Hello everyone, I am new to the forums but not new to the world of Omega. I have been looking around on eBay for an Omega Seamaster De Ville or Cosmic with a 14kt gold filled case. I found two candidates after a long period of searching. One is an Omega Seamaster Deville non day and date with the hippocampus 14kt gold filled uni-shell case that has been serviced recently (less than a week ago) and comes with the service record. It had a new stem installed along with the internal parts cleaned and lubricated. The other watch I am looking at which I really like is an Omega Seamaster Cosmic with a 14kt gold filled case but a non-original crown. I put a thread up in the wanted to buy section to see if I would be able to get an original crown. Both watches are in great shape. The cosmic costs more than the De Ville with the asking price being $349. I am fine spending that much but just wish it had an original crown. I wanted to get everyone's opinion on these two model watches. I know Omega's story for the cosmic model watch but I don't know the story for the De Ville. I know it is a classic but that is it. I don't even know what De Ville is supposed to mean. The De Ville is an automatic but the Cosmic is manual wind.
Is that cosmic a redial? The crosshairs look wrong. Unless cosmic cross hairs are supposed to break at the text?
That's correct in this instance - it's a 135.017 with a caliber 60x I think. I like the case on it - it still shows most of the engraving on the back - but the marks on the dial at 7 kill it for me. Unless the photos are TERRIBLE, that DeVille looks ratty. I'd pass on both since there are enough better examples of each watch around.
I was thinking the De Ville looks terrible but the seller said its the pictures. I'll just pass on the De Ville. I do like the cosmic but I do have to agree about the marks at the 7. Though it isn't a huge blemish it is noticeable and I agree that there should be better examples around. I'm a little confused though about the crosshairs. So are they supposed to break at the text for this model or not supposed to?
Oof! Missed that since it's on the edge of the shadow. Probably not an accident it was photographed like that.
This cosmic is looking worse and worse. The best discount I could get is $20 so I think this is a watch that I need to pass on.
It won't end at $300. However, it also has pitting - look at the picture of the back just over and to the right edge of the hippocampus logo.
It actually is a buy it now at $300. I saw the pitting and I think it is the seller who did this because the seller stated that he or she tried to open the back and couldn't do it. He or she doesn't realize the movement comes out from the top and not the back.
The seller's clumsy efforts to open the back are the scratches around the bevel of the caseback just inside where the lugs connect.
I'm going to have to be more patient about this watch search especially since I really can't go over $400.
$400? Ouch. You'll need some luck too. The days of mint $400 Cosmics and DeVilles everywhere you look are gone. You can find post 1972 Omegas under your budget, but if you want the better movements (55x / 56x / 75x automatics or 6xx manual winds) you're probably gonna have to put more money in the kitty.
I was afraid of that. I do remember the days when Cosmics and DeVilles were right in my price range. I use a vintage Movado Kingmatic S now and used to have a must de Cartier tank with the mechanical movement until I messed up the watch. I have to keep my eyes open and probably save more to get a watch I know that I will not regret purchasing.