Considering a vintage Seamaster

Here was my recent acquisition. It is currently at the watchmaker's waiting for a couple parts on the slow boat from Switzerland. Ref 14710 Seamaster Special

Very nice 👍

You are getting lots of good input here, Revo. The 24 jewel movements are a little nicer but the 20 jewel versions are fine. Omega made the lower jewel count versions for some markets to reduce import duties and the last digit in the movement number was generally 0. For example - 561 and 562 both had 24 jewels but the 560 was the 17 jewel version.

If you want a dial with numerals 12, 3, 6, 9 - most of these are from 1950's production and there will be no seamonster on the caseback. If you are ok without numerals, shop for the 1960's Seamasters when the hippocampus was introduced on the caseback. 5xx are amazing movements, if you are looking for an autowind.

I’ve seen a Hippocampus back on a 1950s beefy lugs
2846 also.

The 2846 has a Big Hippocampus logo, very cool! Photo borrowed from @seekingseaquest's sales post (sorry its sold).

https://omegaforums.net/threads/195...hippocampus-no-lume-dial.123047/#post-1653367

That is true but decent examples will be hard to come by unless one has lots of patience or doesn't mind paying a hefty premium. I was speaking more in generalities.

As @amcclell says the more constraints you put on your search the more patience and/or money you will need. I was searching for a no-lume no-date late 50s early 60s Seamaster with heavy lugs. I got lucky and found this one on Yahoo Auctions Japan. I had to take a bit of a gamble on it, but it all worked out well, see: https://omegaforums.net/threads/thoughts-on-gambling-with-this-seamaster.125620/

Although the watch was running it was missing its crown. I was able to source an original crown from a member here. The stem was rusted and some of the components in the setting mechanism needed replaced, but the rest of the movement was in good shape. I can't wait to get it back from the watchmaker.

Curious @Revo if you have a preference for date or no date as well; I don't notice price differences, just curious.

This 2846/2848 hasn't yet been cleaned, but does have the big hippocampus caseback, the 3/6/9/12 layout, and, imo, the patina's pretty great. Feel free to send a message if it's up your alley.

Thanks everyone. I'm really impressed with the level of help on here: both knowledgable AND kind. (I've just read that brilliant thread about the woman who wanted to buy a watch for her husband; lovely advice and support. One of the best threads I;ve ever read on a watch forum.)

@Revo I am not sure if this quite what you are looking for, but 475 euro is certainly not a bad price.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-seamaster-ref-14389-with-cal-268.124014/

Do we like this? 12, 3, 6, 9 dial with cal. 552



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Omega-Se...901720?hash=item3ff8e81fd8:g:JakAAOSwZv1gdwtn

I like this because it's not the same stick hands and stick lugs of most of the 60s watches. Darn good price too.

Looks OK to me. The crown is a newer replacement. Says it is serviced, but that could mean anything without further documentation. I hope the auction doesn't go too high for you.

That is lovely but I have lots of manual-wind sub-seconds watches so I'm really after an automatic. Thanks though.

I know it's 1.) not what I said I was looking for and 2.) got the wrong hands but I do love this:

Well, I bought that one above ("Speedmaster Companion"). Some really great advice here and I asked a resident expert who said it looked good. I think it has the wrong hands (should be sticks) but I quite like the alpha set on there (or are they dauphine? I dunno.)

I hope it like it when it arrives. The seller was great to deal with and that's always important in any transaction. I guess if I don’t bond with it then I’ll flip it. But I think I’m going to like it and doubt I’d take much of a bath if I don’t. Here's hoping!

Thanks again to everyone on this thread and to the people (you know who are) who answered my PM's and gave their knowledge and expertise for free. As I said, I'm not hugely clued-up on Omegas but I'm far from a newbie when it comes to vintage watches in general and English-made Smiths in particular. If any of you are ever considering buying one of them I'd be more than happy to have a look at it and give you my opinion. It's a niche market but there's some lovely models out there. Here's a few to whet your appetites . . . .

1956 GS De Luxe, original radium dial; 17 jewel manual wind in-house movement; Dennison case;
1963 "Everest" automatic (to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary wearing a Smiths -- NOT a Rolex -- to the summit) 25 jewel in-house movement
1967 W10 (actually a 6B for the RAF), tritium dial, 19j manual wind in-house movement

I think you can see now why I was drawn to that Seamaster . . . tritium on a black dial . . .

Love the dial color, congrats!

I hope I do! Still as I said the worst that happens is I flip at loss. Done that before. I call it "renting" a watch. Usually the cost of hiring it isn't too bad but even so . . . .

I would like it to be a keeper and a wearer though. That's the aim.