First time poster, looking for advice in vintage Seamaster

Sorry, third post but, if you were looking for a nice wearable watch - not a collectible - and for 250USD, you wouldn’t be getting a collectible - I really don’t think this is a bad watch to buy for every day wear.

I’ve just checked online and a new Timex Marlin sells for about 290USD.



Now, I’m not going to get any bragging rights on OF, however much we all like the style of Marlins but, if I have a 166.010, with a nice case, with a 565 movement, with new hands and serviced, and an (alright) dial which 99% of the watch wearing public will just regard as a 'nice face', I know which one I’d blow my money on.

I wanted to close the loop and thank everyone for being so helpful with your time and experience for helping me make an informed decision on this one. I ended up passing on it. The swapped hands I could have lived with....but the feedback on here with some of the peculiarities of the dial were ultimately enough for me to keep looking for another one.
Thanks to all that took time to reply and help.

I know...I found this forum about 3 days too late, haha. I didn't realize that you guys had a classifieds section here and to my dismay saw that this one: https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-seamaster-cosmic-166-026-serviced-495.123098/ (the exact model I took at run at on Ebay earlier this week) had just sold just a couple days prior, for significantly less than what I bid on Ebay ($800). DOH!!

I lost that auction but have hope that I'll find one that fits my taste and budget. I've started cruising the private sales forum now a couple times a day looking for an Omega that fits the bill. 😀

As someone who purchased a known redial with wrong hands of the earlier model of this reference (the 14xxx series) for a bargain price of $250- it was a waste of my $250.... and then some. Had the watch serviced, tracked down the correct dauphine hands after 6+ months and it was still a redial- I couldn’t wear it- I knew it was a redial. I ended up gifting it to a friend.... who is now trying to hunt down an original dial.
Don’t get into a project watch unless you are ready to really throw money at it and have the resource for parts and service in place. We all get dazzled by the “good deal”, but rarely are they ever truly a good deal.