Hello all,

I am completely new to the hobby and found this watch on ebay. Is this a genuine Omega watch? I couldn't find any model that matches it online.

Thank you all for your valuable insights.

 

Do you know the reference number?

Have you done some quick research to find similar watches?

 

Well, it’s a watch.

 

Unfortunately, I don't know the reference number but already contacted the seller about it.

I tried to find a similar watch on the Omega vintage watch site, but couldn't find one that fits.
As I'm super new to the whole Omega watch hobby I am really lost in all the possible combinations. There are also some things I have never seen on any photos before, like the hour and minute markers. And should the sub second hand also be golden if the minute and hour markers are?

If it is a fake maybe you could guide my to some problems the watch has so I can learn a thing or two.

Best,
Jan

 

Hi Jan and welcome! To me the watch looks legit but the case has a lot of wear thru to the gold plating/filling.

 

Thanks, for your assessments.
The seller sent me 2 more pictures. The ref Nr. is 2933-3 and I think the case kind of fits to the watch displayed on the omega vintage site. It only appears to be polished heavily, as the edges are very soft? Hands fit imo, but the markers are different. I am just not sure how many variations of the markers there are. Also the caliber is supposed to be 267 but is 269 on this watch.
Does anyone have other suggestions?
Thanks all, your input is really appreciated.

 

The watch is authentic but i will not recommend as a beginer in this hobby to buy a gold plated watch. Better find a stainless steel version. Those are more desirable for collectors. Regards.

 

As others have said, it's genuine but the case (and the dial, in my opinion) have seen better days. Keep your eye on the private watch sales forum on OF. Good deals on vintage Omegas are posted frequently.

 

Thank you all for your responses. I fully agree with you about the case, however i really dig the dial design . What do you think is a reasonable price for this watch?

 

I would not buy it at any price with that case. The base metal wearing through the gold plate is a major defect. Look more closely at the lugs. You would be much better off buying something with either a steel case or a gold capped case, but not gold plated.

 

True, on the last photo I sent it is very visible. Thanks for your assessment.

Just out of curiosity, because I want to get better at assessing vintage watches. Is it usual, that the caliber is different from the omega homepage? And how do I figure out which markers are genuine. I have never seen the ones used here before?

 

You didn’t post a link to the eBay posting or give any indication of the BIN price or bidding. If you had we could have commented on it and given you an idea as to whether it’s overpriced (very likely) or underpriced. I can tell I wouldn’t go for it if you offered to buy it for me!r

Whether it’s on OF Private Sales or eBay, and it will depend on your personal preferences, you can probably by a nice Geneve or Seamaster in the £400 - £750 bracket.

As @gbesq suggests, go for a stainless steel case which you can wear dressed up, or down. Gold plated (and IMHO, gold capped) are less wearable and, like sub-dials, a bit dated.

 

Well, I'll agree and disagree with Spruce. I agree in that I would never buy a gold plated case, but I have no problem with gold capped. The difference, OP, is that gold plated is a very thin layer of gold (usally 20-40 microns) bonded to a base metal like brass. Eventually with normal wear the gold plate will wear through in some areas and expose the base metal and that ruins the appearance of the watch. Gold capped, on the other hand, is a much thicker layer of gold bonded to stainless steel. As long as you're not using a gold capped watch like a tool watch, the finish will endure for many, many years. As an example, here's a photo of my 1956 Seamastrer 2761 in gold cap - nothing wrong with the way this one looks. And as for subdials, everybody has their preference, but I think that they are so much classier than sweep second hands. The second photo is of my 1950 Seamaster 2576 with subdial.

 

It is sold as an ebay auction and currently at 200 Eur. Are direct links to ebay are allowed here? But I aggree with gbesq that you can already see the metal underneath the gold plating on the lugs. Clearing up the differences between gold plated and gold capped watches is certainly nice to know. How does one differentiate the two? I think I read somewhere gold plated watches dont have gold on the backside of the lugs, but is this true?

 

It sold for 285 Eur. I didn't bid on it, but maybe you could comment on the price, regardless of whether you would buy it or not. Was it overpriced? It is just so difficult to get a feeling and this would really help me assess other watches in the future.
Would be really appreciated.

 

I can tell you I wouldn’t buy it for that.
I’d guess it was bought by an inexperienced buyer/collector who either didn’t spot the issues with the case, is happy to live with them or thinks they can be easily fixed.

 

Okey last questions for today, sorry to bother you all. What would have been a reasonable price when the case was in a good condition. And does this model have an actual name? Like the seamaster or speedmaster watches.

 

To get values search eBay for completed sales with the same reference number. Also search the sales forum here.

For gold filled watches they may have “ or plaque 80 mic” or some variation on the inside of the case back. It can still wear through but generally wear much better than 10-20 micron. The vintage omegas from the 50s and 60s often have the thicker plating as gold was relatively cheaper then. The lugs, crown and bezel near the crown wear first.

 

Best advice anyone gave me- read the "Learn how to Fish" post at the top of the Vintage Omega section by ConElPueblo. It lays out an approach that will guide you in this field. And youll be best served by not buying anything without asking on this forum first! The more homework you do the happier you will be with your purchases.