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Please Help- My 1st Vintage Omega Watch- 60s De Ville

NeedOmega
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I would like to humbly ask for your help in determining whether this watch is authentic and its quality. I fell in love with the seamaster de ville when I first saw it.

These photos are my own captures (I never knew how difficult it is to photograph a watch. Some members here get gorgeous pictures of their watches- I, however, do not seem capable to do so)

1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg 4.jpg



These photos below are form the seller.
7.jpg
Edited:
 
JwRosenthal
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Lovely watch. It’s in great shape and you got a great watch. If it hasn’t been serviced in the last 5-10 years, wear it sparingly until you can get it to a watchmaker for a clean and lube.
And your photos are better than many long time members 👍
 
amcclell
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Very clean - nice choice for your first vintage Omega. You can't go wrong with a 500 series movement. This was the golden age of the Swiss watch industry.
 
JwRosenthal
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amcclell amcclell
Very clean - nice choice for your first vintage Omega. You can't go wrong with a 500 series movement. This was the golden age of the Swiss watch industry.
That’s not what the current Swiss watch industry would have us think 😉
 
NeedOmega
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Thank you all so much for validating my purchase!! I cannot express the joy I felt reading your comments and I am just much happier now with my purchase 😀 I was having some of that first time buyer remorse and questioning myself and all my life choices prior to my posting haha..

Extra questions I had were:

1. Should I have my watch opened to check the movement? Should I trust the seller's picture they posted of it?
2. Marks on my watch- on the hour hand- has a black mark in the middle- should I be concerned? Should I take it in right away?
 
JwRosenthal
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The black mark on the hand is slight moisture damage of the lume (lume is like a sponge), and any moisture can change it from golden yellow to moldy green/black. This is common and yours is not bad. As long as the watch has a fresh crown seal (and the whole crown needs to be replaced with a new factory correct crown) it should stay moisture tight (don’t go swimming with it, but even a humid summer sweaty day can get moisture into a watch if the seals are bad). As for wearing it, even though it may run, if it hasn’t been serviced in the last decade the oils inside are dry as a bone and all the parts are running dry- so the more you wear it, the more potential damage that can happen.
Let us know where you are in the world and someone can reccomended an independent watchmaker that can take care of this.
 
Dan S
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A tiny spot of mold is not something to worry about in a 50+ year-old watch. Get it serviced and enjoy it.

Now it's time to add an avatar and join the community. 😀
 
Candle00
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Congrats! My first vintage purchase was a Seamaster de Ville as well. Wear it in good health.
 
malilis
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Hi ! This is exactly the model I got long time ago ... also my very first real watch .. not vintage though, I bought it brand new in an AD shop ! I wish the watch was still in my possession !
Congratulations !
 
timecube
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NeedOmega NeedOmega
These photos are my own captures (I never knew how difficult it is to photograph a watch. Some members here get gorgeous pictures of their watches- I, however, do not seem capable to do so)
Disagree.
These pictures are fine!
You'll get better with practice, and even if you don't- they're still a cut above the usual "first watch pics". Nice watch, too! 👍
 
NeedOmega
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
As for wearing it, even though it may run, if it hasn’t been serviced in the last decade the oils inside are dry as a bone and all the parts are running dry- so the more you wear it, the more potential damage that can happen.
Let us know where you are in the world and someone can recommend an independent watchmaker that can take care of this.

The seller simply said "watch was timed". I am not sure what that entails. You all are a lifesaver. I would be so lost without all of the members here expertise. What care should I take in setting time/date with the watch currently as far as preserving my watch?
Edited:
 
NeedOmega
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Dan S Dan S
Now it's time to add an avatar and join the community. 😀

Done the avatar for now. Although I am sure my avatar would change more often than recommended. I like combining my new found love (watches) with my life long love (women) and I have a lot of favorites haha..
 
JwRosenthal
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Many of us here also love watches, and women- for whom we also buy watches, and sometimes they buy watches for us. And many member who are women, who buy watches for themselves, and men in their lives. And many men, who buy watches for other men for whom they are married....lots of love all around 😉
 
JwRosenthal
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Make a new post in the general watch forum asking for watchmaker recommendations and specify where you are. It will get more eyes and hopefully a good resource. Shipping to a watchmaker also works if none are in your area. Seller saying it was “timed” means they adjusted the regulator, they didn’t service it- which is fine for a seller to do but it’s not “serviced”, so you would want to get it to a watchmaker so you have a baseline of service (like getting a used car from a private party with no service doc’s).

As for daily routine, i hand wind my auto watches about 15 turns, then set the date/time.
It’s good practice to always set going forward and not wind it back, but to set date you have what they call as 9/12 quickset, which mean you wind it forward and the date flips when you hit 12, then wind it back to about 8:30, and again past 12 and it will flip again- you do this until you get to the correct date, then set accordingly moving it forward. If you pass the date, you have to go all the way around again. If the crown feels grinding or overly firm at all (as if you really have to torque in it), don’t- that means it needs a service.
 
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