Real or Fake Help Identify

[Octave]

I'm planning on purchasing this omega seamaster and Im not sure if its real or maybe frankensteined up together I would appreciate any feedback on it.

 

[STANDY]

That’s not the right caseback for that watch

Walk away slowly don’t make eye contact …….

I will leave the next couple of posters to each share another issue each 😉

 

[Octave]

STANDY

That’s not the right caseback for that watch

is the movement and dial legit? I'm new to vintage watches and really liked the patina on this one but wanted to get experts opinions on whether it was at least somewhat legit. I was looking at them online (eBay) and none of them had the 6 o'clock mark and this one does which makes me kinda skeptical if I should buy it.

 

[efauser]

I believe you should infer from @STANDY's post, not to buy. Consider yourself warned.

 

[Bruce235]

I'm not so sure if any of that is from Omega. Maybe the dial before repainting.

 

[X350 XJR]

It’s a better fake than most but still completely fake.

 

[Franco]

Genuine fake

 

[filfb22]

Movement definitely not Omega.

I'm curious about it anyways, does anyone recognise it?

 

[Foo2rama]

Persues 320 movement... lots of work in that fake.

 

[Fulton8or]

Foo2rama

Persues 320 movement... lots of work in that fake.

Actually Peseux 320 and yes, lots of work trying to make it look like an Omega who had no handwound caliber 320.

 

[filfb22]

Fulton8or

Actually Peseux 320 and yes, lots of work trying to make it look like an Omega who had no handwound caliber 320.

Nevertheless it seems like a "period-fake" which is interesting in its own way...

 

[Bruce235]

I suppose that pre-internet a fake would be must easier to pass off. Logo outside, logo inside and done.

 

[Syrte]

Even —for the sake of the argument — if the case and movement were real I would not buy it:
-Case obviously plated and
-dial repainted and in bad condition.
This is not patina, this is damage.

 

[SOG53]

Good on OP for asking first. Welcome to OF and feel free to show future potential purchases!!

 

[redpcar]

I don't think we will see the OP again 🤔

 

[theycallmeSerg]

Interesting effort to create such a fake, worth it? How much would the faker earn from all of this?

 

[JimInOz]

theycallmeSerg

Interesting effort to create such a fake, worth it? How much would the faker earn from all of this?

They were pumped out in their many (probably hundreds of) thousands in the 1950s/1960s.
Take a hundred "average" but still reasonable quality low tier Swiss watches at bulk pricing.
Spend a few dollars (Francs) on a redial and a movement engraving (some were just rubber stamped) and you have a hundred "Omegas" to flog off.

Colloquially known as "highway gold" in Europe as they were often flogged at petrol stations by people who claimed they were out of money and only had their Omega watch to sell to pay for petrol so they could get home to their dying mother (and other sob stories).
The sympathetic buyer would see a chance at an Omega and the seller would depart quickly (drive around the block) and wait for the buyer to leave.

Rinse and repeat.

There was no internet in those days so knowledge we have access to now was non-existant.

 

[theycallmeSerg]

I imagined the re-dialing process not being that cost-effective, but I guess it depends on the machinery they could use and how many they were prepared to fake and hand out. Thanks for the story though, I didn't know about the "highway gold" thing 😲

 

[Davidt]

theycallmeSerg

I imagined the re-dialing process not being that cost-effective, but I guess it depends on the machinery they could use and how many they were prepared to fake and hand out. Thanks for the story though, I didn't know about the "highway gold" thing 😲

Still happens. I was approached by some men with a young boy in tow a while ago in the UK selling some sob story about needing to buy their child lunch and his bus fare home and trying to sell me a ‘gold’ ring, which they ‘proved’ was solid gold and not plated by scratching it along the wall.

 

[X350 XJR]

theycallmeSerg

I imagined the re-dialing process not being that cost-effective, but I guess it depends on the machinery they could use and how many they were prepared to fake and hand out. Thanks for the story though, I didn't know about the "highway gold" thing 😲

They weren't re-dialed, they were made as "Omegas" from the start, completely fake.