My new (old, beatup) watch from Dad... can anyone help identify it? Ideas on how to spiff it up (without replacing parts)? I'll take it to shop in a week or so to open and investigate...


back (sorry for not great pictures. flat topped A and certified is spelled correctly:

 

The watch looks pretty nice in that condition

and just a replacement crystal will transform it......and maybe a replacement bracelet

 

thanks for the reply!

that's good to hear. Since it was Dad's, it has the sentimental value, so I like it as is. What does it do to the (other) value if it gets serviced and has original (beatup) parts replaced? And yes, I'm open to directions on where I can take it. I'm in the States but I travel all over them

 

definitely getting a new bracelet. probably nylon for now but maybe and Omega mesh later.

 

I have an Omega mesh bracelet on my SM300 and it is a fantastic bracelet, a bit expensive but they are very comfortable and look great. I really like aircraft style buckle on them too. If you have big wrists you'll need to get the mesh extension piece too but these are pretty cheap

 

Hi Mike

That is lovely....please do not over restore it ! Correct replacement crystal , stabilise the lume in the hands (do not replace) , full Service and perhaps a NATO , period Sharkskin or one of the new Omega rubberised leather straps with deployment ?

Enjoy it....

Best - Neil

 

Nice one - I agree keep it as original as possible.

Cheers, Al

 

Looks like a very nice original ref. 165.024 and even more special in that it comes from your father. Congrats!
As others have said, originality is the key for most in the vintage watch world, so their advice is spot on for the most part.
The one quibble I might have, and it might just be more of a clarification, is regarding the hands lume.
As the minute hand is disintegrating, it must be stabilized. And usually stabilization does require some re-luming to both add to the fill and support the original fill.
When done by a competent professional (such as a Jack at International Watch Works), the look will be virtually indistinguishable from the original lume (although the texture may be slightly different when viewed under a loupe). Just be very specific in what you want from the artisan.

All things being equal, if you are going to wear and enjoy the watch, I personally feel it is worth it not to have to look at broken luminous on the hands when you're trying to tell the time. Maybe there is a small hit to the value but this is the one area on vintage watches where I am a bit more flexible and less of a 100% purist.

Here is a SM 300 I owned where I believe the lume was stabilized by adding additional fill (just talking hands here, not dial):



Looked great on the wrist and I assure you it did not hurt the value of the watch too much when I sold it.

Great piece & best of luck,
Tom

 

Thanks everyone for the responses. I suspected it was the 165.024 although Omega's Vintage site doesn't seem to have this exact one. I'm taking it now to get a new bracelet on it.

In one day of wear it seems its gone fast by five seconds.

I don't want to stir the pot but I'd like to see a bit more pro/con of reluming the minute hand. Can that be done by itself or does everything need to be relumed? In my picture it seems a bit yellowed but that's just the lighting. I'll get a better camera and post some before/after pics once I start getting work done.

 

The lume can be redone, and even dyed to match the existing lume you want left intact. I've heard tea and/or coffee works, and even model paint, depending on how dark you need it.

 

The lume that is there can be stabilized without adding more lume. When faced with a hand like this where the desire is to keep it original, I usually apply some of the binder that you mix with the lume powder to the back of the hand. The binder is clear, so it just makes the lume that is left stay in place so it does not break loose and get into the movement.

Just one option to think about.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks Al and everyone.

One more question about nylon bracelets. I see most are the one piece, slip-through style but I've been told that that will end up speeding up the erosion of the backplate. Should I instead find a two piece or is this not that big a deal?