Would appreciate advice re this SM300 CK2913/3 I am thinking of buying

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I have nothing to add, except go for it! In my limited experience, taking on a project will turn into more than initially thought, so I'd offer at the low range of what has been suggested. Say a correct bezel comes up on ebay, you will want to be able to pay a lot for it, and not feel like you are underwater on the watch. So I'd offer at the very low end.

And if you read the forum a lot, you will have seen the advice to spend a little more for a better example, rather than pay less for a project.

Good luck and please update us with pics if you go down the project route.
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The price range you quoted seems reasonable for this watch. An intact original bezel is like half the value of the 2913s probably also because in those watches the rest of the watch is usually in good shape.
 
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Wow... I've come across a few beautiful 2913s whilst researching the one I was offered, and this is definitely one of those.



Wow... I've come across a few beautiful 2913s whilst researching the one I was offered, and this is definitely one of those.
Thanks for sharing and I hope your wish comes true.
I can only agree with you about this watch, it is an amazing one (with an amazing price...)!

The question (questions) is what you want to achieve with the watch that you have asked about?

You have mentioned a new crystal and bezel, both aftermarket/replicas.
The watch is also in need for a full service.

With the possible price that you will pay, and with the costs above,
you will have a cool and unusual watch!
馃憤

But will you be satisfied once this is done, and will the watch please you every time you look at it?

I have a pair of easy ways to value (not money) a watch:

1/
Do You like the Watchometer?

2/
Do I Want it (Thanks @Davidt )?


My two 枚re.....馃榾

Keep us posted!
 
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I have nothing to add, except go for it! In my limited experience, taking on a project will turn into more than initially thought, so I'd offer at the low range of what has been suggested. Say a correct bezel comes up on ebay, you will want to be able to pay a lot for it, and not feel like you are underwater on the watch. So I'd offer at the very low end.

And if you read the forum a lot, you will have seen the advice to spend a little more for a better example, rather than pay less for a project.

Good luck and please update us with pics if you go down the project route.
Thanks Porteroso and I cannot but agree with your insights.
I indeed intend to tread carefully expenditure-wise... Which is why I came to this forum looking for some wisdom from the centuries of experience and knowledge aggregated here.
The advice you mention ("spend a little more for a better example, rather than pay less for a project") is not only true for this forum, it is true for just about any field of collecting out there.
Unfortunately the issue of budget looms overhead and must be taken into account. I just need to be careful that the end result watch of the project won't turn out to have cost more than a better example watch would have cost at the outset.
Thanks again!
 
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I can only agree with you about this watch, it is an amazing one (with an amazing price...)!

The question (questions) is what you want to achieve with the watch that you have asked about?

You have mentioned a new crystal and bezel, both aftermarket/replicas.
The watch is also in need for a full service.

With the possible price that you will pay, and with the costs above,
you will have a cool and unusual watch!
馃憤

But will you be satisfied once this is done, and will the watch please you every time you look at it?

I have a pair of easy ways to value (not money) a watch:

1/
Do You like the Watchometer?

2/
Do I Want it (Thanks @Davidt )?


My two 枚re.....馃榾

Keep us posted!
Thanks for the further input, hansaboy.
I am not a stickler for as-new originality and condition (if I was, this specific example would have been off limits).
My goal is to end up with a good-looking example of this iconic and scarce watch watch that looks cool and hasn't cost me more than it should.
I will be happy with the watch with a new, original crystal (which are easy to come by), an aftermarket bezel insert (because original ones are rare as hen's teeth and silly expensive), with the movement ticking to spec after a service, on a nice leather strap properly matched to the head.
A bracelet would be nice to have but not a must, so I can wait to hopefully find one at a bargain price. The hands can also use some restoration work but I am quite OK with them as-is so this too is not a must. My feeling is that the dial is fine as-is and simply can't be seen properly due to the horrible condition of the current crystal.
So to answer your questions, if all goes well:
Yes, I will be satisfied once this is done.
Yes, the watch will please me every time I look at it.
Yes, the Do You Like The Watchometer score is sufficiently high.
Yes, I want it.
BUT: at the right price. 馃榾
Thanks again,
David
 
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I also have the 2913-3 reference from 1958 mate , when I bought the watch it had a replacement crystal ( I鈥檝e since re-installed the original crystal )that come with the watch but also no bezel .luckily I Managed to source this beauty with original Bakelite on eBay from Israel for $2000aud , I did to get the watch itself for a decent price so I had a bit of justified room 馃 to spend a bit on the bezel , it was missing the pip/tab so I had one made and sent to me and I鈥檝e installed with epoxy chemical weld to avoid heating the bezel insert up and potentially destroying it ( advice I had received on here also ) ,

All original factory besides the bezel of course , original naiad crown and all radium lume , a bit of burn on the dial but I鈥檝e learned to love it regardless aha . I鈥檇 love to get an extract when omega commit and bring that back for the family aha ! This year ?? Any one got a man on the inside ahah

Nice watch you have there though from what I鈥檝e learned so far in some cases mentioned the ck2913(-3) reference was the most collectible of the (1-8) references but I am no expert , just stumbled across my dads 1967-165.024 in a box of tech screws cleaning it up a few years ago and now I鈥檓 hooked on this dial / models in particular . I鈥檝e also read the -3 references have been released from factory with the lollipop seconds as at the time the watchmaker installing them would just pick what was available to them but don鈥檛 hold me to that aha ! That鈥檚 the only thing I would consider changing on any original parts if I managed to source one with the correct radium lume .

