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Entering the world of Omega Vintage, on the hunt for a 21st Birthday present.

banie01
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Hi Folks,

I've been a member here a few months although I haven't posted until now, I've been reading and hopefully, learning.

I have a collection of mainly modern watches, focused on sport & divers.
My one "vintage" piece is a 1963 Accutron Astronaut.
That particular watch is a favourite of my Son's.
It's the one that he liberates from me most often.

Over the course of hijacking my astronaut and also wearing his inherited Cartier Tank he has really developed an interest in watches and in particular vintage and 36mm and smaller pieces.

It's a tradition in our family that for ones 21st birthday, a watch is gifted.
Now I'm still 6 months out from his 21st but we've been chatting about what he wants and his initial want was an Omega Constellation Piepan.

That set me off on the hunt for what was out there.
It also quickly opened my eyes to just how hard it is to track down an honest vintage Omega.
Between restored, painted, redials and fakes?
It got overwhelming, quickly!

The time looking also left my son refine just what he was after.
In particular what he "had" to have.
Ideally a no date, with dagger indices and that opened up Seamaster & Geneve small seconds into the mix.
He's adamant that he doesn't want Arabic or Baton dial.
My own searching has led me to a crop of references and a fairly full chrono24 notebook.
The list of what I currently check on is fairly full.
2648
2652
2757
2767
2782
2846
2852
2853
2990
2943
14701
14381
14389
14393
14900
14902
167.005
167.008

What I'd love?
Is a steer from the experts here on what the best options are to get him a watch he will love for life and, offer me some value as no matter how much I live the kid cash is tight.

Thanks to anyone who read this and also in advance for any advice that ye may have to offer.
 
seekingseaquest
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That’s a long list of references with lots of variation. Need to narrow more.

To start:
Case material?
Budget?
Patina or no patina?

You may just want him to send you photos of things he likes and that’ll help narrow
 
banie01
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PatinaPete PatinaPete
I love these
https://www.chrono24.com/omega/omeg...28944494.htm?searchHash=10e08b40_nW6wUu&pos=4
They are lovely but solid gold and indeed €6k are outside my budget.
I'd like to keep the outlay to €1k or less.

seekingseaquest seekingseaquest
That’s a long list of references with lots of variation. Need to narrow more.

To start:
Case material?
Budget?
Patina or no patina?

You may just want him to send you photos of things he likes and that’ll help narrow

Thanks for the questions.
Stainless preferred, gold capped considered too.
Ideally a max of €1k.
Patina, a vintage watch should IMO not be afraid to wear it's age.

The current favourites are the 2872[ 2782, 2846,2910 & 2903.
Ideally a can source a reasonably priced good condition one of those.

Rather than spamming the forum with photos of each one I come across, I'd love to gain a little knowledge in what the main problems with those models are for spurious or dodgy watches.
I'd still likely come back here to the experts for a check before I buy anything but I'd love to be able to at least exclude the obviously spurious ones.
Edited:
 
gbesq
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A piepan Constellation with a budget of 1k Euro Is not realistic, but with some careful shopping there are Seamaster models that can be had within that budget.
 
Peemacgee
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Great idea to get a nice watch for your son’s birthday.
I’m biased but I would get him a Constellation but a Seamaster would be a worthy present.

Couple of things @banie01

As @gbesq notes, most Constellations (in decent condition) will be beyond your €1000 budget.
Lyre lug Constellations with a pie pan dial and arrowhead or shark/dog tooth dials are amongst the most collectible of Constellations and are likely to be two or three times your budget.

Regarding the reference numbers, acknowledging its quite confusing for someone coming new to the subject but you have to be careful as you list 2872 as a watch of interest- this is an uncommon (and rather lovely ) chronograph which would be a great gift but unsuitable for a daily watch and again beyond your budget.

Best of luck in your quest.
 
banie01
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
Great idea to get a nice watch for your son’s birthday.
I’m biased but I would get him a Constellation but a Seamaster would be a worthy present.

Couple of things @banie01

As @gbesq notes, most Constellations (in decent condition) will be beyond your €1000 budget.
Lyre lug Constellations with a pie pan dial and arrowhead or shark/dog tooth dials are amongst the most collectible of Constellations and are likely to be two or three times your budget.

