Vintage Seamaster 120 and 300 - A Minefield

Davidt · Jul 31, 2022

Vintage Seamaster divers such as the 120 and 300 are some of the most popular vintage Omegas out there and rightly so.
However, the number of fakes now significantly outstrips the number of genuine listings. Especially on eBay and similar.

This example is currently listed on eBay as a ‘watchco’. For those not aware, a WatchCo Seamaster 300 is a generic term (used as WatchCo was the most prominent company building them) for a SM300 built using GENUINE but modern service parts such as the case, bezel, dial and hands. They aren’t NOS as sometimes claimed. Simply New Stock. This example isn’t a WatchCo. It’s simply a genuine Omega movement in a fake case, with fake dial etc. We’re seeing the same with fake SM120 kits.

If you know what you’re looking for these are relatively easy to spot. Otherwise it’s easy to get taken for a ride for 1k plus. A quick tell is price, if you see a SM120 for under a grand or a SM300 for under 2 grand. It’s almost certainly a fake.

I’ve reported this one but eBay don’t seem to care.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29512211...aMjpz0rSAy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Dan S · Jul 31, 2022

Omega1111
Anyone seen or have an Omega like this? It's a large diameter, with plexiglas crystal, as per military "Dirty Dozen" spec, and the movement inside is signed and numbered in the Omega serials, putting it in the 1940's range. One jeweler said the movement used to be a pocket watch and was converted to a wristwatch. Looking for more info or insights...

Your post is not related to the topic of the thread, so you should probably start a new thread to ask your question. At first glance, your watch does appear to be fake, certainly the dial is garbage.

Dan S · Jul 31, 2022

@Davidt, this is certainly a useful public service announcement for the unwary. There are some threads that expose some of the details, although they are always changing. Here are some that I recall.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/fake-seamaster-120-quick-guide.110409/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/seamaster-300-165-024-fake-kits.120047/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/fake-seamaster-300-case-backs-example-photos-to-compare.124997/

sheepdoll · Jul 31, 2022

They have been faking seamasters for generations. I was going to make a thread for this, but feel like hijacking this one. (If men can do it so can I.)

On the surface it looks like an american cased movement. (Litterally) I had several of these I took to the factory/musuem as they confused me when I started collecting.

This man was realy helpful. Wish I knew his name.

He was quite interested in one I had which seemed to have a genuine movement, So I gifted it to him and the museum as a form of thanks.

I also had this watch which does look like an american case watch.

It can bee seen where the glit has been scratched away for assay. It is a nice design and one I would really have liked to have cleaned up
Someone went to a great deal of trouble to make this

Opening it one can find what Google says is a nice Hong Kong movement. The word OMEGA is even engraved on the Barrel spring.

Could be that someone did do a mvnt swap and at one time there was a 30 T2 movement in it at one time or other. The dial is decent (S ia a bit wonky and the Ω seems to be too fat and glued on. The crown might even have had an Ω on it at one time.

a curiosity at best.

-j

dsio · Jul 31, 2022

sheepdoll
They have been faking seamasters for generations. I was going to make a thread for this, but feel like hijacking this one. (If men can do it so can I.)

On the surface it looks like an american cased movement. (Litterally) I had several of these I took to the factory/musuem as they confused me when I started collecting.

This man was realy helpful. Wish I knew his name.

He was quite interested in one I had which seemed to have a genuine movement, So I gifted it to him and the museum as a form of thanks.

I also had this watch which does look like an american case watch.

It can bee seen where the glit has been scratched away for assay. It is a nice design and one I would really have liked to have cleaned up
Someone went to a great deal of trouble to make this

Opening it one can find what Google says is a nice Hong Kong movement. The word OMEGA is even engraved on the Barrel spring.

Could be that someone did do a mvnt swap and at one time there was a 30 T2 movement in it at one time or other. The dial is decent (S ia a bit wonky and the Ω seems to be too fat and glued on. The crown might even have had an Ω on it at one time.

a curiosity at best.

-j

That one is a really well known vintage fake, everything dial movement and case is counterfeit and they were produced so long ago that people have been inheriting them thinking they’re real.

