Omega

During the week I had to go into town to see my solicitor - good reasons, not bad. I was walking in the direction of her office around lunchtime when I decided to stop for lunch first and I made a detour towards a shopping district that I sometimes go to. Anyway my first choice cafe was full and I didn't want to wait. So I went to find another cafe and found myself walking past an antique store on the second floor where I usually don't go. Now usually antique stores don't interest me, but this one had an unusually large display of watches in the front window. Some vintage and others more recent. Sitting forlornly surrounded by Rolexes and Tudors I saw an Omega which instantly got my attention.

I peered into the antique store to suss it out. The usual older female attendants and a younger guy. I could see another counter with even more watches. I went in and had a look around. I could see a workroom with watch tools and other equipment. The younger guy approached me and I asked to see the Omega in the window. I wasn't expecting much as often these guys are just there to get a sale. "Ah, you mean the Seamaster 300 from 1966...", he exclaimed...

For a while now, I have been thinking of going down the vintage timepiece route. But there are so many watches to choose from and without the appropriate knowledge there is significant potential for error. Nostalgically, I wanted to get an Omega (but also Rolex, JLC, Zenith etc etc) but which one? Seamaster and Speedmaster seem the obvious choices and so I garnered a little information about these in case I stumbled across one. And a 1964 vintage would add to the spice of the hunt.

Anyway the attendant seemed to know a fair bit about the watch and Omega. Turns out that he is the son of the store owner and is a qualified watchmaker. That was totally unexpected.

I examined the watch for any telltale signs...

No stubbies. Check.

I am not sure about "SWISS MADE". Is this correct or should it be "T SWISS MADE T"? Perhaps someone here can comment about this?

Open 6 and 9. Check.

Outlined date window. Check.

Flat topped A. Check.

Bezel with lume. Check.

Upon reference to his inventory files, caliber 565, movement number 24,283,xxx. I don't own a caseback opener but I would still like to have a look inside. I hope to get to my usual watchmaker sometime soon to have the movement checked.

Even though this is a 1966 vintage, I was struck by the quality of this 166024. I felt reasonably confident with this purchase. I am weak spirited. Why wait for a 1964 that I might never find (because Graham owns most of them) when this gorgeous one is there for the taking.

By the way, I will get a call if a 1964 does happen to come in and I am assured that trade-ins are welcomed.

My first watch was an Omega omega.watchprosite.com And now so is my latest.

I still made it in time to see my solicitor by the way.



...And the trouble with lawyers?

Indirectly or directly, they always cost you money. Here endeth the lesson.



Thanks for looking,

Richard.

your lawyer did you a favour .If everything checks out OK & after waiting for the experts to comment, I think you got yourself a fine piece there.Our Omega expert Mr. Graham should be around soon to give you his blessing - or not! I have been on the hunt for a 300 on & off for some time but was told by a dealer recently that an original in good condition without replacement parts were hard to find.

Enjoy & thanks for sharing your adventure

Fernando

that this is entirely authentic but probably not all original. That would be difficult to find in this condition.

I hope you find the Seamaster that you are looking for.

Regards,

Richard.

Nothing wrong with them, either.
Watchco takes authentic movements, reconditions them, and then builds a new watch around them with all current genuine Omega parts.

I chose this route to avoid all the fakes & frankens, as well as to have basically a new watch. Love mine.


My feeling is that if I had purchased a poor condition original SM300 and sent it to Omega for restoration, they basically would have done the same thing -replaced all the parts with new replacements. It would have cost me more to do this than to go the way I did. I also wanted a watch for daily wear that I wouldn't feel the need to baby. This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2010-05-22 09:09:22

I think an authentic genuine 1966 would not have been in this condition.

And any that I could have found would be in need of restoration and would cost more than what I have paid.

I am happy if all is genuine Omega and that is a good start.

This is going to make a great regular wearer.

Love your picture too...

Regards,

Richard.

Thanks Richard, for this this well-written story of yours finding this vintage Omega SM. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

Best regards,

anaesdoc

when you least expect it. I guess I should start looking in antique stores more often.

Regards,

Richard.

Hi

this looks a classic Watchco-type Seamaster 300, i.e. made with replacement Omega parts (labelled Mar2000) which means that the only part really from the 60's is the movement.

Watchco and others scavenged the movement from a DeVille or other, and then build a watch with all Omega replacement parts.

So, it is a vintage-like watch, extremely enjoyable, really waterproof(usually), but not with all parts from the 60's.

