Advice on a Seamaster 30 with a 286 Calibre

Hello there. This is my first post to the Omega Forums, so bear with me.

I've just started taking a serious interest in watch collecting and one of the watches I decided I wanted to find is a Calibre 286 Seamaster 30 with sweeping seconds on a black dial with arabic numerals. I found one listed on eBay by a jewellers based in Stuttgart, which looks almost exactly like what I am after (I might prefer one with a "railway track" for the seconds register, but that's a very minor quibble).

However, I am a bit nervous about committing myself - it's a bit outside my budget, but I could stretch to it if I am convinced it is worth it. I have contacted the jewellers who told me that they bought a complete watch collection from an old gentleman and that this formed part of it. It was apparently serviced in January of this year and, as far as they are aware, the dial is original and not refinished in any way.

It is the dial in particular that is causing me some concerns. On the magnified pictures it would appear that the lume has not been applied to match exactly the underlying numerals - as if someone had painted outside the lines... This seems strange to me if the dial has not been refinished, but I just don't know enough. Can anyone help? I attach all the pictures provided by the seller on his website.

The dial is a horrible redial, with a fantasy layout Omega never made on a Seamaster 30.
The case have been heavily polished.
Hands are wrong.

I would not buy it.

Thank you for the feedback - I really appreciate it. I smelt something fishy, but it is good to get knowledgeable comments.

Incidentally, do you have a "bible" you refer to when you look at Seamasters (or Omegas generally), or have you just accumulated knowledge over the years. I haven't found a definitive source online, but perhaps there is a book I should invest in to help me with my searches...

Thanks again.

Picked up knowledge i guess 😀

Seamaster 30 is a good one to start with. There were several references and the famous 30mm. calibre in both center (cal. 286) and sub seconds (cal. 269) og many dial variations.

I have a few SM 30 in my collection

Oh my. Now those are quite something... I particularly like the 286 in the second picture with the steel bracelet - that is absolutely gorgeous. It's made me rethink whether I really want a black dial...

Where / how do you source your watches? eBay or some other method...?

They are all sourced on local auction sites. If you want inspiration you are welcome to have a look at my Omega's on my Instagram, I have a lot of vintage Omega's and there ref. numbers in the text. https://www.instagram.com/omega_tdn/

OMG. That is going to take me days if not weeks to go through... I'm blown away. How long have you been collecting?

9 years 😀

I’ve just quickly browsed through some of the photos. That is a serious collection tdn-dk and you have some fantastic looking watches 😀👍

Thanks 😀

Bearing in mind how many you have there, that's quite a rate of collecting if it only took you 9 years to assemble that lot... And they all look to be in such stunning condition. That must always be the hardest thing to achieve - striking the right balance between undertaking a "sympathetic refurbishment" and going too far...

As you have comprehensively demonstrated that I have an awful lot to learn, I started looking for reference books on Omega. One has caught my eye on Amazon, but it is pretty dear... I attach a picture of the cover - any views?

The real bible is Omega - A Journey Through Time, can be hard to find

https://omegaforums.net/threads/use...al-mwo-the-moon-watch-book.66462/#post-835563

This is some posts on my SM30 (which I've now sold...)

https://omegaforums.net/threads/just-acquired-seamaster-30.39256/

Generic crystal and crown.



New shiny replacements.

I have just got a Seamaster 30 with cal. 286 and serial number 20167971 into custody. I noticed in the picture FRaulier posted that the movement bears no serial number, would that be normal?
The crown of my watch isn't signed! That doesn't seem right, does it?
Thank you all for sharing great knowledge and wonderful photos.

I took a closer, longer, and more thorough look at the crown and thought I saw the remnant of the logo itself. It seemingly wore off; which might sound consistent with what the previous owner told me of intensive daily wearing over...50 years! :O