My recent acquisition has me scratching my head. Cal. 342 with a serial number putting it around 1950-51. Case ref. is 166010. Isn't that more like early 1960's? What do I have? And I think the dial is original. Clearly polished, perhaps to cover some damage on the lug tops.Thoughts?
I can send it back. So what are the issues exactly? I gather: 1) recase, but 2) what's with the springs?
Recased, dial looks refinished, and movement is not in good shape - plating has been stripped and those springs are later replacements (might not even be original omega).
Issues that I can spot - * The dial has no lume but the hands do (and they are poorly re-lumed). * The minute hand is too short. * The dial is either a re-dial or a service dial. * The movement and dial are completely wrong for the case (as Kyle says) it should be a 565 calibre. * The cal 342 which is fitted should not have exposed springs fitted on the rotor. So this is a Franken of the first order
The dial doesn't even fill the case properly...definitely do not go together just by looking at it. Cheers, Al
One more question: the dial. Under a 10x loup, I thought it looked like the original finish. What is the give-away that it is not?
I'm not altogether sure that it is a re-dial, it could be a later service dial. All the serifs on the fonts look very good, but the size relationship of "OMEGA" to "AUTOMATIC" is wrong for a 1951 date. Usually, on these early '50s dials the right hand foot of the 'A' of Omega sits above the 'I' of automatic. The style we see here is usually later. And the way that the gap between "SWISS" and "MADE" is centred below '6' looks wrong as well. And of course, it doesn't say "Seamaster", does it? Which it really should do when you come to think about it . . .
If it had not been recased, I would agree. I think the dial matches the movement? I was not aware of the nuances with the fonts/spacing, so thank you! Wow, so much to learn. Has technology perfected a pair of goggles that will identify and point out issues with vintage watches? I'd buy that for a dollar!
The font style is consistent with a mid 1960s and later omega watch and not the early to mid 1950s of a subseconds bumper. The surface finish/sheen is also typical of a refinished dial. Here is how the typical dial of a subseconds bumper should look like:
