that will make bargaining a bit more difficult. but it always pays, to talk to them directly. good luck ! kind regards. achim

 

Ok I thought watchco was a term used, is it actually a shop?. I have searched the internet for a shop called watchco but had no luck, can anyone point me to their website?

Searched watchco shop and got the following:

https://www.google.co.nz/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=watchco shop

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/usr/abouttime-ch?_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2754

 

Oh Ebay, ok don't seem to have any which is a shame.

 

Come back Benny, he was just softening your its not a legitimate Omega as not to scare off the OP
And @JimInOz does have one

 

Value on these watchs are really determined on how much someone is willing to pay for it and how good the built quality is .

 

This is true, see them ranging from $2000-2400 US at the start of the year, would this be correct in today's market?

 

If your willing to pay that amount for a watch-co ... I would be inclined to pay a little bit more and purchase a genuine 300. At the end of the day the watch your looking to buy will never be a seamaster 300 IMHO.

 

To OP, these watches are genuine Omegas. The issue is that they are assembled from new old service stock. So there is no such thing as a 166.0324 case that left the factory assembled as a finished watch, therefore many collectors don't consider it legit. However if you had purchased one in 1970 for example and had used and abused it and sent it into Omega for service it's likely that the original 166.024 case would be "fixed" by replacing it with a 166.0324 case. The other issue is that their is a cottage industry of people purchasing other Omega models that had a 562 or 565 movement and using them in the 166.0324 case and thus creating a 300, so a search by Omega won't recognize it as legit either. That said, I have an assembled 300 from all NOS parts including the 565 movement. Is it legit, NO, do I love it HELL YES . As for price, that depends, I got mine for about $2,500 and it's all new. Go into an Omega OD and ask what they have at that price . And as another respondent said there are many capable watchmakers that could service at a much more reasonable price.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Watchco vs. Vintage is more a matter of taste, than it is price (as @VetPsychWars ) IMO, although you will surely pay more for vintage. I think you will find the market for these to hover around the $2800 - 3000 US mark. If you are seeing a great example at $2000-2400 and it suits your taste, that is a good price.

Btw....I have both Watchco (near mint, no date) and vintage and have determined I am a dyed-in-the-wool vintage lover which is why I am looking to sell my Watchco.. PM me if you settle your internal debate and have any interest.

 

Hi Hilly,

The watch looks good, but ask the seller to send you a photo of the watch straight on, and with the bezel rotated with the triangle set at 12. Sometimes these don't line up correctly at 12, and the fact they show the bezel turned everywhere but there is a red flag for me personally as it seems they might be trying to hide the fact that it doesn't line up. If it doesn't line up, there is no easy fix - you buy a whole new bezel assembly and hope that one lines up. You should at least ask the seller to tell you if the triangle lines up at 12, or if it is slightly off.

And one point of clarification on the parts used for these watches - they are not NOS (New Old Stock) but just "new" parts from Omega. They are being produced right up to this day, so there is nothing "old" about any of them. Watchco liked to used the "NOS" term to make these sound like a rare batch of parts found somewhere from the 70's that they have rescued and made into watches, but they were just buying parts from Omega and assembling watches for sale...at least until Omega cut them off.

If the bezel lines up well, then I would say the price is quite a good buy actually. Since Watchco was cut off, the prices of these have been rising quite a lot. The vintage v Watchco is an ongoing debate for some, but for me it's not an "either/or" situation. I like my modern built SM300 because it's a great beater watch. It's an inexpensive watch that I know has great water resistance, and I'm not too concerned if I knock it around, because all the parts are easily replaced. I know I don't have to baby it, and if it gets dinged up I'm not wrecking a rare/valuable watch.

To me vintage and Watchco serve 2 completely different purposes.

Regarding service by Omega, complete conversions from one model completely to another are allowed if done in the proper way (I have discussed this at length with Omega) so my feeling is that they would have no issues servicing this based on corporate policy. However some service centers may refuse them because they are unaware of the rules. But as others have noted, there are alternate places to get your watch serviced, so having Omega do it would be the last choice of most people here.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Al