Help identifying my grandpa's Omega Seamaster

morcerf_dumas · Oct 17, 2021

Hello folks,
I was cleaning my dad's cupboard and found this really old watch. According to my dad, it's my grandpas watch.
I'd like your help in determining the model of the watch, and whether it's an original or fake.

As you can see, the watch is in pretty bad shape, some rubbery goo stuck to the front ( which I did a poor job of cleaning up ), and loads of scratches all around. The minute and second hands have come free inside the case, and it's missing the 2nd and 7th hour marks.

The plate on the back has a faded Seamaster stamp at the top and a Waterproof stamp at the bottom. The crown does not have the Omega logo on it, which suggests it might have been replaced.

The watch itself has a quite satisfying heft and feels well built. I haven't tried to open the back case so I don't know the serial number.

MtV · Oct 17, 2021

The definite answer will be in the caseback, my guess would be a mid-to-late-50s 2846 Omega Seamaster, cal 500 or 501. The dial has been repainted in black at some point. It’s gold-capped, a relatively thick layer of gold on a stainless steel case, that has, however, worn through at the lugs.

What’s your plan for it? 😀

Claven2 · Oct 17, 2021

If it were my grandfather's watch, it would get restored. You can't buy family history, and once it's gone, it's gone for good.

JwRosenthal · Oct 17, 2021

Welcome @morcerf_dumas

as has been said, and as you noted, it’s had a rough life and it had been restored once before at which point they repainted the dial. The repaint is attractive, but kills any collector “value” for the watch.
That said, any competent watchmaker should be able to service it. If it need parts (a crystal for sure), Omega parts are proprietary and only a watchmaker with a parts account can order them- although some watchmakers without parts accounts do have their methods.
It all comes down to what is your end game.
If you want to throw some money at it and have a lovely keepsake that’s good to wear, it’s gonna cost a few hundred (depending on how the movment is).
If you want to throw it back in a drawer and keep it as a family memento, that costs you nothing.
If you were looking for value- it doesn’t hold more than the sum of the parts- which in this case would be just the movement- so a hundred or two as is.
On this forum, we all tend to highly value family pieces and this watch, despite the wear and tear, would be a nice watch to wear regularly. After a clean and service, this thing would be lovely on a chestnut colored leather strap.

morcerf_dumas · Oct 17, 2021

MtV
The definite answer will be in the caseback, my guess would be a mid-to-late-50s 2846 Omega Seamaster, cal 500 or 501. The dial has been repainted in black at some point. It’s gold-capped, a relatively thick layer of gold on a stainless steel case, that has, however, worn through at the lugs.

What’s your plan for it? 😀

Thank you for replying and letting me know about the possible model it could be.
I'm planning to get it fixed and cleaned up and surprise my dad with it. I'm planning to keep the dings and scratches on the case however, as I think it really adds some character to the watch.

morcerf_dumas · Oct 17, 2021

Claven2
If it were my grandfather's watch, it would get restored. You can't buy family history, and once it's gone, it's gone for good.

Thank you, yeah that's my plan as well. My grandpa was in the Indian army and he went through multiple wars with this watch. I'm planning to get it fixed up and surprise my dad with it.

morcerf_dumas · Oct 17, 2021

JwRosenthal
Welcome @morcerf_dumas

as has been said, and as you noted, it’s had a rough life and it had been restored once before at which point they repainted the dial. The repaint is attractive, but kills any collector “value” for the watch.
That said, any competent watchmaker should be able to service it. If it need parts (a crystal for sure), Omega parts are proprietary and only a watchmaker with a parts account can order them- although some watchmakers without parts accounts do have their methods.
It all comes down to what is your end game.
If you want to throw some money at it and have a lovely keepsake that’s good to wear, it’s gonna cost a few hundred (depending on how the movment is).
If you want to throw it back in a drawer and keep it as a family memento, that costs you nothing.
If you were looking for value- it doesn’t hold more than the sum of the parts- which in this case would be just the movement- so a hundred or two as is.
On this forum, we all tend to highly value family pieces and this watch, despite the wear and tear, would be a nice watch to wear regularly. After a clean and service, this thing would be lovely on a chestnut colored leather strap.

Yeah, getting the parts is going to be an issue where I am right now ( a small state in India) but I'll be in Canada soon so I'll look into getting it serviced there. It's definitely a family heirloom and I'd love to surprise my dad with it.

JwRosenthal · Oct 17, 2021

M morcerf_dumas
Yeah, getting the parts is going to be an issue where I am right now ( a small state in India) but I'll be in Canada soon so I'll look into getting it serviced there. It's definitely a family heirloom and I'd love to surprise my dad with it.

That would be spectacular. We have a very international group here, including many members in India (and Canada too). You may want to make a new thread in he general discussion area specifically asking about any watchmakers in India. Otherwise, we have few watchmakers in this forum in Canada

Claven2 · Oct 17, 2021

MtV
The definite answer will be in the caseback, my guess would be a mid-to-late-50s 2846 Omega Seamaster, cal 500 or 501. The dial has been repainted in black at some point. It’s gold-capped, a relatively thick layer of gold on a stainless steel case, that has, however, worn through at the lugs.

