Omega Seamaster 300

[Loupe]

I've seen a few of these and the model ref 166.024 seems to spread from the 1960s and up.
I don't know much about this Watch but really like the look of it. Does anyone currently own one as I'd like to know more about them and possibly buy one.

[watchlovr]

Join the queue!

Very desirable vintage piece, probably the most faked vintage piece too.
Be very careful.

[Wallasey Runner]

Watches of Knightsbridge usually have one or two in their auction, but good genuine pieces are not cheap. The 166.024 is the date version, I prefer the 165.024 with no date.

A better bet is a 'watchco' or similar, a few have appeared on SC and the Omega Forum in recent months, trading around the £2.7k Mark these days, but you effectively get a brand new watch, but with that vintage look.

[Loupe]

I've just found a post by Jack Norman from 2012 on this forum. I'm going to sit and do some reading! Any other sources of info?

[Loupe]

Join the queue!

Very desirable vintage piece, probably the most faked vintage piece too.
Be very careful.

Thank you. As I've said, I know nothing about this watch but there is a newer version which I've seen advertised for circa £3500.

[Loupe]

Watches of Knightsbridge usually have one or two in their auction, but good genuine pieces are not cheap. The 166.024 is the date version, I prefer the 165.024 with no date.

A better bet is a 'watchco' or similar, a few have appeared on SC and the Omega Forum in recent months, trading around the £2.7k Mark these days, but you effectively get a brand new watch, but with that vintage look.

Thank you, I posted then read your post afterwards. I'm really liking these, old and new.

[Mark lowman]

I've got one which has been checked under the loupe and has an extract of the archives phew ! As I'm no expert but relied on this sites SC for some form of risk offset.
The 3/6/9 curves should not join so their should be a gap. Under the 6 should be a micro hole where the dial was hung on a wire to be painted . The markers should not have any minute marker piercing them and on the back the A in waterproof should have a flattened top. On Chrono 24 at the moment is a cheap one I believe a private German sale which has a fake case-back (pointed A).
SM300's are often battered and my one has got a ghost like dial which is quite common.
Prices are all over the shop from around 4.5k to 80kchf (Phillips auction). Big triangle dials seem to be hitting 15k.
As Wallesey Runner suggested maybe dip toes in water with a Watchco they are effectively 100% Omega parts including the movement with the modern WR..

[Mark lowman]

Should have added that I've dealt personally with Watches of Knightsbridge and found them good guys to deal with. If you do buy vintage I'd highly recommend getting an extract of the archives from Omega. With the amount of fakery with these watches it really will help you if you ever decided to move it on.

[Stanford]

Under the 6 should be a micro hole where the dial was hung on a wire to be painted .

I've never heard of the "micro hole" - have you got any pictures to illustrate where it is exactly?

[Wallasey Runner]

I've never heard of the "micro hole" - have you got any pictures to illustrate where it is exactly?

Check out the markers at 6 and 12 and you will see tiny pin prick holes. If these are not present the markers have been relumed.

[Onelasttime]

Lots of good info here:

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...litary-watches

Mine is a 1967 watch with the 552 movement. It was fitted with a new dial, hands, bezel insert, and crystal during a 2008 Omega service in the US, so it's authentic, but not all original.



I added the 1171 bracelet and 633 end links later.

The movement, while a basic 24 jewel, non-hacking auto, is one of my most accurate and consistently runs at +3 secs. Not bad for a 50 year old

[Loupe]

I've got one which has been checked under the loupe and has an extract of the archives phew ! As I'm no expert but relied on this sites SC for some form of risk offset.
The 3/6/9 curves should not join so their should be a gap. Under the 6 should be a micro hole where the dial was hung on a wire to be painted . The markers should not have any minute marker piercing them and on the back the A in waterproof should have a flattened top. On Chrono 24 at the moment is a cheap one I believe a private German sale which has a fake case-back (pointed A).
SM300's are often battered and my one has got a ghost like dial which is quite common.
Prices are all over the shop from around 4.5k to 80kchf (Phillips auction). Big triangle dials seem to be hitting 15k.
As Wallesey Runner suggested maybe dip toes in water with a Watchco they are effectively 100% Omega parts including the movement with the modern WR..

Wow, lots of info there to digest.
Thanks!

[Stanford]

Check out the markers at 6 and 12 and you will see tiny pin prick holes. If these are not present the markers have been relumed.

Thanks.
Are these holes supposed to apply to dials of all years and also the 166.024?
(maybe time to get my dremel out )

[Wallasey Runner]

Thanks.
Are these holes supposed to apply to dials of all years and also the 166.024?
(maybe time to get my dremel out )

Basically yes, any original 60s Dial including the big triangle should have these. When dials have been relumed these holes obviously get filled in and disappear. I lifted the image from Google, but it illustrates a particularly nice original dial. Some relumed dials look very attractive, but the price should reflect the reluming.

I bid on an original big triangle at WOK and it sold for £12k, that was £15k including fees. The later versions using brand new original Omega parts are stunning watches and are perfectly acceptable to anyone who isn't hell bent on owning a pukka original.

[Stanford]

Basically yes, any original 60s Dial including the big triangle should have these. When dials have been relumed these holes obviously get filled in and disappear. The later versions using brand new original Omega parts are stunning watches and are perfectly acceptable to anyone who isn't hell bent on owning a pukka original.

Sorry to be persistent but it's details like this that people rely on to inform their decisions about the authenticity of items.

