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Are these vintage Omegas worth it?

R
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Hi there,

I'm Remi, new to the forum and actually new to forums in general, first post ever!

I'm looking into vintage Omegas and two have caught my attention:
- https://www.chrono24.com/omega/seamaster-handwinding-35mm-vintage-ref-14389-14389--id19810088.htm
upload_2021-7-8_17-29-42.png

Pro seller (I've read some good and less good stuff about them)
Ref 14389
Cal 268
Dial seems original
I can have it for about €900

- https://www.chrono24.fr/omega/omega...-automatic-mens-watch-by-1950--id16595932.htm
upload_2021-7-8_17-29-52.png


Private seller
Ref 2375
Cal 342
I'm wondering whether this one is legit or not, the case, indices (especially the 12 o'clock one) and crown all seem a bit bulky to me, but what do I know...
Asking price €677

I would love your opinions on these two pieces. What I'd basically like to know is are they worth their respective prices? And why?

Thanks a lot for your help!
Edited:
 
smoothsecondscom
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I think so! Nr 2 is definetly worth it! The crown is probably a replacement but it's a decent price anyways, lovely watch. Nr 1 is also decent, but prices are always higher with dealers.
 
Passover
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Nr 2 is a redial IMO, zoom in and look at the two o'clock marker
 
R
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Passover Passover
Nr 2 is a redial IMO, zoom in and look at the two o'clock marker

It's true that from some angles the end of that marker seems odd (second pic below). Then again, from another angle it seems normal (first pic below) :
upload_2021-7-8_17-58-29.png
 
R
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Any other thoughts on those two watches? Is the second one definitely a redial or do you think that stain could just be a reflection from a specific angle? The seller is adamant that the dial is original, but I guess that doesn't mean anything... He says the crown is also original and the only thing that was replaced is the plexiglass, not Omega signed.
I am far from an expert, but I have to say that when I look at the dial with the zoom on C24, I feel like it has too many imperfections to be a redial. Wouldn't a redial be more "perfect"?

Here's a shot from another angle:
upload_2021-7-8_23-39-6.png


I reserved them both until tomorrow, so any feedback by then would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks a lot! 😀
 
R
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PS: any input on the respective calibers would be very useful too!
 
MtV
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smoothsecondscom smoothsecondscom
I think so! Nr 2 is definetly worth it! The crown is probably a replacement but it's a decent price anyways, lovely watch. Nr 1 is also decent, but prices are always higher with dealers.

Mmh - take this with a grain of salt, but straight M in automatic and the rounded bottom-right corner of the G in Omega make me sceptical about the second one. Have you googled 2375s and tried to find one with identical font? Also, the dial looks glossy, almost like a light sunburst-finish? Which would be an absolute sign for a redial in a late 40s watch.

I’ve never seen those fat indices on a 2375. One thing’s for sure: the crown doesn’t belong on the watch. It doesn’t even fit in the case for Christ’s sake - and a seller who claims that it does either doesn’t know what he’s talking about or is actively lying.
 
MtV
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Take this as a comparison for font style and crispness of the text, close-up from my 2374:

BA202EA9-8794-4895-A3F0-7080AD9699B6.jpeg


/edit: And the price for the first one is absurd. In my opinion, >2x it’s value. The damaged dial alone would be a no in my book.
 
R
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Thanks for your reply!
I'm quite weary regarding the second one now. I couldn't find 2375s with the same font on Google, at least not for the automatic M.

I did however find these two threads on the forum, with Omega watches of the same era which have the same font if I'm not mistaken:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/vintage-omega-seamaster-sub-seconds-info.31772/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/hel...seamaster-bumper-with-sub-seconds-dial.78180/

These two also have similar crowns, and I did find some 2375 pics with a similar crown as well, like this one:
upload_2021-7-9_0-43-56.png

Could it be that the crown is just pulled out on the seller's pictures?

I guess maybe I want it to be legit too badly and don't want to accept the obvious, but I just want to make sure I don't discard that option for the wrong reasons.
 
Dan S
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The ref 2375 is quite small IIRC. Also, are you specifically looking for a bumper? Maybe you'd be better off with something more conventional if you are just starting out, unless you have a great and experienced watchmaker. Dial may be legit. Replacement crown. Price too high for what it is.