What’s your plan for it? 😀

As a clarification, I do not think it's gold capped (which would not normally wear through in normal use). I think it's a gold filled watch, which while better than plating, does wear through - as the OP's watch demonstrates in a few places.

joe band · Oct 18, 2021

i love the actual battle scars, it carries his history well. just to add the crown is a replacement, which an original could be sourced, if that was desirable.

i'm sure your dad will be touched to receive it. 😀

ConElPueblo · Oct 18, 2021

Claven2
As a clarification, I do not think it's gold capped (which would not normally wear through in normal use). I think it's a gold filled watch, which while better than plating, does wear through - as the OP's watch demonstrates in a few places.

A (gold, non-solid gold) 2846 is always gold capped, not filled which was a US-market thing. Also, had it been gold filled, the caseback would have been gold-coloured as well and the back of the lugs would have been covered by gold which they aren't on gold capped models.

morcerf_dumas · Oct 19, 2021

JwRosenthal
That would be spectacular. We have a very international group here, including many members in India (and Canada too). You may want to make a new thread in he general discussion area specifically asking about any watchmakers in India. Otherwise, we have few watchmakers in this forum in Canada

That's great to know. I'll be sure to check that out. Thanks.

Omyga99 · Oct 19, 2021

This is my gold capped Constellation. There is a clear transition between gold and polished stainless steel. The gold fillers I have seen don’t transition like this the entire case is “filled” or gold plated heavily or whatever.

Claven2 · Oct 19, 2021

ConElPueblo
A (gold, non-solid gold) 2846 is always gold capped, not filled which was a US-market thing. Also, had it been gold filled, the caseback would have been gold-coloured as well and the back of the lugs would have been covered by gold which they aren't on gold capped models.

The OP's watch DOES have a gold colored back, does it not? I'm not sure anyone said it was a 2846 - there are no movement shots or shots of the inside of the case back. I do know the difference between filled and capped Omegas - are we looking at the same photos?

To me, this back looks gold colored on my screen, possibly with either wear-through on the back, or possibly with a streak of residue. If the back of the lugs and case back are in fact silver colored, then it does not show that way on my computer.

morcerf_dumas · Oct 19, 2021

Claven2
The OP's watch DOES have a gold colored back, does it not? I'm not sure anyone said it was a 2846 - there are no movement shots or shots of the inside of the case back. I do know the difference between filled and capped Omegas - are we looking at the same photos?

To me, this back looks gold colored on my screen, possibly with either wear-through on the back, or possibly with a streak of residue. If the back of the lugs and case back are in fact silver colored, then it does not show that way on my computer.

OP here, that photo does make it seem like the back is gold colored, but it isn't. These photos shows it better:

ConElPueblo · Oct 20, 2021

Claven2
The OP's watch DOES have a gold colored back, does it not? I'm not sure anyone said it was a 2846 - there are no movement shots or shots of the inside of the case back. I do know the difference between filled and capped Omegas - are we looking at the same photos?

To me, this back looks gold colored on my screen, possibly with either wear-through on the back, or possibly with a streak of residue. If the back of the lugs and case back are in fact silver colored, then it does not show that way on my computer.

Well, you have chosen the one photo out of three possible in the post where it is not immediately obvious that there is a colour difference, but even so it should be visible that there is a gold layer on the outside of the lugs and not on the back:

I can tell it's a 2846 from the two photos of the watch where the ridged caseback is visible.

JimInOz · Oct 20, 2021

The OPs watch is gold capped.
That is, a "shell" of gold plate has been pressed onto the base mate, in this case, stainless steel.

I know of instances where the gold cap has deputed from the case, especially the ones over lugs.

It's unusual to see wear through on gold cap, so is it possible that some gold cap has a base metal shell that gets a heavy plating of gold?

ConElPueblo · Oct 20, 2021

JimInOz
The OPs watch is gold capped.
That is, a "shell" of gold plate has been pressed onto the base mate, in this case, stainless steel.

I know of instances where the gold cap has deputed from the case, especially the ones over lugs.

It's unusual to see wear through on gold cap, so is it possible that some gold cap has a base metal shell that gets a heavy plating of gold?

I have seen the same type of wear on 50's Seamasters a fair few times. I wouldn't say it is particularly rare thing to happen, but it would have lived a relatively hard life or seen a lot of polishing for it to happen.

Claven2 · Oct 20, 2021

Hmmm, well I guess my monitor or eyes are playing tricks on me. It sure looked gold all over to me in all the pics.

Help identifying my grandpa's Omega Seamaster

morcerf_dumas

MtV

Claven2

JwRosenthal

morcerf_dumas

morcerf_dumas

morcerf_dumas

JwRosenthal

Claven2

joe band

ConElPueblo

morcerf_dumas

Omyga99

Claven2

morcerf_dumas

ConElPueblo

JimInOz

ConElPueblo

Claven2

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