Regarding the reference numbers, acknowledging its quite confusing for someone coming new to the subject but you have to be careful as you list 2872 as a watch of interest- this is an uncommon (and rather lovely ) chronograph which would be a great gift but unsuitable for a daily watch and again beyond your budget.

Best of luck in your quest.

Fat fingers on my part, not a 2872, rather a 2782.
Outside the current budget of course but, probably the lads "ideal" watch.
 
Spruce
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Others may disagree but, if I were a 21 year old (again) I’d want a watch I could wear, whatever I was doing.

Stainless steel and smart enough to go with suits or jeans; fit for office, hiking and dating and it wouldn’t be hurt if I forgot to take it off while I was tinkering with my car or bike.

I certainly wouldn’t have wanted a watch that I felt I had to keep in a drawer and just bring out for graduation, weddings and job interviews.
 
Spruce
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If you’re set on an Omega, look at Cosmics or Geneves.
 
banie01
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X350 XJR X350 XJR
Have you read this?

https://omegaforums.net/threads/learn-how-to-fish.52603/

As others have noted narrowing things down is key and then study the hell of of the reference(s) you choose.

And BTW we thrive on photos.

I have now, I can't believe I claimed to have spent some time reading up here yet missed that thread completely!
Thanks for sharing.

Spruce Spruce
Others may disagree but, if I were a 21 year old (again) I’d want a watch I could wear, whatever I was doing.

Stainless steel and smart enough to go with suits or jeans; fit for office, hiking and dating and it wouldn’t be hurt if I forgot to take it off while I was tinkering with my car or bike.

I certainly wouldn’t have wanted a watch that I felt I had to keep in a drawer and just bring out for graduation, weddings and job interviews.

I agree with you, it's not the watch I'd have wanted at 21 but, it's what he wants.
He has a few watches that fill that bracket for him along with access to my watch box for his own use too.
A vintage Omega is what he has asked for and it's what I'll try to sort for him.

Spruce Spruce
If you’re set on an Omega, look at Cosmics or Geneves.

I have a couple of Geneves on my Chrono watchlist, a 2903 & a couple of others.
I've not come across any Cosmic as yet but, I'll keep looking.
I have seen a couple of "Century" that are a similar style too that I will have the kid run his eye over.
Edited:
 
cineaste
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Omega Geneve 2903 or any other variants with cursive writing. You can find a Pie pan Connie at 1K but will be beat up. IMHO, the Geneves are the nicest and most uncommon 50s Omegas you can get at your price range.
 
SOG53
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cineaste cineaste
Omega Geneve 2903 or any other variants with cursive writing. You can find a Pie pan Connie at 1K but will be beat up. IMHO, the Geneves are the nicest and most uncommon 50s Omegas you can get at your price range.
+1
Funny people back in the day of these vintage watches had to work for 25 years at a company to get a Geneve or Seamaster- now the young lads want to go right to the front of the line! 🤨
 
gbesq
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The cursive Geneves are beautiful watches, but finding one with a clean unrefinished dial and an unpolished case is difficult. In my opinion, it’s much easier to find good examples of many Seamaster references from the 1950s and 1960s. If you happen upon a good example of a cursive Geneve at a reasonable price, grab it, because they go quickly. Here’s my manual wind reference 2903:
upload_2024-8-15_20-27-42.jpeg
 
Nepomuceño
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My suggestion since I’m not too far off from your son in age (I am 27), would be a stainless steel 2846. Loads of dial variations and they pop up for sale on OF all the time. You could go even further and get a BoR bracelet as well. You honestly can’t go wrong with stainless.

IMG_0792.jpeg
 
iamvr
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Nepomuceño Nepomuceño
My suggestion since I’m not too far off from your son in age (I am 27), would be a stainless steel 2846. Loads of dial variations and they pop up for sale on OF all the time. You could go even further and get a BoR bracelet as well. You honestly can’t go wrong with stainless.

IMG_0792.jpeg

I can only agree. The 2846 offers great value for money, is well within your budget, and lots of variations to choose from. This one is (was) a great example offered here on OF.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/1958-omega-seamaster-2846-beefy-lugs-700.174696/
 
banie01
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To everyone who's taken the time to reply, with advice, pointers and suggestions.
Thank you all!
It really is appreciated.
 
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