Hello, I'm looking at possibly purchasing this Seamaster, and i'm looking to the discerning eyes here to see if they can spot anything wrong by looking at a few photos. It is being billed as a 166.010 with a 565 movement and a beads of rice bracelet. I do not have much knowledge in the vintage Omega area, so i'm hoping someone can shed some light as to whether there is something fishy about this watch. Thanks for any help. Larry
Well a quick google search should have given you some basic info, like that caliber goes in that watch, as well as you really need a shot of the inside caseback, and serial number. Poor quality pictures but.... Is the dial toast or the crystal? Looks like Dial damage to me... That is not a beads of rice bracelet either, not even remotely close, some third party bracelet. Additionally I see no other examples with stick hands, they all have dauphine hands save one... This may or may not mean the hands are not original. https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage-details/14484/ Omega DB also states dauphine hands... but again this may or may not mean anything, but it points to this one not having the original hands.
Thanks for the replys. Well I did do a quick google search, found out some things, but decided to pick the brains of the Omega forum, so here I am. I know the quality of the photos is lacking, but as of now, that is all I have to provide. Waiting to here back from the seller, hoping to get more photos, hopefully at a better quality. I was suspect of the band, but thanks to you guys, it is confirmed. Larry
Hard to be sure 100% because of poor quality of pics but dial seems to be in bad condition (very small black stains like dots). As my fellow forum members already indicated, it should be dauphine hands, not baton hands. It changes the "look" of the watch. Lastly this is not beads of rice bracelet. BOR are like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=omega beads of rice&client=firefox-b&dcr=1&tbm=isch&source=iu&pf=m&ictx=1&fir=5rscWo_6B4pzkM%3A%2CSBsWfzoXb0cKNM%2C_&usg=__q6W96EHCda8ygGFLDvY5agXUE6I=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwic2uum2p7XAhUJfbwKHdruBU8Q9QEIJTAA#imgrc=CibhrqAoU6YZBM: If I were you I would ask the seller "is this BOR bracelet"? If he says yes, it means he either does not have a clue or he is not honest. Not great in either case. Peire06
If you have a limited knowledge, it is a risky proposal to buy watches on Ebay. Much better to buy on this forum or other watch forums. Best of luck.
Thanks again for the info. Its a local CL sale. Seller says hes had the watch for over 25 years, and recently had a service.......for $160. He sounds like a fairly honest guy, spoke to him on the phone. He's just saying he needs money(don't we all), i'm going to take a look in person, and look closely at what you have discussed here. Thanks for educating me. Larry
If he spent $160 to have it serviced most likely the watchman buffed the plexiglass. If that's the case, it means that it is the dial that is in bad shape and not the plexiglass. If dial is in bad shape, in addition to the fact that it does not have correct hands, you might want to keep your cash and look for another watch.
he's asking $350, which seems reasonable, considering it's flaws. I already have a Speedmaster and a nice Oris diver 65, so i'm looking at this as a project.
Diving in with my first post: I recently picked up a Seamaster Cal 562 / 166.010 with the same hands (which appeared gold at first, but turned out to be just be heavy patina on the ss) so they may be original after all? I have seen these on other Seamasters, but this is the only other Auto Date from that timeframe with them. I've since ordered some Omega "NOS" ss/black dauphine hands and will install them anyway. I would post pics, but I've already broken it down to send the dial out- It's already been re-finished once (and on the cheap, too) which helped me (along with the "wrong hands" claim) land the sucker for under $300, including the BOR bracelet. I am among many it seems that can't get the filter on the Omega DB to work right...what does it say exactly about the 166.010? Edit: I assumed it was a Franken when I bought it...so no delusions here. However, I prefer "Pure Bred Mix" if movement/case are within a couple of years. (Grin)
Oh ok...didn't click cuz I thought it just a link to the DB. So, at some point this 562 was re-cased. Wonder why this bad boy didn't show up in the DB: http://wornandwound.com/affordable-vintage-1970-omega-seamaster-chronometer-ref-166-010/ She's a hottie. Edit: does the crown look right in Larry's pic? Mine looks just like the one on the chrono. The bracelet, too. Wish I knew the # on that bracelet. Anyone recognize it? Seems like a popular one for that period...
Just to let you know, I was in touch with this seller too and it looks like there is damage to the dial as the crystal was just polished. Just make sure that is something you could live with.
No the 562 is slightly different while exactly the same. The difference is noted on the dial. Both are acceptable in 166.010 if you do your research. The Omega DB has some incompleteness to it. A 562 though is held to a higher standard is worth more and must be scrutinized for the differences that make it a 562.
Well, that's awesome to hear! I may never know these differences since the dial already re-done, but sounds like it's worth researching further. Thanks a ton for your input, brother. And to OP, sorry about the hijack. Even if that movement was just cleaned/tuned, (by who and how good a job) the price he's asking would really put me on the fence at best. I would want to see that dial and damage personally to really know if it's worth taking on as a project...just know you are surely going to pay as much if not more for an Omega BOR bracelet that will match it. Plus cost/risk of re-furbing/ replacing the dial and/or hands, etc. I wouldn't take it on with intention to re-sell for sure, but that's just me.
562 is Chronometer rated the 565 is not. It’s marked on the dial and the movements have some important details if it’s a 562.
I think some 562s were said to be chronometer rated. Not all. There’s a small side note in the calibre listings suggesting they were used in Connies but nobody here has one - I’ve asked !
I was under the impression all 562 are Chrono rated and had at least the added text on the movement bridge. I was understood that dials that did not state chronometer where redialed or had frankin movements. Not sure if the movements are actually different.