Hi All,

I am pretty new to this, and am looking to purchase my first vintage Omega. I have found this forum to be very very useful, so thought I would open a thread about a watch I was considering. I had some thoughts on it and I hope the experts can point out everything that I missed! I did not get the watch, so no need to sugar coat any responses.

I was looking at this item on this ebay link herePurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network.

A couple of photos are below

I like the look of the watch, but I was a little concerned that a Jewel was missing from the movement, compared to this item linked here. I also cannot see any seamaster markings on the outside of the back case, but was unsure if they had been polished off, or just should not be present. Coupled with the non-original crown I decided against bidding more aggressively, as I have no idea if these items would need correcting, and if so how difficult.expensive it would be.

Any thoughts or advice on this would be much appreciated, as it will definitely help me learn and with my search for my first Omega watch.

Many thanks!

 

First I must say the second example is a horrible redial. U.G.L.Y.

Second I must ask Which jewel do you see missing? (I'm just waking up and about to have my first sip of coffee, maybe it's obvious...)

The back does look suspicious to me. So does the dial. It looks a HELL of a lot better than that Vintage Watches example but it sure doesn't make me smile.

You were right to hold off on this watch. There are plenty of really nice old bumper Seamasters available.

There are a couple of stickie threads I can recommend in the Vintage Omega forum https://omegaforums.net/threads/learn-how-to-fish.52603/

and https://omegaforums.net/threads/condition-condition-condition-and-other-pieces-of-advice.1716/

Good Luck and Welcome to the forums. Your first post should be an example to others.

 

Thank you for looking at this and the recommendations! I was absolutely not a fan of the vintage watches example, both price wise, and I was wondering if it was redialed, the A's looked suspicious to me, along with the markers at 12, 3, 6 and 9.

I have had another look at the movement, and I think you are right, I had seen an example with something red shoved in the (ahem newb alert) "bean shaped hole" but I think that was just a terrible example...

 

As @ahsposo said - welcome on board and what a nice entrance

The Seamaster you posted first looks to be correct, but the case is badly overpolished. You can see how the gold cap has been polished away on the end of the lugs; it's pretty much almost where it looks worst, so judge condition from that. On a reference as common as a 2577/2576 I'd settle for little less than a very good specimen - avoid anything dodgy as some other example will come to the market soon. Here's a slightly later 2767 that I owned at one point:




The caseback on the one you linked to is fine; have a google on the reference and you'll see it.

I'll venture that when assessing most vintage Omegas (basic time only movements) the condition of the dial and case are more important than the movement, as you'll always be able to find parts for the issues there, while good dials and cases are far, far more dificult and expensive to put right.

Welcome on board and take your time to study up on the details and it'll be worth it in the end

 

If there is a jewel missing, it is not obvious to me. The "bean-shaped hole" you refer to is poorly lit in the eBay image. It may appear as though something is missing in the image you posted. The "hole" you refer to is simply a window allowing the functioning of the ratchet mechanism to be observed. I see no evidence of anything missing in that vicinity. As to the dial? Don't take my word for it, but it looks okay to me.

 

Hi Everyone, thank you for the sound advice, I am glad I did not go for it! I will continue to do my research and will no doubt be back on here again for some more help! I will focus on finding something as clean as that lovely 2767. Hopefully patience will have its rewards.

 

Hope you will find something worth waiting for

Have a look at the "recommended..." thread in the Vintage Omega subforum, there are often good buys there. I actually posted the one above there in the first place, hoping that someone would buy it before temptation became too much for me, but alas