Please help decipher vintage Omega #'s

sandman · Mar 30, 2023

Hello, I have zero knowledge about watches beyond being able to tell time so any and all info I can get is greatly appreciated. I inherited boxes and boxes of jewelry from my mother's 40 year obsession of shopping estate sales and yard sales in 2008. As I have found out over the last 15 years she had a great eye for finding quality pieces and doubt she ever paid over a couple bucks for anything. This watch was in a box I opened a couple weeks ago. My searching has lead to some conflicting and confusing data so I am here.... So while attaching photos I realized I haven't taken a pic of the face and I'm 300 miles from home.

X350 XJR · Mar 30, 2023

14773 SC-61 is the reference number

16802620 is the serial number, ca 1959

470 is the caliber (movement) a very close relative to the 20-jewel 471

Note that movements were often cased several years after being produced.

Davidt · Mar 30, 2023

@X350 XJR has told you everything you need. If selling you can use the reference number to search for sold prices on eBay to get the value

gatorcpa · Mar 30, 2023

X350 XJR
470 is the caliber (movement) a very close relative to the 20-jewel 471

The 17 jewel unadjusted variants of certain movements were made specifically for export to North America. This was to avoid extra US Customs duty on watches with more than 17 jewels and adjustments.

On higher quality watches like Omega, adjustments were generally done by watchmakers working for the importing company.

Hope this helps,
gatorcpa

tennjed · Mar 30, 2023

gatorcpa
The 17 jewel unadjusted variants of certain movements were made specifically for export to North America. This was to avoid extra US Customs duty on watches with more than 17 jewels and adjustments.

On higher quality watches like Omega, adjustments were generally done by watchmakers working for the importing company.

Hope this helps,
gatorcpa

The above is very interesting to me. I have always wondered about adkustments/unadjusted. So if a watch movement is marked "3 adjustments," that simply means the movement has been adjusted 3 times?. If so, were the adjustments completed after full assembly of the movement, or various adjustments completed during assembly?

Best,

Wayne (Newbie)

Archer · Mar 30, 2023

tennjed
The above is very interesting to me. I have always wondered about adkustments/unadjusted. So if a watch movement is marked "3 adjustments," that simply means the movement has been adjusted 3 times?. If so, were the adjustments completed after full assembly of the movement, or various adjustments completed during assembly?

Best,

Wayne (Newbie)

The number refers to the number of positions that the watch was adjusted to. So a watch adjusted to 3 positions will be adjusted (on a timing machine) using the following positions:

Dial up, crown down, crown left

For a watch adjusted to 5 positions, they would be:

Dial up, crown down, crown left, dial down, crown up

For a watch adjusted to 6 positions (the most number of positions typically) it would be:

Dial up, crown down, crown left, dial down, crown up, crown right

sandman · Mar 30, 2023

Thanks for the info. Is there a reliable site with a decoder? Like a vin decoder for an automobile that tells you what each number and letter mean? So it's it that the serial number just tells you the year it was made and the reference number breaks down into individual characters? Metal/model etc? Face looks exactly like one I seen except where it said a seamaster on the lower half of the face, mine is blank and only says Omega Automatic on top half. And, the reference number had SC at the end, not in the middle. Sorry no pic, I will get home Monday and upload. Thanks again for all the input!!!

Dan S · Mar 30, 2023

sandman
Thanks for the info. Is there a reliable site with a decoder? Like a vin decoder for an automobile that tells you what each number and letter mean? So it's it that the serial number just tells you the year it was made and the reference number breaks down into individual characters? Metal/model etc? Face looks exactly like one I seen except where it said a seamaster on the lower half of the face, mine is blank and only says Omega Automatic on top half. And, the reference number had SC at the end, not in the middle. Sorry no pic, I will get home Monday and upload. Thanks again for all the input!!!

The serial number can be related to the approximate year of manufacture using a chart that you can easily find on the internet. The reference number is more complicated. In certain eras, the reference number used a code, but not always. It takes a bit of experience. Omega does have a database and here is the entry for your watch:
https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/watch-omega-seamaster-omega-ck-14773

When using this database, keep in mind that each reference came with many different dials, so you should not expect to see the same dial as on your watch. You generally can't identify a watch using the dial. If you have another question, please try again, I can't quite parse what you are asking, you didn't show the dial of this watch and now you seem to be referring to a second watch? "SC" generally refers to a watch with a center sweep second.

And please post comprehensive photos, including the dial and case-back, we will be able to give you better information about the condition and originality.

lough · Mar 30, 2023

Hello. I also have zero knowledge about watches, especially a watch that is as intricate as Omega's. I inherited this watch from my dad who wore it everyday. I am very interested in learning as much information as I can, but have found little info that didn't confuse or contradict. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dan S · Mar 30, 2023

lough
Hello. I also have zero knowledge about watches, especially a watch that is as intricate as Omega's. I inherited this watch from my dad who wore it everyday. I am very interested in learning as much information as I can, but have found little info that didn't confuse or contradict. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am getting a bit skeptical about this thread. It's easy enough to google information based on the numbers shown in these photos, and I don't see how it would be confusing. Maybe you can provide a bit more context. And if you truly want "as much information" as you can get, maybe you would consider posting photos of the dial.

sandman · Mar 30, 2023

Dan S
The serial number can be related to the approximate year of manufacture using a chart that you can easily find on the internet. The reference number is more complicated. In certain eras, the reference number used a code, but not always. It takes a bit of experience. Omega does have a database and here is the entry for your watch:
https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/watch-omega-seamaster-omega-ck-14773

When using this database, keep in mind that each reference came with many different dials, so you should not expect to see the same dial as on your watch. You generally can't identify a watch using the dial. If you have another question, please try again, I can't quite parse what you are asking, you didn't show the dial of this watch and now you seem to be referring to a second watch? "SC" generally refers to a watch with a center sweep second.

