Caseback for an Omega Seamaster 166.088

Sarosfeno · Mar 14, 2026

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a great day, or night. I have an Omega Seamaster 166.088. Lovely timepiece! Inherited it from my grandfather, and it has it's story! On-going story, I should say.

Now, with it having it's story, it has gone through some stuff. Relevant to this post, it had some parts changed so it could work without an issue. Mainly, the caseback. Since I am now in a position to take more care of it, I've been thinking of replacing it back to an original. From my searches so far, I have yet to find a caseback for the 166.088 by itself for sale. To streamline the proccess, I'd like to ask here, if someone knows where to purchase one, or if someone, has one lying around (for whatever reason) and is willing to sell it.

Thanks in advance!

SOG53 · Mar 14, 2026

Welcome!
Pictures are popular here

Sarosfeno · Mar 14, 2026

Sure thing!

Bezel's cracked, but I like it that way. Makes it have a little personality. The dial has that thing that other 166.088s seemingly have. But to be fair, it looks really cool. Looking down on it, it looks like a bunch of waves in a black sea! Very fitting for a SEAmaster. A little sea of it's own.

Now, as for the crown, when my grandfather gave it to me, it had the orginal one! However, one time, I was running late for a thing, I put on my watch, and I guess that was it for the crown. It's lost in the street or in the grass. Maybe some lucky fella found it. Maybe it's in like a sewer. Got it replaced, but, I have purchased a replacemente which is coming my way. ... I could make an original engravement on it some time in the future.

Now, the caseback. My grandfather gave it to me as such. Apparently, it got serviced once, and it came like that because my grandfather couldn't beleive I hadn't seen the hippocampus. Now, if it was replaced, stolen, or what have you, that's beyond us, but this is how it looks now. This caseback has served well for a good while. Heck, it could be a blank canvas to make an orginial engravement. But to be fair, the hippocampus looks cooler, and I'd like to have the hippocampus.

Sarosfeno · Mar 14, 2026

Sarosfeno
Sure thing!

Bezel's cracked, but I like it that way. Makes it have a little personality. The dial has that thing that other 166.088s seemingly have. But to be fair, it looks really cool. Looking down on it, it looks like a bunch of waves in a black sea! Very fitting for a SEAmaster. A little sea of it's own.

Now, as for the crown, when my grandfather gave it to me, it had the orginal one! However, one time, I was running late for a thing, I put on my watch, and I guess that was it for the crown. It's lost in the street or in the grass. Maybe some lucky fella found it. Maybe it's in like a sewer. Got it replaced, but, I have purchased a replacemente which is coming my way. ... I could make an original engravement on it some time in the future.

Now, the caseback. My grandfather gave it to me as such. Apparently, it got serviced once, and it came like that because my grandfather couldn't beleive I hadn't seen the hippocampus. Now, if it was replaced, stolen, or what have you, that's beyond us, but this is how it looks now. This caseback has served well for a good while. Heck, it could be a blank canvas to make an orginial engravement. But to be fair, the hippocampus looks cooler, and I'd like to have the hippocampus.

Oh, and as of the bracelet, haven't seen it anywhere else, and the only omega marking on it is on the back. Doubt it's official, but I don't mind. Does it's function well, and I do like how it looks. Makes it also more unique compared to other 166.088 I have seen online

lenndon · Mar 14, 2026

Rough beast..

Sarosfeno
..The dial has that thing that other 166.088s seemingly have. But to be fair, it looks really cool. Looking down on it, it looks like a bunch of waves in a black sea!..

Honestly I haven't seen many others quite like that and would not call it the standard 166.088 dial, but I can very well understand that you have history with the watch and why it wouldn't bother you.

Will not be easy to find an authetic case back. The shape of the case reminds me of the 166.087.. 😉 Had two of those, but never made it to a 088. If it's just about the hippocampus, maybe you'll be have more luck searching for a case back under this reference, would not be surprised if it fits. One on ebay for 100€ atm.. Of course thats not an official recommondation and would make it (keep it) a franken. But at least a franken with a hippocampus.
That bracelet is wild btw.

Davidt · Mar 14, 2026

I’m not familiar with this ref but have you taken the caseback off to confirm it doesn’t have the correct reference number on the inside?

