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

ryback
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Hello all together, my first hit here. ;D
So here is mine. I'm new to the game and my first lucky find is an omega 120m in small, the 31mm version. Love it so far, but I have two questions I can't find an answer to. Maybe someone can help here.; )

1. Anybody thought about a glass back for this small version and if yes, where to get one?
2. My bezel is rotating in both directions and not really "clicking" is that normal or just because it's old?

The watch strap isn't perfect and work in progress. And I have a winered original spare bezel. Unsure if I should mount this one.
 
IMG_3157.JPG
hmmmcamu
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ryback ryback
Hello all together, my first hit here. ;D
So here is mine. I'm new to the game and my first lucky find is an omega 120m in small, the 31mm version. Love it so far, but I have two questions I can't find an answer to. Maybe someone can help here.; )

1. Anybody thought about a glass back for this small version and if yes, where to get one?
2. My bezel is rotating in both directions and not really "clicking" is that normal or just because it's old?

The watch strap isn't perfect and work in progress. And I have a winered original spare bezel. Unsure if I should mount this one.

the BEZEL is a Bi- directional NO CLICK friction mounted kind which is correct, they came in 2 sizes 37MM (for men) and a 31MM (for women)
Edited:
 
JwRosenthal
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ryback ryback
Hello all together, my first hit here. ;D
So here is mine. I'm new to the game and my first lucky find is an omega 120m in small, the 31mm version. Love it so far, but I have two questions I can't find an answer to. Maybe someone can help here.; )

1. Anybody thought about a glass back for this small version and if yes, where to get one?
2. My bezel is rotating in both directions and not really "clicking" is that normal or just because it's old?

The watch strap isn't perfect and work in progress. And I have a winered original spare bezel. Unsure if I should mount this one.
That’s a cutie! Exhibition backs are available on eBay but you will have to measure your current back with a micrometer to make sure you get the correct fit- and that doesn’t mean that a generic back will have the right thread pitch or depth. Exhibition backs are a novelty of the last 25 years- there aren’t many options for vintage other than trial and error.
 
ryback
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hmmmcamu hmmmcamu
the BEZEL is a Bi- directional NO CLICK friction mounted kind which is correct, they came in 2 sizes 37MM (for men) and a 31MM (for women)
Wow, that was fast. Thank you so much for the information. I had already feared that this was a defective bezel.
 
ryback
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
That’s a cutie! Exhibition backs are available on eBay but you will have to measure your current back with a micrometer to make sure you get the correct fit- and that doesn’t mean that a generic back will have the right thread pitch or depth. Exhibition backs are a novelty of the last 25 years- there aren’t many options for vintage other than trial and error.

Thanx for the compliment. Yes, I love it. And as my wrist are relatively small, it fits nice on my arm. As I said, I'm new to the game. I've read that some old automatic watches had a mechanism that let wind it up, if it sat too long on the shelf. Are these old Seamaster that kind? Or ist it just a little "shakin" and it starts again?

And thanx for the info about those exhibition backs. I saw so many glass backs on todays watches, so I thought that this was a common modification. But of course, especially the small 31mm version might not be the first choice to build a glass back for. 😁 So I'll think about that and yes, maybe I'll give it a try with some aftermarket-product after measuring. But maybe not. 😁
 
JwRosenthal
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ryback ryback
Thanx for the compliment. Yes, I love it. And as my wrist are relatively small, it fits nice on my arm. As I said, I'm new to the game. I've read that some old automatic watches had a mechanism that let wind it up, if it sat too long on the shelf. Are these old Seamaster that kind? Or ist it just a little "shakin" and it starts again?

And thanx for the info about those exhibition backs. I saw so many glass backs on today’s watches, so I thought that this was a common modification. But of course, especially the small 31mm version might not be the first choice to build a glass back for. 😁 So I'll think about that and yes, maybe I'll give it a try with some aftermarket-product after measuring. But maybe not. 😁
The shaking technique can get them going but usually doesn’t give the mainspring enough charge to keep it going unless you start running a marathon the moment you strap it on (get that rotor moving!). I always give my auto’s about 10-15 winds before putting them on which is enough to get the mainspring wound- then the motion of your arm will keep it topped up.

There will be more resistance than a manual wind watch (you will hear a bit of a zip noise while winding which is you fighting the auto mechanism) and you can keep winding without fear of overwinding (like with a manual wind watch which will top out when the spring it fully wound) but it should still be smooth and not feel like gravel or tear up your fingers trying. If the later- it’s time for a service. If you don’t know if it’s been serviced in the past 10 years, you should do it anyway as it is mechanical and the grease and oils dry up in time. So despite it running “fine”, you could be metal on metal for some parts.
Do not send this watch to Omega for service- any qualified independent watchmaker (preferably with an omega parts account) can service it.
 
ryback
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
The shaking technique can get them going but usually doesn’t give the mainspring enough charge to keep it going unless you start running a marathon the moment you strap it on (get that rotor moving!). I always give my auto’s about 10-15 winds before putting them on which is enough to get the mainspring wound- then the motion of your arm will keep it topped up.

There will be more resistance than a manual wind watch (you will hear a bit of a zip noise while winding which is you fighting the auto mechanism) and you can keep winding without fear of overwinding (like with a manual wind watch which will top out when the spring it fully wound) but it should still be smooth and not feel like gravel or tear up your fingers trying. If the later- it’s time for a service. If you don’t know if it’s been serviced in the past 10 years, you should do it anyway as it is mechanical and the grease and oils dry up in time. So despite it running “fine”, you could be metal on metal for some parts.
Do not send this watch to Omega for service- any qualified independent watchmaker (preferably with an omega parts account) can service it.


