Seamaster Railmaster 36.2mm - Brochure or Sales Literature?

[AgoMe]

Just gotten myself one of these. Manufactured 2009.

Left field, I know, but ... has anyone seen OMEGA sales literature for it?

Have read 'around 2003' as a release date but apparently it does not appear in a version of the 2003 brochure listed on eBay.

Edited: Jul 13, 2024

 

[padders]

Which Railmaster? Can you post a pic or give the reference, there have been several. If you mean the 2403 movement Aqua Terra based one I don’t think it was seen before 2005.

Edited: Jul 13, 2024

 

[AgoMe]

Padders,

It started life as 2804.52.37 but subsequently had the correct 1575/899 bracelet fitted to make it 2504.52.00.

Thanks

 

[padders]

AgoMe

Padders,

It started life as 2804.52.37 but subsequently had the correct 1575/899 bracelet fitted to make it 2504.52.00.

Thanks

Ok yes that’s the one I thought it was. My 39mm was from 2005, as I say I don’t think they were seen much earlier.

 

[AgoMe]

That’s interesting.

And I’ll try 2004 and 2005.

2802.52.37, the 41mm version, appears in a 2003 catalogue.

I suppose, too many watches to record the info, but how long a watch was in production would be quite interesting to know.

 

[Jakeys]

AgoMe

Have read 'around 2003' as a release date but apparently it does not appear in a version of the 2003 brochure listed on eBay.

The second generation Railmaster was likely announced at 2003 Baselworld as part of the overall launch of the Aqua Terra line. However, it initially released in 39.2mm and 41mm references, on bracelet (x.52.00), black alligator (x.52.31) or brown alligator (x.52.37). The 36.2mm references appear at some point years later in the run. I don't know what year but definitely 2007 or earlier since my 2504.52 is a 2007 serial. Also, by the time of the 36mm release Omega had dropped the black alligator option so there is no 2804.52.31. I believe all three automatic sizes were discontinued in 2012, but the Railmaster XXL 49.2mm continued for a while longer.

Additionally, there has never been a report of a 36mm with a 2403(A) movement, they all seem to have 2403Bs which would further corroborate the later release. My 2403.52 is a 2007 serial and has the B movement, for example. I think the B revision appears around 2005 at the latest.

So I would say the 36.2 mm Railmaster probably released around 2005-2007? But if you figure it out, please share. 😀

Finally just for fun, there were at least 19 different variants of the second generation Railmaster. Ghost of Gerald Genta has a good article where he lists most of them, but he misses all of the chronograph models, and several strap variants and XXL models. The most interesting IMO is the 39mm yellow gold variant, ref 2103.52.00. You can find it on Omega's website but there are almost no photos of it in the wild so it must be exceptionally rare.

Edited: Jul 13, 2024

 

[AgoMe]

All interesting stuff, Jakeys.

And I can relate to some of what Ghost of Gerald Genta has to say in his article. For instance, just ordered a bracelet half-link from OMEGA.

However I do think it could be 'small / poor mans' trilogy. 😀

Regards serial numbers: In the 'In the Wild' table there's one watch from from Japan and one from California. Both have serial numbers close to mine. The California watch especially so. The Warranty Card for my watch is dated April 2009 and was issued in Japan. Confirmed by OMEGA.

Re production start and end dates, and sales literature, will keep digging.

Have had a thought about production dates and if (if) it provides an answer, I'll update here.

As for the gold one: It looks really good. The 'tool watch' dial working so well with the gold.

 

[Jakeys]

AgoMe

For instance, just ordered a bracelet half-link from OMEGA.

Me too last week, actually. I already have all of the links including the half link, but the closest fit is just barely too tight sometimes when my wrist swells in hotter weather. Two half links is slightly bigger than one whole link, so I'll be swapping a whole out and adding two halves to really dial in the fit. Micro adjust would be nice... actually, I don't love the mechanics of the clasp generally, but I don't hate it either. It does look good.

AgoMe

Regards serial numbers: In the 'In the Wild' table there's one watch from from Japan and one from California. Both have serial numbers close to mine. The California watch especially so. The Warranty Card for my watch is dated April 2009 and was issued in Japan. Confirmed by OMEGA.

Check your serial here or here, I have noticed on both my Omegas a year disparity between manufacture date and sale date. The Railmaster didn't sell well when it was in production (Insane...) so it is quite possible yours was made earlier than 2009 and sat on a shelf for a while. My 2504.52 was sold in Japan from Teikokudo on 02/07/2009, however it has a serial 81,699,xxx. Two other watches matching that pattern on Ghost's webpage appear, and one has a sale date of "2007.1.4" - the serial decoder lists my watch as having been manufactured in 2007 as well.

Don't really have enough data to conclude still, but so far haven't seen any evidence of any 36.2mm references prior to 2007.

 

[AgoMe]

I'm hoping that replacing one full-link with a half-link and off-centering the clasp will give the fit I want.

Just now, it's OK when it's hot / end of day but is otherwise prone to sliding over my wrist bone. Had a week so still getting used to it.

My Serial Number is also 81,699,XXX, manufactured in 2007, and has a sold date and place of 04.04.09, Matsumoto.

Does it make sense that, at the time, these might have been more successful in Japan than elsewhere?

Going to have a look and see if I have any luck with circa 2007 literature.

 

[AgoMe]

As far as I can tell the 36.2mm version appeared in just the "2007 Collection" brochure and price list.

I have copies of both.

Thanks all for your input ... especially with regard to the phased introduction of the various Railmaster iterations.

Wouldn't have got a result without it.

 

[Jakeys]

AgoMe

As far as I can tell the 36.2mm version appeared in just the "2007 Collection" brochure and price list.

