Like all posts I make, I'd like to preface it by apologizing for my ignorance. Hopefully, you guys can help rectify that.

How can I find out what a particular watch should look like?
If, for example, I'm looking for a 1952 Omega Seamaster (a watch I've been searching around for a bit), how can I get the pictures of all original versions (calendar, subdial, no subdial) of that watch in that year? Does such a resource exist? Would I, in theory, be able to use these pictures to help me authenticate a particular watch for sale?

Thanks!

 

Hi there, welcome to the forum.
First of all, if you’d like to stick around may we suggest you set an avatar.
Second, for Omegas one ressource is the book called “A Journey through time”.
However it does include some mistakes.
The other ressource is.... the internet. It’s a jungle.
You can use search functions on this forum.
And a lot of work and patience.
Don’t rush; you need to spend months studying one model before you know what you’re looking at.

Good luck and best regards

 

Here is a free resource:

https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/vintage-watches

Not every watch is pictured, but most are. But they don't show every variation, so you need to take it for what it's worth.

But, it's a place to start.

If your case number is XXX.YYY, then you must enter it as XXX.0YYY

 

Thanks for the tip on the resource book - unfortunately it appears to be out of print.

 

Get it Quickly, Low Price, Correct/Authentic -- pick two

 

Ask in a thread here, there is always someone that pulls a pristine example out for as all to be envious off.

 

You can try ebay or Bookfinder.

 

Doing a site search for particular years or references can cut down the clutter quite a bit. For example, in your browser type. Site: omegaforums.net 1952

 

Don't know if this was already obvious to you, @Moose93 - sorry if so - looking for a e.g. "1952" Omega is not quite like looking for a 1952 Chevy (or Aston, even). Movements have serial numbers, but dating them isn't always an exact science; and they may have been cased up some time - could even be a year - later. Hope this helps rather than disappoints.

 

A Journey Through Time, AKA, AJTT, I believe is still available through an Omega Boutique.

 

One of my issues is that even if I were to pick "Get it Quickly" and "Correct/Authentic," I wouldn't know where to turn. I think that a lot of these watches are beautiful (I really love the 50's and 60's seamasters), but I don't know where to go to ensure that what I'm getting is genuine. I'm seeing watches that look like fakes on websites that seem reputable.

 

I did not know this. I thought it was exactly like looking for a 1952 Chevy. It both helps and disappoints, lol. Thanks!

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll try to track the book down.

 

Yes, that is a problem with vintage where there may be more than one definition of "correct." Be glad that you're not interested in vintage Universal Geneve, where there appear to be multiple known-good variants of many references. Then there's the question of whether service parts or modifications by the owner constitute correct, since Omega is known to frequently replace visible parts with service parts. Service dials, service crowns, service hands, to name a few. And even the best auction houses have been fooled or have pushed the limits in their descriptions.

But "Get it Quickly" also has it's problems, since you may be interested in a particularly rare reference and there's nothing on the market at the time. As long as you don't have a deadline (i.e. must have the watch for a wedding on June 4), your best bet is to just watch the market and compile your lists. Read the forums, read the blogs. There are some good watch blogs out there and they often give a shout-out to a dealer here or there who has lent them something for a story. Sorry, but I don't want to give any names because I know someone will point to some egregious error that the author or dealer has made and the wolves here will jump all over me for endorsing them.

 

Be aware that AJTT costs the same as a cheap Seamaster!

My advice is to do some research on 1950's Seamasters and first find out exactly which reference it is that you are after as there are quite a few, some very similar to each other.

Once you know your reference then decide which case material ( steel, gold, gold top ) it is that you like. Then finally more research to decide the dial style you fancy, as each reference generally will have have had multiple dial options ( silver white, black, various textures ) and each dial option will possibly have had multiple marker options ( arrowhead, arabic, sharkstooth... )

Dependent on the case material you may see the same dial with white or gold markers and hands. All these options and possible combinations give a myriad of possibilities which is what makes collecting them interesting and identifying a correct watch very difficult for a new collector.