Help A Beginner On First Vintage Omega Purchase

Saiming · Aug 23, 2014

First post here we go!

I am completely new to vintage watches, after having looked around for a few days I felt that Omega are the watches that really appeal to me.

Alright I have been trying to research and educated my prior to a purchase by reading as much as I can and observing what experienced users deem fake or a frankenwatch - it is really overwhelming how much knowledge you all have! I have learnt a bit about determining production year from the serial number, and the type of watch from the case reference - I even tried using the omegawatch database to help determine the authenticity of watches, but it seems like non of my inputs worked!

What I have appreciated is that there is so much detail, and there are levels of detail that determine how "pure" a timepiece is, depending on the subjective perception of a collector. And due to the level of knowledge and the seemingly exponential knowledge curve required to analyse every timepiece I thought I would ask for some help.

Having said this, I wouldn't consider myself a purist, since I do not even know what to look at in order to consider myself one! The bottomline is that I want my first watch to be authentic and that works in daily use. Ideally I would like the entire watch to be authentic. Moreover, I feel that the movement has to be authentic, and preferably the dial too. I do not mind if the leather straps aren't seeing as I can change them quite easily.

Sorry for the newbie blabbering - the veterans here must be shaking their heads by now.

Here are some prospects:

http://www.tradera.com/item/190118/213669834/omega-seamaster-mekanisk-herr-klocka-i-stal

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OMEGA-SEA...es_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item19f2159887

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-O...400270180?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1c44051d64

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Omega-Sea...es_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item3ce6cddfe4

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENTS-OME...es_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item5668ead973

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121413960838?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-O...621368504?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3a95cd62b8

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390903975242?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Once again apologies for the lengthy post ... and the title typo!

Stewart H · Aug 25, 2014

Hi and welcome to the forum.

That's quite a batch you have listed there. I believe that five of them have re-finished dials, incorrect hands etc., one other is a probable re-dial and the other two (the first and the seventh ones) look OK to me but I have to confess not having looked too much at similar models.

I would suggest asking about one or two at a time if you are looking to buy because listing eight at a time tends to put people off responding.

We all started in this hobby at one time and the temptation is to buy too many, too soon. That way, you can end up with some good examples, but you also run the risk of ending up with a lot of junk.

Starting out, the best place to look for your first watches would be the "For Sale" part of this forum. There are, these days, a lot of watches offered by dealers in our sales section, but these are mostly modern watches. If you look beyond these, you will see watches offered by members and I would suggest looking for ones offered by people with high post counts. that isn't to say that the others are no good but more established enthusiasts have a lot to lose, reputationally, by trying to pass off sub-standard watches and are usually just rotating their collection or liberating cash for a special purchase. You won't find bargains from established collectors, but you will find above average examples for sale at market rates. If you buy from a dealer, remember that they are a business and have to make a profit to keep a roof over their head.

Archer · Aug 25, 2014

Stewart H
Starting out, the best place to look for your first watches would be the "For Sale" part of this forum. There are, these days, a lot of watches offered by dealers in our sales section, but these are mostly modern watches. If you look beyond these, you will see watches offered by members and I would suggest looking for ones offered by people with high post counts.

Just to go off on a small tangent here, I agree there are a LOT of dealer posts in the FS section. Some way of splitting these up such as "dealer" and "private seller" or maybe "modern" or "vintage" would make me look at the sales section more often. Right now when I see a page mostly full of dealer watches, I just move on as the modern stuff I'm not that interested in, and that is what the dealers are usually selling.

Nothing against the dealers at all (some are great people in fact!), just the bumps all the time have, in some cases, ended up with them filling the first page pretty much.

Just a thought.

Davidt · Aug 25, 2014

Archer
Just to go off on a small tangent here, I agree there are a LOT of dealer posts in the FS section. Some way of splitting these up such as "dealer" and "private seller" or maybe "modern" or "vintage" would make me look at the sales section more often. Right now when I see a page mostly full of dealer watches, I just move on as the modern stuff I'm not that interested in, and that is what the dealers are usually selling.

Nothing against the dealers at all (some are great people in fact!), just the bumps all the time have, in some cases, ended up with them filling the first page pretty much.

Just a thought.

Completely agree that it would be beneficial to split the FS forum somehow.

Up until the last couple of months, I used to browse the FS all the time to see what was out there. For educational purposes as much as anything.

I don't bother so much now as it's such an effort to sieve through the dealer bumps, a lot of which don't seem particularly relative to this forum.

Saiming · Aug 25, 2014

Thank you for your reply. And I apologise for the bombarding first post!

Yes I did realise in retrospect that I was in quite a state of mind where I was completely overwhelmed by the diverse beauty of vintage Omega timepieces.

After days of searching and researching (and I know some collectors search for years to find their timepiece), I think I have finally found a more specific description that I am interested in.

I am rather fond of automatic movements, I quite like the cal 355 or any cal 5xx. I do quite like black dials with markers/hands/numbers in gold. But also white dials in a steel case with brown leather straps.

