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Seamaster Railmaster 36.2mm - Brochure or Sales Literature?

AgoMe
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Jakeys 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.

Given the number of pages in the annually released "The Collection" brochure and accompanying Price List ... and 'Why wouldn't they?', isn't it reasonable to suppose that, by year, if a watch appears in them, it is being manufactured and if it does not appear them, it isn't being manufactured?

As in: Commercially, you wouldn't have a watch in production and not include it? Admittedly there might be some cross over ... orders placed at the end of one year possibly being manufactured at the start of the next ... but not much.

Until we can find a reason to believe otherwise, I think that watches are manufactured in the year(s) they appear in "The Collection", possibly plus or minus a short period of time before and after.
 
Jakeys
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Completely agree, but was referring to my earlier assertion that, since we have not seen any serials with a date post 2009, maybe it was discontinued in 2009 or so - that isn't valid. Serials can't be trusted past about 2008.

If you wind up getting a brochure for 2012 and the 36.2mm references are still in there, then I would agree that means that it lasted the full run. Working back from there would be a reliable way to ascertain when it was discontinued. I'm confident we've confirmed it was released in 2007, much later than the larger sizes. And we know the three sizes must have been discontinued no later than 2012 as it was widely reported.
 
AgoMe
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Jakeys Jakeys
Completely agree, but was referring to my earlier assertion that, since we have not seen any serials with a date post 2009, maybe it was discontinued in 2009 or so - that isn't valid. Serials can't be trusted past about 2008.

If you wind up getting a brochure for 2012 and the 36.2mm references are still in there, then I would agree that means that it lasted the full run. Working back from there would be a reliable way to ascertain when it was discontinued. I'm confident we've confirmed it was released in 2007, much later than the larger sizes. And we know the three sizes must have been discontinued no later than 2012 as it was widely reported.

I can tell you that it:
- Did not appear in The Collection 2006
- Did appear in The Collection 2007
- Did appear in The Collection 2008
- Did not appear in The Collection 2009 - 2010
 
Jakeys
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AgoMe AgoMe
I can tell you that it:
- Did not appear in The Collection 2006
- Did appear in The Collection 2007
- Did appear in The Collection 2008
- Did not appear in The Collection 2009 - 2010

You actually reminded me I had a 2010 collection from back then, the only one I own. I went and dug it out and it doesn't seem like any Railmasters were in there, unless I missed them? Which is interesting because I read multiple sources that said they were discontinued in 2012, except the Railmaster XXL was produced a while longer. 2010 has a more generic Aqua Terra with the sub seconds at 6 XXL movement, but a different dial. Not sure what to make of that. Very interesting.
 
watchhinder
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Hi everyone, my 28045237 which I luckily got on ch24 two years ago was sold in the UK in nov 2009 and bears the serial number 84681xxx (I have the papers)
As far as catalogues are concerned, funny to see that the 36mm version is absent from the 2008 edition (which i have) but present in the 2007 edition...Maybe they stopped production during 2008 and distributed it until out of stock...
 
watchhinder
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sorry, not 100% sure about the 2008 catalogue, in fact I cut off the page with the 39, 42 and chronograph so I don't remember exactly but pretty sure there was no 36mm listed. (to be confirmed)
 
watchhinder
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watchhinder watchhinder
sorry, not 100% sure about the 2008 catalogue, in fact I cut off the page with the 39, 42 and chronograph so I don't remember exactly but pretty sure there was no 36mm listed. (to be confirmed)
I apologize, the 25045200 WAS in the 2008 catalogue, not sure about the 28045237...(didn't buy it so far)

Screenshot 2024-09-17 at 14-36-30 OMEGA Uhr KATALOG 2008 OHNE PREISLISTE CATALOGUE SPEEDMASTER...png
 
Jakeys
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https://www.chrono24.com.au/omega/railmaster-36--id36374483.htm

This is the first Railmaster 36mm that has been listed on Chrono24 since the start of the year. The price at ~$9400 AUD plus fees and postage is very high, but it is a very nice example so we'll see if it sells. Usually they sell within 24 hours but this one hasn't, probably because it's a good $1-2k over the usual selling price.

EDIT: Actually, it's reserved already within 24 hours so maybe it will sell at that price. Great for us owners if so!

Relevant to the thread, it's a September 2010 sale and the seller has unknowingly left the serial visible on the hang tag. It is 84,643,872. Earlier than watchhinder's above, yet sold nearly a year later. I really am starting to think the 36 mm was only manufactured from 2007-2008, and any sales dated later were just clearing existing stock.
Edited:
 
watchhinder
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Hello Jakeys, nice to read you....I have spotted this one too. however I have traced this model since the beginning of the year and it is actually the fourth one I've seen on ch24(pics) They usually go after 6-48hours depending on the price. Talking of price , if they are serviced by omega +B&P they definitely lay in the 5k zone(except unaware seller). So you're right maybe this piece was 500USD higher than normal, but i suppose the buyer had some discount.
Agree to your production guess that it may have been produced only 2 years. I back this allegation with the serial n°: i have checked many of them on the net and it seems there were only two serials : 816/817 series (2007) and 846 series (2008)...but I have no proof of that.