I have copies of both.

Thanks all for your input ... especially with regard to the phased introduction of the various Railmaster iterations.

Wouldn't have got a result without it.

Nice work! So, reasonable to conclude it was definitely introduced in 2007? That does track with the surprisingly high number of known Railmaster 36.2mms with a 2007 manufacture date. Any chance you could post a scan of the relevant Railmaster brochure pages? I'd be keen to see that.

In fact, all of the serials on Ghost of Gerald Genta's admittedly fairly small registry of 13 serials were manufactured in either 2007 or 2008. I wonder if the 36.2mm size was discontinued in 2008 or 2009, rather than 2012 when the larger sizes were discontinued?

EDIT: Disregard the second paragraph above. As mentioned in a later comment, the serial decoder isn't accurate after 2008 as Omega changed their numbering scheme.

Edited: Aug 12, 2024

 

[AgoMe]

Jakeys

Nice work! So, reasonable to conclude it was definitely introduced in 2007? That does track with the surprisingly high number of known Railmaster 36.2mms with a 2007 manufacture date. Any chance you could post a scan of the relevant Railmaster brochure pages? I'd be keen to see that.

In fact, all of the serials on Ghost of Gerald Genta's admittedly fairly small registry of 13 serials were manufactured in either 2007 or 2008. I wonder if the 36.2mm size was discontinued in 2008 or 2009, rather than 2012 when the larger sizes were discontinued?

 

[AgoMe]

See the pictures below.

I bought the copy of the brochure they are taken from for £6.50 including postage off eBay. I've since bought a better condition version, including the price list, for £12.70 including postage.

If you want this 'tatty cover' copy and you are in the UK, I could list it on eBay for £1.00 + snail-mail postage and make sure you get it.

 

[Jakeys]

Thanks for the offer! If I were in the UK I would take you up on that, but I'm in Australia, and postage here probably makes that not worth the cost. Reckon you should sell it on to recoup some of your costs. Much appreciated though.

 

[AgoMe]

Ha! Agreed. Not worth doing.

Is buying watches out of Japan more commonplace in Australia than it seems to be in the UK?

 

[Jakeys]

AgoMe

Is buying watches out of Japan more commonplace in Australia than it seems to be in the UK?

I don't know if it's more commonplace, but I have noticed on Chrono24 any reference I look at generally has a lot of cheap Japanese listings with the same sterile white backdrops and bright lighting. Shipping also seems cheap or free, so I imagine there are some sales but not for any particular reason other than that's what's cheaply available.

I bought my Railmaster from a local dealer but the paperwork is Japanese so that is where it originated. I would hypothesise, at least for the 36 mm, that size was more popular in Japan due to either smaller wrists on average, less of a trend towards larger watches in that country, or a combination of both. To put it into context, big watches were very much on trend in countries like the US while the Railmaster was in production. Panerai as an example with their 44-47 mm cases were reaching their zenith 10-15 years ago. The 36 mm never had a chance, I'd bet money that it sold really poorly partly due to its size, and that coupled with the late introduction is why it is so rare now.

Fortunately for us as owners, the pendulum has swung back. Classic sizing like the 36 mm is back, and demand is up. Not that I want to sell, I absolutely don't, but it's always nice to see your watch appreciated. Even Rolex reverted to 36 mm on the current model Explorer in I think 2021, after upsizing it from 36 mm to 39 mm in 2010 - likely responding to market demand at that time for bigger watches.

 

[AgoMe]

I've no interest in big watches. Especially big, bulky watches.

Agree about the Japanese popularity and reason for it.

The 'Paul Newman' Rolex Daytona is 36mm. In a way, enough said.

Having the strap adjusted by swapping in a half-link has given a really good fit and the watch has barely been off my wrist since.

And when I went into the AD to have it done, the guy doing so trotted off with it to show colleagues. Called it "beautiful".

Have raised the How Many? and When? questions with the AD who said they might be able to help. Don't hold your breath but let's see.

If they can't, I still have another thought.

 

[Jakeys]

AgoMe

Having the strap adjusted by swapping in a half-link has given a really good fit and the watch has barely been off my wrist since.

My second half link to customise the fit beyond the included one was on order, I actually got the email from the boutique that it arrived today so should have it early next week. I'm right between a half and a full link in terms of where I want the fit to be. Fortunately, the full links are 8 mm, the half links are 5 mm. So replacing one full link with two half links yields a 2 mm increase over just adding one link. The half link part number was 115ST1575 and it cost $70 AUD including some free pins, not bad by Omega's standards.

AgoMe

Have raised the How Many? and When? questions with the AD who said they might be able to help. Don't hold your breath but let's see.

Production numbers would be fascinating but seems like a pipe dream. It wouldn't be in Omega's interest to reveal how many of any reference they sell. I'm content knowing the 36.2 mm's years of production and general rarity compared to the other models.

 

[AgoMe]

I paid £41.00 which I think that makes your price comparatively less. And perhaps not so surprising given whats been happening with inflation over here.

As for OMEGA releasing production numbers I agree that it's unlikely. However I can't see how giving historic production start and end dates would be a problem for watches more than, say, ten years old. Especially as they seem so keen to involve themselves in the legacy / vintage market.

And I once found an old / aged document online that looked as though it came from OMEGA which gave quantities of the movements manufactured so ...

 

[Jakeys]

Just found out that the serial decoder for Seamasters stops being accurate after 2008-2009, as Omega changed their serial numbering scheme. So we can't reliably deduce when the 36.2mm Railmasters were manufactured based on serial for the latter half of the run. So where I mentioned before it was odd there are no serials post 2009 on Ghost's website, that must be why. Perhaps need to reassume that the 36.2 mm may have run until 2012.