Hello my fellow collectors and enthusiasts,
Despite it being a very popular model amongst vintage Omega watch collectors, there is still much confusion around the Seamaster de Ville (SMDV), and the fact it bears the names of two different series surely doesn't help. I thought about writing an 'ultimate' thread on the SMDV for a long time. My ambition was to go through its history, to address the common confusions, to list ALL the references, correct bracelets, end links and expendables as crystals and crowns in a big database and to talk about the Kleerback and some special dials but I never gathered the courage to do it... well... until now: welcome to the ultimate Omega Seamaster de Ville thread!
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Please mind that this thread only deals with men's watch references. Ladies Omega Seamaster de Ville watches like ref. 535.004 will not be discussed in this thread.
All informations discussed in this thread were sourced based on period documentation that you can consult here
The Omega Seamaster de Ville is a Seamaster
And yet, I see so many collectors calling them 'DeVilles', which they clearly are not.
The Omega Seamaster de Ville was introduced in 1960, and the previous leap taken by Omega for the Seamaster series occurred three years earlier, in 1957, when Omega introduced its technical trilogy (Speedmaster - Railmaster - Seamaster 300), effectively turning the Seamaster series in a professional line. With the regular Seamaster in the middle, the line needed a new model to counterbalance these new tool watches and Omega's intention was to create a more dressy and urban watch to complete the spectrum of the Seamaster line. The introduction of the Seamaster de Ville in October 1960 aimed to fill that gap.
This new Seamaster featured a more refined design aimed to attract the golden youth of the sixties, especially on the American market. Apart from its refined design, the main characteristic introduced by the Seamaster de Ville was the presence of a 'unishell' case design that opens from the front, with a case made of only three parts (the main case, the crystal and the bezel) to enforce water resistance. The Seamaster de Ville was advertised as waterproof to 200 feet.
Price-wise, the Omega Seamaster de Ville was a bit more expensive than a regular Seamaster, sitting somewhere between the Seamaster and the Constellation in period catalogues.
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From 'Seamaster' to 'Seamaster de Ville'
Sometimes - erroneously - called 'Pre-Seamaster deVilles' or, worse, 'Pre-deVilles', early models only featuring 'Seamaster' on the dial were already designated as 'Seamaster de Ville' in Omega catalogues from its introduction in October 1960, even if its full name didn't appear on the dial before 1962.
At the very end of the year 1962, Omega granted the request of their New York based American agent Norman Morris and added this model's full name on the dial for better clarity.
It can be read on the Omega website that the 'Seamaster' name was dropped from the dial in 1967, introducing the De Ville line, which is incorrect. The De Ville is a different reference featuring a new case design with shorter lugs, and the Seamaster de Ville line carried on beyond 1967 and throughout the 1970's. The De Ville line introduced in 1967 clearly drew its inspiration from the Seamaster de Ville, but the similarities end here. The Seamaster de Ville is a Seamaster, which is another line entirely. To add more confusion, some English references later became De Ville references, like BA 166.5020 (which is the English reference for 14770/166.020 in solid gold), while American Seamaster de Ville references carried on until the end of the 1970's.
The Omega Seamaster de Ville was a common presentation watch in the sixties, especially in the US. Many SMDV presentation watches can be found on eBay, sometimes featuring a custom dial in addition to the usual engraving on the back.
Early SMDV models featuring only 'Seamaster' on the dial display the coat hanger 'S' in 'Seamaster'. Early SMDV models featuring 'Seamaster de Ville' on the dial, mainly from the very end of 1962, also feature the coat hanger 'S'. Later models feature the round/fat 'S'.
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Omega Seamaster de Ville references
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Due to the heavy taxes and importation fees imposed by some countries on precious metals, Omega and many other watchmakers had cases made of precious metals manufactured directly in several countries by local manufacturers.