Some more example of these vintage fakes can be seen here:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/don...omegas-post-them-here-not-for-questions.6235/

watchyouwant · Jul 31, 2022

sheepdoll
They have been faking seamasters for generations. I was going to make a thread for this, but feel like hijacking this one. (If men can do it so can I.)

On the surface it looks like an american cased movement. (Litterally) I had several of these I took to the factory/musuem as they confused me when I started collecting.

This man was realy helpful. Wish I knew his name.

He was quite interested in one I had which seemed to have a genuine movement, So I gifted it to him and the museum as a form of thanks.

I also had this watch which does look like an american case watch.

It can bee seen where the glit has been scratched away for assay. It is a nice design and one I would really have liked to have cleaned up
Someone went to a great deal of trouble to make this

Opening it one can find what Google says is a nice Hong Kong movement. The word OMEGA is even engraved on the Barrel spring.

Could be that someone did do a mvnt swap and at one time there was a 30 T2 movement in it at one time or other. The dial is decent (S ia a bit wonky and the Ω seems to be too fat and glued on. The crown might even have had an Ω on it at one time.

a curiosity at best.

-j

Again: Pls. do NOT hijack threads with different topics ! If yours is important to you, create a new thread.

Dan S · Jul 31, 2022

sheepdoll
They have been faking seamasters for generations.

Stick around for a while and you will see people who join OF just to ask about a watch like this. They are always skeptical when they are told the watch is fake because they can't believe people made fakes 60 years ago. Sometimes they even get pretty angry and argumentative.

booshmom · Jul 31, 2022

Davidt
Vintage Seamaster divers such as the 120 and 300 are some of the most popular vintage Omegas out there and rightly so.
However, the number of fakes now significantly outstrips the number of genuine listings. Especially on eBay and similar.

This example is currently listed on eBay as a ‘watchco’. For those not aware, a WatchCo Seamaster 300 is a generic term (used as WatchCo was the most prominent company building them) for a SM300 built using GENUINE but modern service parts such as the case, bezel, dial and hands. They aren’t NOS as sometimes claimed. Simply New Stock. This example isn’t a WatchCo. It’s simply a genuine Omega movement in a fake case, with fake dial etc. We’re seeing the same with fake SM120 kits.

If you know what you’re looking for these are relatively easy to spot. Otherwise it’s easy to get taken for a ride for 1k plus. A quick tell is price, if you see a SM120 for under a grand or a SM300 for under 2 grand. It’s almost certainly a fake.

I’ve reported this one but eBay don’t seem to care.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29512211...aMjpz0rSAy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Can ANYONE tell me how to post a new question on here? Either I’m losing my mind or this set up is funky…please and thanks!

watchyouwant · Jul 31, 2022

booshmom
Can ANYONE tell me how to post a new question on here? Either I’m losing my mind or this set up is funky…please and thanks!

Screenshot_2022-08-01-12-06-49-759_com.android.chrome.jpg

Davidt · Aug 1, 2022

Dan S
@Davidt, this is certainly a useful public service announcement for the unwary. There are some threads that expose some of the details, although they are always changing. Here are some that I recall.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/fake-seamaster-120-quick-guide.110409/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/seamaster-300-165-024-fake-kits.120047/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/fake-seamaster-300-case-backs-example-photos-to-compare.124997/

Those threads are great for the details and should be studied by anyone new to SM120’s and SM300’s.

This thread is more of a heads up that the newer style fakes are particularly prevalent on eBay at the minute and eBay aren’t always great at removing them. If you’re in the market, the onus is on the buyer to make sure they know their stuff!

Sa Calobra · Aug 1, 2022

One more extensive thread for Seamaster 120s with a very good explanation of the differences between the models https://omegaforums.net/threads/my-...ers-what-to-look-for-and-what-to-avoid.38032/

booshmom · Aug 1, 2022

watchyouwant
Again: Pls. do NOT hijack threads with different topics ! If yours is important to you, create a new thread.

watchyouwant

Thank. You! I must be blind

Vintage Seamaster 120 and 300 - A Minefield

Davidt

Dan S

Dan S

sheepdoll

dsio

watchyouwant

Dan S

booshmom

watchyouwant

Davidt

Sa Calobra

booshmom

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