My Dad's Omega

[Stephen T 1965]

My Dad passed away in 2017 and I inherited his Omega Seamaster 600. I finally took it to a watch repair place in February of 2023 and got it back in October. My Dad bought the watch in 1965 in Switzerland. The cool thing is my Mom was pregnant with me at the time and I was born in September 1965. So I actually have my birth watch! It's not automatic which the repair guy told me he had never seen one that wasn't. So are they rare? Or is it just that he hadn't come across one? I know very little about the watch other than when the hands fell off, my Dad stopped wearing it which was many, many years ago. I wear it almost daily since I got it back.

 

[mac_omega]

Stephen T 1965

Or is it just that he hadn't come across one?

^ this

not rare

 

[Stephen T 1965]

mac_omega

^ this

not rare

Thanks!

 

[Davidt]

It rare at all. In fact the Seamaster 600 is one of the most plentiful vintage models out there. However, they’re very popular and have bulletproof movements.

However, while the SM600 is common, grey/black dials are not. Do you have better pictures of yours to help confirm it’s original and not repainted? It looks like it might be a grey textured dial.

 

[Stephen T 1965]

Davidt

It rare at all. In fact the Seamaster 600 is one of the most plentiful vintage models out there. However, they’re very popular and have bulletproof movements.

However, while the SM600 is common, grey/black dials are not. Do you have better pictures of yours to help confirm it’s original and not repainted? It looks like it might be a grey textured dial.

I’m not sure if this helps. My photo skills aren’t that great. Definitely not repainted. Not something my Dad would’ve done / had done.

 

[JimInOz]

I like that!

 

[jantjewgm]

Beautiful and rare dial!

 

[Davidt]

Yep looks like an original dial. So you have a common model/reference with a very nice, original uncommon dial.

 

[Gabguzro]

Nice indeed! At first I thought something was going on with the crystal, but it's just the effect of the dial. Cool heirloom for sure.

 

[Thommas]

An actual birth watch! Beats all the birth-year salesy lingo you read all over the place. That your dad probably carried you around as a newborn wearing this exact same watch is simply amazing. Wear it in good health!

 

[Dan S]

Is the watchmaker claiming he has seen automatic Seamaster 600s?

 

[Stephen T 1965]

Dan S

Is the watchmaker claiming he has seen automatic Seamaster 600s?

No, just Omega in general.

 

[Stephen T 1965]

Thanks for all the replies. Its sentimental value is priceless for me. Nice to know the dial is unique just like my Dad was.

I sent my Omega watch off to the repair guy. My parents bought me the watch for my 16th birthday while we were all in Switzerland visiting family. It stopped working years ago. I think I finally found the right guy to fix it.

 

[galaxytime]

Stephen T 1965

Thanks for all the replies. Its sentimental value is priceless for me. Nice to know the dial is unique just like my Dad was.

I sent my Omega watch off to the repair guy. My parents bought me the watch for my 16th birthday while we were all in Switzerland visiting family. It stopped working years ago. I think I finally found the right guy to fix it.

I'm confused! (not the first time and certainly won't be the last)
In OP you stated that you inhertited the watch but here you say your parents bought the watch for your 16th birthday.

 

[galaxytime]

Stephen T 1965

No, just Omega in general.

A Swiss watchmaker hasn't seen many Omega automatics in general?

 

[sathomasga]

galaxytime

I'm confused! (not the first time and certainly won't be the last)
In OP you stated that you inhertited the watch but here you say your parents bought the watch for your 16th birthday.

And the "watch repair place" took 8 months to reinstall the hands? I guess maybe some parts needed replacement and took awhile to procure, but that seems pretty excessive for anyone not named Omega. It doesn't look like they even bothered to clean the case and bracelet though maybe that's photo quality.

I finally took it to a watch repair place in February of 2023 and got it back in October.

Or maybe the bots have their wires crossed?

I sent my Omega watch off to the repair guy.... I think I finally found the right guy to fix it.

And now that I think about it (and at the risk of providing better training data), is this even plausible?

when the hands fell off, my Dad stopped wearing it

I'm genuinely curious. Could a watch that's running well enough to wear regularly suddenly have the hands come off?

Maybe there is a legitimate explanation, but this thread sure seems pretty weird

Edited: Jan 28, 2024

 

[AAAKK]

galaxytime

I'm confused! (not the first time and certainly won't be the last)
In OP you stated that you inhertited the watch but here you say your parents bought the watch for your 16th birthday.

I assume he means that he was also gifted an Omega on his 16th birthday. So he has his father's Seamaster 600 as well as his 16th birthday watch.

 

[STANDY]

AAAKK

I assume he means that he was also gifted an Omega on his 16th birthday. So he has his father's Seamaster 600 as well as his 16th birthday watch.

Yes, maybe a translate issue with his wording. It does sound like he also has a 16th birthday present that stopped and he now knows he can send it to the same guy that fixed his dad’s watch.

 

[galaxytime]

I'm still confused but also ok with it.

 

[Stephen T 1965]

sathomasga

And the "watch repair place" took 8 months to reinstall the hands? I guess maybe some parts needed replacement and took awhile to procure, but that seems pretty excessive for anyone not named Omega. It doesn't look like they even bothered to clean the case and bracelet though maybe that's photo quality.



Or maybe the bots have their wires crossed?



And now that I think about it (and at the risk of providing better training data), is this even plausible?



I'm genuinely curious. Could a watch that's running well enough to wear regularly suddenly have the hands come off?

Maybe there is a legitimate explanation, but this thread sure seems pretty weird

I didn’t take a picture of before. You couldn’t even see through the crystal and I thought it would need to be replaced. The watchmaker buffed it and got it pretty darn clean. My Dad worked as a building construction worker back then before becoming a contractor. My Dad more than likely wore this watch everyday to work. So I wouldn’t say it was in fine condition and then the hands just fell off. That watch probably took a bit of a beating in the construction trade! I was probably 17 or 18 when the hands fell off. But that was some 40 years ago so my memory of it happening is a bit foggy.

The watch I received for my 16th birthday was a new watch from 1981, not the same watch.

As for taking 8 months, he was waiting on parts from Omega.