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Omega Ploprof 600: Service Bezel or Keep Original?

1971 bezel diver omega ploprof vintage
B
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Just got this one owner Ploprof unfortunately the dial was too far gone but had a service dial fitted when I purchased it ,
I am considering putting a service bezel on it to match and too keep all the old parts safe for the history etc just in case
What would you guys do ? As trying to find a wearable old dial it’s hard to find. I am looking out for a sandwich dial but it will probably never appear even a service dial as I have seem them
Here how it was when purchased.photo 1 It’s a early 1971 low 31 million brought in Australia in June/July 1971 just before the old owner joined the Army in a extraction unit which encompassed specialist diving for rescue and recovery so it seen water
IMG_3069.webp
I had too put a mesh on it as the old band was too tight and old and I find mesh so comfortable to wear
IMG_3064.webp IMG_3098.webp IMG_3100.webp

Do I change the bezel and keep safe ?
I guess I’m used to the new look
IMG_3103.webp
 
dsio
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You know, I actually love how that vintage dial and hands look, and especially in a PloProf 600, the "shipwreck" patina lends some serious credibility to it as a working dive watch from that era.

A perfectly running PloProf with that look would be cool as hell and set it apart from the WatchCo's clean dial.

Very cool collection you have there!
 
UWG
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A beautiful watch!
I would absolutely „restore“ the watch to it’s original condition (or have it done). Fortunately you have all the original parts together. As for the dial, I also love this „shipwreck“ look (great term for it). Perhaps the surface of the dial can be stabilized and protected for the future. Ask the pros here, the collective Intelligence has a good answer for everything.

For your 101 knowledge and inspiration I can recommend this site: https://www.omegaploprof.com/
 
B
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UWG UWG
A beautiful watch!
I would absolutely „restore“ the watch to it’s original condition (or have it done). Fortunately you have all the original parts together. As for the dial, I also love this „shipwreck“ look (great term for it). Perhaps the surface of the dial can be stabilized and protected for the future. Ask the pros here, the collective Intelligence has a good answer for everything.

For your 101 knowledge and inspiration I can recommend this site: https://www.omegaploprof.com/
 
B
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Thank you for your reply I will have a look at the site , do you mean restore to look new or try and use the old parts. Or just keep them safe for the future ? If I ever or anyone else wishes to do so ? Thanks
 
B
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dsio dsio
You know, I actually love how that vintage dial and hands look, and especially in a PloProf 600, the "shipwreck" patina lends some serious credibility to it as a working dive watch from that era.

A perfectly running PloProf with that look would be cool as hell and set it apart from the WatchCo's clean dial.

Very cool collection you have there!
Thank you I may go down that road if I can stabilise the dial , Or I will keep the part for the future in case some other person wishes too do so you right it would look cool I did think originally that the dial was too bad but hopefully some one can tell me on here if it can be stabilised ?
 
duc
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I had one that was pretty "shipwrecked", so a full restoration was my choice. Here is what it will look like:

IMG_3582.webp 19.webp 29.webp
 
B
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duc duc
I had one that was pretty "shipwrecked", so a full restoration was my choice. Here is what it will look like:

IMG_3582.webp 19.webp 29.webp
Lovely yeah a new lease of life !
 
UWG
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B bertmuller
Thank you for your reply I will have a look at the site , do you mean restore to look new or try and use the old parts. Or just keep them safe for the future ? If I ever or anyone else wishes to do so ? Thanks
I mean to use the original parts, to make it look original again 😉
 
Knudsen1971
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A: sterilize the watch with service luminova bezel to match your watchco collection OR
B: put back the original dial and hands and find original red button for it, as this is also service part on your watch.

I would go for B option personally, this is not a church watch 😀
 
B
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Knudsen1971 Knudsen1971
A: sterilize the watch with service luminova bezel to match your watchco collection OR
B: put back the original dial and hands and find original red button for it, as this is also service part on your watch.

I would go for B option personally, this is not a church watch
 
B
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Thanks for your reply as you can see I got all the original parts. It’s just the dial needs some work to make it stable
IMG_3117.webp
 
Taddyangle
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You might want to get an evaluation on what can be done with that dial. I believe Adam at Lewis Watch Co restored a dial for an omega recently. @photo500 is his username here. But u can find him on IG.

He repainted my hands to match the dial. Unfortunately the original owner had installed super luninovo hands.


IMG_20190108_150449.webp
 
Raskolnikov
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I prefer the vintage aesthetics of the PloProf over the service parts. Yes your dial is somewhat worn, but it matches the bezel perfectly. I think the bezel, the old dial and the old hands belong together. Swapping out one of them for a service part feels off.

The dial shows sign of water ingress. Especially the early "sandwich 600" dials which were the first ones for the public have these bubbles on the dial. This happened to a lot of the sandwich dials because of the paint used on the dial. With the second iteration (drop 600) in 1972 Omega or the dial manufacturer fixed this with a different type of paint and the green lume.

To me this is fine, especially for the first iteration dials (Mk1). It matches your serial number and the provenance of the watch. Omega naturally changed worn out parts at service but collectors nowadays value the patina.

Your watch looks beautiful. Servicing the movement and installing the original dial and hands will give it back it's soul.
 
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