Reply With QuoteInteresting that is. I wonder if now that they have discontinued the quartz what it will do for the prices of a used one.
A couple of recent threads have referred to the now-discontinued quartz SMP, list price £1500, and whether nerw ones can still be obtained.
Did a bit of digging on my travels this week. Goldsmiths (Meadowhall) told me the blue version is sold out, not sure about the black.
Called into Berrys in Leeds yesterday and they have both blue and black in the window. Whether discounts can be had is open to question; I didn`t ask.
Can`t remember who said they were interested in one.......but here's the opportunity. Can`t imagine there are many new ones left, I was surprised to see these.
Paul
Interesting that is. I wonder if now that they have discontinued the quartz what it will do for the prices of a used one.
While I generally don't like quartz, the Bond-quartz 2541.80 is an icon as it was the first Seamaster worn by Pierce Brosnan in 'Goldeneye' (1995). Only later he wore the automatic Bond-chronometer model:
Here’s a screen capture from GOLDENEYE where the film’s villain, a defected “00″ secret agent has captured James Bond and compares his “old model” British Secret Service issued watch to the newer model which he’s taken from Bond. The trained eye will notice that the first Seamaster used in GOLDENEYE was not the Seamaster Professional chronometer – it was actually the quartz version of the same watch. Later in the Brosnan series of James Bond films, he can be seen wearing the actual Seamaster Professional chronometer model 2531.80.00. (source: http://seamasterreferencepage.com)
This is my Bond 2221.80 on a OEM rubber strap and deployant. I have had some Seamasters quartz and automatic, but in a strange way I feel this model should have a quartz movement. Just like in the 1990's...
Was in my local dealer yesterday in Preston and they have the Automatic 212.30.41.20.01.002 in Black for £2400.Don't know if these have been discontinued yet.
Was looking at the 212.30.41.20.01.003 the ceramic bezel at £2770 and had the blue and black and loved the black but wouldn't budge much on price probably due to time of year.Also i have seen this around the £2300 mark and missed out on the Goldsmith discount earlier this week.
Also tried on the new ceramic Rolex Sub date and was disappointed compared to the Omega considering the price was £5700.It also looked small on the wrist compared to the Omega.
At least i know what my next watch will be and also at least £3000 better off.
Just have to decide what to do with my black SMP Quartz.
Last edited by mjc1216; 7th December 2012 at 14:14.
This Bond-watch is an icon and as the automatic-only versions of it will receive upgrades and getting more expensive I think values of the quartz model certainly won't go down...Originally Posted by Yunsung
I think the last of the quartz models are worth buying, especially so if a discount can be haggled (10%).
Paul
Hopefully more Paul. There are more dealers with them as well :)
It's just a matter of time...
You need an older one ;)
Older, I'd go chronometer, as they would be around the same price and the Chronometers will always be worth more.
It's just a matter of time...
A lightly used SMPQ at around £800 has got to be the best value watch of a nice brand out there imho. I wouldnt buy new tho as I wouldnt pay over a grand for a quartz.
I am amazed that there is still stock in shop windows.The decision to discontinue the quartz was made months ago.
I did a pole recently here on TZ to whether the blue or the black was most popular.Blue got the highest votes but only just.
They are lovely though which ever option you choose
regards
T
My well worn one from 1994. Never missed a beat, never been serviced and my go to holiday watch. It's also one I'd never sell.
Have still got the original bracelet but been wearing it on a blue tropic recently
That's a nice one! It looks like the lume on the dial and hands is discoloured Tritium although it doesn't say so on the dial. It gives the watch a nice touch of patina.
Thanks, the lume has discoloured over the years due to lots of sun, sea and general wear!
beautiful watch and reasonably priced. Blue!
Might just keep hold of the cracker I was letting go CHEAP on sc.
Actually - I've been wearing mine all week, since having to chop some wood for the fire last weekend - and it wears as compfy as it always did. I bought mine new nearly 10yrs ago after 'flipping' ones a couple of times - this one is staying. It's the original and has aged well - only on it's second battery and never misses a beat. Second hand matches the indices all the way round on mine and nearly as accurate as my TQ quartz X-33 and Breitling SQ.
Here she is from yesterday (itouch-5 pic)
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
Best quartz watches ever;none of mine are ever being sold by me.....
I`ve no idea how long a quartz watch will run without servicing. Provided no dirt gets in and the oil doesn`t go sticky it seems they'll run a long time. Ingress of dirt or grease (from greasing the caseback seal ) are the usual culprits. Doesn`t take much dirt to stop one. I`ve serviced a few that have stopped in this way and they've come back to life nicely. Coils are very delicate on these, so care must be taken when swapping batteries....don`t let a monkey loose on it.My well worn one from 1994. Never missed a beat, never been serviced and my go to holiday watch. It's also one I'd never sell.
Have still got the original bracelet but been wearing it on a blue tropic recently
Paul
If Omega updated these with TC quartz they would be fantastic - who knows in years maybe you'd be able to carry out a movement swap :)
It's just a matter of time...
Still love mine, I've currently swapped the bracelet for the double ridged rubber and deployment though.
Here's my nearly 11 year old SMP quartz which I purchased to celebrate the birth of my daughter so naturally I will never sell.
The current module it quite accurate, I get very little variance - something like 1sec per month variance with mine. But that is not a high sample number so in no way statistically significant.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
Its anice watch. I wonder how many Omegas sold of the quartz variation ? It was such a mass produced and favoured option,that I doubt they would rise much in value.