SMDV Swiss references:
- 14735: manual wound, cal. 520 (1960),
- 14750: manual wound, cal. 600 (1960),
- 14915: manual wound, cal. 600 (1962),
- 135.001: midsize, manual wound, cal. 630,
- 135.010: manual wound, cal. 601 (1962),
- 135.020: manual wound, cal. 600/601 (1964),
- 14740: manual wound, date, cal. 610 (1960),
- 14775: manual wound, date, cal. 610 (1960),
- 14920: manual wound, date, cal. 610 (1962),
- 136.020: manual wound, date, cal. 610/611/613 (1964),
- 14725: automatic, cal. 570/571 (1960),
- 14742: 18K gold on crocodile strap, automatic, cal. 552 (1960),
- 14745: automatic, cal. 552 (1960),
- 14765: automatic, cal. 550/552/562 (1961),
- 14905: automatic, cal. 550/552 (1960),
- 165.020: automatic, cal. 552 (1964),
- 165.004: midsize, automatic, cal. 670/671 (1960/1962),
- 14730: automatic, date, cal. 562 (1960),
- 14743: 18K gold on 18K gold bracelet, available with a silver or gold dial and dauphine hands, automatic, date, cal. 562 (1960),
- 14770: automatic, date, cal. 560/562/563/565 and sold on a strap (1961),
- 14910: automatic, date, cal. 560/562 (1960),
- 166.020: automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1964),
- 7161: 18K solid gold on 18K solid gold integrated bracelet, available with dauphine hands, automatic, date, cal. 562,
- 166.025: 18K solid gold case, available with a gold or silvered dial, and with a 18K solid gold bracelet or a crocodile strap, automatic, date, cal. 562,
- 145.005: manual wound, chronograph, cal. 321.
Prior to 1962, steel based Swiss SMDV references feature a case manufactured by Centrale Boîtes S.A., Bienne, Switzerland or by SGR - S. Graber Fabrique de Boites, Renan, Switzerland. From 1962 onwards, steel based Swiss SMDV cases are manufactured by Erwin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA), Bassecourt, Switzerland, except for references 135.020 and 166.020 which were manufactured by Centrales Boîtes S.A. or SGR. Solid gold cases were manufactured by Serva S.A. in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, except for reference 145.005 which features solid gold cases manufactured by Erwin Piquerez S.A.
SMDV English references:
- BL 135.5010: 9K gold, manual wound, cal. 601 (1964),
- 165.5020: solid gold with a silver dial on a crocodile strap, automatic, cal. 552 (1960/1962),
- BA 165.5021: 18K solid gold with a gold dial on a crocodile strap, automatic, cal. 552 (1960/1962),
- 165.65020: automatic, cal. 552 (1962),
- BL 365.5445: 9K yellow gold on a 9K gold bracelet, automatic, cal. 552 (1962),
- BA 365.5801: 18K solid gold on a 18K gold bracelet, available with a silver or gold dial, automatic, cal. 552 (1960/1962),
- 365.7003: 18K solid gold on an integrated 18K solid gold bracelet, automatic, cal. 552 (1960/1962),
- 365.800: Seamaster de Ville Grand Luxe, 18K solid gold with a gold dial on a 18K solid gold bracelet, automatic, cal. 552 (1960/1962),
- BL 166.5020: 9K gold on crocodile strap, automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1962),
- BA 166.5020: 18K gold with a silvered dial on crocodile strap, automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1962),
- BA 166.5021: 18K gold with a gold dial on crocodile strap, automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1962),
- BL 366.5445: 9K yellow gold on 9K bracelet, automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1962),
- BA 366.5801: 18K gold on 18K gold bracelet, available with a silver or gold dial and dauphine hands, automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1960/1962),
- 366.7003: 18K solid gold on an integrated 18K solid gold bracelet, automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1960/1962),
- 366.800: Seamaster de Ville Grand Luxe, 18K solid gold with a gold dial on a 18K solid gold bracelet, automatic, date, cal. 562/563/565 (1960/1962).
English references are hallmarked 'OWC' on the inner caseback which stands for 'Omega Watch Company' and were manufactured by Aaron Lufkin Dennison (A.L.D.), Birmingham, UK until 1968 and by David Shackman & Sons, Chesham, UK after that.
SMDV French references:
-
166.3020: 18K gold, automatic, date, cal. 562 (1962).
French references were manufactured by Paul Frank & Fils, Saint-Leu-La-Forêt, France.
