So I have had this watch for a pretty long time. A purchase from my "Oh that looks nice." phase. I can't recall if I purchased it on eBay, at a local shop in Denmark or on holiday in the U.S. I have purchased half a dozen of these over the past two decades before becoming more seriously interested in mechanical watches, and Omega in particular. I wore it 10 times a year until I cracked the crystal and have had it in a drawer ever since.

At some point when I went hunting for a replacement crystal, I stumbled across something that led me to believe this movement never shipped in this case. But that was some time ago, and I'm not sure which rabbit-hole I went down to find that info.

Anyone here with knowledge about the 166.002, ...enough to know if it ever shipped with a 552? Please feel free to unload any casual observations, as I don't have an investment in this piece emotionally or financially. I am very inexperienced with this reference and just looking for more info.

 

That is one very nice looking Omega in excellent condition. Sorry I can't help with the 552 movement you were asking.

 

According to the omega vintage database, there should be a cal 562 or 565 (from about the year 1965) in it.
Your serial number, however, looks like from year 1963

https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage-details/14478/

 

Wow. I just noticed that according to the OVD it should be a genève with date...

 

Thanks @chronos – But you don't think it is a Genève case and movement with a Seamaster caseback and dial? And is the 552 even a date movement? Would really like to understand if this was something rare/transitional/experimental – or just leftover pieces put together on a watchmakers workbench. Guessing the latter.

Complicating things from my point of view, a Google image search for "166.002 Seamaster 552" returns quite a bit that looks very similar, and yet almost nothing without a date window. Such a curious little piece.

 

Oh...also interesting. If you just look for "Seamaster 552" (removing 166.002 from the mix) – quite a bit with the same case design and dial layout is returned – all dateless Seamasters, ref. 165.002 which yes, uses the 552.

Seems most likely that this is just a 165.002 with a 166.002 caseback.

 

That's the best case scenarios, a 165.002 with the case back switched during service. More likely that this is an assembled watch from spare parts some time ago when parts were still widely available. With $150 you can verify this with an Extract of the Archive.

 

If the watch's reference number is 166.002, it would have a date window.

1 = man's watch
6 = automatic center sweep seconds
6 = water resistant calendar

As you noticed, no date option would make it a 165.002 so it's some kind of franken.

 

You can read the first three digits as they have meaning which I think you've started working out. The ones after the point are the model. I don't have notes in front of me but it's something along the lines of:
Code is XYZ

X=1 Men's, 5 is ladies
Y=6 Automatic sweep seconds
Z=6 With date, 5 is no date

So 166.024 is model 024 for men, auto and date.
566.024 is model 024 for women, auto and date.
165.024 is model 024 for men, auto but no date.

And so on.

I suspect the wrong case back.

Cheers, Chris

My post crossed with @ulackfocus but here is a link to the codes if you haven't seen them.

 

I suggest you list it as a watch built from parts, stating movement number, dial color, case size etc. An extract of the archives ($150) would not be worthed if you are selling it.

 

You guys are making this to complicated. Chris is right, wrong caseback and I suspect wrong hands too. Should be baton hands. Find a 165.002 caseback. Possible redial, no T SWISS MADE T.
http://www.chrono24.com/en/omega/se...r-automatic-automatik-in-steel--id5153263.htm
http://www.wristchronology.com/vintage-ure/omega-seamaster-centre-second-automatic-1966-2/

166.002

 

No need to add the first sentence. You've just proved it actually is complicated by pointing out the possibility of wrong hands. Wrong hands and wrong case back make it more likely the whole case is wrong for the movement.

 

Thanks all, for outstanding input. I'll resist my curiosity and not order an extract, as it would likely cost some significant portion (up to all!) of the value. But it's been fun trying to piece together it's origins.

@kingsrider I also suspect wrong hands ...though I've seen more than one 165.002 with sword hands. I'm less suspect of the dial, but all bets are off at this stage.

 

I cannot believe that is a redial. It looks too good. The "S" is right for 1963. I think it's been made without the "T" as (so I believe) some early tritium dials were. Ok it's a bit late for that but I can't reconcile the dial with the movement date any other way, unless the dial is a year earlier than the watch.

What I find most puzzling of all is an early crown on a later watch. Usually it's the other way round.

 

Of course with Omega there exceptions to every rule, so Edward53 you may be correct. With the tritium lume dots on the indices and assuming the hands are original, IMO there should be a "T" next to the SWISS MADE.

 

Now that you're here...maybe one of you could take a better guess than I can as to which crystal this case would accept? I don't see any option for the 165.002, and I'm weary that the 166.002 would have a date window.

http://www.ofrei.com/page_168.html

 

Omega crystal pz 5056
The 5056 crystal does not have a magnifier/cyclops that would be pz 5056L 'L' designating a lens.
notice on my 166.002 above there is no magnifier. It is a much cleaner look without.

 

OK. Your confidence is contagious, so I'm inclined to just take your advice here. Thanks.

 

There's a simple answer - the watch is a franken. It's a bunch of authentic Omega parts from the early to mid 60's that fit together so somebody made a watch out of them. That's it. No great mystery..... just another assembled vintage Omega.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-PZ5056-...hash=item1c6324283b:m:mo7f-dT2TyxOirwj80LEsFgPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/watch-glasses
enter pz5056
I have bought 2 from the guy in Spain. They are real Omega and are shipped quickly.
Otto Frei is out of these crystals. That is why you could not find them there.