Sarosfeno · Mar 14, 2026

Davidt
I’m not familiar with this ref but have you taken the caseback off to confirm it doesn’t have the correct reference number on the inside?

Yeah, I have taken the case back off. Nothing that refers to this watch in particular. ... or even omega for that matter. Certain specs could be useful, because, well, it fits.

Davidt · Mar 14, 2026

Fair enough. At least you have a caseback that fits so you can wear it while you’re searching

Sarosfeno · Mar 14, 2026

lenndon
Rough beast..

Honestly I haven't seen many others quite like that and would not call it the standard 166.088 dial, but I can very well understand that you have history with the watch and why it wouldn't bother you.

Will not be easy to find an authetic case back. The shape of the case reminds me of the 166.087.. 😉 Had two of those, but never made it to a 088. If it's just about the hippocampus, maybe you'll be have more luck searching for a case back under this reference, would not be surprised if it fits. One on ebay for 100€ atm.. Of course thats not an official recommondation and would make it (keep it) a franken. But at least a franken with a hippocampus.
That bracelet is wild btw.

I've been toying with the idea of getting a case back from a similar reference. I also found one under the reference of 166.003. Haven't looked in too deep in the measurements, but on appearence alone, it's what I am looking for. If I may ask you, how similar are these watches between themselves? Or rather, to put it as such, how much wiggle room do I have in selecting a case back before it becomes too big or too small for the watch? (Also, I should mention, despite being a dive watch, I don't dive. And if I were to dive, I am, unfortunately, not bringing this watch).

Also, "Rough beast.." You know, I never considered giving my watches nicknames, but, I might just start. With this one being a franken, and being in the state that it is, "The Beast", or something like that would be a fun nickname for the watch, hahaha!

Davidt · Mar 14, 2026

A 166.003 is a very different watch and I would think may not be a fit.
You already have one incorrect caseback that fits. I don’t see the benefit in getting another incorrect one that may or may not fit. Just bide your time, set up a search on eBay and wait for the right one.

Sarosfeno · Mar 14, 2026

Davidt
A 166.003 is a very different watch and I would think may not be a fit.
You already have one incorrect caseback that fits. I don’t see the benefit in getting another incorrect one that may or may not fit. Just bide your time, set up a search on eBay and wait for the right one.

The only benefit would be having the hippocampus, but I do agree. At the end of the day, the world won't explode by having an omega that doesn't have the hippocampus. Best to play it safe, and pray that I am at the right place, in the right time. Hopefully soon enough.

SOG53 · Mar 14, 2026

Thanks for sharing the story. It is a special heirloom with value far beyond the “correctness” of the watch and you clearly enjoy it. I agree with Davidt
If you find a hippocampus that fits let us know.

sheepdoll · Mar 15, 2026

I just picked up a quartz watch with a 1345 movement. Mid case is almost identical with a 166.0202 I have, which took a 1012 movement.

Searching gets quite tricky. The omega vintage site does allow for one to search by caliber. Database is fairly incomplete and fragmented. The photographs are often placeholders.

Then the leg work really begins. One has to then search each case ref for auction sales and fan sites with pictures. If lucky someone may have measured the outside diameters and lug widths. A long wait with auction site searches ensues. Many other shiny things show up and the cycle continues.

No index of case parts is complete. I have been making charts of cases, with crystals and crown references. Usually the case found is not in the chart or table. To save printing costs the older items were deleted. Newer items did not exist when the old tables were created. Some items remained evergreens (like the speedmaster.) So those are what turns up most often. Cases were often locally made. If under license then there is a ref. It not then it is other catalogs and tables for the generic parts. Each which had their own in house numbering system.

Giggle AI is even worse, since all this bad data was fed to it. What comes out is close enough to lead one completely astray.

At one time it was possible to pay Omega to get an extract from their archives. That got abused so it is no longer available. They also may be holding some of it back to prevent others from mining it for AI training.

Caseback for an Omega Seamaster 166.088

Sarosfeno

SOG53

Sarosfeno

Sarosfeno

lenndon

Davidt

Sarosfeno

Davidt

Sarosfeno

Davidt

Sarosfeno

SOG53

sheepdoll

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