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SMDV American references:
- L-6590: automatic, cal 550, 14K solid gold (1960),
- LL 6590-1: automatic, cal 550, 14K solid gold (1962),
- LL 6066: automatic, cal. 550, 14K gold filled (1962),
- LL 6287-1: automatic, cal. 550, 14K gold filled (1962),
- LL 6609-1: automatic, cal. 550, 18K solid gold (1962),
- KL 6292: automatic, cal. 560, 14K gold filled (1962),
- KL 6292 VB: automatic, cal. 560, 14K gold filled, Kleerback (1962),
- KL 6610: automatic, cal. 550, 14K solid gold (late 1960's),
- KM 6066: automatic, cal. 563, 14K gold cap (late 1960's),
- 6067R: automatic, stainless steel case, silver dial on a steel bracelet,
- 6067: automatic, stainless steel case, silver dial on a strap,
- KM 6068RF: automatic, cal. 563, 14K gold cap on a 14K gold filled bracelet (late 1960's),
- KM 6068/10: automatic, cal. 563, 14K gold cap (late 1960's),
- KM 6292/10: automatic, cal. 550/563, 14K gold filled (late 1960's),
- KM 6292 RF/10: automatic, cal. 550/563, 14K gold filled on a 14K gold filled bracelet #9931 (late 1960's),
- KM 6326 B/6: automatic, date, cal. 563, 14K gold filled with a gold dial on a #9804 14K gold filled bracelet (late 1960's),
- KM 6326 B/5: automatic, date, cal. 563, 14K gold filled with a blue dial on a #9804 14K gold filled bracelet (late 1960's),
- KM 6326/6: automatic, date, cal. 563, 14K gold filled with a gold dial on a strap (late 1960's),
- KM 6326 B/7: automatic, date, cal. 563, 14K gold filled with a silver dial on a #9804 14K gold filled bracelet (late 1960's),
- KM 6328D: automatic, date, 14K gold filled with a diamon dial featuring 33 diamonds,
- KM 6339: automatic, cal. 563, 14K gold cap (late 1960's),
- KM 6610RF: automatic, date, cal. 563, 14K solid gold on a #9931 14K gold filled bracelet (late 1960's),
- KM 6610/10: automatic, date, cal. 563, 14K solid gold (late 1960's),
- KM 6811: automatic, date, 14K solid gold,
- KM 6813D: automatic, date, 14K gold cap with a diamon dial featuring 33 diamonds,
- KM 6822/5: automatic, date, 14K solid gold case and blue dial on an integrated 14K solid gold bracelet,
- KM 6822/6: automatic, date, 14K solid gold case and gold dial on an integrated 14K solid gold bracelet,
- KM 6822/7: automatic, date, 14K solid gold case and silver dial on an integrated 14K solid gold bracelet,
- B6695: midsize, automatic, cal. 670, 14K solid gold on an integrated 14K solid gold bracelet,
- C 6864: automatic, day, date, cal. 1020 (1970's),
- C 6865: Tiffany & Co. double signed, automatic, day, date, cal. 1020 (1973).
All references from the American catalogue feature a case made by Ross Watch Case Corp. located in Long Island, NY, and have thinner lugs compared to most of their Swiss counterparts. Earlier Swiss references have a fairly similar lug profile to American references.
SMDV Brazilian references:
-
166.9020: 18K solid gold, automatic, date, cal. 565 (1962).
Brazilian references feature a case manufactured by Carci in Brazil.
Inscriptions at the bottom of dials and their meaning
- SWISS MADE: up to the mid-sixties, this inscription indicates that the watch was integrally Swiss made, including the case. Does not apply beyond around 1965 after which even American manufactured case references bear this indication,
- SWISS: up to the mid-sixties, this inscription indicates that the case was not manufactured in Switzerland. This inscription disappeared around 1965,
- T SWISS MADE T: the two 'T' letters indicate the presence of tritium on the dial emitting less than 25 mCi (925 MBq). This inscription appeared in January 1964 after a Swiss interior ruling in October 1963 on radiation from luminous watch dials, and older watches can contain tritium without it being indicated in that fashion,
- SWISS MADE T: indicates the presence of tritium on the dial without specifying its emission levels,
- OM SWISS MADE OM: stands for French 'Or massif' and indicates a solid gold dial. This indication was introduced in 1973 amongst watchmakers who are members of the APRIOR (l'Association pour la Promotion Industrielle de l'Or). Older solid gold dials do not bear this indication,
- σ SWISS MADE σ: on watches made by watchmakers who are members of the APRIOR (l'Association pour la Promotion Industrielle de l'Or) including Omega, indicates that the hands and indexes are made of solid gold. This indication only appeared in 1973 and many Omega watches prior to that date feature solid gold indexes and hands without it being advertised in that fashion.
