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Vintage "Seemaster" Chronograph

csratx
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Hi All,

This is my first post in this forum, so first an introduction. I have been collecting vintage watches for about 8 years, favoring dive watches. I do own one Omega, a 1968 Cal. 565 Omega Geneve, which I bought from an estate sale for $15 in 2016/17. I find most of my watches at estate sales and, on occasion, thrift stores. I also own a vintage LeJour Chronograph, vintage Chronosport dive watches (a Sea Quartz from circa 1980 and automatic from the 1970s), among others.

I came across this watch on shopgoodwill.com that appears to be legitimate in every way, with the glaring exception of the misspelled Seamaster on the caseback (it shows "Seemaster").

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/176398798

Has anyone seen this incongruity on other genuine Omega chronographs? Is it is misprint?

Thanks for shedding light on this oddity!

Here is the photo in question along with some others of the watch:

d1b8542c-b87c-4fe3-bdce-d7de9b41db95yges_08289.jpg


a494f619-db94-4cbf-84f5-f79bc3982a16yges_08282.jpg

9b9c6740-e645-4cd6-a4d0-714e4107f5d2yges_08284.jpg

74c4283c-b20c-45f4-821a-9d1f4ff53ed8yges_08286.jpg

757ab47e-d81a-4586-9f70-6acdabc63e54yges_08288.jpg

Chris
 
csratx
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padders padders
Not sure what you are seeing, but that dial spells Seamaster perfectly correctly. Post a picture rather than a link to iron out any possible confusion.

My apologies. I since edited the post to include photos.
 
padders
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I see it now, you meant the back, yes that is indeed worrying. It suggests that it was re engraved after an inscription was removed maybe. The factory would not do that.
 
padders
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Interesting thread link. It may have been seen before but I still don't like it, despite the persuasive theory about German spelling. Are there 2 there? I see only one watch shown twice. I guess it just could be original, but how would you prove it? It's not a model that is suddenly going to triple in price because of a quirk like a Speedy would with the 220 bezel etc. 2 examples total suggests to me careless German speaking aftermarket watchmaker (or perhaps someone further afield, Vietnam, Pakistan etc) removing or adding inscriptions, show me 5 then I'll believe it was a factory screwup.
Edited:
 
gatorcpa
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Can’t say whether it is German spelling or not.

However, both watches have the “OXG” import mark on the movement. Picture from other thread. Yes, I know it lacks focus.

upload_2023-8-30_15-24-2.png


So these both look to be U.S. market watches regardless of what it says on the back. Both are also 2907/1.

Not sure what any of this means other than the OP’s watch is not a unique piece.
gatorcpa
 
Dan S
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padders padders
Interesting thread link. It may have been seen before but I still don't like it, despite the persuasive theory about German spelling. Are there 2 there? I see only one watch shown twice. I guess it just could be original, but how would you prove it? It's not a model that is suddenly going to triple in price because of a quirk like a Speedy would with the 220 bezel etc. 2 examples total suggests to me careless German speaking aftermarket watchmaker (or perhaps someone further afield, Vietnam, Pakistan etc) removing or adding inscriptions, show me 5 then I'll believe it was a factory screwup.

read to the end and another shows up.
 
Mark020
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In German sea is meer
 
padders
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Dan S Dan S
read to the end and another shows up.
Well at the end another one is claimed to have shown up but the unhelpful sod doesn't show a picture of the caseback! He posted twice then disappeared. However, I will accept that there are a few out there so maybe, just maybe they are original. My inscription removal theory rather falls down when I note that the one shown in your link has a clear existing inscription. I guess I should have learned by now to never say never!
 
sheepdoll
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That hour hand might fit my lemania movement.

I have got some decent watches from Goodwill. Most are not as picked over/worn out as the other auction sites. Downside is there seem to be more people watching it. At the start of the pandemic there was some really good stuff there. Too bad I was off watches at the time. (It was the vintage computer crowd what was getting good stuff cheap.)

The main downside is they test for gold so it is easy to search on 14K 18K etc. So such things will sell for scrap value in the last few minutes. There is also a trend for early bidding. So one does not know how much the other stores or associates shill bid.

Often one gets a "certificate of authenticity" which I find amusing.
 
csratx
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I've won some auctions on SGW too. I think people are willing to pay a premium for watches that likely were only owned by one individual, as I suspect many watches are donated from estates. I have no way of verifying this, but it's just a hunch.
 
Dan S
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padders padders
Well at the end another one is claimed to have shown up but the unhelpful sod doesn't show a picture of the caseback! He posted twice then disappeared. However, I will accept that there are a few out there so maybe, just maybe they are original. My inscription removal theory rather falls down when I note that the one shown in your link has a clear existing inscription. I guess I should have learned by now to never say never!
Yeah, I was disappointed that the second person didn't actually show a photo. That would have been more desirable for sure.

I agree that it's not the type of thing that would increase the value if it is shown to be original. I think it's more an issue of whether the watch has been tampered with, which would greatly devalue it. It seems pretty crazy, but the quality of the printing looks ok to me, and with 2-3 identical examples found, I'm inclined to say that it could have come from the factory that way.
 
watchyouwant
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Hilarious ... Not that poor case back, but that members here are inclined to consider factory stamping. ( 2 watches with the same hilarious stamping do not make a rare variant ..... ). What could have happened? ( Swiss learn at school German, Italian and French ) : Engraver drunk. Engraver got fired and at his last day at work messed up all stampings and Omega did not realized that. SEE in German can be any size of waterhole. Big ones ,like Oceans, can be labelled as SEE as well, if someone originates from the Mountains. Consistent in this case would be SEE MEISTER . Could be another spelling mistake as well. SEH MEISTER , which would be an Optometrist. SEE HAMSTER ... Small animal with diving gear. Could be all real ? Why not ....
 
Dan S
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watchyouwant watchyouwant
Hilarious ... Not that poor case back, but that members here are inclined to consider factory stamping. ( 2 watches with the same hilarious stamping do not make a rare variant ..... ). What could have happened? ( Swiss learn at school German, Italian and French ) : Engraver drunk. Engraver got fired and at his last day at work messed up all stampings and Omega did not realized that. SEE in German can be any size of waterhole. Big ones ,like Oceans, can be labelled as SEE as well, if someone originates from the Mountains. Consistent in this case would be SEE MEISTER . Could be another spelling mistake as well. SEH MEISTER , which would be an Optometrist. SEE HAMSTER ... Small animal with diving gear. Could be all real ? Why not ....

what about three identical examples in the same serial range. No? How many should we look for? 😁
 
nicks
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Let’s imagine it’s an early Seamaster chronograph with a wonky engraving on the case back. IMHO still an outstanding watch, and definitely a buy if the price is right.
 
calalum
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I believe that the spelling us a known aberration on 2907-1s. I had one and will see if I still have a pic. The watch is now in the hands of another forum member.
 
Risto
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I also remember seeing these case backs from the past. Definitely on the KO2907.
 
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