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Without beeing a expert on these I would be happy to pay around eur 3000ish for that one. But this also depends on what a replacement insert will cost. You could ask @mcgyver if I'm not mistaking. A couple of hundred for a service, a crystal and maybe some lumework for the hands and maybe you end up at around eur 4000ish. That's not to bad for a watch like this. But again, I did'nt do any research and I love this model.
 
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I also have the 2913-3 reference from 1958 mate , when I bought the watch it had a replacement crystal ( I鈥檝e since re-installed the original crystal )that come with the watch but also no bezel .luckily I Managed to source this beauty with original Bakelite on eBay from Israel for $2000aud , I did to get the watch itself for a decent price so I had a bit of justified room 馃 to spend a bit on the bezel , it was missing the pip/tab so I had one made and sent to me and I鈥檝e installed with epoxy chemical weld to avoid heating the bezel insert up and potentially destroying it ( advice I had received on here also ) ,

All original factory besides the bezel of course , original naiad crown and all radium lume , a bit of burn on the dial but I鈥檝e learned to love it regardless aha . I鈥檇 love to get an extract when omega commit and bring that back for the family aha ! This year ?? Any one got a man on the inside ahah

Nice watch you have there though from what I鈥檝e learned so far in some cases mentioned the ck2913(-3) reference was the most collectible of the (1-8) references but I am no expert , just stumbled across my dads 1967-165.024 in a box of tech screws cleaning it up a few years ago and now I鈥檓 hooked on this dial / models in particular . I鈥檝e also read the -3 references have been released from factory with the lollipop seconds as at the time the watchmaker installing them would just pick what was available to them but don鈥檛 hold me to that aha ! That鈥檚 the only thing I would consider changing on any original parts if I managed to source one with the correct radium lume .

Thanks, Tbones-perth, for the interesting story about your 2913-3.
It is indeed a beaut -- but having said that, if it were mine I would get a new crystal. The crack in yours is too severe for my liking.
Crystals are very easy to find online and you can pick up an original NOS one for around $200 on eBay, or less if you look around.
Interesting that you found your bezel insert from a seller in Israel. Coincidentally I happen to be Israeli myself and am writing to you from Tel Aviv...
Do you happen to remember the seller's name and when you purchased the bezel from him? The watch collecting community here is pretty small so there's a chance I know him.
Re the 2913-3, I would hesitate to say that it is the most collectible of the eight versions of the 2913. One could argue that the 2913-1 is the most desirable of them all because it's the first and probably the rarest. The 2913-7 is also in demand because it was the only version with the lollipop seconds hand which many collectors like. (Note that this implies that you should not install one on your watch, because it would be incorrect to the version.)
Thanks again for your feedback and insights and let me know about the Israeli seller...
David
 
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Without beeing a expert on these I would be happy to pay around eur 3000ish for that one. But this also depends on what a replacement insert will cost. You could ask @mcgyver if I'm not mistaking. A couple of hundred for a service, a crystal and maybe some lumework for the hands and maybe you end up at around eur 4000ish. That's not to bad for a watch like this. But again, I did'nt do any research and I love this model.
Thanks for the helpful feedback, Shabbaz.
I do intend to contact @mcgyver if I end up buying the watch. Wish me luck...
David
 
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Hi all,
Thanks again to everyone who provided helpful input and answers to my questions about the SM300 CK2913-3 I was offered.
I am happy to share that I ended up purchasing the watch.
The seller agreed to a price of just over $3,000, ie at the low end of the suggested price range suggested in this thread.
After taking possession of the watch I did a quick and dirty DIY buffing of the crystal to remove the most obvious scratches, a procedure which IMHO much improved the watch's aesthetics.
A happy side-effect of the buffing is that it brought to light the previously-indiscernible Omega icon in the center of the crystal, indicating that this too is original to the watch.
I also paired the watch with a decent dark-brown leather strap I had lying around.
Before and after images of the crystal appear below.
Now I'll start looking for a suitable source for a replacement bezel, about which I'll start a separate thread ASAP.
Thanks again for your assistance, without which I could not have added this beauty to my collection.
David
 
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Hi all,
Thanks again to everyone who provided helpful input and answers to my questions about the SM300 CK2913-3 I was offered.
I am happy to share that I ended up purchasing the watch.
The seller agreed to a price of just over $3,000, ie at the low end of the suggested price range suggested in this thread.
After taking possession of the watch I did a quick and dirty DIY buffing of the crystal to remove the most obvious scratches, a procedure which IMHO much improved the watch's aesthetics.
A happy side-effect of the buffing is that it brought to light the previously-indiscernible Omega icon in the center of the crystal, indicating that this too is original to the watch.
I also paired the watch with a decent dark-brown leather strap I had lying around.
Before and after images of the crystal appear below.
Now I'll start looking for a suitable source for a replacement bezel, about which I'll start a separate thread ASAP.
Thanks again for your assistance, without which I could not have added this beauty to my collection.
David
I would love to add it to my collection 馃憤
 
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Beautiful watch already. Please keep us updated on the restoration process. Hope you will be a able to track down an original bezel.