In order not to clog up the sub-forum I will post all my queries here. I am certain that there are plenty of guides on vintage Omegas. But perhaps this thread could be of some amusement regarding the adventure of me finding my first vintage Omega!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141379191427?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I was wondering if you experts reckon that the hands here do not fit the dial? Also, regarding the movement is the hue of the copper homogenous enough? Or is this another overpriced frankenwatch...

Stewart H · Aug 25, 2014

I agree, Al. When it was just George, it was OK, but now OF is a recognised selling platform, it has become a pain.

Stewart H · Aug 25, 2014

Saiming
Thank you for your reply. And I apologise for the bombarding first post!

Yes I did realise in retrospect that I was in quite a state of mind where I was completely overwhelmed by the diverse beauty of vintage Omega timepieces.

After days of searching and researching (and I know some collectors search for years to find their timepiece), I think I have finally found a more specific description that I am interested in.

I am rather fond of automatic movements, I quite like the cal 355 or any cal 5xx. I do quite like black dials with markers/hands/numbers in gold. But also white dials in a steel case with brown leather straps.

In order not to clog up the sub-forum I will post all my queries here. I am certain that there are plenty of guides on vintage Omegas. But perhaps this thread could be of some amusement regarding the adventure of me finding my first vintage Omega!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141379191427?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I was wondering if you experts reckon that the hands here do not fit the dial? Also, regarding the movement is the hue of the copper homogenous enough? Or is this another overpriced frankenwatch...

Black dialed vintage Omegas are a separate minefield - they don't seem to hold up as well as some other makes. This one was made to have luminous circles behind the hour markers. These are missing but the dial beneath where they should be is a perfect black. The old "dots" are easy to knock off when the dial is handled during a service - even when carefully handled - but they leave a mark

John R Smith · Aug 25, 2014

The Seamaster Calendar is a redial. The movement is also in a poor state. It's a pity, because it has a guilloche dial which would have been a bonus if it were the original finish. Always be very suspicious of any black-dialled watch from the 1950s.

Saiming · Aug 25, 2014

Stewart H
Black dialed vintage Omegas are a separate minefield - they don't seem to hold up as well as some other makes. This one was made to have luminous circles behind the hour markers. These are missing but the dial beneath where they should be is a perfect black. The old "dots" are easy to knock off when the dial is handled during a service - even when carefully handled - but they leave a mark

Yes, I have been told that acquiring a genuine black dial Omega is quite the hazardous project. Is that because Omega did not manufacture many black dials?

In relation to the luminescent "dots" - I think I may have found such a dial on a calibre 420: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151286189571?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Having said that, my amateurish judgement has me a bit cautious as the "Omega" engraving on the movement seems to be a bit odd...

John R Smith
The Seamaster Calendar is a redial. The movement is also in a poor state. It's a pity, because it has a guilloche dial which would have been a bonus if it were the original finish. Always be very suspicious of any black-dialled watch from the 1950s.

Thank you for the helpful information. And yes! It was the guilloche dial that caught my eye to begin with.

Is this just a poorly maintained omega? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181505310111?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Thanks a lot guys, really appreciate all the feedback and help!

Stewart H · Aug 25, 2014

Saiming
Yes, I have been told that acquiring a genuine black dial Omega is quite the hazardous project. Is that because Omega did not manufacture many black dials?

In relation to the luminescent "dots" - I think I may have found such a dial on a calibre 420: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151286189571?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Having said that, my amateurish judgement has me a bit cautious as the "Omega" engraving on the movement seems to be a bit odd...

Thank you for the helpful information. And yes! It was the guilloche dial that caught my eye to begin with.

Is this just a poorly maintained omega? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181505310111?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Thanks a lot guys, really appreciate all the feedback and help!

The first one has, at the very least, replaced lume dots - they are bright green and not aged by 60 years of exposure to the light/radioactive degeneration.

The second one is a really poor re-dial - look at the "Swiss Made" and ask, would a premium product really be allowed to leave the manufacture (factory) with the writing being hidden underneath the hour markers. Also the word OMEGA does not look right and the minute markers seem to not to be the same around the dial.

Spend some time looking at the "WRUW" (what are you wearing) thread in Open Discussion, and try to identify what appeals to you from there. Don't search for "black vintage Omega" on eBay, because 90 + % will be re-dials.

Saiming · Aug 26, 2014

Ok thanks for the advice! I will look more into one or two kinds of watches.

speedbird · Aug 26, 2014

My advice is to find a specific model and become an expert yourself. Perhaps a Constellation you like or a Seamaster. I like the Seamaster 30 because of the 30t2 based movement, since I tend to collect representative movements in my watches filling certain gaps in the collection.

This will make your search less daunting

Trev · Aug 26, 2014

There's a new FS section that just went up, only private sales will be permitted there 😉 We'll be moving all current non-dealer threads to it.

Edit: Forgot to mention that private sales will also show up in your "Latest" threads lists, since they'll be lower volume.

Cheers

Help A Beginner On First Vintage Omega Purchase

Saiming

Stewart H

Archer

Davidt

Saiming

Stewart H

Stewart H

John R Smith

Saiming

Stewart H

Saiming

speedbird

Trev

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