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First vintage purchase - advice please

Y Cymro
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I’m looking to buy my first Omega, a vintage model from 1956 (birth year) and would appreciate your advice to identify a model to search for.
I have in mind a 35/36mm Seamaster 3 hand with date, probably stainless as gold-plating is likely to have suffered badly over time, and solid gold is likely to be out of my price range. I’m looking at a maximum of £1k, though would prefer to spend less! A beads of rice bracelet would be nice, though it’s more important for me to get the right watch head.
Would it be best to buy something and have it serviced or put aside money to get it serviced (I will need your suggestion as to where). My priority will be to get a 1956 watch, which I like the look of and will enjoy wearing regularly.
Many thanks
 
SkunkPrince
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Something like this from our own sales forum might be a start?

https://omegaforums.net/threads/1959-omega-geneve-2982-crosshair-dial-cal-503-w-bor-€650.142642/

As for servicing, you'll need to tell us where you are. I see you are in UK, at least, there are some well-respected people there servicing Omega. As for date, watches can't be dated to any specific year. There are serial number lists, but those are approximate and only a guideline.
 
Dan S
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36mm will be challenging, but if you are ok with the standard 34.5mm Seamaster case size from that era, you will have more watches to choose from. Generally speaking, it's not easy to find any vintage watch in good/original condition for a fair price, and that takes a lot of patience. By choosing a rare model of a larger size, you make things more difficult. By constraining it to a narrow serial number range (to approximate your birth year), you make your search harder still. Perhaps you might consider where you would be wiling to compromise.
Edited:
 
Y Cymro
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SkunkPrince SkunkPrince
Something like this from our own sales forum might be a start?

https://omegaforums.net/threads/1959-omega-geneve-2982-crosshair-dial-cal-503-w-bor-€650.142642/

As for servicing, you'll need to tell us where you are. I see you are in UK, at least, there are some well-respected people there servicing Omega. As for date, watches can't be dated to any specific year. There are serial number lists, but those are approximate and only a guideline.
Thanks, I like the watch but ideally want a 1956 . I assumed that the serial number lists would be definitive, and I’d be looking for one in the range 15,000,000-15,999,999?
Assuming a £300 service this is the type of thing fits my budget.
 
Y Cymro
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Dan S Dan S
36mm will be challenging, but if you are ok with the standard 34.5mm Seamaster case size from that era, you will have more watches to choose from. Generally speaking, it's not easy to find any vintage watch in good/original condition for a fair price, and that takes a lot of patience. By choosing a rare model of a larger size, you make things more difficult. By constraining it to a narrow serial number range (to approximate your birth year), you make your search harder still. Perhaps you might consider where you would be wiling to compromise.
Thanks for the info. In that case the standard 34.5mm will be fine. Luckily I am patient and would prefer to wait the appropriate serial number (unless something else attracts my eye )
 
Y Cymro
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gbesq gbesq
How about a CK 2892? No date, but 36mm and otherwise fits your requirements.
https://www.omegawatches.com/watch-omega-other-omega-ck-2892
The other option would be a Seamaster calendar CK 2849, but that’s a 34.5 mm case.
https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/watch-omega-seamaster-calendar-ck-2849
Thanks. I like the 2 tone dial, though there’s a lot of white space to the bottom of the dial that I’m not so keen on. Your link is a useful resource that I haven’t seen before, I like something like this too: https://www.omegawatches.com/en-gb/watch-omega-other-omega-ck-2900
 
SkunkPrince
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Y Cymro Y Cymro
Thanks, I like the watch but ideally want a 1956 . I assumed that the serial number lists would be definitive, and I’d be looking for one in the range 15,000,000-15,999,999?
Assuming a £300 service this is the type of thing fits my budget.
They're not, and about the only thing that can be determined with any degree of certainty, without original paperwork, was when the watch was shipped to the distributor/retailer. As I mentioned before, the serial number list is only a guideline.
 
TheGreekPhysique
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While I do not want to dissuade you, I do want to pass on some information that was given to me that I found immensely valuable over my time learning about vintage watches: "birth year" - while a nice sentiment - should be very low on your list of importance when evaluating a watch and should not take precedence over originality, condition etc. That is to say if you come across a great example of a particular reference I would not let its year of production steer you away from purchasing.

I only mention this because of the bit in your original post regarding gold plating not aging as well which demonstrated to me at least a partial collectors interest in getting a good example.

As far as specific references that fit the things you were looking for the other forum members seem to have you covered above with the 2849 being my personal favorite.
 
SkunkPrince
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TimeODanaos TimeODanaos
Now what is it makes me think you might be in Wales? 😁
Faulty reasoning, since I live in Greenfield, Wisconsin, USA.
 
Dan S
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Y Cymro Y Cymro
Thanks, I like the watch but ideally want a 1956 . I assumed that the serial number lists would be definitive, and I’d be looking for one in the range 15,000,000-15,999,999?
Assuming a £300 service this is the type of thing fits my budget.

The 15M range you quoted is conventionally taken to cover approximately the two year range starting in about 1956 (i.e. 1956 and 1957, roughly). If you read the standard chart closely, you will note that 16M is connected to 1958.
 
padders
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SkunkPrince SkunkPrince
Faulty reasoning, since I live in Greenfield, Wisconsin, USA.
I assume he meant the OP, his username has Brythonic overtones and apparently means The Welshman. It is TOD's quoting that is faulty, his reasoning seems sound!
 
MRC
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p4ul p4ul
@TimeODanaos So, you must be Irish! Timothy E O’Danaos?😉
Could be King of Libya with 50 daughters to get married off. OMG, the dowries needed, the wedding costs 😲
 
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