Omega Seamaster Ref 2991 Cal. 571: Info and Discussion

hesah · Tues. 7:11am

Hi guys,

Iv been a big fan of the vintage Seamaster watches for many years now and I was able to finally get my hands on this beauty a few days ago in an auction. It's a gold plated, 'boys size' Seamaster.

From the different online sources iv understood it was made sometimes late 50s or early 60s. Im not sure if the dial is original, it seems to be in very good condition if it is. The glass has the Omega logo. I feel as if the buckle is slightly off color, compared to the watch, so that might be non original. Thoughts?

I would love to know if anybody has more specific info on this watch! Grateful for any information or just your personal comments.

Thanks all!

Ref: 2991-1 SC
Cal: 571
Jewels: 24
Case size: Roughly 31.5 mm

Passover · Tues. 2:59pm

Hi and welcome here!

Not too many watches of this reference around so not easy to compare with others...

Dial is original IMO, buckle (obviously) and crown not. Not sure about the hands but they are either replacements or not original

Lugs are a bit too rounded for my taste and show some wear

If you find out the movement number you can estimate the year of production

Enjoy your watch!

DON · Tues. 5:35pm

Watch is actually gold capped. You have plated (over brass?), gold filled (thicker than plated over a brass case and applied under heat and pressure) and gold capped which is thicker than gold filled and bonded to a steel case.

hesah · Wed. 5:13am

DON
Watch is actually gold capped. You have plated (over brass?), gold filled (thicker than plated over a brass case and applied under heat and pressure) and gold capped which is thicker than gold filled and bonded to a steel case.

Oh wow! I didnt know that, thanks alot for the comment.

hesah · Wed. 5:15am

Passover
Hi and welcome here!

Not too many watches of this reference around so not easy to compare with others...

Dial is original IMO, buckle (obviously) and crown not. Not sure about the hands but they are either replacements or not original

Lugs are a bit too rounded for my taste and show some wear

If you find out the movement number you can estimate the year of production

Enjoy your watch!

Hi Passover and thank you for the welcome.

How can you tell that the hands are not original? Does it appear to be a different hue than the dial? (That might be a picture issue, IRL they are very similar).

Could you please let me know how I can figure out the movement number? Is it different than the caliber number?

Another question! Do the hands on these old watches have radium?

Winston_Smith · Wed. 5:18am

I agree with Passover above re the point that the main flaw of the watch is the overpolished case. It's a red flag for most avid collectors due to loss of crisp edges of the lugs, the bezel and the case, overall. The overpolishing issue is quite common in gold or gold capped watches. The owners or sellers tend to scrape off layers of gold, which is a super soft metal compared to steel for example, to make it look shinier and make the dents or scratches less pronounced. But this is an abomination to the eyes of many collectors on this forum, due to aforementioned losses. When you familiarise yourself with the reference based on the photos online etc, you will also begin to notice the difference this makes.

Passover · Wed. 5:28am

Serial number is hidden under the rotor, you can see the last digits

This is never 60 year old tritium or radium

Most examples of this reference have other hands, so my guess

If it's a 50s watch you will find radium on the dial, yes

hesah · Wed. 5:36am

Passover
Serial number is hidden under the rotor, you can see the last digits

This is never 60 year old tritium or radium

Most examples of this reference have other hands, so my guess

If it's a 50s watch you will find radium on the dial, yes

Aha!

Unfortunately I am unable to open the watch my self (the pictures were from the seller). Ill remember this in the future when I have a chance to go to a proper shop.

I was also wondering, the hippocampus logo on the backside is misaligned with the watch, its direction is off in relation to other side of the watch if that makes sense. Is this something that a watchmaker could correct perhaps?

Thanks once again for your comments and help.

Passover · Wed. 5:39am

H hesah
I was also wondering, the hippocampus logo on the backside is misaligned with the watch, its direction is off in relation to other side of the watch if that makes sense.

this is normal, nothing to worry about...

Maybe you can arrange it more aligned, never tried it...

hesah · Wed. 5:43am

Winston_Smith
I agree with Passover above re the point that the main flaw of the watch is the overpolished case. It's a red flag for most avid collectors due to loss of crisp edges of the lugs, the bezel and the case, overall. The overpolishing issue is quite common in gold or gold capped watches. The owners or sellers tend to scrape off layers of gold, which is a super soft metal compared to steel for example, to make it look shinier and make the dents or scratches less pronounced. But this is an abomination to the eyes of many collectors on this forum, due to aforementioned losses. When you familiarise yourself with the reference based on the photos online etc, you will also begin to notice the difference this makes.

I think I understand. At some point during a service, this watch has been overpolished, correct? Are you basing this on the fact that the case looks "too good," or are there other details that indicate it? The lugs do have some crisp edges, by the way. They are almost sharp.

It was actually quite hard for me to find reference photos of this watch online. There was an index post here on the forum where I couldn't find this reference. I also couldn't find any gold-capped versions.

Do you perhaps have some links or reference photos I could look at?

I really appreciate your expertise!

Passover · Wed. 6:02am

H hesah
I think I understand. At some point during a service, this watch has been overpolished, correct? Are you basing this on the fact that the case looks "too good," or are there other details that indicate it? The lugs do have some crisp edges, by the way. They are almost sharp.

It was actually quite hard for me to find reference photos of this watch online. There was an index post here on the forum where I couldn't find this reference. I also couldn't find any gold-capped versions.

Do you perhaps have some links or reference photos I could look at?

I really appreciate your expertise!

If you do an internet search for "Omega 2991 gold" you will find enough examples...

Winston_Smith · Wed. 8:31am

H hesah
I think I understand. At some point during a service, this watch has been overpolished, correct? Are you basing this on the fact that the case looks "too good," or are there other details that indicate it? The lugs do have some crisp edges, by the way. They are almost sharp.

It was actually quite hard for me to find reference photos of this watch online. There was an index post here on the forum where I couldn't find this reference. I also couldn't find any gold-capped versions.

Do you perhaps have some links or reference photos I could look at?

I really appreciate your expertise!

Yes, you got it right. But I'm not saying it is overpolished because it looks "too good" (to my eye it's quite the opposite, actually) and I'm not sure if you mean shiny by that. I am not an expert on this reference, to be frank, but I do recognise an overpolished watch when I see one.

Obviously, the part where the lugs connect to the case can hardly be overpolished but to me, what gives away is the buttery edges on the outside of the lugs. This reference doesn't seem to have the sharpest edges on its lug, unlike a SMDV or Constellation Dog Leg Pie Pan, for example. But the lugs shouldn't be so softly round.

I'm at work now and I don't have time to search for the appropriate golden case example but in this link, you can find the same reference in a steel case: https://marketplace.watchcharts.com...aster-2991-1-sc-boys-size-watch-tapestry-dial

While it's not gold, it should still give you an idea of how the unpolished version would look like.

As a note, it's often easier to find steel watches in less tarnished and unpolished state because steel is a harder material or one that people don't feel as eager to get shiny as gold. But they do get terribly polished in wrong hands, as well.

Omega Seamaster Ref 2991 Cal. 571: Info and Discussion

hesah

Passover

DON

hesah

hesah

Winston_Smith

Passover

hesah

Passover

hesah

Passover

Winston_Smith

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