Bracelets and end links
Proper end links for Omega Seamaster de Ville watches should be
#70 or
#570. They are the same product but with different reference numbers.
Correct reference numbers for bracelets are:
- #8270: steel and gold filled beads of rice bracelet for Swiss case references,
- #9931: 14K gold filled beads of rice bracelet for American case references,
- #9804: 14K gold filled bracelet for Seamaster de Ville American case reference KM 6326,
- #1560: steel Milanese bracelet for English case references.
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Crystal references
Correct crystal references for SMDVs are:
- PZ5072 (for all watch case references except those listed below, with silver tension ring),
- PZ5072L (for all watch case references except those listed below, with silver tension ring and date magnification),
- PX5072 (for all watch case references except those listed below, with golden tension ring),
- PX5072L (for all watch case references except those listed below, with golden tension ring and date magnification),
- PZ5069 (for midsize case references 135.001 and 165.004 with silver tension ring),
- PX5069 (for midsize case references 135.001 and 165.004 with golden tension ring),
- PZ5071 (for English case reference 135.5010 with silver tension ring),
- PX5071 (for English case reference 135.5010 with golden tension ring),
- PY5043 (for Seamaster de Ville chronograph case reference 145.005).
Seamaster de Ville crowns
Swiss Seamaster de Ville watches take a 4.9mm split stem crown. American references take a slightly smaller crown with a replaceable gasket.
SMDV crown references:
- 43041ST: steel,
- 42531SX: yellow gold plated,
- 42531SY: rose gold plated,
- 42521SX: yellow gold plated, for midsize case references 135.001 and 165.004,
- 42521ST: steel, for midsize case references 135.001 and 165.004,
- X9612/Omega 081ST9993: tap 9 female stem extension.
Seamaster de Ville chronograph reference 145.005
Introduced in 1967, this reference aimed to offer a chronograph with a more dressy look compared to classic racing references. It alternatively features 'Seamaster' or 'Seamaster de Ville' on the dial, and is powered by Omega calibre 321.
More on reference 145.005 here
The unusual reference KM 6326
Introduced in the US catalogue in the late 1960's, reference KM 6326 features a different case design than the usual unishell case featured in other Seamaster de Ville watches, with an oval-shaped gold filled case housing the Omega calibre 563, and a fluted bezel. The correct reference for the 14K gold filled bracelet for that model is #9804.
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The KL 6292 VB 'Kleerback'
Imagined by the Norman Morris offices in the early sixties, the Kleerback is a modified 14K gold filled Seamaster de Ville ref. KL 6292 with a chunk of its back removed and replaced by hesalite to reveal the movement. Initially conceived as an advertisement piece meant to showcase the Omega calibre 560, it was quickly offered to customers on the American catalogue. All Seamaster de Ville Kleerbacks bear the same reference number KL 6292 VB.
More on reference KL 6292 VB here
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Special dials
The Omega Seamaster de Ville featured many special dials, mainly (but not only) on American references. Special dials were meant to take this model a bit further and are getting more and more sought after. The more common ones on SMDV watches are the linen, the clamshell, the cross and the sector but the most famous and sought after certainly is the Don Draper.
More on special dials here
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The Seamaster de Ville was introduced in 1960 as a dress watch in the Seamaster line. Today, more than sixty years later, we must acknowledge the longevity of its design. The construction of its unishell case contributed to the survival of a great number of examples until today, keeping prices in the affordable range and making it a very attractive model for new collectors. The existence of the Kleerback, special dials and solid gold models make it an interesting playground for experienced collectors too.
Clarifications are welcome where needed, thank you for reading!
Also, I would like to add a clickable link to a dedicated post for EVERY reference and I need to know as much about them as possible (the correct period box and other useful information) so please PM me if you have such information about a SMDV reference. Thank you!
Now, please do share your examples!
