Let's see those Blacked Dialled Seamaster Companion & Technic / Technical Dials

Davidt

What do you think of it and from your research and reading this thread do you have any concerns?

Davidt

Well the caseback is wrong. It’s a 135.011 case yet it has a 135.041 caseback. There’s no ‘transistional’ or ‘rare’ explanation, it’s simply incorrect and been swapped at some point. Not necessarily a deal breaker but important to know.

The pictures aren’t great but the mid case looks ok and crucially the hands and dial which are the real stars of the show here look original. I’ll caveat this by saying I’m almost certain the dial Hasn’t been repainted but I can’t be sure whether it’s been relumed.

Overall, if you’re looking for one of these, the price is fairly good (I wouldn’t sell any of mine for anywhere near that price) but then again mine have the correct casebacks, have been serviced and I know which one has been relumed. Ultimately I’d want better pictures if I can’t see it in person because as soon as we know the caseback is incorrect, what else is? Is the crystal generic? Has the dial been relumed?
Again, these aren’t deal breakers but unless it’s dirt cheap, you need to know as it impacts originality and value.

TLDR: wrong caseback but seems fine apart from that. Get some more pics to satisfy your self there no other issues, particularly with the dial condition, but overall it’s probably the cheapest way of getting one of these.

kingsrider

https://www.visionvintagewatches.com/product-page/1969-omega-de-ville-technic

Dr.Sascha

Yup, seems solid, the black dial version of this very rare model. 5 hash marks per second = 1/5 of a second, so functional not decorative, as that is a common measure for precision timing. Big crown fits the reference dial. The inscription also matches the date range of the model. I await wiser observations, but that's what I see.

kingsrider

I was commenting on the 22 marks between the hour indices part of the dial.

Davidt

There are various standalone threads on these less commonly seen black dialed variants so let's create a reference thread for them all.

They are usually marked Seamaster 600, Seamaster, or Geneve, although some seem to simply be marked Omega.

Usual References are:
135.011 - manual, no date with cal 601. 34mm diameter.
136.011 - manual, with date with cal 611. 34mm diameter.
165.002 - auto, no date with cal 552. 34mm diameter.
166.002 - auto, with date with cal 562. 34mm diameter.

Less frequently seen references:
131.019 - manual, no date with cal 601. I haven't seen one of these in the flesh but have seen a couple of examples on the web and in period adverts. I believe this reference is correct but it's a smaller size at 31mm diameter.
135.012 - manual, no date with cal 601. There are one or two examples of these on the internet. As the last digit is arbitrary at this time period, these could well be correct, they may have been using similar casebacksfrom the factory or they could have been swapped later in life.


As far as I'm aware there are three main types of these:

1. The true Seamaster 300 companion and probably the rarest. Pic from OF.
The mimic the dial from the SM300 dive watch, with large lume plots at each hour marker, large white Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 12 and 9 and usually a thick white seconds hand with lume.

2.’Seamaster Companion' or 'military dial'.
These are similar to the true companion dials shown above, but they lack the arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12 and usually have standard steel hands. Although still uncommon they are easier to find than the true companion dials.

This example arrived with me this morning and I've been looking for one for a while. Reference 135.011 with cal. 601. The crown is wrong and the lume is terrible. I'll leave it as is for a while but I'm strongly considering getting the lume redone. I just love the look of these and they look excellent on a flat link or 9 link bead of rice.

3. Seamaster/Geneve technic dials. Although not common in comparison to the white/silver dialed versions, these are the most commonly seen variants in the 'companion/technic' range.
They are also the ones that exhibit the most variety in dial detailing.
These are great watches to collect as good examples are not easy to find and they have great dials with the red touches giving a wonderful look.
There are several variations of the Technic style dials;

-Dial: The main colour colour is either black or white. Black dials tends to have lumed hour markers, white dials tend to have black hour markers.

-Crosshair: Generally a red crosshair is present. Unlike earlier Omega’s, the rule that the crosshair should continue through the text does not apply. In this case the red crosshair stops short of the text and logo at both the bottom and top half of the dial.

-Models: Are seen marked Seamaster, Seamaster 600 or Geneve.

-Hands: can be steel or rarely, white.

-Omega logo: In red and both the flat foot and modern version of the logo are seen.

-Minute Track - three variations are seen:
-Single minute track, hashes only at each minute.
-Single minute track, hashes both at each minute and 0.2 sec increments.
-Double minute track, hashes only at each minute, but with a second minute track inside the main one.

-12 o’clock marker: Generally two versions, either two dashes or a dash and two dots (similar to a Speedmaster). Both versions are lumed.

Technic dial features:
Example 1. New Omega logo, single minute track with no incremental markings, red crosshair, dashes at 12 o’clock marker, steel hands.

