Hi, my first post for possible my first vintage Omega. This is a great forum with so many knowledgeable people eager to help! This is an exciting new hobby that I am discovering and enjoying. I went through the great thread 'how to fish' and have been trying to educate myself by going through hundreds of pages of ebay recommended pages to try to develop a critical eye.

My local pawn shop has this Seamaster, ref 166.002, cal.562, s/n in the 21 millions that seems OK to my untrained eye and tempting because of the price. The guy was nice enough to open it for me and allowed me to take pictures. Very open and honest attitude that inspired me trust in him

I took the pics with my cell, and I have to apologize because they kinda suck...Here are some issues that even I could note:
-The crown is not signed, probably a generic aftermarket,
-There is not trace of lum on the hands, actually that space of the hands is empty
-The hands are tarnished (we cannot see on the photos, I apologize again)
-The bracelet has the omega logo, but does not look like something that came with this watch
-Not sure if this is correct for the model, but the back does not show the seamonster
-The crystal is dented at the 6 hour marker.

Other than that, what do you think? Should I jump into it? Did I say that the price is very tempting, especially when I compared against the prices that are reached at the latest ebay auctions, for quite mediocre specimens....

 

Poor quality photos. I’m not sure if it’s due to distortion of the crystal or dial refinishing but “Swiss Made T” looks off. Not sure if crown is correct. Movement clamp not properly seated.

 

What is the asking price?

 

Provide better photos if you want better answers.

 

I'd swerve it based on the pics. Not enough in there to convince me to part with cash for it. Probably influenced by the choice of strap the seller has gone for. Plenty of fish

 

C$600 (about USD450) but because he needs to compensate me for another article I bought in the pawn shop he is leaving at C$400 (=$300 green bucks) probably still above his cost.

 

I understand. I missed that opportunity. I was there to resolve another non related issue with the pawn shop owner ( an honest mistake) and only have my crappy phone at hand that couldn’t focus other thing than my finger.

 

I apologize for the picture quality. Actually it is the distortion created by the dent in crystal, in person all the letters look very symmetrical and equally spaced. The omega logo and the legends bellow the logo are legible, the glare on the crystal make them look like faded. The crown is not signed, I don’t think it’s original either. Thanks

 

Don't pass this off as being a redial, no one here can give you definitive answers based on those photos.
Get better pics if you want more clarity.

 

Thank you all for your answers, I am out of town this week, I will go back on Tuesda and take better pictures. I apologize again (after all I'm Canadian, and being sorry is our national sport only 2nd to Hockey!). I guess I got carried away by my eagerness to have my first vintage omega.

 

Cruddy, mismatched bracelets are usually a sign of a yard sale find. I had a very similar style from 1964 that I found at a yard sale. It cleaned up nicely, and I got $350 for it.

 

The first pic is obviously no use but from the second I feel confident that the dial is original. Distortion of Swiss Made looks to be down to scratches on the crystal. Service crown but otherwise ok. Can't see anything wrong with the movement. I'd want to see if that bracelet has damaged the holes in the lugs.

 

Agree I feel the same way about the dial.

 

IMO, $450USD seems high for this gold-plated piece, with no lume in the hands, needing a replacement crystal, unserviced, and possibly something wrong with the caseback (you didn't show a photo, but I would have expected a hippocampus). I'm not sure why you feel the price is so tempting. Are you comparing to stainless examples?

 

You are right, there is no hippocampus. The initial price was $450USd, but now is $300usd. At that level the price is tempting because I cannot see anything below $500 (redialed and unserviced, at least most of them). Am I looking at the wrong place for price reference? Thanks for your reply!