Hi guys

I have been looking to purchase a vintage omega over the past few months. I spotted an old advert for a late 60s Jumbo/Oversized/36.5mm Seamaster Day-Date with a fluted bezel. I have totally fallen for it.

I have seen plenty of the 36.5mm late 60s/early 70s Seamasters come up for sale over the last few months with smooth bezels, in a variety of materials and dials. They are very nice. But I can’t unsee the one pictured below and I REALLY want one with a fluted bezel.

Are they rare? Am I likely to find one here in the U.K.? The advert references 166.5032 - is this unique to the fluted bezel? Or has the bezel been changed? I read somewhere that they came on the 9ct solid gold cases, but I haven’t been able to find much information.

Thanks in advance for your help. Hopefully joining the club sooner rather than later!




Link: https://www.vintagegoldwatches.com/product/omega-seamaster-big-18ct-1967/

 

These have been discussed once or twice before and I seem to recall that they are UK only model. The hallmarks in the caseback supports that.

 

hi!

https://www.chrono24.com.gr/omega/9ct-gold-jumbo-seamaster-day-date-ref-1665032--id14248742.htm

 

Thanks. I’ve seen this one advertised. But the Bezel doesn’t appear to be fluted?

 

Yes no flutted missread that part

 

OK handy that they are U.K. models. Are they particularly rare? Could I be waiting for something that is unlikely to become available?

 

I would definitely advise that you will need a lot of patience, yes.

They are very uncommon which I am not sure translates into being very expensive, though.

 

As noted by our esteemed member CEP above, That case was made by DS&S who are Shackman and Son of London, it is not a Swiss case hence the rarity, the clue is the OWC mark, even though this stands for Omega Watch Company, it actually denotes that the watch was made elsewhere. Another give away for a Shackman case is the leading 5 on the model number ie XXX.5XXX. For something similar, search on 198.5001 which was a UK Shackman made gold hummer. As you say this model, which is based on the 166.032 was usually seen in ~36.5mm so this one is large for the era but not for the model family. I have a sparkle dial .032 in steel I which love. There is also a chronometer rated version too 168.023 I think it was.

A lot of Omega's precious metal output in certain countries was manufactured locally due to the then pertaining tax regime. Shackman and Dennison cased gold Omegas do crop up regularly in the UK market but that model is pretty rare, well the bezel certainly, I haven't seen it before. Rare doesn't aways equal valuable of course. There is snobbery in some quarters regarding non Swiss cases and there is a possibility the bezel has been added.

 

Just come across Altaynator’s post which I read with interest. I may be able to help a little re his enquiry.

I have a 9Ct gold Seamaster Day/Date which, I believe, dates from 1970 (from the Serial). Serial is 28033280, Case Reference 1665032. I believe that the fourth digit (5) indicates the case-maker, Shackman. It is exactly as illustrated in Altaynator’s image with the fluted (milled/coin-edge?) gold bezel and plain case back.

I believe from my fairly superficial research that the case was made by D Shackman and Son of 4 Golden Square, London W1 and Chiltern Works, Waterside Way, Chesham, Bucks. I understand that “after a fifty year relationship with Omega U.K., Denison was replaced as Omega’s principal precious metals case maker by David Shackman & Sons of Chesham in 1968. Shackman continued to produce cases for Omega until the ‘80s.”.... “Based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, Shackman was an independent case making concern that supplied its products to most of the major Swiss houses for use on their watches that were to be sold in the UK. Experienced collectors will have encountered Shackman cases on Omega, Jaeger Le Coultre and more commonly, Rolex models from this era. Gold Swiss watches sold in Europe tended to have Swiss made cases, but those supplied to the British market were invariably equipped with UK made housings. This state of affairs came about after the ban on the import of precious metal into the UK imposed by the British government in December 1916. Needing to service their most lucrative market, the Swiss houses skirted the obstacle by shipping only uncased movements to their UK agents and having these housed in British made cases upon arrival, these of course not being subject to any restriction. Long after the ban was lifted, this same arrangement continued, basically because it was so convenient for all involved. Ironically given that they were first used as a temporary stopgap in a crisis, the quality of British made cases proved to be so high that they now typically command a slight price premium over their Swiss equivalents.”

The watch is currently away for a (very expensive!) routine full service and I hope to receive it back in the next couple of weeks when I can post a picture if that is of any interest. I agree that this is the best-looking Seamaster, but this may be a bit of personal prejudice on my part, and I look forward to having it back again. I have never seen another identical and I believe that they are now quite unusual, but there was one advertised for sale on the internet some years ago. I came across mine at my very good watchmaker in Devon some years ago.

 

Great post, Baker - looking forward to seeing the piece

I have some concerns about the above quote you found, as I have yet to see anything to support that notion (at least with vintage Omegas). First off, it seems to me that the majority of the English cased gold watches are 9ct whereas the Swiss equivalents are 14ct or 18ct making a comparison difficult. The gold value of these vintage Omegas will comprise a large amount of the value, thus the base value of two otherwise similar watches will be higher in the case of the higher carat watch. Secondly, the perceived increase in value due to rarity or higher demand would only materialise locally in the UK, at best. I certainly haven't heard many outside of England perceive the non-swiss cases as anything but curiosities and potentially less valuable.

 

Yep, I too query the part about the premium for Dennison or Shackman cases. As noted above most are 9K, this alloy isn't often seen in Swiss cases (in the ROW 10K is often considered the lowest that passes for gold) so intrinsically they are worth less. There are 18K English cases too and these are very nice but I wouldn't expect a Brit case to be worth more on a like for like basis, the opposite in fact. Where it becomes less clear is that there are case designs used in the English market which have no Swiss analogue.

 

Watch now returned from full service and running well (as always). I attach a picture as you asked!

 

So after a 14 month journey I have finally got my hands on one of these beauties!

I have gone full circle…..

After spending a few months researching I opted (sensibly) to enter Omega ownership with a Speedy Pro. Which was perfect - more than a nod to the original, yet brand new (and available).

I had been keeping an eye out for one of these fluted bezelled Seamasters and came up trumps last week. I took a gamble on an eBay auction and to my surprise the watch seems in a much better condition than the grainy ad pictures suggested - with receipts for a service 2 months ago at an Omega specialist.

A very happy ending with both a dress and sports watch to enjoy.

 

Your post is missing something very substantial. Something everybody here likes a lot!

 

Umm, a picture?

 

.

 

Bingo - nice!

 

Congrats!

...Isn't it the same watch as @BAKERP's above?

 

Can't be, his had a 20 in the date window

 

yeah, I need a new watch...