Should I buy it? 1960s Seamaster *Newbie*

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srdenny

·May 17, 2017

Hi Guys

New on the forum, and whilst been looking at a number of vintage SM and SMDV for a while, I'm still not sure about the small details, which I would really appreciate your expertise on. I really like that simple classic lines of the mid-60s SM or SMDV. Would consider a Geneve but prefer the others. I've also seen auto DeVille Prestiges I like but these are much newer with different calibers - are they as collectable/useable? Either way it must be steel/silver and ideally with narrow hands and markers. This is going to be my first Omega purchase - I've promised myself one when I got a promotion 😀

So thoughts on the below please. Asking price is approx. £800. Apparently original.

Thanks
Scott

 

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Davidt

·May 17, 2017

Dial appears to be original and reasonable, the case isn't over polished but does have its share of scratches.

Has it been serviced? If not I'd say £800 is almost double the value.

 

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jurisevac@

·May 17, 2017

For that money you can have IWC Cal.89 and good dinner.

 

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lillatroll

·May 17, 2017

As said, a lot of money for this watch. Plenty of options available at that kind of money. 400 would be ok but any more than that would have me looking for something else.

 

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srdenny

·May 17, 2017

Its a 565 and has just been serviced. I really like the Omega style and quality so wouldn't probably look for another brand, but possibly another type of Omega... The £400 price you mention seems to only get you a very well worn or lower quality re-dialled watch for this money, so I'm not sure where these good quality ones for this lower figure can be found? Others I have seen which are very good originals are easily north of £1000, so is the £800 not reasonable for what it is?

 

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Davidt

·May 17, 2017

You can categorically get watches of equal and better quality/condition for £400, although this requires a few weeks of patience and looking. If you're looking to buy one today or tomorrow you'll likely have to pay a premium.

 

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Canuck

·May 17, 2017

Funny how a person's perspective on value depends on whether they are buying or selling, isn't it? I've never sold anything in an on line auction. But if I were to, and if I knew what I was selling to be desirable, I would have two choices. List it high and wait a while for a buyer that agrees with my price. Or list it low, sell it that day, then wonder if I might have got a better price if I had been patient. I know which option I would choose. You say the asking price is £800. Why not make an offer and see what happens. Watch looks okay to me, but it's not my money.

 

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jurisevac@

·May 17, 2017

Are you seller for this watch,£400 is maximum amount for this watch,

end to prove that here is my for this amount of money.

 

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RedPhil

·May 17, 2017

Hi just learning myself, does the movement look marked on the right-hand side around the crown, may this be due to water ingress or rubbing.

 

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srdenny

·May 17, 2017

Davidt

You can categorically get watches of equal and better quality/condition for £400, although this requires a few weeks of patience and looking. If you're looking to buy one today or tomorrow you'll likely have to pay a premium.

Lol. I've been looking a lot for months on ebay and chrono24. Perhaps these aren't the places to be looking though?

 

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srdenny

·May 17, 2017

jurisevac@

Are you seller for this watch

Not sure what you mean here? Personally I don't like the specific watch you have there as the older 50s style hands don't match with the slightly newer face. And I'm also not keen on the gold batons. All personal opinion I suppose. If I can find something that looks like the above (i.e. very sleek) for less than £800 in as good condition then I would buy that, I just don't know where to look?

 

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Davidt

·May 17, 2017

Are you in the UK? You can find good watches every few weeks in UK eBay auctions, less so buy it now (still decent watches BIN but you tend to pay slightly more).

A key factor is learning to distinguish between scratched crystals & bad photos and good photos of crap watches.

 

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Heston69

·May 18, 2017

S srdenny

Not sure what you mean here? Personally I don't like the specific watch you have there as the older 50s style hands don't match with the slightly newer face. And I'm also not keen on the gold batons. All personal opinion I suppose. If I can find something that looks like the above (i.e. very sleek) for less than £800 in as good condition then I would buy that, I just don't know where to look?

Hi Scott,

I was having the same problems as yourself, but not as fixated on slim hands and stainless steel as you 😀 Had been stalking auctions on ebay and checking chrono24 every so often. Even got in touch with some of the sellers on ebay and chrono24 but was not confident on pulling the trigger. As others have said, if you want that particular watch now, you will probably end up paying a premium. I know bargains crop up all the time on ebay, but from well-informed sellers not so much and don't forget you will be paying their selling fees (in a way), or they will be looking to recoup some of the fees on top of the watches 'value'. I have no problem with this per-se, just something to be mindful of. Taking all that into consideration though, if you like it and buy it over 'market value' does it matter if you are not looking to flip it in the short-term?

