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Opinions on the condition of 166.0167 Seamaster

mevanavk
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Hey guys! I've had my first vintage watch (166.0167 Seamaster) for a while now and am thinking of adding a constellation to the collection! Was just wondering what you guys think of the condition of my seamaster relative to what's out there (I have had very little exposure to vintage watches so far other than stuff I've seen on forums/reddit). The dial, case, crystal, crown and movement are all original (to the best of my knowledge).

Some of the imperfections I've noticed
IMG_1681.PNG IMG_1682.PNG IMG_1823.PNG IMG_1824.PNG IMG_1854.JPG IMG_1856.JPG IMG_1858.JPG IMG_1943.JPG

- (most obvious) Scratch on the crystal at the 7 o'clock position
- (small specks??) on the dial at the 10 and 8 o clock positions
- some scratches on the caseback




Thanks for the input!
 
Spruce
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Looks nice. Any scratch on the crystal can be polished out with Polywatch.

I can't see the specks on the dial but this is a 1970s watch and you’d expect that ageing and the scratches on the back of the case are a natural occurrence from wear. They also show that the seller hasn’t tried to over polish the case.

Nice shaped case that will be a good size - I’m assuming 35/36 and the hands, crown and movement look fine to me.

Stainless steel is a good option for a first Omega (not too dressy) and automatics are good and this will have a quick date change.

So, it very much depends on the price but this is not the most sought after model so it should be reasonable and ask the seller when it was last serviced. If recent, get a copy of the service invoice. If you have to service this one, given it’s appearance, I’d expect a service to cost you around £150.

You'll have to post the price if you want anyone to comment on this.
 
jaegodylan
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Spruce Spruce
Looks nice. Any scratch on the crystal can be polished out with Polywatch.

I can't see the specks on the dial but this is a 1970s watch and you’d expect that ageing and the scratches on the back of the case are a natural occurrence from wear. They also show that the seller hasn’t tried to over polish the case.

Nice shaped case that will be a good size - I’m assuming 35/36 and the hands, crown and movement look fine to me.

Stainless steel is a good option for a first Omega (not too dressy) and automatics are good and this will have a quick date change.

So, it very much depends on the price but this is not the most sought after model so it should be reasonable and ask the seller when it was last serviced. If recent, get a copy of the service invoice. If you have to service this one, given it’s appearance, I’d expect a service to cost you around £150.

You'll have to post the price if you want anyone to comment on this.

i believe he already owns the watch and was just soliciting input on its condition.
 
Spruce
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jaegodylan jaegodylan
i believe he already owns the watch and was just soliciting input on its condition.
Well, he’s got it 😀
 
TimeODanaos
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It's nice - I'd wear it. In fact, with one digit difference in the reference (166.067), I do. The dial and hands especially look to be in good (make that Good) shape. At this stage of your hobby, don't let tiny scratches on the case put you off enjoying it. (Granted, your photo of the back is not the sharpest one of the group...) Finding a 50 year old watch without them can be both difficult and expensive. Soon, you'll be in a position to judge whether that's the aspect that you want to spend on. What you have there now is an eminently wearable vintage piece. Matter of taste, I might change to a slightly thinner, smarter strap, or even SS bracelet, YMMV.
😀
 
Spruce
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Well, now you’ve been reassured about your watch, do you want to tell us how much you paid so that we can comment on value for money - was it a bargain, an inheritance or did you overpay?

BTW, the Constellation also looks nice but, as others have posted, possibly overpriced.
 
mevanavk
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Hahaha yea thanks! I got it for $1050 a couple months ago 😀 is that a reasonable price for it?
 
Spruce
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For that price it should be nice, and it is.

I think you paid a couple of hundred over the odds but not so much over that you won’t enjoy it. I think you’d be hard pushed to recoup your expenditure if you tried to re-sell it now but these watches don’t depreciate and in a few years, the market will have caught up.

That’s my view, others may differ. We all love a bargain but IMO it’s better to buy a good quality watch you can enjoy.
 
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