And please post comprehensive photos, including the dial and case-back, we will be able to give you better information about the condition and originality.

Thanks for the link and I will definitely post a pic of the face/dial when I get home. As I originally mentioned I failed to take a pic of it and left home before finding this site.
Sorry about the comparison confusion. My watch has a reference number of 14773 SC 61, one I found online that looked like it had a reference number like 14733 6? SC and had the word "seamaster" whereas mine is blank. I wondered about the " SC" being in a different location within the number itself.

Dan S · Mar 30, 2023

sandman
Thanks for the link and I will definitely post a pic of the face/dial when I get home. As I originally mentioned I failed to take a pic of it and left home before finding this site.
Sorry about the comparison confusion. My watch has a reference number of 14773 SC 61, one I found online that looked like it had a reference number like 14733 6? SC and had the word "seamaster" whereas mine is blank. I wondered about the " SC" being in a different location within the number itself.

Nothing to worry about with the case-back, just a variation, and yours is legit. The digits after the main reference "14733" refer to production batches and the SC is a code for center-second.

Some early Seamasters did not say "Seamaster" on the dial, but yours seems quite late for that. So it's possible that your dial was replaced or repainted. We would need to see good photos of your dial to give an opinion about it.

sandman · Mar 30, 2023

Thanks to all for the info. I will upload dial pic when I get home and look forward to more info
.

lough · Mar 30, 2023

Dan S
I am getting a bit skeptical about this thread. It's easy enough to google information based on the numbers shown in these photos, and I don't see how it would be confusing. Maybe you can provide a bit more context. And if you truly want "as much information" as you can get, maybe you would consider posting photos of the dial.

Sorry for

lough · Mar 30, 2023

lough
Sorry for

Dan S
I am getting a bit skeptical about this thread. It's easy enough to google information based on the numbers shown in these photos, and I don't see how it would be confusing. Maybe you can provide a bit more context. And if you truly want "as much information" as you can get, maybe you would consider posting photos of the dial.

Sorry for not posting a picture of the dial. By confusing, I mean one web site claims the watch is from 1950, another claims it's from 1951, and when I put the reference number into Omega's site it says its a 1949 watch. The picture on Omega site is not the same as what I have [I know now the picture can be different]. I added a photo of the dial. Thanks for your help and understanding.

Dan S · Mar 30, 2023

lough
Sorry for not posting a picture of the dial. By confusing, I mean one web site claims the watch is from 1950, another claims it's from 1951, and when I put the reference number into Omega's site it says its a 1949 watch. The picture on Omega site is not the same as what I have [I know now the picture can be different]. I added a photo of the dial. Thanks for your help and understanding.

I really like your watch and I'm very pleased that you showed a photo of the dial. It's not a common dial, and I find that patina very appealing and honest. There's no way to be exact about the manufacturing date, I'd estimate 1951. The Omega site indicates when production began and the charts just give ranges of years. If you want to know its detailed history, you would need to pay for an Extract from Omega's archives. But unless the watch has great sentimental value, I don't think it would be worth it. I'm not sure why the exact production date really matters very much.

gatorcpa · Mar 30, 2023

Please understand that there is no exact system to date the manufacture of any Swiss watch, that I know of.

The Omega site uses a combination of old catalogs and the introduction date of the particular movement used in that watch. Sometimes they line up, sometimes not. In some cases, the model was made for several years, so the date from charts based on the movement serial number will be later than the date shown by Omega.

If you spend the $200 or so that Omega wants for their Extract of the Archive, they will give you the date that a particular watch was shipped to a local distributor. But even then, a watch may have been in the distributor’s or a retailer’s inventory for years until it is sold.

Watches are not cars. They do not have titles that are registered by the government, so no one really cared about manufacturing dates when they were new.
gatorcpa

PS - Very nice watch! One of my favorite dial styles. Looks to be original, too.

Dan S · Mar 30, 2023

And finally, as you probably know, your watch is 36mm, which is a fantastic size to wear, and larger than most Seamasters made in that era. For that reason, you will sometimes see the reference called "jumbo."

lough · Mar 30, 2023

Dan S
I really like your watch and I'm very pleased that you showed a photo of the dial. It's not a common dial, and I find that patina very appealing and honest. There's no way to be exact about the manufacturing date, I'd estimate 1951. The Omega site indicates when production began and the charts just give ranges of years. If you want to know its detailed history, you would need to pay for an Extract from Omega's archives.

Dan S Thank you. I appreciate your input. As you can probably tell, I am very new to this site and to posting. I will take your advice and pay for Extract from Omega. Thanks again

lough · Mar 30, 2023

Dan S and gatorcpa, Thanks for all the information. I am going to send it to an Omega dealer to clean it up and get a new strap and proudly wear it!

Please help decipher vintage Omega #'s

sandman

X350 XJR

Davidt

gatorcpa

tennjed

Archer

sandman

Dan S

lough

Dan S

sandman

Dan S

sandman

lough

lough

Dan S

gatorcpa

Dan S

lough

lough

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