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  1. jimmyd13 Apr 19, 2019

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    I'm genuinely surprised at the quality and quantity of the photographs the aaution house has provided online for these. Not seeing them commented on elsewhere, here are the photos for the peanut gallery to assess and discuss. I wouldn't mind owning either one of them.

    First one:
    c02cfb10-9b86-46f2-bf7d-aa3300ce099e.jpg dab20982-715c-4072-b57c-aa3300ce0a5e.jpg 09f175c5-fe1e-47cb-9d82-aa3300ce09cb.jpg 5579f70a-930e-4683-b4cb-aa3300ce0b82.jpg 3bd5161f-ee94-498d-b2ac-aa3300ce0a97.jpg a1b32e98-4005-44e1-9320-aa3300ce0b0f.jpg f7b3cfea-49b9-4b2b-8552-aa3300ce0be2.jpg 73e5ca91-2a7a-4a4b-ae58-aa3300ce0c59.jpg
    And the second, at the same sale:
    644ee15c-78cc-4e03-97fe-aa3300ccf20b.jpg
    cdf6ed90-3b3b-4033-b2c0-aa3300ccee1b.jpg 7a82ac0a-2872-4b16-b076-aa3300cce96e.jpg c3f95da5-0674-4f3e-9169-aa3300cceb22.jpg d21ab1c0-7442-4343-96b2-aa3300cce36d.jpg
    62aaa124-58a2-4578-9110-aa3300ccdebe.jpg b7662b15-da6d-41f1-a4b5-aa3300cce672.jpg
    Both have extracts confirming that they were delivered to the MOD etc. Both are asking for opening bids in the high £40,000 range. Both have been polished and prepped. Thoughts?
     
    70657b1b-9916-4cc9-beb3-aa3300ce0cf6.jpg 94be84ab-0196-4823-a050-aa3300ce0d42.jpg fd1feb96-fbcb-4226-8a80-aa3300cce166.jpg
  2. speedamatuer Apr 19, 2019

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  3. speedamatuer Apr 19, 2019

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    Just noticed they've got sequential movement numbers - very cool.
     
  4. JanV Apr 19, 2019

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    Well.... I was looking at these two earlier today.

    Looks like the auction house shows the same EoA for both watches? Both watches have “new” bezels and look prepped for the auction.

    Especially when you compare to the overall condition of all other components on them.

    Is it just me, but why in earth will someone pay such significant premiums over beat up and chewed up military 300’s?

    Well it’s not the one asking, it’s the one paying that sets the price...
     
    Mark020, kox, jimmyd13 and 1 other person like this.
  5. timwatch Apr 19, 2019

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    "if you're looking for a quick sale, I can offer £3k"

    I really have a thing for that first one, though. Oh my.
     
  6. kox Apr 19, 2019

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    No, there are two different EoA's, they were just produced on the same day. Below from the seller/dealer's first listing. Don't know why on earth you would black out the full movement number (or reference no.) on the extracts, when you show a movement picture with the full serial ::screwloose::

    w10 172 serie 24719274 BT 29 marts 1967 ebay marts19 xupes    .jpg
    w10 267 serie 24719275 BT 29 marts 1967 ebay marts19 xupes   (2).jpg
     
  7. Dgercp Apr 19, 2019

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    Why are bezels "new"? I thought type F bezel correct for -67 CB case?
    Also, what do you mean by prepped? They were cleaned and polished for sure, but what else?
     
  8. JanV Apr 19, 2019

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    If you look and compare to the condition of both the watches, you will see that both watches have both clearly been worn, with the cases polished and used, but the bezels, the most exposed part on the watches (and fragile), appear to be mint and crisp, without dents, cuts, chips or fading.

    So definitely prepped and most likely exchanged / non original to the watch in my view.
     
