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Cleaning a Vintage Omega Seamaster: Crystal & Strap Tips

omega polywatch seamaster vintage
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I recently inherited my late uncle’s Omega. While ultimately I would like to have it fully restored. Upon receiving it I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was working well. Therefore, at this time I am only interested in freshening it up without taking it apart. Looking for guidance to best clean up the case and crystal. Also interested in getting a nice period correct leather strap.

This is my first Omega.

Any advice greatly appreciated. 👍🏻

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Dan S
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Just clean the case with a cloth and maybe a toothbrush. Try not to get things too wet because you don't know if the watch has any real water resistance. Maybe moisten the cloth with alcohol.

You can polish out shallow fine scratches in the crystal with any plastic polish you have lying around. There is an expensive polish marketed for acrylic watch crystals called Polywatch.
 
myouss
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Please don't take it to a random watchmaker and ask it to be 'fully restored'. Your watch is in very nice condition, to have it butchered by aggressive polishing, dial refinishing, reluming etc would be a nightmare.

Have the movement serviced if you plan on wearing it regularly, the crystal polished or replaced, throw it on a nice leather strap of your choosing, and you'll have a beautiful partner of a watch for many years to come!
 
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Well. I think I’ll stop here. Used the polywatch. I love it. Now I can see the tarnished hands more clearly. 😁

Thank you for the advice!

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myouss
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X x33
Well. I think I’ll stop here. Used the polywatch. I love it. Now I can see the tarnished hands more clearly. 😁

Thank you for the advice!

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Love it. It really presents very nicely overall, if you take it to get serviced, ensure they don’t necessarily polish the watch or touch the dial.

You could potentially source an identical set of hands if you wanted at some point.

Wear it in good health!
 
Dan S
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The watch has a lot of charm, IMO, and I don't think anything more needs to be done cosmetically. If you find that you are wearing it regularly, eventually you will want to have the movement serviced.
 
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Dan S Dan S
The watch has a lot of charm, IMO, and I don't think anything more needs to be done cosmetically. If you find that you are wearing it regularly, eventually you will want to have the movement serviced.
Totally agree. I come from a car restoration background where the thinking is, “it’s only original once”. A polish of the crystal is just enough considering the watch is keeping good time for a few days now. I’m going to add a period correct leather band and I’m done.
 
Dan S
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For straps, the easiest way to get a sense of period correct is to use google images to find period advertising for Omega Seamasters. You will generally find flat leather box-stitched straps. At the time, the stitching down the sides was often a little further from the edge than is typical now, but that is a detail.

Personally, I think that Tuns and Accurate Form have good straps in a vintage style at fair prices. Torre Straps on IG are often recommended.

Edit: sorry, I mis-typed the name of Accurate Form.
Edited:
 
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Dan S Dan S
For straps, the easiest way to get a sense of period correct is to use google images to find period advertising for Omega Seamasters. You will generally find flat leather box-stitched straps. At the time, the stitching down the sides was often a little further from the edge than is typical now, but that is a detail.

Personally, I think that Tuns and Absolute Form have good straps in a vintage style at fair prices. Torre Straps on IG are often recommended.
This great. Thank you so much Dan.
 
Dan S
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This great. Thank you so much Dan.
Sorry, Accurate Form. The other name was a brain fart.
 
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Dan S Dan S
Sorry, Accurate Form. The other name was a brain fart.
Just placed an order with Tuns. I’ll report back with pics once I get it. Very excited.
 
SOG53
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Nice watch looks great on that strap. I think it may be reference 2848 with cal 490 or 491 movement. Mid 1950s.
Here’s a helpful video about the reference
Wear in good health!

 
Spruce
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I’m sorry these old photos aren’t as clear as I’d have liked but when I bought this Seamaster, a previous owner had painted lume on the non-lume hands. It always irritated me and eventually I trusted my watchmaker to remove the the hands, clean the lume off, and replace the same hands.

He made a good job of restoring the hands to their original condition
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JimJupiter
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myouss myouss
You could potentially source an identical set of hands if you wanted at some point.

I may have the correct hands in a parts box somewhere, if you decide to change them.
 
rennfahrer
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SOG53 SOG53
Nice watch looks great on that strap. I think it may be reference 2848 with cal 490 or 491 movement. Mid 1950s.
Here’s a helpful video about the reference
Wear in good health!

I believe his watch to pre-date the 2848. I believe it is a 2576 with something like the cal 344 bumper movement. The beefy lugs are very strong and sharp. It’s very gorgeous.
 
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