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Omega Seamaster 2531.80 - About to buy this, thoughts?

TheRashid
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This is in my cart, and I'm about to press the buy button. Just wanted to know the communities thoughts on it, before I go ahead.

This is the first watch I tried on at a dealer, and the first watch I can remember lusting over when watching the Brosnan era Bond films.

This comes with full box and papers.

What are your thoughts on condition? Any and all thoughts appreciated! Cheers.

1.webp 2.webp 3.webp 4.webp
 
mjb
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As I'm sure you know, images can be tweaked and photoshopped. I would suggest confirming that the seller has a generous return policy.

That said, the watch looks great in those pictures. I saw no warranty card or books, which does adversely affect the price, and the box is rather distressed.

I guess my concern is that the pictures are so good, so professional, that I fear that they have been enhanced.
 
ErichPryde
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In the first image, the way the 6 o'clock lugs and bracelet end link look makes me think it's been polished, but that's honestly unsurprising given that this is likely a 20 to 25 year old watch. I don't see anything that makes me think it is fake. Curious of the date on the card/first four of the serial, if you're willing to share, for date database purposes?

RE: the box, I'd be much more shocked if the box wasn't disentegrating tbh.

What's the seller asking?
 
ErichPryde
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Also this:

20250618_112053.webp


Eh, I thought maybe the 6 o'clock lugs had been rounded out, but it could be a wrong (smaller) springbar (looks like the bracelet is not fitting tight to the case in most of the images, especially 1 & 3). If it's not a wrong spring bar----

Take a look at some other images- the bracelets on these do have some material showing outside the lugs, but perhaps not as much as I'm seeing in most of those images.

Here's a side profile view (image from ebay). The lug should extend to the end link, although some amount of end link will show top/bottom. (This one on ebay might have been polished a bit as well).

1750271291764.webp
Edited:
 
ErichPryde
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Here's another shot. I can't guarantee this because I'm just working off images, but it looks like those lugs have been Polished in a way that rounded them out a bit.

1750271959621.webp


Somebody with more experience should chime in. @padders ? I'd rather get a second opinion on this, because if someone else with more experience doesn't have an issue I would hate to discourage you for no reason.
Edited:
 
padders
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You rang?

As you note above, many of these have had a polish. The trick is to find one that has been done well by the factory or similar rather than one messed about by an amateur. Like you I detect slight softness on the lugs, though it could be the lightning, but usually with these the give away is the scalloping on the bezel. That takes skill to get right. It is clear when you compare Erich's photo and the OP that the OP watch has been refinished at the bezel as the sharp horizontal lines are blurred. That said I still think it looks OK in the main. Even Omega or STS can't make the bezel look brand new.

Otherwise it checks out as a straight Superluminova model with clean hands with a bright red second hand (they often fade to orange) and a correct bezel pip indicating a genuine bezel insert. Assuming there isn't too much bracelet stretch and it is running OK I'd say it's not a bad one. The slight overhang at the end lugs is probably as you suggest from aftermarket skinny or bendy spring bars rather than any lug material removal. Or so would be my guess.
 
paddymoran
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The gap between the lugs and the bracelet end links caught my eye. Overall the watch does look a very nice example though and for me it would come down to price.

IMG_3219.webp
 
ErichPryde
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padders padders
You rang?

As you note above, many of these have had a polish. The trick is to find one that has been done well by the factory or similar rather than one messed about by an amateur. Like you I detect slight softness on the lugs, though it could be the lightning, but usually with these the give away is the scalloping on the bezel. That takes skill to get right. It is clear when you compare Erich's photo and the OP that the OP watch has been refinished at the bezel as the sharp horizontal lines are blurred. That said I still think it looks OK in the main. Even Omega or STS can't make the bezel look brand new.

Otherwise it checks out as a straight Superluminova model with clean hands with a bright red second hand (they often fade to orange) and a correct bezel pip indicating a genuine bezel insert. Assuming there isn't too much bracelet stretch and it is running OK I'd say it's not a bad one. The slight overhang at the end lugs is probably as you suggest from aftermarket skinny or bendy spring bars rather than any lug material removal. Or so would be my guess.

Thanks. I knew you'd have great input, so yes I rang. 😉
 
DenisChalandier
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Polished sure. Hard to tell if badly or not with those over lightly pictures. If it's the UK sellers I think, he has like 30 of those to sell. So you can be sure he buys ruins, patch them up a little at low cost and sells them asap with benefits.

Maybe it's the angle but the bezel's lume dot seems too small to me.
 