2. Old Omega logo, double minute track, red crosshair, dashes at 12 o’clock marker, steel hands.

3. New Omega logo, single minute track with 0.2 sec increments, red crosshair, dash and dots at 12 o’clock marker, white hands.

This is my old 165.002 which I greatly regret selling.

View attachment 662178

4. Speedmaster Companion
I’ve never actually owned a Speedmaster companion dial, but from observation (and as you would expect) they mimic the Speedmaster dials, with lumed hour markers, minute markers with 0.2 sec increments, dash and dots at 12 and can be found both with and without crosshair. Unlike (most) speedmasters, the dial body isn’t black but blue or blue/grey. Unlike the Technic dials which are found in manual and automatic references, the Speedmaster companions are only found in automatic ref 165.002 and 166.002.


So, let's see yours!

Davidt

There are various standalone threads on these less commonly seen black dialed variants so let's create a reference thread for them all.

They are usually marked Seamaster 600, Seamaster, or Geneve, although some seem to simply be marked Omega.

Usual References are:
135.011 - manual, no date with cal 601. 34mm diameter.
136.011 - manual, with date with cal 611. 34mm diameter.
165.002 - auto, no date with cal 552. 34mm diameter.
166.002 - auto, with date with cal 562. 34mm diameter.

Less frequently seen references:
131.019 - manual, no date with cal 601. I haven't seen one of these in the flesh but have seen a couple of examples on the web and in period adverts. I believe this reference is correct but it's a smaller size at 31mm diameter.
135.012 - manual, no date with cal 601. There are one or two examples of these on the internet. As the last digit is arbitrary at this time period, these could well be correct, they may have been using similar casebacksfrom the factory or they could have been swapped later in life.


As far as I'm aware there are three main types of these:

1. The true Seamaster 300 companion and probably the rarest. Pic from OF.
The mimic the dial from the SM300 dive watch, with large lume plots at each hour marker, large white Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 12 and 9 and usually a thick white seconds hand with lume.

2.’Seamaster Companion' or 'military dial'.
These are similar to the true companion dials shown above, but they lack the arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12 and usually have standard steel hands. Although still uncommon they are easier to find than the true companion dials.

This example arrived with me this morning and I've been looking for one for a while. Reference 135.011 with cal. 601. The crown is wrong and the lume is terrible. I'll leave it as is for a while but I'm strongly considering getting the lume redone. I just love the look of these and they look excellent on a flat link or 9 link bead of rice.

3. Seamaster/Geneve technic dials. Although not common in comparison to the white/silver dialed versions, these are the most commonly seen variants in the 'companion/technic' range.
They are also the ones that exhibit the most variety in dial detailing.
These are great watches to collect as good examples are not easy to find and they have great dials with the red touches giving a wonderful look.
There are several variations of the Technic style dials;

-Dial: The main colour colour is either black or white. Black dials tends to have lumed hour markers, white dials tend to have black hour markers.

-Crosshair: Generally a red crosshair is present. Unlike earlier Omega’s, the rule that the crosshair should continue through the text does not apply. In this case the red crosshair stops short of the text and logo at both the bottom and top half of the dial.

-Models: Are seen marked Seamaster, Seamaster 600 or Geneve.

-Hands: can be steel or rarely, white.

-Omega logo: In red and both the flat foot and modern version of the logo are seen.

-Minute Track - three variations are seen:
-Single minute track, hashes only at each minute.
-Single minute track, hashes both at each minute and 0.2 sec increments.
-Double minute track, hashes only at each minute, but with a second minute track inside the main one.

-12 o’clock marker: Generally two versions, either two dashes or a dash and two dots (similar to a Speedmaster). Both versions are lumed.

Technic dial features:
Example 1. New Omega logo, single minute track with no incremental markings, red crosshair, dashes at 12 o’clock marker, steel hands.

2. Old Omega logo, double minute track, red crosshair, dashes at 12 o’clock marker, steel hands.

3. New Omega logo, single minute track with 0.2 sec increments, red crosshair, dash and dots at 12 o’clock marker, white hands.

This is my old 165.002 which I greatly regret selling.

View attachment 662178

4. Speedmaster Companion
I’ve never actually owned a Speedmaster companion dial, but from observation (and as you would expect) they mimic the Speedmaster dials, with lumed hour markers, minute markers with 0.2 sec increments, dash and dots at 12 and can be found both with and without crosshair. Unlike (most) speedmasters, the dial body isn’t black but blue or blue/grey. Unlike the Technic dials which are found in manual and automatic references, the Speedmaster companions are only found in automatic ref 165.002 and 166.002.


So, let's see yours!