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

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Again, it’s not “right” for 67, 1967 is simply the approximate date of production. Those serial number dating charts need to be taken with a huge punch of salt.
 
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So we know most of it is fine- but you still have to ask yourself if you can live with the mismatched hands and moldy dial. Even if the “price is right”, you will either have to live with it as-is, or spend months/years hunting down the parts to make this one better. Having done the later and spent almost as much as I paid for the watch to get it straitened out- I at least had a clean dial and case to start.
 
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Again, it’s not “right” for 67, 1967 is simply the approximate date of production. Those serial number dating charts need to be taken with a huge punch of salt.

By right, I mean that the serial number is in the right ball park for the date that is engraved on the back.
 
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So we know most of it is fine- but you still have to ask yourself if you can live with the mismatched hands and moldy dial. Even if the “price is right”, you will either have to live with it as-is, or spend months/years hunting down the parts to make this one better. Having done the later and spent almost as much as I paid for the watch to get it straitened out- I at least had a clean dial and case to start.

Yes I agree. The hands, once you see how incorrect they are, it is difficult to unsee. I'll reserve judgemnt until I get a better, clearer look at the dial.
 
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Yes I agree. The hands, once you see how incorrect they are, it is difficult to unsee. I'll reserve judgemnt until I get a better, clearer look at the dial.
Just to reiterate what I have said further back in this thread- these watches are all but orphaned by omega (aside of just the hands and the movement parts which were common to other references). You can find “bargains” but unless you LOVE it as found, it will become either a labor of love or a heartache.
 
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TOTALLY agree, despite this model being desirable ... the case is in awful condition, the original handset is next to impossible to track down, as well as a bezel ... is it really worth ur money to spend on such a watch ??? ............. or save a bit more and find another in better condition ?
 
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TOTALLY agree, despite this model being desirable ... the case is in awful condition, the original handset is next to impossible to track down, as well as a bezel ... is it really worth ur money to spend on such a watch ??? ............. or save a bit more and find another in better condition ?

Yes, agree it is always best to rather hold out for a good example. Always tempting though...
 
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Some clearer iamges

[/QUOT/QUOTE]

ask the seller to take a photo with the watch laying on its case back and the camera directly pointed at the dial
 
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I’ve seen what I need to see. The hang tag on the bracelet told me more than anything else. This watch has been dressed up for sale. It was a ratty example with mismatched hands, rough case & bracelet and missing lume pip. Case has been heavily polished, bracelet rebrushed and pip filled with green goo. Hands were probably replaced years ago but if they did it, I hope they kept the originals as they are worth more missing the lume (can be relumed) than the ones on it now (I would ask if they have the originals).
The next question is how much. If around $1.5k or under- and you love it as-is, then ok. But if they want $2k plus- thank you for your time, I will keep looking.

Oh, and I count 19 links- so probably would fit max around a 7.25” wrist, I will verify how many mine has if you decide to go further on this one
 
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Yup, thank you for all the help and opinions, it is hugely appreciated. Really helps to discuss to get a clearer picture. Asking price is just over $2k. Going to pass and keep on looking.

I guess half the fun is in the hunt 😀
 
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Yup, thank you for all the help and opinions, it is hugely appreciated. Really helps to discuss to get a clearer picture. Asking price is just over $2k. Going to pass and keep on looking.

I guess half the fun is in the hunt 😀
These have gone up in value over the past few years (just look at the first few pages of this thread), but over $2k you should be able to find an honest- not perfect, but honest example with very nice dial, bright yellow lume and original hands.
 
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Oh, and if you like the C-case style (which is polarizing for sure) then the Omega trifecta IMO is the SM120, the C-cased Constellation, and the Speedmaster MKII. All three can be had in stunning condition for less than a new Speedmaster Pro.
 
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I think their SM120 is undervalued and they’re a great watch. However, it’s certainly a watch where it pays to take your time, set a sensible budget and buy a good example from the start rather than a doer upper as 1) many of the parts are no longer available, and 2) as they’re skin divers, they can look rough especially with water damage and mouldy lume.
It’s not enough to find a complete/original example, it needs to be attractive too. This one isn’t one I’d be chasing unless it was dirt cheap.
Shame about the case polish. It looks like that was done recently and I’ll bet it looked better before
 
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Oh, and if you like the C-case style (which is polarizing for sure) then the Omega trifecta IMO is the SM120, the C-cased Constellation, and the Speedmaster MKII. All three can be had in stunning condition for less than a new Speedmaster Pro.

Thanks, I'll check those out.
 
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I think their SM120 is undervalued and they’re a great watch. However, it’s certainly a watch where it pays to take your time, set a sensible budget and buy a good example from the start rather than a doer upper as 1) many of the parts are no longer available, and 2) as they’re skin divers, they can look rough especially with water damage and mouldy lume.
It’s not enough to find a complete/original example, it needs to be attractive too. This one isn’t one I’d be chasing unless it was dirt cheap.
Shame about the case polish. It looks like that was done recently and I’ll bet it looked better before
Yup- was probably a decent beater before they tarted it up- original bracelet and all. Many here would have handed over $1.5k in a heartbeat for it without them doing a thing- but now they have ruined it. Like cleaning up your 18th century sideboard with mineral spirits and steel wool before taking it on Antuiques roadshow. :whipped:
 
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I think their SM120 is undervalued and they’re a great watch. However, it’s certainly a watch where it pays to take your time, set a sensible budget and buy a good example from the start rather than a doer upper as 1) many of the parts are no longer available, and 2) as they’re skin divers, they can look rough especially with water damage and mouldy lume.
It’s not enough to find a complete/original example, it needs to be attractive too. This one isn’t one I’d be chasing unless it was dirt cheap.
Shame about the case polish. It looks like that was done recently and I’ll bet it looked better before

Yes, once those I saw those clearer images the case polishing was very evident. Nothing one can do to reverse that. I didn't realise until now that the hands were so difficult to replace.
 
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Yes, once those I saw those clearer images the case polishing was very evident. Nothing one can do to reverse that. I didn't realise until now that the hands were so difficult to replace.
I got “lucky” on mine. My case and dial were in decent shape but hands had been replaced with white slender Speedmaster style hands (which I have seen on a couple others- I suspect that they were factory service replacements at one time before they did another run of the correct style hands). I waited months and posted a WTB and someone answered it. They had a 120 that had been sent back to the factory for service and still had the bag of parts that had been replaced. We settled on a price for them and it wasn’t cheap (he knew what he had). Luckily the lume color was a dead match for mine. After a year of tracking down the hands, the factory bracelet from another member here and a full service (which included almost every wearable part in the watch)- I was into it for more than I paid. So my “bargain” turned out to be not so much a bargain.
 
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Hello everyone. I'm considering this 135.027, asking price is 1355EUR. According to the seller it has been serviced.
What do you guys think, is it a fair price? I've tried to read through the thread and to my untrained eye the watch looks good, I'm just a bit unsure about the lume, especially the lume dot on the bezel. Looks a bit too good, considering the watch is 50 years old.

 
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Hello everyone. I'm considering this 135.027, asking price is 1355EUR. According to the seller it has been serviced.
What do you guys think, is it a fair price? I've tried to read through the thread and to my untrained eye the watch looks good, I'm just a bit unsure about the lume, especially the lume dot on the bezel. Looks a bit too good, considering the watch is 50 years old.


Serviced or not, for €1,355, I’d jump on that.