Seamaster 300 ref. 2913-5 from 1958

w154

Cases generally stand up to a lot of environmental abuse as they’re stainless steel. They certainly do much better than everything else. I’ve got a fair few finds like this. As @Duracuir1 mentioned, you’ve already made a personal connection to the watch by the circumstances with which you bought it. This makes it a very appealing proposition to own, but it’s easy to have rose tinted glasses when thinking about how others see it. If you want to keep it, then for purchase price plus €500 you’ll have a very cool watch (and permanent reminder of that day).

MtV

Well, if you want to keep the dial etc as-is, the only real difficulty I see is the bezel insert, for which, realistically, you’ll need a repro part. It’ll never be in a “collector-grade” condition anyway, so why not (and I dislike the term, but I hope everyone knows how it’s meant).
For the movement: 501s were produced in millions, one of the (if not the) easiest 50s Omega movement to come by. Buy a good example, shouldn’t set you back more than 200$. Have a watchmaker who’s into vintage watches replace it and, importantly, keep the serial of your watch. There might be some smaller issues to take care of, rust at the stem / hands etc but that shouldn’t be an insurmountable object.
Would love to see the final result. 😀

padders

The first Omega Seamaster was designed in 1948 and was a different smaller fat lug model to that which you own. Genta had nothing to do with that AFAIK (he started watch design work in 1950) so it is wrong to assume he had anything to do with the SM300 based on that sentence alone. He did have a hand in the Dog leg, C case and perhaps tonneau lug Connies as far as I am aware but not the 1957 Trilogy watches (one of which was the SM300) AFAIK. He did design the much later Seamaster Polaris, but that is a 1980s thing.

w154

Out of interest… how many Parisians have messaged you asking for the name of the antique store 😁

gatorcpa

Here is some advertising from a 1959 Omega brochure:

http://www.old-omegas.com/3high.html

Great find.
gatorcpa

Mark020

Dreamcatch...

JimJupiter

Interesting find and I like the idea to restore it just technical wise. I just wanted to add, that the watch at least have seen one service in the past. The crown is one from end of 60s (round Omega logo vs. Naiad Flat Feet or Mercedes crown).

Nico

Davidt

If you’re keeping the dial and bezel as is, it simply needs a through clean and what I expect will be a costly movement service. I guess the dial may also need some stabilisation to prevent further deterioration or debris contaminating the movement.

I’d assume Omega won’t service this as they’ll insist on a new dial. Best to try and find an independent watchmaker with an Omega parts account and let them advise you as to the best course of action.

I’d assume it could be rescued for under €800 dependant on parts.

Mark020

It does. Litterally 😲😁