Hi guys, I'm thinking about getting a refurbished vintage Seamaster off ebay, and I have no idea how much it's supposed to be worth. Is it an okay deal if I pay around 300 pounds? (around 400$)

Thanks

 

Personally i wouldnt buy this

Very little love for quartz watches in collecting circles

Only buy it if you love it and plan to keep it - as i doubt you could sell it for much later on

 

Refurbished probably means that the dial has been re-painted, and the price is ridiculously high for an old repainted quartz watch. Maybe you can introduce yourself and indicate what your goals are and what you are looking for. If you are looking to start a vintage watch collection, this watch is not the way to go about it.

 

As @Dan S said, the dial has been repainted. You can buy this if you want to as long as you don't mind wearing a Seanaster. I have a suggestion regarding buying a vintage watch: Educate yourself first, then spend your money. Read the stickies here and ask questions. Only then will you be ready to spend money.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I was thinking of buying one for my bf as a birthday gift. I was surprised that Omega was in a quite reasonable price range, but wasn't sure so I came here for advice. Would you say vintage omega watches recommendable for a man entering his first job, or should I look at new watches from more modest brands such as Tag heuer, Longines, etc?

thanks very much guys

 

I would find out what your bf likes; he may prefer a smartwatch (God help him, if he does).

 

It's a very nice thought to buy a classic watch for your bf for his birthday. This forum is for "vintage" watches, which generally means watches from the 1970s and earlier, and most of us prefer mechanical to quartz watches (ok, I am generalizing, since some people collect vintage quartz watches). Personally, I consider vintage Longines and Omega to be similar in quality and prestige overall. Tag Heuer is not a vintage brand (Heuer was a vintage watch manufacturer, but was acquired and re-named in more modern times). However, overall I think that for most people in the general public, the differences in status/prestige between Omega, Longines, and Tag Heuer are fairly small, so I wouldn't worry about those distinctions.

As @efauser mentioned, the most important thing is what your bf likes. New or old? Mechanical or quartz or smartwatch? If you know the answers, give us a sense of your budget, and we can help you.

 

Okay, I don't think there is a preference because it's his first watch. My budget is around 500 pounds, which narrows down choices into quartz, old watches if I wanted to buy in highbrands. Could you share your opinion on these watches?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TAG-HEUE...al-200m-SILVER-MENS-diver-quartz/273366618706Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OMEGA-SE...DATE-QUARTZ-CAL-1425-SWISS-WATCH/283070530815Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

thanks so much again

 

Please read the stickies.

 

The Omega has been tampered with. Again, the dial has been repainted and it looks very bad.

The Tag is a common modern quartz diver. Nothing wrong with it that I can see, but not interesting to me. You will want to research the price using the eBay advanced search function to look for SOLD items (check the SOLD box on the advanced search page). Nobody is bidding on it, so the price may be too high.

By the way, 500 pounds will get you a nice entry-level collectible vintage mechanical watch. There are often watches for sale on this forum from collectors. Here is one in your price range that you could consider. It appeals to me as a collector, but I don't know if you or your bf will like it. The size of the watch is also something to consider. If your bf likes large watches, these older watches may not be right for him.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/reduced-longines-all-guard-ref-9006-stainless-steel-1950s.78204/

 

May the quartz be with you. Not with me though.

 

The watches you've picked out are pretty bad examples, refurbished and all. I agree with @Dan S that with 500 pounds you'll be able to get a pretty nice vintage omega. You'll just have to know what you're looking for and do take note that the sizes of vintage are usually around 34-36mm which could be small for some guys.
If you're not dead set on vintage perhaps you can get your boyfriend a modern piece like a hamilton Khaki king.