My inner watch magpie found something shiny ..

jimmyd13 · Dec 30, 2016

.. I just saw a Seamaster from the mid 70s that I love the look of that a dealer I've bought from before has just offered. I've never seen this before and have spent half an hour going through Omega's vintage website and still not identified it. Can anyone help out with a reference number or details?

The watch is an automatic version of the 196.0023 shown here:

https://www.omegawatches.com/fileadmin/Watches/Vintage/superImageResolution/20005.jpg

Does that ring any bells with anyone? I've already written to the dealer asking for details but knowing in advance what the watch should be will help in deciding if it's all original.

Thanks in advance.

Jones in LA · Dec 30, 2016

I Googled "seamaster tv dial" and got this :166.0266 and/or 366.0866

<------ Glad to see a fellow Magpie 😀

ulackfocus · Dec 30, 2016

The official ΩF magpie:

jimmyd13 · Dec 30, 2016

Jones in LA
I Googled "seamaster tv dial" and got this :166.0266 and/or 366.0866

I found both of those but this has that same bevelled case as the 196.0023 above ... it seems identical but in steel and with an automatic movement (dial does say automatic and the electric logo is absent).

jimmyd13 · Dec 30, 2016

Here's the actual watch:

Foo2rama · Dec 30, 2016

Jones in LA
I Googled "seamaster tv dial" and got this :166.0266 and/or 366.0866

<------ Glad to see a fellow Magpie 😀

Close, but I think the bezel is very low in the megaquartz one, not big raised bezel like the 166.0266.

https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage-details/14803/
https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage-details/15133/
https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage-details/15681/

are all close, but the shoulders are a little different.

https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage-details/15249/
Similar case but not a TV dial.

I think that there is no exact match but you can use. https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage/ and start going through each caliber starting with 1000 up through 1030 or so. Select one or 2 options walk look at the selections, then change your filter.

Foo2rama · Dec 30, 2016

jimmyd13
Here's the actual watch:

Just open the back the info should be on the inside then!

jimmyd13 · Dec 30, 2016

Foo2rama
Just open the back the info should be on the inside then!

I've written asking for just that ... this back is held in place by four screws, one in each corner ... I'm not sure if he'll want to open it.

jimmyd13 · Dec 30, 2016

Foo2rama
I think that there is no exact match but you can use. https://www.omegawatches.com/planet-omega/heritage/vintage/ and start going through each caliber starting with 1000 up through 1030 or so.

That was my first port of call .... I've been through every seamaster they have listed from 1980 to 1962 and I didn't find a match. I've also searched 196.0xxx with no luck and tried reverse image searches. I wouldn't say it's going to be unique but it's certainly different enough to be interesting and very much of it's time in styling.

Foo2rama · Dec 30, 2016

I'm pretty sure it's real. The omega DB is spotty around that era it's not 100% identical to the megaquartz. Why do you need to know the reference of your going to get it?

jimmyd13 · Dec 30, 2016

Foo2rama
Why do you need to know the reference of your going to get it?

My MO has always been to compare all the images I can get of any watch I'm thinking of buying with every online photo of the same reference I can find. Then to look up things like the movement, bracelet and such and see that "all the numbers match".

I have every trust in this dealer - other transations with him have been flawless - but that doesn't mean to say he didn't get fooled when he bought something. Also, he tends to deal in high turnover with low mark ups, so he doesn't really do anything to the watches that pass through his hands. That said, I've always found him very diligent.

Foo2rama · Dec 30, 2016

The only thing that flags to me is the lume dots and lack of T's on the dial.

jimmyd13 · Dec 31, 2016

Well, the dealer came back to me and we now know exactly what this is, it's a 161.171. It doesn't come up on Omega's vintage section but I've found two other examples for sale and it looks like it's safe to say it was offered between 1971 and 1975. Unfortunately (or fortunately), this looks like its never been touched.

The seal looks like it did it's job for the most part, but the degredation of the lume plots and the colour of the movement and back of the dial leads me to think it's seen some moisture. Nothing that can't be fixed, if I don't mind the lume. But here's the thing ... I've just found a serviced example in the UK with a 12 month warranty for less than the asking on this one, as is. Seriously, Brexit has really fυcked up my hobby. The only hope we have is that Trump screws the dollar worse than the Conservatives have screwed the £.

I'm going to think about prices but I don't want to offer something insulting and, I fear, that by the time I've factored in a service and the exchange rates an insult will be all I can offer.

Jaacck · Dec 31, 2016

Looks in pretty good condition for its age. I like omegas from this period.

jimmyd13 · Dec 31, 2016

Jaacck
Looks in pretty good condition for its age. I like omegas from this period.

You're not wrong, but putting my financial head on ... if I pay full asking (I won't) and then add a non-Omega service and refurb the bracelet, this is £1000. There's one for sale in the UK, fully serviced and warrantied, for £675.

jimmyd13 · Jan 3, 2017

Well, having promised myself that I'd only buy the 5513 I want this year, this little oddity is on it's way to me already. Three days in to the new year and my only resolution well and truly broken.

My inner watch magpie found something shiny ..

jimmyd13

Jones in LA

ulackfocus

jimmyd13

jimmyd13

Foo2rama

Foo2rama

jimmyd13

jimmyd13

Foo2rama

jimmyd13

Foo2rama

jimmyd13

Jaacck

jimmyd13

jimmyd13

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