In general, regarding dials, crowns, etc. It takes a long time to develop the necessary experience to recognize these things. You will need to look at thousands of watches and understand a lot of subtleties. You can't do it in a day. Many of these dials were repainted 40-50 years ago and the crowns were also replaced decades in the past. So it's not helpful to find other examples on the internet with the same font or parts. You are just going to be finding other re-dials and replacement crowns. Take your time and learn. These overpriced watches on C24 have been sitting unsold for months. They are nothing special.
Edited:
 
R
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Dan S Dan S
The ref 2375 is quite small IIRC. Also, are you specifically looking for a bumper? Maybe you'd be better off with something more conventional if you are just starting out, unless you have a great and experienced watchmaker. Dial may be legit. Replacement crown. Price too high for what it is.

In general, regarding dials, crowns, etc. It takes a long time to develop the necessary experience to recognize these things. You will need to look at thousands of watches and understand a lot of subtleties. You can't do it in a day. Many of these dials were repainted 40-50 years ago and the crowns were also replaced decades in the past. So it's not helpful to find other examples on the internet with the same font or parts. You are just going to be finding other re-dials and replacement crowns. Take your time and learn. These overpriced watches on C24 have been sitting unsold for months. They are nothing special.

Thanks Dan!
Any advice on other (better) websites for Omega vintage watches at fair prices? I saw there is a section on this website, but I struggle to navigate it and search for the kind of watch I'm after (1940s to 1960s Omega, steel coulour case, sub second).
 
Dan S
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R Remi-int
Thanks Dan!
Any advice on other (better) websites for Omega vintage watches at fair prices? I saw there is a section on this website, but I struggle to navigate it and search for the kind of watch I'm after (1940s to 1960s Omega, steel coulour case, sub second).

Good watches at fair prices sell quickly, wherever they are listed, so 95% of the watches you find listed anywhere at any given time either have issues or are overpriced. The percentage is higher on C24 IMO.

It's a matter of patience and education. You need to watch for new listings and be prepared to jump on a good one. This means educating yourself in advance. Fortunately, you are looking for a relatively common style, and good examples come up fairly frequently. I don't think it will take more than a month or two to find a good one.
 
smoothsecondscom
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R Remi-int
Thanks Dan!
Any advice on other (better) websites for Omega vintage watches at fair prices? I saw there is a section on this website, but I struggle to navigate it and search for the kind of watch I'm after (1940s to 1960s Omega, steel coulour case, sub second).
I'd recommend looking at the marketplace section here, there are often omega's being sold by reputable members for decent prices.
 
Passover
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I really hope this hair (or whatever) is on the crystal but it seems its on dial with parts of it covered with (re-)paint at 43

upload_2021-7-9_10-33-8.png
 
smoothsecondscom
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Passover Passover
I really hope this hair (or whatever) is on the crystal but it seems its on dial with parts of it covered with (re-)paint at 43

upload_2021-7-9_10-33-8.png
You sure? To me it looks like it's on the crystal, since it doesn't seem to be laying on the index.
 
Passover
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difficult to tell of course but I think I see it at "42", than it disappers and resurfaces at "43,5"
 
ChrisN
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Dan S Dan S
Also, are you specifically looking for a bumper? Maybe you'd be better off with something more conventional if you are just starting out, unless you have a great and experienced watchmaker.
I'd echo this comment. These can be tricky to sort out and not everyone will want to work on them. Parts availability is not as good as the sixties calibres so, if that timescale fits with your requirements, it would be worth considering the 550 series (550 to 565).

The first watch you showed, a cal 268, is the basic configuration for a movement and everyone will work on these but, the price is far too high for that watch. An auto is a great thing if you intend to wear the watch every day but a manual wind will be cheaper and cheaper to service. Even if you wear it every day, winding of the watch every morning is an enjoyable routine.

Good luck and enjoy the hunt, Chris
 
R
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Thanks for the contributions! It's all very useful.

What do you think of this? Am I doing any better already?
upload_2021-7-9_15-24-43.png


Ref 2401-3
Cal 360
It says original dial and crown

Current bid is €320 but below the reserve price ("site expert's" estimate is about €700)

Are these stains (patina?) near the 2 and 3 a major issue?
 
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