I have a 1970's Seamaster with the mechanism stamped as 565. However, is is also a 17 jewel. Reading through the forum, am I right to think that a 565 should only be 24 jewel? If so, what does this mean for my watch?

David

 

Here is a photo.

 

Omega parts are interchangeable and the chop shop can do whatever they like, in this case either the rotor bridge or the other part was changed.



Omega 565

Features
automatic
sweep second
date: quickset by repeated pulling the crown

Data
Dm= 27.9mm
H= 5.05mm
24 jewels
f = 19800 A/h
power reserve 50h

Balance staff U2769

Stem W3236

Hands
1.50 x 0.80 x 0.18mm

 

so would a confirmation of a correct 565 mechanism be the sweep second?

 

No, both 563 and 565 have sweep second hand. The 563's were made mainly for American market and have 17 jewels. Your watch has parts from both movements (I guess) maybe it came from a chop shop somewhere in India or Thailand, Vietnam etc...

 

There are plenty of frankenmasters all over the globe making movements and entire watches from the parts bin or cannibalizing a few correct non-working ones to make one that works. Correctness be damned, they want to sell for a profit to the less knowledgeable on eBay.

 

Keep in mind many watchmakers will also swap parts to keep a watch running, and just use what is available rather then seeking out the exact correct replacement part. Not something I would do personally, but many don't see the problem with this. It's not necessarily a sign of a franken watch put together to mislead, just someone using a part that works that is not 100% correct - I would not condemn the whole watch because of something like this, and yes it can be fixed by installing the right parts.

I can't tell you how many Rolex 1575 movements I've seen with the automatic bridge that claims it's a 1570 - since Rolex date movements end in the number 5, if it has a date, it can't be a 1570....even my wife's vintage 1603 has 1570 written on the bridge, and it's clearly a 1575. I think some may have even come from the factory this way based on the sheer numbers out there.

Not everyone cares about these things unfortunately.

Cheers, Al

 

When I was visiting a watch repair stand in VN, I met a watchmaker who was doing exactly what you said. He had to make the watch tick with what he had in front of him, the client was there waiting and expecting a cheap service.

Collectors should pay more for their hobby, I guess.

 

Fair enough, and certainly correct observations. You get what you pay for.

 

As noted by Al, many of these parts swaps were done to keep an otherwise dead watch working and may have been done long ago, before these watches became collectable. Having said that, think there is a LOT MORE parts swapping being done now, particularly in certain parts of the world.

 

your assumption is correct-

 

If you could expand on this that would be great.

 

Sure Al
It's been a while since I have been hanging out at Vintage Rolex Forum
But I remember this to be very common, some say 1575 some say 1570,
nothing to worry. I'll see if I can find the info on my computer when I get home.
But here's one post on the subject
http://www.network54.com/Forum/207593/message/1226699179/What you have there is a 1570 (no-date) winding bridge on a 1575 (date) main plate.

I'll have to look but I think my 1680 5.5mill is marked 1570 even though 1575


here's a 1655 I own

 

Thanks - yes I know that they are out there - I have serviced plenty in this state. I thought you were saying that you had some evidence that they originally came from the factory that way like someone at Rolex saying this was the case or something of that nature.

Cheers, Al

 

As the guys on VRF joke, Rolex didn't expect us to be looking at the parts
in their watches. I don't think Rolex will tell vintage watch enthusiasts
anything except how much to service their watch

heres another link
http://www.network54.com/Forum/2075...There+is+a+lot+of>>>>>>>

 

Interchangable parts will do that. Rolex modeled everything off of Ford who modeled everything off of the American watch industry.

 

There are way too many "1570" bridges on 1575 date movements for them to have not come from the Rolex factory that way. They couldn't possibly all have been changed and in fact many more date models have the 1570-marked bridge than the 1575-marked bridge, which is actually not very common. I just checked my personal archive and could not find one 1575-marked bridge out of about 10-15 date Rolex watches.
Best,
T.

 

I wonder if there would be any difficulty swapping a non-jeweled bridge for a jeweled version, as on the rotor bridges between the 563 & 565? If so, that would definitely lead one to conclude it was the bridge with the caliber & serial # that was swapped.
But I haven't the foggiest idea so would love to hear an opinion from the mechanics here.
Best,
T.

 

There is nothing to do with jewels, you just unscrew 2 screws, lift the whole thing out then put the other unit on, that's all.

Looking at this may give you an idea how easy it is

http://omega.watchprosite.com/?show=forumpost&fi=677&pi=4735818&ti=723423

 

I just checked my servicing photos - all of the 1575's were marked 1570. I just serviced an Air King Date and it had a 1525 inside, marked with a 1520 bridge. Seems common on the 15XX series, but I can't say I've ever seen the same on a 3035 or 3135....odd.

Cheers, Al