Ah ok, nice to know - as I'm no marathon guy, I'll wind it up if necessary. And yes, I hear the sound. I bought the watch after it was revisioned by an independent watchmaker. I have all the papers and all spare parts he changed. So I'm pretty sure, everything works fine so far. Thanx for the warm welcome here and the fast help.
 
HadgeBadge
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Hi all, was wondering if you might give me an opinion on the following 166.027. The hands are obvioulsy not original, which the seller admits as much, but was wondering about the dial writing not being white enough, and that the bezel looks a little too neat, compared to the amount of wear on the back. Thanks!
4.jpg 5.jpg 6.jpg 2.jpg
 
hmmmcamu
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HadgeBadge HadgeBadge
Hi all, was wondering if you might give me an opinion on the following 166.027. The hands are obvioulsy not original, which the seller admits as much, but was wondering about the dial writing not being white enough, and that the bezel looks a little too neat, compared to the amount of wear on the back. Thanks!
4.jpg 5.jpg 6.jpg 2.jpg

ask the seller to send u a CLEAR IMAGE of the watch showing the dial HEAD ON/ FLAT, the inside of the case back ..., also if the watch is from 1969 ask to see the serial number on the movement it should range from 28,000,000, thru 31,999,999
 
HadgeBadge
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Should also add that the serial number on the 565 movement is for 1967 so that seems good.
 
hmmmcamu
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HadgeBadge HadgeBadge
Should also add that the serial number on the 565 movement is for 1967 so that seems good.


1966 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
24,000,000 thru 24,999,999
1967 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
25,000,000 thru 25,999,999
1968 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
26,000,000 thru 27,999,999
1969 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
28,000,00 thru 31,999,999
 
HadgeBadge
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Thanks hmmmcamu. It makes sense to me that the movement was made in 1967 but the watch was only bought and gifted in 1969. Or should that be a red flag?
 
Davidt
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hmmmcamu hmmmcamu
1966 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
24,000,000 thru 24,999,999
1967 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
25,000,000 thru 25,999,999
1968 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
26,000,000 thru 27,999,999
1969 Omega movement production run serial numbers range
28,000,00 thru 31,999,999

It’s important to note that these are very, very rough approximations and some small deviations shouldn’t be a red flag on their own.
 
Davidt
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HadgeBadge HadgeBadge
Hi all, was wondering if you might give me an opinion on the following 166.027. The hands are obvioulsy not original, which the seller admits as much, but was wondering about the dial writing not being white enough, and that the bezel looks a little too neat, compared to the amount of wear on the back. Thanks!
4.jpg 5.jpg 6.jpg 2.jpg

Are they the sellers pictures? They’re terrible.

The watch looks genuine but much better pictures are needed to confirm and assess condition.
 
HadgeBadge
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They are the sellers, and I agree. They look like they were taken with a 10 year old phone. I have asked for some better ones.
 
hmmmcamu
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HadgeBadge HadgeBadge
Thanks hmmmcamu. It makes sense to me that the movement was made in 1967 but the watch was only bought and gifted in 1969. Or should that be a red flag?

If its any use to you, the CRYSTAL has the old style Omega LOGO stamp ... which means it is a vintage crystal
 
HadgeBadge
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hmmmcamu hmmmcamu
If its any use to you, the CRYSTAL has the old style Omega LOGO stamp ... which means it is a vintage crystal
Yes, thanks, saw that. Does give one a little more confidence.
 
JwRosenthal
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Dial may be fine- I’ve seen various shades of funky beige to white (the grey print are the ones you need to look out for). The moldy spots on the lume tell me it’s real but it looks like someone tried to scrape it off- possibly when they replaced the hands. Hands as you know aren’t original and are not easy to find (although they are still available from omega but with blinding white luminova). The bezel gives me pause. It looks like an anodized bezel, pip was lost and filled in with lume- but it should be dead flat and not convex and it appears sloped in the pics- plus it seems to reflect and the factory bezel is matte. So yeah- need much better pics to assess originality and even if original- you would need to be ok with a ratty looking dial and mismatched hands.

Bracelet looks correct though- I would want to see the stamp inside the bracelet and clasp to verify originality and a side shot so I could count the links and see how many removable links are there (should be about 22 if I recall for full size)
 
HadgeBadge
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
Dial may be fine- I’ve seen various shades of funky beige to white (the grey print are the ones you need to look out for). The moldy spots on the lume tell me it’s real but it looks like someone tried to scrape it off- possibly when they replaced the hands. Hands as you know aren’t original and are not easy to find (although they are still available from omega but with blinding white luminova). The bezel gives me pause. It looks like an anodized bezel, pip was lost and filled in with lume- but it should be dead flat and not convex and it appears sloped in the pics- plus it seems to reflect and the factory bezel is matte. So yeah- need much better pics to assess originality and even if original- you would need to be ok with a ratty looking dial and mismatched hands.

Thank you, I've asked for some clearer images so hopefully can get a better idea after that.
 
hmmmcamu
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HadgeBadge HadgeBadge
Yes, thanks, saw that. Does give one a little more confidence.

dunno what model the hour and minute handset were cannibalized from, the seconds sweep hand is hard to tell if it is modern (longer), as the old seconds sweep hands which is shorter and should reach half way on the minute markers on the dial
 
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