Hello All,

I am always a little bit nervous before validating the payment of a watch, so i decided to so some last research (even if i already ask some forum members and i thanks them!!). The fact is that i am not able to find another one like this one in a 18K gold version with a 18k gold dial. So could you just confirm me that everything is ok and that it is not a put together watch? Thanks for your help !!

 

Judging from the faded script it looks like the dial has been cleaned and the minute indices have been washed away. The case has also been quite heavily polished.

 

I was not sure if those solid gold dial had minutes index :


could you confirm this point?

 

Well the Seamaster Grand Luxe that you posted I believe was a Norman Morris US only version, so I´m not sure it is good material for comparing the minute indices question.

With the central seconds and short hands I would expect to see minute indices in a track around the inner circle of the 5 minute markers.

 

Agreed - the dial has been cleaned. The minute/second track has been removed from the solvent used. The edges are usually the dirtiest so it makes sense that it was cleaned more aggressively there than in the middle, which is why the AUTOMATIC and Seamaster remain, albeit faded.

The case has been polished too.

 

Ok thanks ! I assume that decrease the value ...what would be a fair price range thus?

 

Finnaly i found the same dial on another ref case which appear quite simimar to this one With onyx marker:


Claimed to be original buy i am definitively not an expert

 

The `automatic` script looks to be walking to the right, could well be a re-dial. With the long hands I would expect the dial to have its minute indices around the outside circle of the 5 minute markers,

 

Thanks again. Now i can take the decision with all in mind. I like this one and even if the dial could be ' damaged' , it is homogeneous and not a redial ... I will make a try !

 

I will go to the watchmaker to confirm this point buy according to the seller there is no doubt this is a 18k gold dial. As i have no idea of the price for a very Nice exemple without any dial issue and no polishing , but the price looks more than reasonable and i a really love this one ... And never found another one like this before ... So i will jump

 

And I am still suspicious about the minute track which was dissolved due to the more agressive edge clean as the swiss made is still here ...of course it is possible that this dial was damage during cleaning but i found the result very pure and lovely.

 

I think that even if the minute track has been dissolved i will have bought it just because i love it like that ( and it is still. Guenuine and non redial ) ... But if i can keep the hope that the minute track has never been there , that is even better

 

Based on the pictures of the OP's watch, I don't think the dial has ever been cleaned. I have seen an old Omega parts catalog with a lot of Seamaster dials having no minute track at all.

 

I can't read Desmond's update at the moment, but did he mention a Thai national production versions for the XVI dial? There are a few of them but of lower quality and less sophisticated than the two official versions.

PS: Scratch that. I've found he mentioned them on his site.

 

I continued to search today and in fact i found several dial without minutes track... Anyway , I love this dial like this !!

 

I´d like to see those too, help put the OP´s mind to rest

 

It's located five hour drive from me. Will surely take some pics next time I see it.