TheRashid
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ErichPryde ErichPryde
In the first image, the way the 6 o'clock lugs and bracelet end link look makes me think it's been polished, but that's honestly unsurprising given that this is likely a 20 to 25 year old watch. I don't see anything that makes me think it is fake. Curious of the date on the card/first four of the serial, if you're willing to share, for date database purposes?

RE: the box, I'd be much more shocked if the box wasn't disentegrating tbh.

What's the seller asking?
Sorry for the late reply and thank you for the comprehensive response. Sellers asking for £2,375 ($3,185 US). UK prices for 2531.80'S is inflated compared to the US (but not as bad as mainland Europe).

I'm concerned with the polishing, especially the bezel edges. Spring bar I can change myself, if I can find the correct one that's supposed to be fitted. What do you think? I'm going to see it in person tomorrow, so I'll have a better impression if it's just the horrible lighting, or genuine issues.

A lot to ask, feel free to ignore me 😅 - but the same seller has an Omega Seamaster 300m he's selling for just £725 more, total £3,100 ($972 more, $4,159) without box and papers. Cheapest on the UK market. Do you reckon I should go for that instead? I'll put some pictures below.

1 300m.webp 2 300m.webp 3 300m.webp
 
Davidt
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I don’t think that’s a great deal, even in the UK and it looks quite polished to me.
 
ErichPryde
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Even if prices are a bit higher where you are for that kind of money I would expect not to see some of these issues: the gap between the lug and bracelet, polished bezel and lugs, wrong spring bars, &c. Plus, I would not surprise me at all if you get stuck with a service.

If there is no wiggle room on that price I would consider moving on.

RE the ceramic Seamaster- that's not a decision I can make for you, but I can say that there's something really special about my 2531 and if I was forced to move that or my ceramic seamaster, the ceramic would go first. Like you, the 2531 was one of the first watches I considered getting decades ago. It's a completely different type of watch despite having a very similar dial. The 2531 feels like a genuine tool watch and the ceramic feels much sportier, modern "style" watch. There's nothing wrong with either type of watch but they don't wear the same and they don't look the same.
 
TheRashid
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ErichPryde ErichPryde
Even if prices are a bit higher where you are for that kind of money I would expect not to see some of these issues: the gap between the lug and bracelet, polished bezel and lugs, wrong spring bars, &c. Plus, I would not surprise me at all if you get stuck with a service.

If there is no wiggle room on that price I would consider moving on.

RE the ceramic Seamaster- that's not a decision I can make for you, but I can say that there's something really special about my 2531 and if I was forced to move that or my ceramic seamaster, the ceramic would go first. Like you, the 2531 was one of the first watches I considered getting decades ago. It's a completely different type of watch despite having a very similar dial. The 2531 feels like a genuine tool watch and the ceramic feels much sportier, modern "style" watch. There's nothing wrong with either type of watch but they don't wear the same and they don't look the same.
Cheers! You're right. It's always better to follow the heart, than the head, when it comes to watches.

I'll most likely be turning this down then. Unfortunately, it's so hard to find a 2531.80 in decent condition now that they're getting 20years+ old 🙄 I'll keep looking.
 
ErichPryde
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TheRashid TheRashid
Cheers! You're right. It's always better to follow the heart, than the head, when it comes to watches.

I'll most likely be turning this down then. Unfortunately, it's so hard to find a 2531.80 in decent condition now that they're getting 20years+ old 🙄 I'll keep looking.

Crazy to think it, but production of the Brosnan Seamaster got discontinued right before the Craig era started- literally months before Casino Royale in 2006. Although some of these 2531 sat around into 2007 and perhaps even slightly beyond, next year there won't be any younger than 20 years old from a production standpoint!

Probably still worth your time to go look at it in person tomorrow. See if the seller is willing to negotiate a bit based upon the concerns you have. And good luck in your hunt.
 
DenisChalandier
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The ceramic one is nice but way bigger. You need to compare by seeing them in the flesh but that's not the same feeling at all vs 2531.

"I'll most likely be turning this down then. Unfortunately, it's so hard to find a 2531.80 in decent condition now that they're getting 20years+ old I'll keep looking."

That's why a good way is to buy a ruin by your self and get it to a proper Omega service. It won't be that pricy and at the end, you know what you have. That's exactly the same those sellers are doing but the wrong way to keep a margin at the end.

It can be disturbing to buy that but at the end, you will have a mostly brand new watch :

https://www.chrono24.fr/omega/omega...34871357.htm?searchHash=d79f00f6_3MJ5gN&pos=5

https://www.chrono24.fr/omega/seama...40919130.htm?searchHash=d79f00f6_kyzvvk&pos=3
 
502 to right
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ErichPryde ErichPryde
Here's another shot. I can't guarantee this because I'm just working off images, but it looks like those lugs have been Polished in a way that rounded them out a bit.

