Omega Seamaster 300 Ref. 166.024-67 *UPDATED*

Hi all,

After frankly making a somewhat rash and in the moment purchase, I wanted to get some thoughts from those with more experience.

To preface, I've always wanted to get a vintage or "watchco" SM300. Because both types have been creeping up in price, I hadn't been in a position to buy one and instead got a bargain Blue Seamaster 60 and 120 a little while back. However, earlier today I came across the pictured watch in an auction site. I looked at the dial and case and compared the photos to some known fakes and the omegaseamaster300 site and everything seemed to check out. Even the little pin hole in the triangle seems to be present. Does it seem to be all correct?

Obviously, the watch is in seemingly awful shape and the dial looks pretty bad. I still don't have it, so I can't differentiate what is grime on the crystal or actual dial damage but If everything checks out, I had two thoughts. My ultimate goal was to get a watch that can be cleaned up and worn every day and not a show piece.

1) If I get it and the dial seems salvageable, I could get the dial, hands, and bezel relumed to try to match and resurrect the watch. I'd also get the watch properly serviced.

2) I could send it to Omega and have them restore it with a new dial, bezel, hands etc to make an almost "new" watch.

I'd love any and all thoughts. I'll be in the watch for around $2,400 USD. Most watchco builds seem to be somewhat quickly selling for $3.5-4k. I may be too hopeful, but at worst I figured I'd be able to partially part it out or get it fixed up and have an old watch, that looks almost new around the price of watchco-type build. If everything checks out, it would be cool to get an extract and know if the movement is original to the watch.

I appreciate your time and help!

I like that watch: the case, the crown, the dial, the bezel..... but the hands are awful.

I would buy that watch immediately and simply remove all the "luming" of the hands.

And I would not recommend any " cosmetic processing" and no reluming. this watch tells a story! 👍

(Sorry for my humble english)

Except for the lume in the hands thats an honest example but with heavy patina on the dial, case and bezel actually looks pretty good.

I would not expect that one sells for near 2400USD though, parts alone are worth more than that.

It all comes down to what you like, a heavily patinated example or a ”new” watchco with service parts. Dont just go for the cheapest possible example is my recomendation.

If you want one that looks like new get a watchco directly and dont try making up one yourself with service parts from a good honest example!

In addition: you can see the stain at the "SEAMASTER 300" print on the dial "moving" with the angle.... Its IMO in the glass!

I would relume the dial and hands to match the numbers on the bezel. Everest Watch Works is the one to choose in the US.

I cant believe:
A. The movement is not showing more damage given the state of the dial. Even the case shows some signs of pitted damaged, or is it just dirty?
B. That price for a big triangle.

Either way, I second the opinion of relume for this one. Now you got yourself a SM300 without fronting 7k or more. Good Job! 👍

Wow, I appreciate you all for the thoughtful insight and feedback. I'm glad to see my worries were generally unwarranted. It definitely does seem like some hack was in the watch at some point as the caseback was scratched up and you can see some of the scratches on the underside of the watch, but I otherwise do think the case will clean up and hopefully the dial will be salvageable--I'll definitely update you all when I get it.

While I was surprised that there isn't any rust, the movement itself is very dirty when you zoom into the photos. It may be the case that there is corrosion under the dial, but I'm hoping for the best.

How likely do you think that the movement is original? I noticed that the 27 million serial number puts it around 1968, but the caseback says 67. Is that cause for concern? I figure it wouldn't make sense to order an extract if it is ruled unlikely to be original.

No concern, may differ up to two years. Greetings from a 27.116.xxx

Hello all, I would like to restate how thankful I am for your advice and insights. I got the watch in the mail and wanted to update you all with some photos. Please let me know if you see anything concerning.

Upon inspection I noticed a few things. The crystal is fortunately original, intact and cleaned up quickly. As some of you predicted much of the gunk was sitting on top of the crystal and it seems like it will polish up nicely. The movement however needs a little work as it is very dirty and the rotor is wobbly, but nothing seemingly unfixable. I took a few more photos of the dial uncased and have begun looking for people to relume the hands and dial. Unfortunately the patina seems a little uneven, but I'm hoping colored/aged lume could bring everything all together.

Any and all thoughts are welcome! I will try to keep you all updated along the way to see how it turns out. Hope you all had a nice holiday and wishing you a happy new year.

OMG doesn't that watch deserve to match its original 200m depth spec? Please insert new crystal!

Will clean up nicely. Good dial potential. Try to match the hand Lume to the marker Lume ( if still present; hard to see if only dark at the edges or partially gone ) first and see, how it looks then. Many Originals get that mouldy look over time....

That watch could use some love ... hope you do post after pictures once its been serviced.

Never ceases to amaze me how other people abuse their stuff ... and glad this watch is getting another chance.

I was just watching a YouTube series from a man titled "Curiousity Incorporated". He and his family spent a very long time restoring an older house somewhere in Canada. When he was done, it was really nice. Within 18 months, his renters reduced it to crap. The poor guy was heartbroken and I really felt for him.

Some just don't care and some find amusement in willful distruction.