Rolex 5513's were also mass produced, don't see the point.
No where near the same scale as the Omega SMP quartz models .Rolex in the 60/70 didnt make any where near what they do nowadays.
Great watches, IMO.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Well they have doubled in price in not too many years on the used market, and with the current model auto being £2770 I'd say there is a fair chance they will rise,a bit over the next 5 years.
It's just a matter of time...
It's great watch for traveling - with quick hour change you can adjust time zone in a second without stopping your watch.
I've been looking to sell my 2220.80 but after reading this thread, I'm not so sure any more?
Obligatory picture added
Great selection. Forgive the noob question, but what's the reference number of the middle one with the sword hands?
Best quartz watches ever;none of mine are ever being sold by me.....
If you want a testimony to the strength and hardiness of the SMP quartz, I'll just say: My wife has worn hers every day for the last year or two and it's still going strong! And we all know how hard our womenfolk are when it comes to watches!
I love mine as well, we like being "Howard and Hilda" lol!
It is a model 2264 . In the pic above i have it on a ZRC waterproof leather strap . The watch normaly came on the Speedmaster style bracelet .The AD that i bought it from new several years ago now did me a favour and swapped the bracelet for the Bond style(which is what i use as a daily wearer)
Looks excellent. I think the full hands and larger indices make a huge difference.It is a model 2264 . In the pic above i have it on a ZRC waterproof leather strap . The watch normaly came on the Speedmaster style bracelet .The AD that i bought it from new several years ago now did me a favour and swapped the bracelet for the Bond style(which is what i use as a daily wearer)
My wife has worn a Seamaster Quartz 120m, virtually everyday for the last 10-12 years (sorry my memory isn't that good) and it has functioned perfectly, with only needing a few battery changes (2 or three) and the clasp screw replacing.
So, I'd say they are well up to the job.
It's just a matter of time...
Lots og quartz love in the thread - a quick question, though. Is the movement in this watch such that it allows the hour hand to move in one hour steps? I.e. can it be used as a traveller's watch?
I'm sure it is on the 2264, and I don't think they have changed the quartz module in the later 2221 etc. so yes it would be a good travellers watch. That said - I've never had an issue with losing 10-15 secs while I adjusted my autos ;)
It's just a matter of time...
Absolutely brilliant watch, had mine for 2 years and loses 2 secs a week, and yes the hour hand can be hacked. Use mine to regulate my much more expensive autos.
One point that most folks won`t even consider:
As with any quartz watch the electronics can fail virtually anytime. Obviously this gets more likely with age. All the bits are on one board for these, which costs around £22 (if you don`t mind it coming out of an ETA package and not an Omega one.....same component!). That's fine, easy to swap, no big problem, not much harder than swapping the battery.
However, at some point in the future ETA will stop producing these. Electronic bits for 70s quartz Omegas can`t be obtained so a watch that stops remains stopped till a second hand part can be sourced. In the case of the SMP the basic ETA movement has sold in huge numbers so it's likely that spares will be available for many years unless Swatch group (who own ETA) make a strange decision, using Swiss logic, to stop producing them or restrict suppy.
Not sure how much of a worry this should be. Probably not an issue for 10-15 years but might be a problem in 20-30 years.
Maybe it's only me that worries about stuff like this; spending time with watches in bits on the bench gives you a different perspective!
Paul
ETA may also decide to stop making parts for the 2824 in the future. Wouldn´t worry about that.
You see... this exact scenario troubles be greatly in terms of 'Value for money'. I personally think £1500 is an awful lot to pay for a Quartz with a good, but 'standard' movement. Yes they might be a cheaper entry point into that particular model, but can I bring myself to do it.... you know... pay so much for the not so good model.
I really fancy a Longines Hydroconquest as my next step, and even at half the price of these, i struggle with paying £550ish for a quartz (Auto is around £700). I'd always be wondering... should i have waited a bit and saved more.
I'm sure they make for perfectly good watches, and very accurate. But there is something 'lost' when buying a time piece such as this with a Quartz movement. Maybe akin to buying a diesel Ferrari..... ah yes... but its still a ferrari... (I appreciate they dont make diesel ferraris)
No right or wrong answer, just my thoughts.
Absolutely, one of the reasons I bought mine but still seem to wear it at other times!
Just to hijack Paul's thread, two weeks back the Omega boutique in Geneva airport itself had midsize quartz smp's on sale for 2200 chf, about 2000chf export sales the nice lady said. Very generous with her time and literature too!
Right I'm going back into a cave for 6 months again ;)
really loving that one on the rubber OEM deployant :o
I've had two of the bond variant, both now long gone but recently brokered a deal for a late 2009 one for a mate. Very nice watches and very well made, remind me though isn't it just a base ETA movement inside?
I saw a new one with black dial in an AD in Salzburg last week, think it was 1700 odd euro- was in the dealer that sells GO, looked very good vfm compared to the auto.I may have a business card from them if you're interested in making contact
Goat
My 2264 is the perfect watch for me. It gets so much more wrist time than my PO and it is capable of outlasting me I'm sure.
The clear dial and sword hands are contained in a relatively shallow profile which means it fits under a cuff easily.
Best buy ever.
If I was going to have only one watch, I think it would be this.
Love this pic!
I almost traded towards a Milgauss but just couldn't justify the extra money tbh.
SMP300 of any model description, or any Rolex Sub or SD for that matter would do me as an only watch for life.
It's just a matter of time...
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