Screenshot 2024-03-29 at 16-53-00 Omega Seamaster Co-axial Automatic Railmaster Box Card 2504....png Screenshot 2024-04-20 at 16-17-55 Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Railmaster à vendre pour 5 772 € ...png Screenshot 2024-01-16 at 16-27-01 Omega Railmaster à vendre pour 5 858 € par un Vendeur partic...png
 
Jakeys
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Thanks for the info. You're right, I thought the ones I had seen were all Jan-Feb but the second two were April, which I guess is technically not "the start of the year" since it's Q2 so fair point. I agree, this is the fourth on Chrono24. Quite a few more have appeared on watch forums and Reddit, though still a small enough number they can be individually tracked.

I agree with your assessment, the average list price has been around $5000 USD this year, and they sell pretty easily listed at that price. Can't track buyer discounts of course, I assume token discounts of $500ish are occurring a lot and baked into the list prices. I still think this one is listed far higher than usual, $6450 USD is a $1450 premium over the high end of the market, and a factory service costs $700 USD - and you wouldn't expect to get all of that back second hand a year later. Still, it did reserve in about 24 hrs so if it sells - good for us. 😁
 
watchhinder
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Thanks for your reply. Nice to see this watch has become a desirable piece. Funny to think that only 10 years after discontinuation do people realise the value of things
Edit: I had barely posted about serials that I found a 8098xx series sold in nov 2008 haha but that one might be a one-off

Screenshot 2024-09-25 at 09-58-46 2006 Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Railmaster ref. 2804.52.37 T...png
 
Jakeys
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I always liked the Railmaster, but admittedly back in the day at the height of the big watch trend, I would never have gone for the 36 mm. It was completely out of fashion. Clearly most people felt the same way, it was the wrong watch for the time. With the recent trend back to classic sizing, the return to 36 sizing of the competing Explorer, and the rise of "GADA" watches, it's no surprise this reference is becoming sought after. Plus I think the exclusivity gives it a bump too. A 36 mm Explorer while the standard setter is so much easier to get, and for about the same money too if you're happy to get one from the same time period. Obviously the current gen Explorer 36 is technically superior and pricier.

I'm fairly confident given the removal from the brochure and the mixture of serial numbers to years sold in the following years that it is likely it only ran from 2007-2008. Beyond that, because the model clearly sold quite poorly at the time and many examples sat around for years, I don't think we can infer anything trying to map serials and sale dates. Who knows how long any individual reference sat on any given shop floor. We can't even date them with the movement revision, since the 36 mm was introduced after the 2403B.

EDIT: Additionally, there is evidence on other watch forums that the entire Railmaster line had been discontinued at some point prior to mid 2011. I think the articles claiming a 2012 discontinuation are probably just the same mistaken source at some point being repeated as fact.
Edited:
 
watchhinder
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Interesting view...I am a good example of that since I bought my first railmaster in Dec 2008 brand new for 2300€ at my AD and it was a....39!!!😉 as you said I vaguely remember a 36,2mm version was available, but I almost ignored/discarded it ...(what a fool ;-)) The thing is I kept it for 7 years even it was a bit clumsy on my 16cm wrist....(the 39 's do wear quite big) before pulling the trigger for a 36...and it's so much more comfortable.... (picture of my 36, I love it) By the way all RM I've had were fitted with the 2403B....Final word on production: to be listed in the 2007 catalogue I guess they started production in the course of 2006 (809xxx series) what do you think?
DSCF6082.JPG
 
Jakeys
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Another one has come up for an absolutely outrageous price at 12,900 Euros. Clearly someone saw that last one list for ~$6500 USD and sell quickly, so decided to try a moonshot. It's also technically not a 2504.52 as it didn't have a bracelet originally, or a particularly great example. Also, they've not properly hidden the serial so we can see it is an 81,965,775 with a 15/01/10 sale date.

1727834545730.png
 
watchhinder
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Seen it!!! crazy!! and the watch is quite scratched 🙁....Anyway I don't think anyone will buy it at this price...it's not a 5512!! 😀
Sometimes I think of selling mine (because I do like the explorer a lot ) but it will definitely be between 4,8k and 5,5k euros
(it's a leather one, B&P, and it's Omega-Paris serviced in dec 23)
 
watchhinder
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AgoMe 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.
Hi Agome, any chance to check the price of a 25045200 or 28045237 for us in 2007? thanks a lot. I bought a 39mm in 2008 for 2300€....
 
Jakeys
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watchhinder watchhinder
Hi Agome, any chance to check the price of a 25045200 or 28045237 for us in 2007? thanks a lot. I bought a 39mm in 2008 for 2300€....
I don't think think they have prices, if it's the same style as the ones I've got. Does that price include a percentage of taxes watchhinder? And was it RRP or discounted? I can perhaps ballpark the RRP of mine in AUD with that.
 
watchhinder
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Hi Jakeys, well he has the price list too apparently.... My 39,2mm was catalogue RRP and VAT included. I didn't even ask for a discount as far as I can remember...😉
 
watchhinder
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another thing, in my 2005 catalogue both 39 and 41mm were at 2150€ so we could assume there was a 50€ increase every year.
 
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