What is “rare” (aka, “scarce”) in vintage Omegas?

Nearly every seller on ebay claims something is “rare” about the Omega they are selling. I have seen “very very rare gold date”, “rare model”, “rare movement”, “rare small seconds”, “rare big seahorse logo”, “rare white dial”, “rare collector’s model”, etc...just to name a few. The best advice I have read here on OF is to ignore the fluffery and focus on the pictures to determine what is for sale and how desirable it is. Still, I thought it would be useful to start a reference for what is really uncommon in vintage Omegas, especially to newcomers. So I am asking the experts and experienced collectors here:

Which qualities / characteristics / variations / unique productions of vintage Omegas really most scarce, or in ebay terms, “rare”? I will compile the initial feedback below and then refine into a reference-able list. I am looking to create a list of specific models, variants and features of vintage Omegas that are varying degrees of hard to find.

Here are some that I know, plus the running list from the thread below. It will be a rough list to start and things may move around, but ultimately I will let the data define categories and refine accordingly into a guide with links to references and examples if possible.

Legendary (May never see one in person)
+ 1957 Speedmaster CK 2915-1 (first Omega Speedmaster produced)
+ Speedmaster Automatic 376.0822 (2000 produced, 2 years of production, 1987-88)
+ 1947 Omega Chronometer ref. 2366
+ Seamaster Golden Chronometre 168.023
+ 1970's solid gold Flightmasters
+ Plaisted Polar Expedition special issue Speedmaster
+ Omega Olympic Rattrapante (only 26 produced)
+ Omega Speedmaster X-33
+ 1945 Waterproof RAF ’53 (1 year production, 1945)
+ Omega Speedmaster reference 105.002 (1 year production, 1962)
+ RCAF chronograph (2 year production, 1960 & 62)
+ Speedmaster CK 2998 reference 105.002 (1 year production, 1962)
+ Other special limited edition pieces and prototypes
+ 1960's and 70's Andrew Grima "About Time" collection (~60 watches produced)
+ Time Computer TC1 in 18k gold (Less than 50 produced)
+ Synchrobeat and Pulsometre


Exceptionally scarce (1 in 10,000)
+ Speedmaster CK2998 (production, 1959-62)
+ Speedmaster 105.003 (pre moonwatch "Ed White")
+ Speedmaster Professional LCD
+ Speedmaster Professional 105.012 and 145.012 ("Moonwatches")
+ Speedmaster 145.022 Apollo-Soyouz (1 year production, 1976, 500 produced)
+ Railmaster models
+ Speedmaster ref 145.012-68
+ 2915-1 Speedmaster
+ Soleil dial Speedmasters
+ Seamaster XVI Olympiad Wristwatch Yellow Gold Limited Production
+ Seamaster Railmaster, especially with white dial CK 2914


Very uncommon (1 in 1000))
+ 1950's Omegas with black dials (made only on request)
+ Omega Thin Arrow Military watch 6b/542 57 issue and RNZAF 56 issue
+ Early Constellations with dial variations...plank, two tone half guilloche, cloissone enamel, black hobnail
+ Pre-1970's dress watches with black and tuxedo (two-tone) dials
+ In general, Omegas with unique enameled, cloisonné, or stepped dials
+ Tiffany & Co. collaborations


Hard to find (1 in 100)
+ Vintage Omegas pre-1980 with original untouched dials, sharp 18k cases, unpolished stainless cases, relatively untouched and unserviced by Omega, original bracelets
+ Watches with original crystals on date or day/date watches


Common (1 in 10)
+ Vintage Omega Seamasters pre-1980 in cal. 268 and 562 that have been re-dialed
+ Silver or champagne coloured dials

From what I can think of; usually unique ones such as enameled, black, stepped dials. Conditions like sharp 18k cases.

I will try to compile all the suggestions posted here into the top post to keep a clean list...just added this one.

In general... original untouched/unmolested watches... in most cases, once serviced by Omega, the originality of a vintage watch is gone 🙁

Maybe I'm just not paying attention, but orginal crystals on date or day/date watches are pretty uncommon. The lack of L-crystals on available watches tends to make me think there are more replacements than not.

What you have listed does not constitute a watch being rare.

For a watch to be rare, there need to have not been many produced in the first place.

You're talking about characteristics acquired (or in the case of your list, not) over time.

The general rule, is that if a dealer/seller uses the term "Rare" to describe a mass produced item, they're talking out of their backside.

Which, unfortunately is not as rare an occurrence as one might hope.

I personally wouldn’t use “rare” for a watch unless I thought there were less than a few hundred or so examples out there. So for Omega I guess 2915-1 Speedmasters, cloisonné dialled watches, and so on. Extremely rare would be things like Soleil dial Speedies, prototypes, etc.

If a common watch is in exceptional condition I don’t think that makes it a rare watch, more like a watch in rarely good condition

I consider rare, a watch produced in limited edition something like Omega Olympic Rattrapante if I remember well only 26 produced or let's
say watches produced for a very short period of time like Speedmaster Professional LCD

Rare to find batteries for these vintage Omega's.

I've adapted video game terminology when I assess vintage watches- usually items like weapons/armor can be categorized as common, uncommon, legendary, special, exotic.
Now some watches might straddle multiple categories - pre-moon speedies/rolex 5513 subs I would say are common as well as legendary. On any given day you can find multitudes on sale online or in stores but they're also icons so they're special. The truly "rare" category for me would be the exotic- something that encompasses legendary, is special in its own right, and very difficult to find.

This is an example of what I would say is exotic:

I used the word "rare" in the title, but have suggested that "scarce" is a better term in the OP. Regardless, I believe initial production numbers are not the only indicator for something that is vintage (i.e., old). There may have been a billion produced, but only a handful remaining that are good examples with original parts and in fair condition. So while production counts certainly play a role in scarcity (and some Omegas produced in limited quantities would automatically qualify as scarce), the idea here is to also include qualities and conditions that contribute to scarcity from the vintage collector standpoint.

Again, I think you're using words that do not mean what you think they mean.

What you seem to be asking is two things, and trying to make it one thing:

1) What makes a vintage watch desirable?
2) What makes a watch rare?

One does not equal the other.

And whilst finding a mass produced watch in "as new condition", you can only go as far as saying "It is rare to find <insert name and model of mass produced watch> in this condition".

Being the only glass of fresh drinking water in a sewage treatment works, does not suddenly make water rare.

So let’s see some rare Omegas !

I have a couple that are close, but probably aren’t really rare for differing reasons. First would be my Connie with two-tone dial, but I’d say it’s just a common watch with an uncommon dial, rather than rare. Then there’s my [likely] prototype cased Albatross but I had to get that assembled into a watch myself so I can’t really call that “a rare Omega” either even though it’s probably the only one.

Anyone got a proper rare Omega ?