Which means that:

1- all lume is luminova and not tritium.  That is why it is not t-swiss-t. That is why if you expose it to light it will glow in the dark for up to hours, while a 40 years old tritium dial will only luminesce for a few minutes

2- If you ask an extract from Archives in Omega, the reference associated with the movement will not be 165.024 but another

3-  If you look at the inside of the back, it will be marked (usually) 165.0024.

Best wishes
Franco

I assumed that the dial and bezel weren't original. My fear were they were not genuine Omega.

I will definitely be looking inside the back at some stage.

Regards,

Richard.

I got one a few years ago and love it! Here are pics:

But I can tell you it is a great looking watch. Thanks for taking the time to tell us the story. It's nice, isn't it? Running into people who know what they are selling.

Ruckdee

I wish Omega would make them like that still.  The PO of today is awesome in its own way, but not quite like the classic ones.  And what they pass for a Seamaster 300M diver's watch these days with the skeleton hands just doesn't do it for me, although the discontinued 2254.80 and 2255.50 (I think I have those right) with sword hands come pretty close (blue dial or balck dial with the wave pattern).  Thanks for a blast from the past!   =:^D

Things tend to be cyclical. Omega may well one day develop a heritage line much as Longines are doing these days.

Regards,

Richard.

Well, as the others said, I think it is a restored watch, but if you don't mind, it is not a problem, as it is a very nice one.

You mentionned your interest for a '64 SM 300?

Here's one:



Good as good bread.



Best, my friend.

Nicolas

That would cost me too much money.

Restored is fine by me as long as everything is genuine Omega. But the hunt has started and I will continue looking.

Regards,

Richard.

Damn, this Grahama is contagious!



Best,

Nicolas

Anyway, when I was thinking up a name for this post, I thought of using, "it's all Graham's fault".

However, diamondjim already has a post with that title...

Regards,

Richard.

Hi Richard,

2014 sounds closer than I would like. Hope you find the right 50th birthday present - I have some plans in that regard too.

WatchCo are now headquartered in Melbourne and you can find their range on a Google search. Re-animated from Omega parts, they certainly do a great looking SM300 that will make the perfect daily wearer, as you suggest.

Congratulations.

Andrew

. . . poignant short story here. The same happened to me once, but it was while waiting for my tires to be rotated ;-) . . .

No message body

its obvious the the dial is a replacement and the caseback is too good to be original. the case is also very good. if you bought it believing it to be an original 1966 model and thats what you were told then you have grounds for taking it back if your disappointed with it not being original. Watchco only make sm300's with screwdown crowns which this has.

having said all that its still a nice looker and being a watchco it means that you can use it properly as a tool watch. here are pics of my original and refurbed 1964's so you can see the difference in patina etc.

Original with patina on the lume.

refurb with white lume.

buying an SM300 is a minefield so if your happy with it thats great, but if your disappointed dont be as what you have can do exactly what it was designed to do.

BTW i dont own ALL the 64's. Nicolas has one as well     i know they made more than 4.

best

Graham

My main concern was that I might have been buying non-genuine Omega but the consensus is that all seems OK. There's a lot of brains on this forum.

I had never heard of Watchco before, but I am more than happy to have an authentic 1966 movement with replacement genuine Omega case and dial, etc.

This is going to make a great regular wearer which might not have been the case if I had an original 1966 model. Restoration costs would need to be factored in as well. Besides, what I really want to find is an original 1964 vintage, as you know. This one is just a stop-gap measure until I get the "real deal".

So I am more than happy with this watch. I will still try to get a look inside the back though.

Thanks for your help.

Regards,

Richard.

It seems to me that this is a WatchCo built or they used some new parts (bezel, hands, dial) that are "made in Omega" but ...

I love this model and you should be very proud to wear a restored (this is not a bad word for me) SM300.
I have one, no date, that I (my watchmaker in fact) did the rebuild using parts from WatchCo (bezel, insert, dial, hands and case back) and I'm very happy with the result.
The movement (tuned to the perfection) and case are original, as far I know.

Here is mine:



I believe that if Omega reissues the SM300 it will be a major hit.

Size, weight are just perfect.

Your post, with the great pics, just give to me an urge to wear the SM300.
It will be my tomorrow's watch, for sure.

Back to your watch, the only point (that is more a question for the experts) is the "Swiss Made".
All Omega vintage dials that I got from WatchCo (SM300, SM200 and Speedmaster) carries the "T Swiss Made T", despite the fact that they are Luminova.

Cheers,

Nilo

Thats a stunner.

And this watch feels well balanced on the wrist. I agree a reissue would be a winner for sure.

I am in the dark with you about why your t swiss made t vintage dials are not tritium. Is there more to it? Maybe someone knows more about this?

Regards,

Richard.