Excitement around the Gemini4 house today (for me at least) as my latest vintage Seamaster diver has arrived! It is a somewhat neglected reference 14755-61, 2nd generation Seamaster. I'm hoping everything, including the bracelet is 100% original.

I'm fairly certain the bezel is original. Although the dial is devoid of lume, the watch registers over 2500 cpm (counts per minute) on my Geiger Counter. This is consistent with another early diver Seamaster I have from the same era. I believe that these high readings are caused by radium present in the bezel and the dial as radium dust. My 2913-3 with an original dial but restored bezel hits at approx 450 cpm. An Ed White, containing tritium, measures approx 40 cpm.

Besides a movement service, crystal buff or replacement, the only question I have is whether to repair the lume.

Opinions, comments and corrections are always welcome.


Broken down a bit. Even the spring bars are ancient.


Bezel numbers are milky for sure. I looked closely with a lume and the is no evidence of any touching up of the numbers. The bezel gloss is consistent on the numbers as well. Except for the lack of lume, the dial is in good condition. Crystal is heavily scratched. Swiss Made (no TTs) is visible at the dial 6 but hard, because of the scratched crystal, to photograph. Hour and minute hand have lost their lume but are original. The center seconds hand appears to have had it's white paint burnt up and bubbled by radium exposure. My guess is that the dial lume was burnt off as well. This watch certainly had an early active life but may have sat neglected for many years. The bracelet is somewhat stretched. The case is sharp but scratched. It is in need of a movment service. At $4700, I'm very pleased........and lucky!




Nice seamonster. No evidence of case polishing.



Original 1961, 4th quarter 7912 bracelet with REAL #6 end links. Springy links have seen better days.



Dial and bezel closeups. Heavily scratched crystal. Recessed lume pockets and hands are all empty. Lume aside, the dial face is in good condition.


Notice the burnt bubbled second hand. I believe this is from radium exposure to the original white paint as the watch sat unused for years.


Sharp case edges, original flat foot crown



Watch barely runs and badly needs a movement service. Appears to be missing a screw as well.



Movement number of 1829xxxx (1961)is consistent with a 14755-61. Caliber 550 17 Jewel movement was used for the American market. Caliber 552, 24 jewels was used worldwide.


Caseback 14755-61. Watch certainly had some services done but I think this was decades ago.

 

Man, that bracelet + endlinks alone are almost half the cost! Great gamble!

 

And we wonder why outsiders don't understand us....

I love this watch. Great in-depth coverage and interesting to hear the thought process too.

Personally my temptation is to not restore any aesthetics at all. Possibly the crystal, but nothing else. Then I would let it sit, and stare at me until I discovered in my mind the path forward, restoration wise. Which as I say would probably be do nothing.

However I would not criticise any path you choose.

What a great find

 

Thanks SF. Good advice as always. Luckily, I am very good at doing nothing!

 

Congratulations, excellent example. I would get the movement serviced and crystal replaced. I would leave the bezel as - is, at least for now.

 

Thanks Joe. What about the lume?

 

Really glad you won and CSI the loot with us all. This Easter weekend must have been really nice for you

 

Tricky question.
First, you definitely want to get the watch cleaned in a way that will get rid of any loose lume. You don't want any potential radioactive dust.
But back to the lume - I would waver between having it redone (obviously as close as possible to the original) to leaving it alone. Personally, I would really like to see how it looks cleaned up before deciding.

 

I would relume it because you have those pockets on the dial, and of course the hands are easy enough.

I say this because I would be wearing that watch and I need the lume to wear it.

Tom

 

Great advice Joe. Makes perfect sense.

 

Is the lume gone or simply black?
I had the same dilemma with this piece...the lume is black. I paid very little for this about 2 years ago. I finally sent it to a watchmaker known for outstanding lume work. It was with him for a year before I finally got the call about what I wanted done to the lume. At this point prices had risen so high I decided the watch would be worth more as-is (dial lume wise)...so I left it alone. Honestly I kind of like the look. Not as much as a nicely patina'd golden lume of course...but its unique.

Id leave it alone.

 

Cajun

When the dial lume turns black, has it been disintegrated by the radium? Is this how the recessed pocket appears empty?

 

Do the pockets look empty or just recessed from shrinkage? The pockets were never completely full.
Do you have a good loupe?

They turn black from environmental influences...its not uncommon. Most likely moisture. But just because they are black doesn't mean its gone.

They don't look empty in your images, but better shots are needed.

 

Under the loupe, pockets are definitely recessed (like your's Cajun). Perhaps there is a crusty residue left in the pocket from the old lume. Will be easier to see and photograph after a new crystal is installed. Here's the best I can show now.

 

Man, I would just leave it be as a survivor, and go with @Spacefruit's rec. Great pick up...goes to show that contrary to popular belief, you can still get a good buy on eBay.

Hell, I even started a thread about this auction!

 

I'm glad only a few members posted to your thread and that they were pessimistic about this watch.

 

can't tell from these images, but I think the lume is there. Does it look like this?

 

Yes. Pictures are very similar

 

my lume is intact