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  1. androideruk Sep 5, 2015

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    Hi All,

    I am buying my first watch and I want a vintage gold Seamaster Deville 1960. However it seems quite difficult to find and buy an original Deville. I have done a lot of research and set out below a list of what I will do to avoid buying a fake watch. I will be grateful if you could add your tips to the list below. Many thanks in advance.

    I live in Singapore so it is likely that I will have to order it online and have it shipped to me. Therefore I assume that I will only see pictures of the watch and listen to anything the seller say with a pinch of salt.

    1. Ask the seller to confirm the serial number of the watch. Check if this is correct.
    2. Find as many pictures of the Deville as possible and comparing it to the pictures provided by the seller? I will pay attention to the dial and the crown, also the words "Omega, Automatic" and the hands.
    3. Check the movement to ensure it is a mechanical one.
    4. Check the bezel to ensure that it has not been re-polished.
    5. Post picture on this forum asking for help. :D

    Other Questions:
    1. How can you tell if the watch is a Frankenstein or has been repolished? - I am quite confident that I will not buy a fake watch or a redialed one but really have no idea how to identify a Frankenstein one. The Seamaster has been around for a while so I am not surprise if the previous owner had to change the crown or re polish it. Grateful if you could share your thoughts.
    2. How can I tell if the movement is still working perfectly?
    3. Can I use the watch daily? I know a lot of people are collecting this watch and let it stay in their drawers. I want to wear it everyday but it is a 50 year old watch after all.

    Many thanks in advance.
     
  2. 124watchfan Sep 5, 2015

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    Not terribly difficult to find one...but 1 and 3 are usually not easy to confirm. The 60s devilles are unishell and require a little skill to dissassemble which most people don't have. Probably 80% of the devilles available for sale u won't be able to confirm case ref#s or movement. Most of these you have to trust the seller and ask questions. Usually pretty easy to spot a refinished dial. Avoid these. Just be patient there are a lot of them out there.

    Yes if properly serviced you can wear it daily.


    [​IMG]
     
  3. Hijak Sep 5, 2015

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    Seamaster De Villes (with DeVille on the dial) weren't made in 1960...they were made from 1963 to 1967. And as far as wearing these every day, as said above, they can be if serviced properly. Wear mine quite often and love it!:thumbsup:
    Wrist Shot, 7.JPG
    Reference 14905 Calibre 552

    As far as checking if your SMDV is a franken you can make sure the serial number falls between 1963 and 1967. Remember that most of the serial number charts are give or take a couple of years. Other than that familiarize yourself with what an original one should look like, hands dial fonts and so on. you can also check the case reference number against the Omega Vintage Database to make sure it has the correct movement (unfortunately this database is not complete).

    http://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage/

    One thing I will say to you is that spotting a redial is not as easy sometimes as it would seem, many experienced collectors here have been fooled. You can post pictures (the clearer the better) of any watch you find here on Omega Forums and have many eyes look at it...it will save you in the long run! Good luck with your search and have fun.:thumbsup:
     
    Which Watch Next likes this.
  4. NT931 Sep 6, 2015

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    +1. The best piece of advice on the forum - just ask! Pics of the dial, caseback, movement are crucial. The experts will weigh in in no time, and you'll save yourself lots of hassle by avoiding fakes and frankens. The level of expertise here is truly amazing.
     
  5. androideruk Sep 7, 2015

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    Thank you all of you. Yes, I agree. The level of expertise here is truly amazing and members here are super nice. Few members even sent me private messages containing great advice. I really want to be a member for long and get to a point when I can help other new members.
    Regarding my watch find, I thought I had done enough research on it but I have not! The things I have learned in the last two days are just a lot.
    Many thanks again everyone and I will definitely post pictures on here for advice.

    Cheers