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  9. kox Apr 19, 2019

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    The sixth iteration of the 16x.024 bezels (or the F type if you like) was not introduced until 1968 production. On a march 67 production W10, a type 3 bezel would be appropriate. Anything else would be down to old or newer replacement. Many MoD SM300's had parts changed back in the day, and a type 6 bezel (the thin number version anyway) would be in the parts box at the goldsmiths, since this type was the most common one on the RN300's in 68-70 productions. But as @JanV wrote, the OP ones really look newish and are not in line with the watch condition, so properly installed long after the watches went out of service.
    Another thing is that most W10's actually had a HF caseback and not a CB one (which was first regularly used from 2H of 67). I have seen very few W10's with CB caseback, but the engraving on the OP watches does look ok. And most W10 also didn't have a BT dial. Just some yellow flags to consider, especially at this price level.
     
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  10. timwatch Apr 19, 2019

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    No expert, but would agree.
     
  11. Vintagewtchzilla Apr 19, 2019

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    bazderome, jimmyd13 and AdamS like this.
  12. omegaman Apr 19, 2019

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    Agree with the bezels...
    but on the other hand... pretty much all SM300 that were worn by service soldiers and not some high rank staff officers do have swapped parts. Shall we consider a screwdown crown as not original? Without a doubt both left the Omega factory with Naiad crowns and the MoD swapped them later during service.
    And what about the wide symetric engraving of the 2nd watch (some describe that as a "service engraving"). It is a known fact that the A/ indicates a screw down crown. For a 1967 watch the MoD engraved that when swapping the crown, that's why the A/ should be normally off center to the left. But at the second watch it is engraved symetrically in line. And about 40% of the W10 i know do have that wide symetric engraving. The question is why?
     
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  13. JanV Apr 19, 2019

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    I see that these exact ones are also for sale on Chrono24 by Xupes, and the pictures are the dealers, just forwarded to the auction house.

    I doubt that the auction house have even looked or even held the watches in their hands.... :whipped:

    Maybe they are for sale even on Ebay, and where more.... ::facepalm2::::screwloose::
     
    CBE74B6A-2A93-4D20-9D74-209EC3759B0C.png
  14. kox Apr 19, 2019

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    Wonder how many of the 40% have a CB caseback ? ;)
     
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  15. omegaman Apr 19, 2019

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    Good point. Just had a closer look. In fact 48% have a wide engraving. I can't say how many of them do have a CB caseback, but at least I did not find a wide engraving HF. However, some CB have a narrow engraving. No connection between serial and issue numbers though, all spread via the whole range.
    :confused:
     
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  16. kox Apr 19, 2019

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    I think some of the last W10's were produced around august 67 and by then a CB case would be feasible, hence a few original CB cased w10's. The rest (especially if from the first quarter of 67) could IMO be MoD serviced ones with the full (wide) re-engraving.
     
  17. fskywalker Apr 19, 2019

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    ::popcorn::
     
  18. omegaman Apr 21, 2019

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    Hmm... being honest I cannot confirm that. I found a couple of CB with "narrow engraving" and production dates from March and April 1967. The latest HF I have found is from August 67. And CBs with "wide re-engraving" are spread over the entire range. I cannot see any connection here. For the W10, case manufacturers, S/N, production dates and issue numbers do not seem to have a sequencing logic.
     
    Edited Apr 21, 2019
  19. omegaman Apr 21, 2019

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    When looking at the 0552 most have CB cases, but some still have HF, the latest is from September 1969.
    Regarding the "wide re-engraving" of the W10 I have the following theory: The MoD exchanged the Naiad crowns for screw down crowns in late 1969 or early 1970. Maybe some of the early W10 HF cases were to much corroded at the crown stem and the MoD ordered spare cases by Omega then? Hence the CB cases and re-engraved all-centred issue numbers? Would make sense... but why do only W10 have that wide engraving and no early 0552?
     
  20. Seadiver May 11, 2019

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    Why do you think it's a replacement bezel? That one fits perfectly for a late 165.024