Is this a 1949 Seamaster redial?

AllanFatum · Aug 30, 2020

Hello all,

I am quite new to vintage watches and have my eyes set on a vintage Seamaster. I was intrigued by this on I found https://www.chrono24.dk/omega/omega...?checkoutId=2664435?SETLANG=da_DK&SETCURR=DKK

But the more I research I do on this site and by comparing watches from the same period, the more I get suspicious that the dial has been repainted. The most obvious clue is the yellow marking behind the Omega logo. Seller claims that is because of a printing error in the pigment, and being new to this I don’t know what to believe.

I would greatly appreciate any pointers by people more experienced than me.

Dan S · Aug 30, 2020

You should always post photos instead of links, many members won't reply otherwise. That said, I don't like the way that the applied 5 o'clock marker is overlapping into the sub-dial.

Spruce · Aug 30, 2020

I’m not an expert on these dials but I understand that with these older Omega, redials are not unusual and seem generally to have been done at the behest of the owner.

And, as the owner of a 1954 bumper, It’s also difficult to obtain a replacement dial, particularly one in acceptable condition both because of the age of the watch and the above practice.

AllanFatum · Aug 30, 2020

Dan S
You should always post photos instead of links, many members won't reply otherwise. That said, I don't like the way that the applied 5 o'clock marker is overlapping into the sub-dial.

Got it, just pasted in the image. Thanks for the heads up. You think the 5 o’clock marker is a replacement?

AllanFatum · Aug 30, 2020

Spruce
I’m not an expert on these dials but I understand that with these older Omega, redials are not unusual and seem generally to have been done at the behest of the owner.

And, as the owner of a 1954 bumper, It’s also difficult to obtain a replacement dial, particularly one in acceptable condition both because of the age of the watch and the above practice.

Yes, that is what I read as well. I am not suspecting the seller of having repainted it. But he is claiming that it is 100% original.

Dan S · Aug 30, 2020

AllanFatum
Got it, just pasted in the image. Thanks for the heads up. You think the 5 o’clock marker is a replacement?

I'm just saying that the watch probably didn't start out that way, it was probably re-installed crookedly after dial refinishing. Also, notice that the marks are extremely uneven in the sub-dial. They reach the edge on the upper left, but fall far short of the edge on the lower right. IMO, you would not find poor quality like this from Omega.

Aquariusmatic · Aug 30, 2020

I have this inbound to me this week at 550$ and I'm in europe also... I think you don't have such a great deal there at over 1200€ sorry.

gbesq · Aug 30, 2020

Dan S
I'm just saying that the watch probably didn't start out that way, it was probably re-installed crookedly after dial refinishing. Also, notice that the marks are extremely uneven in the sub-dial. They reach the edge on the upper left, but fall far short of the edge on the lower right. IMO, you would not find poor quality like this from Omega.

Dan’s observation about the subdial is a good one. I would pass on this example.

Dan S · Aug 30, 2020

Aquariusmatic

I have this inbound to me this week at 550$ and I'm in europe also... I think you don't have such a great deal there at over 1200€ sorry.

That's a beauty.

Maskelyne · Aug 30, 2020

I agree with Dan S. It's a redial and the dial has been tampered with. I might be wrong but the indices looks polished. Here is a comparison with my similar reference (to the right)...

I add that the "redial" refers to the sub dial. But the overall impression looks fishy to me.

gatorcpa · Aug 30, 2020

Before I even get to the dial, the price is absolutely ridiculous. Not worth half of asking price, even if all correct.

It is a very early Seamaster model. In fact, the first Seamaster model. These did not have “Seamaster” on the dial.

IMO, the dial is mostly original. Fonts look correct to me. Someone reprinted the sub-seconds dial slightly off-center. “Swiss” on the dial would be correct for US models.

However, I don’t think the hands are correct either. The wide lume hands show up on later Seamaster models.

This seller should be ashamed of themselves. :whipped:

gatorcpa

gatorcpa · Aug 30, 2020

To contrast, here is another Ref. 2576 in similar condition.

Omega Seamaster Bumper Ref. 2576-10 Automatic Cal. 342 Vintage Mens Watch 35 MM

Hope this helps,
gatorcpa

Aquariusmatic · Aug 30, 2020

Dan S
That's a beauty.

Thanks, this is my hail Mary as one would say in regard to bumper omegas, never had any luck. First a re-dial franken, then a seller that did not send the watch at all... Third's time the charm with this one i hope 😀

Dan S · Aug 30, 2020

gatorcpa
Before I even get to the dial, the price is absolutely ridiculous. Not worth half of asking price, even if all correct.

It is a very early Seamaster model. In fact, the first Seamaster model. These did not have “Seamaster” on the dial.

IMO, the dial is mostly original. Fonts look correct to me. Someone reprinted the sub-seconds dial slightly off-center. “Swiss” on the dial would be correct for US models.

However, I don’t think the hands are correct either. The wide lume hands show up on later Seamaster models.

This seller should be ashamed of themselves.
gatorcpa

I agree about the fonts looking good, which is why I avoided broad statements about a re-dial. But what do you think about the yellow background that's present around the "OMEGA AUTOMATIC", and only there? It doesn't look natural to me. Or is it natural, like some bleeding from the printing? Do you think they masked off that area when repainting? I guess that's plausible, but the minute marks look pretty even.

AllanFatum · Aug 31, 2020

Thank you so much for chipping in. The watch in itself is beautiful, and I like the pre-Seamaster versions. So had the watch been in good shape, I would happily have paid a little below asking price. I am happy I didn’t, given what I know now.

I was thinking that the yellowing could be a result of the original dial and the paint around it aging differently. But that is a guess.

Thanks again. I will continue my quest for a new vintage Seamaster

michael22 · Aug 31, 2020

Dan S
I agree about the fonts looking good, which is why I avoided broad statements about a re-dial. But what do you think about the yellow background that's present around the "OMEGA AUTOMATIC", and only there? It doesn't look natural to me. Or is it natural, like some bleeding from the printing? Do you think they masked off that area when repainting? I guess that's plausible, but the minute marks look pretty even.

My guess is they cleaned most of the dial & the subdial, probably by wiping it with a damp cotton tip. They learned that this removed the printed markers from the subdial, so they avoided the printing below 12 & the minute marks. The dark patch around the printing is the patina that wasn't wiped off. I don't think the subdial is repainted, just the markers reprinted.
I wonder if the whole cleaning thing was to remove some patina?

Zapatta · Aug 31, 2020

Maskelyne
I add that the "redial" refers to the sub dial. But the overall impression looks fishy to me.

Looks like marker is overlapping sub-dial here also.

janice&fred · Aug 31, 2020

I also think the dial is original but possibly cleaned up.

Is this a 1949 Seamaster redial?

AllanFatum

Dan S

Spruce

AllanFatum

AllanFatum

Dan S

Aquariusmatic

gbesq

Dan S

Maskelyne

gatorcpa

gatorcpa

Aquariusmatic

Dan S

AllanFatum

michael22

Zapatta

janice&fred

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