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  1. masteroftime Dec 17, 2021

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    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!

    Screen Shot 2021-12-17 at 11.24.28 AM.png Screen Shot 2021-12-17 at 11.25.07 AM.png Screen Shot 2021-12-17 at 11.24.59 AM.png Screen Shot 2021-12-17 at 11.23.23 AM.png
     
    Screen Shot 2021-12-17 at 11.22.54 AM.png Screen Shot 2021-12-17 at 11.22.31 AM.png
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  2. Fallout Boy Dec 17, 2021

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    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! :thumbsup:

    (Sorry for my humble english)
     
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  3. hejsam Dec 17, 2021

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    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!
     
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  4. Fallout Boy Dec 17, 2021

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    In addition: you can see the stain at the "SEAMASTER 300" print on the dial "moving" with the angle.... Its IMO in the glass!
     
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  5. JwRosenthal Dec 17, 2021

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    The big blob in the center is on the crystal. As has been said, it’s an honest example but has taken in moisture at some point- thus the moldy black lume. I suspect the dial will show some damage as well but may not be too bad.
    I am in the camp of relume the dial& hands. The moldy lume would totally turn me off, but if done sympathetically by a pro, they can give it a muted “fauxtina” that would blend with the color of the bezel indices- then it would look slick, but still maintain its well-worn charm
     
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  6. SkunkPrince Dec 17, 2021

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    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.
     
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  7. JimJupiter Dec 17, 2021

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    I am also in the relume team. Yes,...it now tells a story...but you wanna like it at your wrist, dont you? At 2.400$ dont hesitate to long, buy it.

    Here are two pics of the same watch. Not as bad as yours, but I wanted to have the lume a bit nicer. I loved the result (done by James Hyman in UK).

    DSC_6949.JPG
    20190104-DSC03354.jpg
     
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  8. Enchanted Dec 17, 2021

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    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! :thumbsup:
     
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  9. JwRosenthal Dec 17, 2021

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    It looks like it lived a hard life and finally leaked- then serviced (hence the clean movement). The piss poor lume job on the hands was probably the watchmaker who did the service. Luming and watchmaking are two very different skill sets- just like photography and videography. Both use a camera, but very different talents involved.
     
  10. masteroftime Dec 17, 2021

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    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.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Dan S Dec 17, 2021

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    I'm not a fan of re-luming in general, but that's what I'd recommend in this case ... both hands and dial. The lume is just too far gone. If it's done by the right person, you'll end up with a nice watch.
     
  12. Fallout Boy Dec 17, 2021

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

    Ste a.jpg
     
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  13. Ron_W Dec 18, 2021

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    Plus !
     
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  14. masteroftime Dec 30, 2021

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    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.

    IMG_3340.jpg IMG_3336.jpg IMG_3332.jpg v1.jpg v3.jpg
    [​IMG]
     
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  15. SkunkPrince Dec 30, 2021

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    OMG doesn't that watch deserve to match its original 200m depth spec? Please insert new crystal!
     
  16. watchyouwant ΩF Clairvoyant Dec 30, 2021

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    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....
     
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  17. Ravineman Dec 30, 2021

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    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.
     
  18. SkunkPrince Dec 30, 2021

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    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.
     
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  19. JwRosenthal Dec 30, 2021

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    My watchmaker actually had a stunning Victorian which he and his wife restored with their own sweat equity here in Baltimore. He spent 25 years in that house (his shop was in the basement) and raised 3 kids in it. After the kids were all out, he bought a small rowhouse near the water to be close to his boat, but it was 2009 and the market was a disaster, so rented his Victorian to a group of medical school student (he thought they would be responsible tenants as they were on a professional path). Needless to say, they destroyed the house in the first year- he was devastated. He ended up just selling the house off so he didn’t have to watch it get destroyed again.
    People suck!
     
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  20. watchlovr Dec 30, 2021

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    I’d be sending that to James Hyman, it would be a great improvement.
    Bargain
     
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