Help with ID of a Vintage Omega Seamaster Calendar REF ?? 2849

Dear All,

I wondered if I could ask for a little help from you all as experts! Pictured below is my 2849 Omega Seamaster Calendar automatic, caliber 503. I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of the mechanism, but I don’t really feel confident enough to open the case. The watch is stainless steel with gold hour markers.

I notice on the Omega website that there are three entries for reference 2849. The example image of the steel calendar (CK 2849) however does not have ‘calendar’ inscribed on the dial beneath ‘Seamaster’, and also the hour markers are in a different style.

I noticed that reference KO 2849 is a much better fit in terms of both the dial and hour markers being exactly the same as mine - the difference being this model is gold capped on stainless steel…
My question is – Is it possible that my watch is correct and in its ‘original’ from – and more than one dial/hour marker/lettering options were available for reference CK 2849? Or is it more likely that my watch has been ‘redialed’ during its lifetime, or could it even be that the watch started off gold capped as a reference KO2849, and the gold has been polished away?!

Any help would be really appreciated!
Thanks,
John

Hi John. Welcome to Omega Forums. Yes, the watch has been redialed at some point. The fonts are wrong. To answer your other question, there were plenty of dial variations with Omega in the 50's and 60's, particularly the mid/late 50's into the very early 60's. It was a transition period from bumpers to full rotor calibers and Omega went through several different series of automatic movements in 5-ish years (bumpers, 47x, 50x, 591, and 55x/56x).

Hi dsio - yes - it does glow in the dark, but quite faintly...

ULF - thanks for your insightful comments regarding the fonts. Perhaps at this point I should note that I have recently acquired this from a jewelers who stated that it was authentic. I purchased it as the design was exactly what I was looking for in terms of size and the combination of gold markers on steel. As such, the fact that it is a redial does not bother me too much as I am not a collector. However, the watch can be returned under the sale terms and conditions, and I wondered if you could advise on whether whether the redialing 'matters.' Does redialing invalidate authenticity? Will I have any issues getting the watch serviced in the future? What are the considerations here?

Thank you both for helping a complete novice out!

Hi dsio - I paid for £595 for it (GBP).

It was a slightly impulsive buy (hence the retrospective investigation!) - it has come with a 12 month warranty and can be returned at any point over the next 10 days for a full refund. Opinions therefore would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

A refinished dial doesn't make the watch less authentic per se, and it won't affect servicing. It will hurt the value to a collector. Whether or not you want to return it depends on this: how much would you rather have an original? If you see yourself potentially becoming a collector this watch will bother you. I know from personal experience - I had an episode with a Constellation pie pan redial 6-ish years ago. Send me a message (click on my user name then "start a conversation") with the following answers: how much did you pay and how much time/effort would you be willing to put in to find a 100% correct vintage Omega? You might be pleasantly surprised.