Hey,

I am making enquiries about a watch I can barely afford, and I'd like to authenticate it before I break my heart over the price. It is purportedly a ST 345.0818 - Italian Albino Speedmaster. The watch has a movement/serial number of 48374043. Below are some pics that I have of an extract and the watch and bracelet. Does anything look off to anybody? I don't suppose someone with access to the Omega Extranet can check the serial to see if it checks out as an Italian Ablino?

 

I think if you are considering to give that much money ,the seller should be nice enough to take some proper clear photos from every angle plus removing the bracelet and snapping one on that movement .

 

Don't have extranet access but I have seen another Albino with serial and LE numbers each about 10 off from yours.
Agree about the seller doing poor quality and insufficient photos for you to gauge the condition. Does this one come with LE certificate, black box, card, etc.?

 

I hear you - I won't be doing the deal on these pictures alone. For now I am wondering if anything can be made of the serial number before I go further.

 

Since that certificate specifies the movement number, I would suspect that it is as it purports to be (assuming of course that it is not a very clever fake).

The condition looks to be less than it could be. You should figure in the cost of a service, at minimum. Surely a good cleaning.

 

I checked out the ad on Chrono24. Can't tell you much about authenticity, but when seller describes the object condition as "Very Good (Worn with little to no signs of wear)" I would expect something completely different. I prefer a seller that makes an accurate judgement of the condition of the watch.

 

Serial number below 50 million do not return any results on the Omega Extranet. Omega wants you to pay for an Extract, so they aren't giving that information away for free...

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks Archer. You're a gent.

 

When you say "each about ten off", you mean they're +/- 10 off the serial number? This would indicate the serial is good, right?

 

Serial is certainly "in range".
I don't see that one on C24. What's the ask?
If it has the extracts and the individually engraved case back number, I think it is most likely okay.
I'd also add that it looks to be aged appropriately

 

Clear natural light pictures should be required at the price I assume they are asking.

 

Besides the need to check if the serial of the watch corresponds to the extract, why would you need to double-check it with Omega?

Do you believe the extract to be fake?

 

IMO, if it can be done, it's worth doing. In this case it's not, but I would check if I was considering this sort of purchase.

Honestly the Extract process is, IMO, sort of on the shaky side at the moment, and has been ever since it required the inclusion of photos.

 

Extracts require photos? I have been ordering them through the boutique in NY without photos.

 

@Archer you forget about our US-based friends

 

I will admit the process is still super confusing though. You can't get them through the website and there is no transparency in the process. And then you have to wait months and month.

 

Yes, when doing it through the Omega web site, which for some reason US residents can't be trusted to use, apparently but the rest of the world can. So if you weren't aware of this, you should note that I suspect most extracts that are given by Omega these days, are done so using photos of the watch.

To me, if this is truly an extract from an archive, the only information that should be needed is the serial number - nothing else.

 

I wasn't aware that they were exempt from providing photos. This means there are two tiers of extracts that Omega issues - more nonsense...

 

The watch is on C24. Asking €16k. I suggested close to my upper limit and the seller declined. I'm not chasing it, I like the watch, just not €16k much.

I'm 1-4 this month on watch bids won, which I guess is an ok record

 

Both the serial numbers and the 3 digit LE numbers, yours being 253, if I’m reading your caseback correctly, within 10 or 11.