Vintage Omega Dial Check

OmegaHopeful · Mar 19, 2020

Hello,

I am relatively new to the world of vintage watches. I recently purchased a vintage Omega from an antique dealer, and I have added some pictures of the watch below. From what I can tell, it is a LU6304 case from roughly 1965-1966. It’s really a beautiful watch in person, but I have a feeling that the dial may have been refinished. That being said, all of the text, the hands, markers, and lume seem to be correct. Any opinions on if it’s refinished, and if so, the quality of the job?

The dealer was very nice l and said that I could return the watch if I had any issues with it. I only paid $400 for it and was planning to wear it for the first time at my wedding. I’m not super worried about the resale value of the watch, but is it looked down upon to wear one with a refinished dial the way it would be if someone was wearing a fake? The idea of a refinished dial doesn’t really bother me the way I know it does some people, but I definitely don’t want to be seen as wearing something disingenuous.

Thanks for all of the help!

Vitezi · Mar 19, 2020

O OmegaHopeful
is it looked down upon to wear one with a refinished dial the way it would be if someone was wearing a fake?

Hello @OmegaHopeful and welcome to the forum!

The bad news is: Your dial has been repainted. The good news is: Only vintage watch collectors really care about this. The vast majority of people you will meet will never notice. Antique dealers don't care. So if you like the watch and will wear it, go get the inside mechanicals serviced by an independent watchmaker near you, and then wear the heck out of it.

On the other hand, if you're at all curious and interested in the style and history of vintage watches (or if you're a bit OCD like many of us 😗) then I would encourage you to return this watch and go look for a correct piece. Period-correct black-dialed Omegas are a little scarce but there are lots and lots of interesting vintage watches out there that might interest you. For many of us, the fun is in the hunt.

The style of the dial on your watch suggests it was made in the 1950s rather than the 1960s. If you look carefully I think you will notice the minute markers are off-center, especially between 3 and 2. You might be able to see that the black paint has washed up a bit on those hour markers, a sign of a (sloppy) redial. Those lume dots at the hour markers were misapplied too. And the big giveaway is the T SWISS MADE T at the bottom, which would not have been printed on a watch from that era.

Still, all is not lost. You can get your money back AND you have found this forum, one of the best (free) repositories of vintage Omega knowledge in the world. Since we're all under quarantine anyway, pull up a chair, get your favorite beverage and read these threads:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/for-the-new-members-read.23288/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/horology-101-understanding-your-watch.76731/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/condition-condition-condition-and-other-pieces-of-advice.1716/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/learn-how-to-fish.52603/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/basic-watchmaking-tips-oiling-part-1.62310/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/wruw-today.567/

If you're still here after that, there are some fine vintage pieces for sale here: https://omegaforums.net/forums/private-watch-sales/

JimInOz · Mar 19, 2020

Yes, what he said, no need for me to repeat.

We are seeing the dial at a much greater magnification than would be seen in real life.

If you know it's a redial and can live with that and wear it, I doubt anybody without a loupe in their pocket will notice.

TimeODanaos · Mar 19, 2020

Welcome aboard shipmate, and - one of us is going to have to say this - very best wishes to you for the wedding! 😁

johny_i · Mar 19, 2020

Yea maybe it's the lighting but it looks like there's black paint all over the sides of those markers and the logo.

I would not consider a refinished dial (that's true to the original) a sin like wearing a fake, if it's a sin at all. Now if it was some comically bad refinish, then you just have a f'ed up looking watch. Or if it tries to be something it's not, like a totally different model, that borders on fake

Vintage Omega Dial Check

OmegaHopeful

Vitezi

JimInOz

TimeODanaos

johny_i

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