Mine from ‘49 will have to suffice for now. The “bumper” movement is part of the charm to me. It turned 70 this year☢️

 

Came across the small seconds yesterday. That AD received 2 so I bought 50% of his Seamaster 1948 inventory.

 

Well damn, this means I have to make a decision. I really do like the look of this watch, and honestly did not think I'd find one available, much less one in my home town. @ALHUI, will you please PM me the name of the AD?

But, this also brings up a question for the broader audience: Should a watch this expensive feel 'cheap'? Should it rattle when you put it on?

I know there have been some explanations for why this might be so, but I have to ask myself: does a Rolex Oyster Perpetual rattle and feel cheap? I have not seen either the 1948 nor the Oyster in the flesh, so I can't answer, but I suspect that perhaps the Rolex does not have this cheapness to it.

Any one with both (or either) care to comment? Have the reports of rattling and cheapness been overblown?

 

Looks really great on the tan strap!

 

Vintage are nice to wear occasionally, but for an GADA I'd go with a modern 1948. I save my oldies for special occasions; the pic above is my from my granddaughters 2nd birthday on Sunday.

 

They are overblown, i think 1 person here mentioned the cheapness element and another asked about the rattling which is usually perfectly normal.

I have a JLC that is twice the price and it feels even more dainty and also rattles. If you are use to tool watches then it does feel different.

Another thing to mention is this is fairly true to the original, even down to the crown so wether that vintage aspect as something to do with it.

Whilst the winding mechanism doesn't feel like an event, neither does the JLC, in fact that movement is so quiet and lacking in feedback its hard to know if you are actually winding it (on the JLC).

Comparisons to datejusts, i have a 36mm and a 41mm and apart from the illusion of weight on the 41mm which does happen to have gold on in my case, they just wind typically rolex, there is no give in the crown and the resistance is typical rolex. I think the quality debate is all in our perception. This particular omega movement has a bit of play in the crown and its quite dainty but it doesn't mean to say its cheap. In fact the opposite is probably true if you respect the technology in this movement.

 

I own the new 1948 but also several subs and a Nautilus (and Aquanaut in the past). The Nautilus rattles too and is not as sturdy as the subs or a seamaster 300. Does it make it an inferior watch? I don't think so...

 

Precisely, as I tried to explain above. The dainty/cheap os a matter of perception based on context and previous benchmarks - at least it was for me. I was comparing apples and oranges. Compared to a planet ocean, seamaster 300 or even a Speedmaster this 1948 (and similar designs) are going to feel lightweight. But that does not mean they are any leas refined. Like comparing an Olympic weightlifter to a Gymnast. Both are at the top of respective games, yet completely different.

 

Hi All,

So I ordered one of the small seconds as soon as I saw the available stock on Saturday. The money was taken and I received my order confirmation. I spoke to Goldsmiths this morning and was told stock was available and that my order would be with me on Friday. Three hours later I got an email saying there was no stock! I called them and they said that they had not received any from Omega!!!. I asked why had my money been taken and why had the person this morning confirmed all was ok? They had no answer. Rubbish! Goldsmiths, sort out your process. Rant over. Sort of

Josh

 

I wished I had pulled a trigger on one, but I refuse to pay downpayment when no reliable delivery date. I didn't have to pay any downpayment on my Daytona 116500 or my GMT 126711 BLRO "Pepsi". I think it is bad business practice.

 

Well said.

 

The back glass has the NAYAD LOCK system, but they'd better go implementing this on the front glass, because it seems to me (and please, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) that the glass is not perfectly aligned in all the pieces shown so far, it seems rotated, and so the little Ω logo in the center is inclined (the feet of the logo are not perfectly aligned with 15 and 45 minute markers); sometimes it's inclined for few degrees clockwise (so like 16 and 46 minute markers) and sometimes counterclockwise (so like 14 and 44)
Anyone noticed the same issue?

 

I think I was quote lucky to get one that aligned

But other watches with the same etching aren’t. Considering the art of assembly, it wouldn’t be too hard to make it align by spec.

 

It is a feature of every single Omega since the crystal logo was introduced in the early 1950s that it is randomly oriented from the factory. Obviously this means some will be aligned but not by design. Indeed it can be suggested that if you find one fully aligned it was likely either replaced or adjusted. No Omega reference has ever to my knowledge come with a perfectly aligned crystal across every example. Some watchmakers align them during a service and some don't. It is of course only very recently they have used a logo on sapphire crystals, they were AFAIK introduced on the SM and RM trilogy models, Prior to that they were plain. On those they are randomly aligned.

If they really wanted to faithfully represent the original 1948 2576/7 Seamster, the crystal should have had no logo at all! I love these and had one in hand at a dealer event last year but one look at the messy caseback was enough to put me off. Plain steel would have been preferable.

 

That's very interesting. That's why I love being here, where I can learn something new. Thank you.

 

Hey, look what Santa delivered yesterday - in July nonetheless!

 

I just got off the phone with an AD. He was informed that they have been allocated one 1948 Seamaster Small Seconds. It's due to arrive next month and it's mine if I want it. So, I just left a small deposit! Hopefully, Omega fulfills this allocation . . .

 

Saw both today at my AD. Not my cup of tea I should say!

 

Well, fortunately, you had the opportunity to see them in the flesh and make an informed decision. I do wish Omega would have prototypes available to help us addicts make informed decisions.

 

This found it's self in the secondary market pretty fast...