Another place to keep an eye on is the Private Watch Sales on this forum. Great pieces pop up all the time and it may just be a matter of patience until you pick up something. You may even see a watch, that you never thought about, that just hits the spot. I know I did. There are some great vintage Omega watches for sale at the moment. If I had the cash at least another two would be joining the fold.

Good hunting.

Richard

 

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Brendon

·May 18, 2017

As stated above 'watch' the private sales forum here. Nice pieces come up all the time.

 

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srdenny

·May 18, 2017

Thanks Richard. Really appreciate your honest feedback. I suppose as I've looked so much since last year I've become really set on what I like and don't. I've put an offer in with him and we'll see. But I'll also keep an eye open on the sales forum too. Cheers. I wanted to know if the pics I posted looked like a genuine watch rather than a fake or frankenstein and it doesn't seem that's the case so that's good

 

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Edward53

·May 19, 2017

Hi Scott

You are about where I was five years ago. Hopefully you won't have to pay the same "tuition fees". I agree with the others that you don't have to spend £800 to get a decent 60s Seamaster. It can still be done for much less. Here are some completed UK listings under and around £400 to show what I mean.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/omega-seamaster-/122383170842?hash=item1c7e9afd1a:g:OZ4AAOSwXYtYse3K&nma=true&si=dQTEKz%2B2gBhOyYg2lfjJTOTlX8w%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
I think this one was the best of the lot, a nice early dial c. 1961 with probably a 562 movement.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Omega-Seamaster-Automatic-Wristwatch-Cal-552-serviced-/122385199752?hash=item1c7eb9f288:g:~IIAAOSwdGFYtr1p&nma=true&si=dQTEKz%2B2gBhOyYg2lfjJTOTlX8w%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Gold cap and with slight spotting on the dial but I could live with that. Very cheap if it really has been serviced.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Superb-Mens-Vintage-Genuine-Omega-Seamaster-De-Ville-Automatic-Wristwatch-/391763263158?hash=item5b36e8feb6:g:8TMAAOSw5UZY~PB-&nma=true&si=dQTEKz%2B2gBhOyYg2lfjJTOTlX8w%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Case polished but not too bad, and appears all original.

These are a small minority among a host of lesser and downright bad examples, and it's not easy sorting them out from the redials, wrong hands, wrong crown, frankens and complete fakes. If in doubt, Google image search is an invaluable tool. Patience, determination and a bit of luck are all needed.

Good luck!

 

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srdenny

·May 19, 2017

Hi Edward
Thanks for going off to find these. Personally, as I want it to be in the best condition possible, I can find issues with all 3 of those, such as dial spotting, wrong/re-dial as in the first link (the "OMEGA" script that is embossed only ever came on SMDVs or fakes obviously), tarnished hands etc. But I except these are very minor flaws that for the lower outlay could be lived with quite happily. This is my first vintage watch of any kind and having looked on/off (driving my wife mad!) for months, the one at the top of the thread seems to fit the bill well, especially with a recent full receipted service. Liked it so much, I've put an offer in on it so fingers crossed... Have got the bug now, so the information on this thread and forum will help with other searches ;-)

 

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efauser

·May 19, 2017

Why bother to ask opinions if you're not going to listen and, in fact, go to great lengths to show reasons why you disagree?

 

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padders

·May 19, 2017·Oooo subtitles!

I think it is the old story, do you want to buy a cheap one and put it right or do you want to buy something perfect in need of nothing, ideally with a warranty. Yes you can pick up these for as little as £300 but they will routinely need a service at that price point which could get expensive if for instance any movement parts need replacing. The £800 mentioned above seems rather pricey unless it is from a bricks and mortar business who back their product with a warranty, otherwise I think £600-700 would be the very most I would want to lay out, even for a sorted one. I am sure good ones can be secured for £400 if you are incredibly lucky but bear in mind that everyone on ebay lies and when they say it is running well, they mean that the second hand moves when the watch is shaken.

I have one of these, a 1966 165.0002, so have a pretty good idea how much repairs can cost...

 

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Edward53

·May 19, 2017

Clearly any watch will need servicing unless you have proof positive that it's already been done and properly, and that has to be factored in, it's a given.

I personally cannot see the first link in my above post as a redial. Photos often make text appear misleadingly dark, and the "rain" textured dial may be distorting how it looks. It's possible I'm wrong, but if I have understood you correctly as saying it's a redial because the Omega script is applied not printed, you are mistaken as that is found on plenty of early 60s SMs, De Ville and otherwise.