But is it for real?

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Come on you experts, have at it! One thing I do notice is that the swan-neck regulator is maxed out on advance. And the case has been mightily polished . . .

J

 

Re dial for certain so it's worthless unless you want parts

 

That's what I feared. What a shame, because this is actually a rare Seamaster variant. Is the salmon/silver colour combination totally fake? Or did Omega actually ever make a dial like this? And exactly how do you know it is a redial - I see the 'S' in seamaster, perhaps the fact that it should be ordered Omega / Seamaster/ Automatic, and the squares at the quarter-hour positions - perhaps.

J

 

Everything about that watch screams redial to me. Look at the sloppy markers around the sub dial. Also the size of the text, "Omega" script way off, thickness of printing in general etc.. It would be lovely if Omega made this Salmon combo though. Incidentally I think this is where I bought my first Omega and have never looked back since! Happy hunting!

 

OC Watch Co, polishers extrordinaire.

They have some nice looking items (nice from a distance) and if you aren't a collector, well, there's always the WIS muggles.

 

The best way I've heard it explained is that recognising the correct font/script is like facial recognition, after you've seen enough original dials you won't give a sloppy mess like this one a second glance. It comes from a chop shop designed to entice muggles who think a 50 + year old watch could look shiny and new into coughing up their dough. The movement looks nice and the watch may not have been too bad in its original state.


Here is what it should probably look like


Seamaster

Gents' leather strap

Reference
CK 2848
International collection
1956
Movement
Type: Automatic (mechanical)
Caliber number: 490 / 491
Cal. 490
Created in 1955, 17 jewels
Cal. 491
Created in 1955, 19 jewels
Functions
Subsecond
Case
Stainless steel
Case back
Press-in
Dial
Luminous, with hand-rivetted gold hour markers and "Dauphine" hands.
Crystal
Armoured hesalite
Bracelet
Leather
Water resistance
30 meters​

​

 

This is my salmon/pink guilloche dial

 

When you think about it, all this is potentially quite disastrous for future horologists and historians. In years to come, there may be more redials and frankens in circulation than genuine watches. Here in the UK there is one dealer who seems to redial every Omega watch that he sells

 

The markets desire for vintage watches has driven this in a lot of ways. A lot of people want to have something from their youth and have the money to buy what they want. Watches that would once have been used for parts are now being either made to look shiny and new including re painting the dials or, used to create franken watches to deceive those who just don't know any better. Around 90% of all vintage Omega for sale on ebay do not meet the WIS definition of originality and more than half that do have deteriorated beyond what a collector would want.

Take a look at Canberra's watch above. It has the patina on the case and dial that a 50 yr old watch should have and a WIS appreciates. The flip side of what you're talking about is that original watches will be far more valuable in the future so the FS section on this forum is by far the best place for a beginner to look for purchasing a vintage watch. Good luck with your search.

 

True. I posted mine as a demonstration of a genuine salmon omega watch and the OP was asking about salmon watches.

 

Thank goodness I stumbled across this forum. I have three old Omegas, and I am pretty sure that they are genuine and original, but that was just pure luck and not due to any great judgement on my part.

 

Think I've seen one and it was lovely. Now, do you have some pictures of the other two?

 

Well, as you can imagine, I am now somewhat nervous about posting anything lest it turns out to be a total fake and made in Cambodia last year. These are all seller's pictures, not mine, by the way. The first one was this 1957 9 carat gold cal 267 -



The next one was the gold-cap connie I posted before, a 1954 with the cal 354 -



And just a week ago the latest arrival is this 1962 Seamaster in steel with a cal 552 -

 

All very nice and look original to me! Did the Seamaster come with the box or was the box bought separately? I like the thick lugs on it, you'll definitely fit right in here!

 

Thank you, you are too kind. By the way, I know the crown is wrong on the 267, they did tell me that when i bought it. The Seamaster came with its box but no papers - I liked the lugs too, it looks much more like a 1950s one than a 1962 but has the screw back and the Seamaster medallion which I wanted. The dial is a bit spotty, that's the only problem with it really - I've been running it a week and it seems very solid.



John

 

I don't mind the dial really. I like the dial furniture on those. Do you have any movement shots of the Seamaster Cal, 267?

Thanks