1750271959621.webp


Somebody with more experience should chime in. @padders ? I'd rather get a second opinion on this, because if someone else with more experience doesn't have an issue I would hate to discourage you for no reason.


My opinion: these aren't $20,000+ vintage Rolex Submariners and GMT's we're looking at with sensitive chamfers.

If you have to blow up photos and examine them like a military intelligence officer searching for targets on satillite photographs--they are fine for the average buyer. These are not investment pieces.

And if you did want a Seamaster case with edges so sharp you could shave with it, my local Omega certified watchmaker will refinish a case for $125.
Edited:
 
ErichPryde
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502 to right 502 to right
My opinion: these aren't $20,000+ vintage Rolex Submariners and GMT's we're looking at with sensitive chamfers.

If you have to blow up photos and examine them like a military intelligence officer searching for targets on satillite photographs--they are fine for the average buyer. These are not investment pieces.

And if you did want a Seamaster case with edges so sharp you could shave with it, my local Omega certified watchmaker will refinish a case for $125.

Excellent points, it's difficult to find a "perfect condition" 2531. These were worn well for the most part, and very few were likely treated as safe queens. However, because it is not an investment piece it has fairly huge availability, so there's also not reason for a buyer to settle for one that might be overpriced if they don't want to do that. Would you be comfortable paying 3,200 USD for the watch OP mentioned knowing sending it off for service is likely? If not, what would you pay for this one?

The real win here would be if OP can take some of the points mentioned here and use them for negotiating that price down a bit, so that he can send it off to Omega (if that's what he chooses to do) to have it refinished properly.
Edited:
 
502 to right
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ErichPryde ErichPryde
Excellent points, it's difficult to find a "perfect condition" 2531. These were worn well for the most part, and very few were likely treated as safe queens. However, because it is not an investment piece it has fairly huge availability, so there's also not reason for a buyer to settle for one that might be overpriced if they don't want to do that. Would you be comfortable paying 3,200 USD for the watch OP mentioned knowing sending it off for service is likely? If not, what would you pay for this one?

The real win here would be if OP can take some of the points mentioned here and use them for negotiating that price down a bit, so that he can send it off to Omega (if that's what he chooses to do) to have it refinished properly.

I wasn't really giving do or do not buy advice. I'm just pointing out that polished vs. not polished is not that big a deal with a Bond Seamaster as it is with a vintage Rolex. I think we've been brainwashed by the vintage Rolex collectors to reject anything polished.

Personally, I don't buy watches without knowing how they're running. At a minimum average +/- seconds per day (from a private seller) and I want to see the watch on a timegrapher if it's being sold by a professional watch seller. When I get a watch the first thing I do is put it on my own timegrapher.

Funnily enough, I bought a 2531.80 about 3 years ago out of Japan. I was intending to send the watch to OSC right away and get it returned to like new condition. Well darned if the thing didn't run like a top when I got it and it has to this day. +2 seconds a day both on wrist and averaged across the five COSC positions, very little positional error, strong amplitude, and very little beat error. It ran better than a 2220.80 SMP I had just had returned from OSC (that one ran about 4-5 seconds fast per day with all other specs very good).
Edited:
 
Davidt
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I disagree. I don’t care whether I’m paying £200 or £20,000. I want sharp lines and ideally the original factory finish. Very, very few case refinishes match the factory imo. I’ve had Omega and Rolex cases refinished by approved service centres and highly regarded independents and I’ve never had a single one that was a good match to factory original. Generally they look good, but if you know what to look for you can tell and just like with a good redial, once you see it, it bugs the hell out of you.
 
ErichPryde
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502 to right 502 to right
I wasn't really giving do or do not buy advice. I'm just pointing out that polished vs. not polished is not that big a deal with a Bond Seamaster as it is with a vintage Rolex. I think we've been brainwashed by the vintage Rolex collectors to reject anything polished.

Personally, I don't buy watches without knowing how they're running. At a minimum average +/- seconds per day (from a private seller) and I want to see the watch on a timegrapher if it's being sold by a professional watch seller. When I get a watch the first thing I do is put it on my own timegrapher.

Definitely worthwhile to know the timing, great advice for the OP because it's another point for negotiations.



Honestly it is great that the original poster is getting such varied input, because these are all worthwhile things that they should consider. So the real question is- what kind of buyer are they? Since they came here to Omega forums, I don't believe that they are an average buyer. But what do they want? Close to NOS? They should pass. Whatever at best price? This ain't it. But like most watch buyers, it's probably somewhere in the middle: a decent price for decent condition.
 
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