The Evolution Of Early Seamasters And Their 'transition' Models...

I have decided to start a thread on the early Seamasters and their transition models.

I am mainly intersted in the case reference 2937 or around these case models.

The earlier Seamaster 'Transition' Model I have moves towards the 'Ranchero' Style case shape.

This watch was distinguisable by its larger 36mm case, and lugs, larger markers in some cases and a subdial. The case back on the 2937 is just plain with only "Waterproof" engraved on it. Some had the printed " " and some the applied variation..

Below is mine from 1958


The early Seamasters sometimes had the small Seamonster logo on it, and sometimes just had the 'waterproof' engravings. But there must of been variations on this, which is my main reason for this thread..

If anyone has any variations on these please post them up!

Here is my 2990 in Rose gold to compare, many similarities in case shape, and dial though!


What interests me is how they got to their designs, and what caused this to branch out into so many variations. I guess for different occasions, styles etc.. The above is the dress dauphine hands model, but we know of the more sought-after variations with broad arrow hands, and applied arrow markers.

A rather nice version with the broad arrown markers and black dial from 1957.


There is also as version with Seamaster logo and broad arrow hands, but I will await some pictures of this as i'm struggling to find any decent ones!

Very nice. The broad arrow hand and Seamonster on this make it unusual. It's almost a hybrid of the 2937 and 2990.

I 🥰 when dials age like this...it's like marble. Just beautiful.

The back of mine just looks like the Seamster XVI though it has been polished away on one corner. I will try to make a picture, to post it.

Thats the back

Well dial, moverment and Reference number are the same just Serial is 15xxxxxx and therefore from the same year like the Seamaster XVI

The S, e, a, m, a, s, t, e, and r were silent..... so silent they were invisible. 😜

Nice variation you've got there!

A cal 268 ref 2990

A PK2990-1 with Cal. 267

Reviving and old thread but find this rather interesting, the caseback evolution off the 2937s.

I have two of them with two different hippocampus styled caseback the left in steel and the right gold capped. One other difference i notice is the completely flat caseback on the left and the slightly rounded or bubbled caseback on the right.


Overall the wast majority of the 2937 I have found when searching have the plain caseback and these hippocampus ones seems more uncommon.

The gold capped one is not so nice but the steel have a nice black dial 😀