@hc9090
Welcome aboard.
A few thoughts!
First, read this,
Second, as said above buying here from UK based seller is a sound idea.
Third, eBay is a viper pit, have a look at local to you auction houses that you can visit and assess. As an example, I live near Gardner Houlgate,
https://www.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/
Happy hunting.
Thank you, that makes sense. It's not so much the web presence that gives me peace of mind, but rather the recent service and the 12-month guarantee.
For example, if I were to find a similar version for $700, which seems to be what you think it's worth, and then purchase and import it to the UK, I would need to add approximately 30% for VAT and duty. That would bring the cost to around $900. Including delivery, which might be about $100, the total would be approximately $1,000. On top of that, I'd likely need to budget for a service, as most listings at this price point don’t seem to have any service records. That could be another £500 or so. Which ends up being a similar price to the web listing.
Am I missing something?
Yes, IMO you are missing something, there's a reason that experienced collectors don't buy watches the way you're proposing to do it. There is little upside to buying a mediocre, common vintage Omega for 3x its value from an unknown quantity who claims it is serviced. I know that you want to talk yourself into it because it's the easy path, but you should go into it with your eyes open. Another elephant in the room is that out of all the possible references you could have chosen, the watches you have posted are either utilitarian or unappealing, IMO. Taking more time to develop your eye could help you choose an example that will suit you better in the long run.
The service/warranty are only as good as the seller. You may think that they are reputable because they have a fancy website, but that's a beginner's mindset. Many of these internet sellers lie about a service (or have a half-hearted service performed) and offer a warranty gambling that the watch will survive a year, which it usually does. If the watch stops working, they may send it back to the watchmaker and ask them to do the minimum to get it working again. More experienced collectors usually prefer to have the watch serviced by a watchmaker of their choice, who will do a thorough job and provide a warranty that means something.
In your place, I would take more time to understand the nuances of vintage Omega, which will probably result in an evolution of your taste, and an upgrade from the references that you have selected. You might also join a watch enthusiast group locally, so that you can handle and experience some vintage watches in person. Then you can wait patiently to buy a good example from a collector or auction (in the UK or elsewhere), and have it serviced by a recommended independent watchmaker. If you don't have the patience and just want to pay an extra thousand to get a watch immediately, then so be it. But you should at least consider buying from a seller in the UK who gets good firsthand feedback from forum members, and I have read a number of recommendations in previous threads.
Thank you for your thoughts, it sounds like you've had a lot of experience - so I'm grateful for your response. However, when you say 'utilitarian or unappealing', this is surely subjective in the same way some might prefer minimalist brutalist architecture and some might prefer classical. Personally I prefer an understated, somewhat minimalist look, over something more ornate or flashy. I'd be very interested in what kind of examples at that kind of price point you'd consider, and the reasons why.
Yes it is a matter of taste, but you have chosen one very entry-level slim-but-utilitarian case and one bloated bulbous no-bezel case that most people find unappealing. In the context of 60s Seamasters, you could hardly have chosen two watches that are more extremely different and the fact that you have grouped them together under "understated and minimalist" suggests to me that you might benefit from more study. I think I prefer pretty much every other 60s Seamaster reference to those two, including many in that seller's inventory. If you take some time to look around, you will hopefully start to recognize the distinctions.
Happy for something to be entry level, after all, it's my first one! I prefer the first one. To clarify, I refer to them being understated in the broader context of watches. Relatively speaking at least.
Looking through the past couple of months UK sales pages, I came across this one (very different from other two I've posted, but I like very much). Interested to hear anyone's thoughts on this.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/1951-omega-reference-2639-calibre-265-with-creamy-patina-dial-and-radium-lume-numerals.176038/
Thread '1951 Omega reference 2639, calibre 265 with creamy patina dial and radium lume numerals' ·Hello Omega Forums,
Today I am offering another beautiful Omega, this time with a calibre 265 which was a later version of the 30T2.
Dial
As you can see the dial has...SOLDOllieOnTheRocks ·£ 1250
Would you say it is a fair price, and anything you'd be concerned about? Would it be expensive to service? Thanks again
