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My Early Seamaster 120 Divers. What to look for and what to avoid.

blacksharpie
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shawn.dww shawn.dww
So using this reference which is great. I think I just spotted a Frankenstein fake going for close to 800 right now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291728577182

Wrong case back, wrong movement ?
Correct. It's all kinds of wrong. Gemini speaks to it earlier in this thread.
 
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watchknut
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Awesome posts and thanks for sharing the "screw up" watch. I have steered clear of these over the past few months because I do not the nuances. Great pics and write up.
 
dialstatic
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It's difficult to get a sense of what these 'should' go for. EBay hasn't sold very many lately, and those that did, were part franken (as per this guide). What would you say a fair price for a correct, good condition example would be? $1000? More?
 
dragoman
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I would say that these 027 have been selling, in different states of disrepair, well under the $1000 mark, and that those in reasonable good shape went for around $1000-$1200. Recently (asked) prices have jumped, but I don't know if they are really sold or if we are constantly watching the same pieces in different ads.

In any case, I would never say that these 027 are plentiful, and I have never seen any of these selling dirt-cheap, as some other member said, so maybe I am missing something. A problem may be that without size references, the ladies sized ones look strinkingly similar to the full sized 027, and maybe that is why some people may have seen some SM 120 selling for around $300 (if $300 is deemed dirt-cheap nowadays).
 
dialstatic
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Aussie Jim Aussie Jim
Well I bought this one here and paid the full freight. It is beautiful, untouched and with a fantastic bracelet. Everytime I look at it, it gives me joy.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...l-565-excellent-condition-all-original.28668/

Looking at your watch gives me joy also 😉 It looks like a really nice example, especially with the BOR bracelet. I'm currently looking at one on Chrono24 that is 25% more expensive than yours was, and doesn't even come on an original bracelet at all (it seems to have a nice ghosted bezel, but other than that appears far inferior to your watch).
 
blacksharpie
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I've been tracking these for a little while trying to find a good condition example at a reasonable price and got what I feel like was a great deal that is way under "retail market" which is what I like about these currently. Patience and education will pay off. I'd say that generally and anecdotally, they are going in the $1,500 - $3,000 US range depending on bracelet, movement and condition. I'm calling these the "condos" of the 60's Seamaster divers. As the 300s have been going through the roof, it's dragged the value of these up as well as people who want the style but can't or don't want to spend the 300 money want in the game. I feel that these are directly tied to the 300's value, slower to rise, faster to fall. All that is to say, buy one because you love it and if you want one, get one now because I think over the next year these are going to start ticking up even more.
 
blacksharpie
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Looks like another fake or ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-196...367018?hash=item3ac1abd4ea:g:4gsAAOSw14xXEcq-

Here's what I'm seeing:
"Automatic" compressed
Applied Ω crooked
Bezel numbers look incorrect to me. Specifically the 4.
All three hands incorrect
Missing side notch
wrong caseback

Anything else? @gemini4, mind weighing in?

Looking through the history seller received negative feedback for a fake Seamaster 120 previously. What's the process on notifying ebay of a fake?
 
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gemini4
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Nice analysis sharpie! Hit he report itembutton on the eBay page to report it. I will too
 
blacksharpie
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Another interesting thing to note...

The seller I mentioned above lists location as Bellflower, CA. The listing that @gemini4 posted above is Artesia, CA. These two cities are fairly near to me and adjoin. Interesting coincidence...
 
ossfm
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I was looking through the WRUW just today. I sent a link to myself of a SM120. Very timely post! Thanks for the reference material. I really am surprised at the lettering on the dial. The "OMEGA" and the "AUTOMATIC" on the 165.027 look strange to me. I confess, I know really nothing about this reference but my first impression of the lettering is: redial. It looks painted on by someone with a shaky hand; very uncharacteristic of fine swiss quality.

Is it perhaps imperfections in the crystal that are adding distortions?
 
dragoman
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blacksharpie blacksharpie
Looks like another fake or ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-196...367018?hash=item3ac1abd4ea:g:4gsAAOSw14xXEcq-

Here's what I'm seeing:
"Automatic" compressed
Applied Ω crooked
Bezel numbers look incorrect to me. Specifically the 4.
All three hands incorrect
Missing side notch
wrong caseback

Anything else? @gemini4, mind weighing in?

Looking through the history seller received negative feedback for a fake Seamaster 120 previously. What's the process on notifying ebay of a fake?


Definitely something fishy going on. This is the fake Seamaster 120 seller got a negative feedback for:

http://www.ebay.es/itm/VINTAGE-OMEG...L-552-DIVERS-AUCTION-NO-RESERVE-/262197433962

$_57.JPG

$_57.JPG

$_57.JPG

$_57.JPG

$_57.JPG
 
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blacksharpie
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This guy is back at it. http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-196...266798?hash=item41aa9ca4ee:g:g1oAAOSwHJhXM9Ts

Almost identical photos. Looks like he has two ebay accounts. "qqpart11" and "timeq22"

Looks to me like he's sourcing case, dial, bezel and horrible hands and putting in vintage movments. The 3 that I've seen him list look nearly identical but have different serial numbers.

Already reported the listing but need others to as well.
 
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OMGRLX
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blacksharpie blacksharpie
This guy is back at it. http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-196...266798?hash=item41aa9ca4ee:g:g1oAAOSwHJhXM9Ts

Almost identical photos. Looks like he has two ebay accounts. "qqpart11" and "timeq22"

Looks to me like he's sourcing case, dial, bezel and horrible hands and putting in vintage movments. The 3 that I've seen him list look nearly identical but have different serial numbers.

Already reported the listing but need others to as well.

done! 👍
 
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hmmmcamu
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like to share my Omega 120 .... with replaced hands ... taken from .... of 1960's Geneve [hour and minute hands] and second sweep hand from a 1960's Omega 300 ....
Edited:
 
DSCI2850.jpg DSCI2945.jpg DSCI2954.jpg
Fordex
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Here's my seamaster 120. I believe it's the caliber 563 made for the American market. Sorry I don't have a movement photo but I did see the movement and can confirm it looks good. Unfortunately the spring bar broke and it came with a great black nato strap. I don't wear it because I want to get it serviced first.

What do you all think?
 
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