Help with new cal 420 2759-9

M

Posts

16

Likes

2

mingthem

·Jul 3, 2025

Hi all

New member here, just acquired a 2759-9 / 2761 on a whim at auction. Just received it (see pic) and it’s in decent condition having seen an expensive overhaul at Omega in 2013 (came with paperwork detailing dial restoration and service).

My question is about the hands - The initial estimate does say hands were damaged so they’ve clearly been replaced - but to my eyes these look “off” for some reason. Having done some searching silver dauphine hands are appropriate but I am wondering if this model should have come with lume or the black onyx style? I can’t find any similar references to
compare so grateful if any more of experienced heads out there have some knowledge they could share?

Would you change these hands or leave as is?

Thanks in advance!

 

Posts

1,088

Likes

1,164

ErichKeane

·Jul 3, 2025

Far from a pro at this, but those hands look criminally short.

i would expect them to be more like this length. Also, you're right, the coloring seems wrong, that watch seems to have really light lume, so the orangy lume looks wrong to me too. I would expect a white lume.

Otherwise, a nice watch, I hope you enjoy it!

 

Posts

2,755

Likes

6,808

seekingseaquest

·Jul 3, 2025

Hands are incorrect - Omega probably didn’t k realize that this model originally came with the abnormally long hands. Crown is incorrect too. Dial repaint and relume are quite bad, I’m surprised Omega would do this. Crown is wrong too.

I know you didn’t ask but my POV is that this watch is a real dog. Can you return it? If you decide to keep it, I wouldn’t put money into it.

 

M

Posts

16

Likes

2

mingthem

·Jul 3, 2025

seekingseaquest

Hands are incorrect - Omega probably didn’t k realize that this model originally came with the abnormally long hands. Crown is incorrect too. Dial repaint and relume are quite bad, I’m surprised Omega would do this. Crown is wrong too.

I know you didn’t ask but my POV is that this watch is a real dog. Can you return it? If you decide to keep it, I wouldn’t put money into it.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Can’t return it unfortunately so i’m going to have to either make do and mend or try and recoup

What’s so bad about the dial? They charged GBP530 in 2013 for that looking at the invoice

 

Posts

23,131

Likes

51,637

Dan S

·Jul 3, 2025

I think it’s just hard for experienced collectors to see a dial that has been repainted like that. It just looks so wrong. But I can understand that some people might just see it as a nice clean dial.

 

Posts

2,755

Likes

6,808

seekingseaquest

·Jul 3, 2025

M mingthem

What’s so bad about the dial? They charged GBP530 in 2013 for that looking at the invoice

The original dial wasn’t this color. In fact, I believe the original would have been two-tone with white in the center and a silvery color around the outside. But it’s the lume mismatch that is just so wrong. Compare the small dots next to the markers to the lume in the hands.

You’re certain this was actually done by Omega?

 

Posts

1,088

Likes

1,164

ErichKeane

·Jul 3, 2025

seekingseaquest

The original dial wasn’t this color. In fact, I believe the original would have been two-tone with white in the center and a silvery color around the outside. But it’s the lume mismatch that is just so wrong. Compare the small dots next to the markers to the lume in the hands.

You’re certain this was actually done by Omega?

I was trying to come up with a polite way to ask 😀 what sort of proof is there that Omega did it. And not just some watchmaker with confusing letterhead?

 

M

Posts

16

Likes

2

mingthem

·Jul 3, 2025

ErichKeane

I was trying to come up with a polite way to ask 😀 what sort of proof is there that Omega did it. And not just some watchmaker with confusing letterhead?

Ha

Well i have an invoice dated from 2013 …i will try and call them tomorrow to see if they will confirm the job

 

Posts

1,088

Likes

1,164

ErichKeane

·Jul 3, 2025

Interesting... Does the serial match? That POBox at least matches the Swatch service center it looks, just interesting Omega themselves would do such a service.

 

Posts

23,131

Likes

51,637

Dan S

·Jul 3, 2025

We have occasionally seen dial repaints as part of an Omega vintage restoration and they are always pretty bad.

 

M

Posts

16

Likes

2

mingthem

·Jul 3, 2025

ErichKeane

Interesting... Does the serial match? That POBox at least matches the Swatch service center it looks, just interesting Omega themselves would do such a service.

just opened it up - looks like it does

 

Posts

3,520

Likes

7,538

mac_omega

·Jul 4, 2025

seekingseaquest

Dial repaint and relume are quite bad, I’m surprised Omega would do this.

FYI Omega does not repaint dials themselves - this job is outsourced...

 

Posts

12,873

Likes

22,252

Davidt

·Jul 4, 2025

It’s looks like an Omega/Omega sub contractor redial. I can completely believe this was serviced by Omega. They usually looks nice and clean from a distance or to the untrained eye but they are never quite right.

I can only echo other comments, Omega’s business model is not restoring old watches but selling new ones. They do restore watches for a significant price but the dial work isn’t great. The fonts are kind of close to the original but too thick and not quite right. They don’t have the same refinement as original dial. The lume dots look like someone squirted them on with toothpaste, the contrast with the lume in the incorrect hands is very jarring and overall it looks sterile and clumsy.

 

M

Posts

16

Likes

2

mingthem

·Jul 4, 2025

Update: rang Omega Swatch Customer Services and a helpful chap confirmed the service history in 2013 which matches the invoice I have. He said this was sent to Switzerland and the change of lume and hands would probably have been relating to the original being Radium so they couldn’t do like for like, just “closest” match. Helpfully he did have a before picture in the records - see attached.

Not a lot I can do about the dial but how to source a handset and crown like that?

 

M

Posts

16

Likes

2

mingthem

·Jul 4, 2025

on the dial - whilst i agree it looks far too sterile now, at least we can say the uniform colour for inner and outer section is appropriate. Small mercies!

May need to artificially add some age to it?

 

Posts

1,485

Likes

5,543

bardamu

·Jul 4, 2025

A complete service from 2013 means that probably you need to have it serviced again now before a daily wear. All considered I agree with someone above, don't put money on this watch because you already paid your noob tax.

 

Posts

23,131

Likes

51,637

Dan S

·Jul 4, 2025

Agreed, I would not be investing further in this watch, trying to make it "more original" with hands and crown. It is what it is, you liked it before you started the thread, so you should just enjoy it. If you decide you want a collectible example that is original and correct, you can hunt down a different watch. Save your money for that.

 

Posts

12,873

Likes

22,252

Davidt

·Jul 4, 2025

Dan S

Agreed, I would not be investing further in this watch, trying to make it "more original" with hands and crown. It is what it is, you liked it before you started the thread, so you should just enjoy it. If you decide you want a collectible example that is original and correct, you can hunt down a different watch. Save your money for that.

This.

 

M

Posts

16

Likes

2

mingthem

·Jul 4, 2025

Thanks all. Chalking this down as a learning experience …perhaps naïvely thought omega would be able to pull off a sympathetic restoration of one of their own pieces! Still hopeful I won’t lose much as i didn’t pay a large sum and whilst this esteemed audience of collectors are disinclined to buy anything redone, others may just see a clean watch. Here’s hoping!

 

Posts

3,520

Likes

7,538

mac_omega

·Jul 4, 2025

M mingthem

others may just see a clean watch.

But only from outside... not when opened
The movement is in very bad shape, has lost most of it´s original plating and is badly scratched.
As others have already said: don´t put any money in this watch