• Do the holes only exist on tritium dials?
• If the holes are not present the dial might have been relumed (if it purports to be tritium); or
• The dial could be a later 'service' dial (a genuine Omega item, not a fake).
• The dial could be a fake.

[Mark lowman]

With thanks to the originator of the photo, this is my one from 65' . You'll note it doesn't have the Sword hands but apparently this can be correct for models prior to 66'.
You can see that though it's lovely to have it all original I would not mind a new dial and keep the original for provenance sake

[Loupe]

That's a lovely watch, but I do prefer the sword hands.
Ones I've now seen while trawling the internet have luminova dial and hands, has this been done at service or can you buy a modern equivalent from Omega?
(Like I say I know zero about these so far!)
I like the look but don't fancy parting with fancy money for a vintage one.

[Mark lowman]

That's a lovely watch, but I do prefer the sword hands.
Ones I've now seen while trawling the internet have luminova dial and hands, has this been done at service or can you buy a modern equivalent from Omega?
(Like I say I know zero about these so far!)
I like the look but don't fancy parting with fancy money for a vintage one.

Well I guess you can go two ways with this , as I've sort of ticked the box with this desire of mine. I'd happily by a Watch Co. from what I gather Omega issued spare parts for Omega service agents and Watch Co then did a bit of a naughty by doing a complete set of builds using the 552 movements and then fitting with the reissued dials, hands, cases and to modern WR ratings. I think Omega will even service them as it is 100% Omega parts . You'll see them crop up on SC at around £2700 ish.? Otherwise you could go down the Omega SM300 co axial which is the modern interpretation of the first SM300. Some people love em. I'd be tempted but others don't like the faux patina.

[Mark lowman]

Well I guess you can go two ways with this , as I've sort of ticked the box with this desire of mine. I'd happily by a Watch Co. from what I gather Omega issued spare parts for Omega service agents and Watch Co then did a bit of a naughty by doing a complete set of builds using the 552 movements and then fitting with the reissued dials, hands, cases and to modern WR ratings. I think Omega will even service them as it is 100% Omega parts . You'll see them crop up on SC at around £2700 ish.? Otherwise you could go down the Omega SM300 co axial which is the modern interpretation of the first SM300. Some people love em. I'd be tempted but others don't like the faux patina.

Just remembered I think STS in the UK also did a few builds . I recently asked but they said they'd stopped doing them. You can also check Chrono 24 for them as well. It's a bit of an unusual situation as they are not Franken as it's 100% Omega parts. It is a bit of a stretch to say it is Omega but at the same time they maintain a value and are more true than say a reissue homage like the recent trio produced by Omega.
I suppose it will come down to whether you actually want to dive in a pool with one. My one has down all her diving and is now in happy retirement !

[Wallasey Runner]

Sorry to be persistent but it's details like this that people rely on to inform their decisions about the authenticity of items.

• Do the holes only exist on tritium dials?
  
  All 60s dials would have been tritium.
  
• If the holes are not present the dial might have been relumed (if it purports to be tritium); or
• The dial could be a later 'service' dial (a genuine Omega item, not a fake).
  
  Either way worth less, a relumed dial or a service dial is less desirable than an original.
  
  
• The dial could be a fake.
  
  Absolutely.

Hopefully answered above. Seriously, if you were thinking of going down the original road and are thinking of spending a serious amount if money the usual rules apply, buy the seller, buy from a trusted source and I would recommend joining the Omega Forum. The knowledge of those guys is incredible, although a few of them are active here. Basically you cannot do enough research or have too much advice.

If going down the Watchco road just use SC - you will be fine.

Do a WTB, I think someone was selling an original a while back and the later ones as mentioned do appear on SC

[Stanford]

Hopefully answered above. Seriously, if you were thinking of going down the original road and are thinking of spending a serious amount if money the usual rules apply, buy the seller, buy from a trusted source and I would recommend joining the Omega Forum. The knowledge of those guys is incredible, although a few of them are active here. Basically you cannot do enough research or have too much advice.

If going down the Watchco road just use SC - you will be fine.

Do a WTB, I think someone was selling an original a while back and the later ones as mentioned do appear on SC

Thanks - reliable, accurate and detailed information is essential to anyone considering such a purchase.
I don't think genuine, original, ones come up that often and I'm not sure I would want to spend that sort of money on one, especially as I already have a 'new' one although I don't know whether it's a Watchco job.

[Mark lowman]

Looks like someone's paid £24,500 including premium for a big triangle at the WOK auction. A good looking civilian Dial went for 5k including premium

[Wallasey Runner]

Looks like someone's paid £24,500 including premium for a big triangle at the WOK auction. A good looking civilian Dial went for 5k including premium

If that was military issue with a circled T then that is probably reasonable, even cheap. For a normal issue that is absolutely crazy money. The one I bid on last year was a full set and was completely untouched and that finished off at £12k before fees.

[watchlovr]

If that was military issue with a circled T then that is probably reasonable, even cheap. For a normal issue that is absolutely crazy money. The one I bid on last year was a full set and was completely untouched and that finished off at £12k before fees.

Royal Navy case, case back, T marked "Big Triangle" dial but "non military issued" movement, meaning movement had been changed at some point.

[Wallasey Runner]

Royal Navy case, case back, T marked "Big Triangle" dial but "non military issued" movement, meaning movement had been changed at some point.

Thanks Colin, helps explain the price. So to the outside just looks like a military issue - and double the price if it was complete no doubt.

[simonsays]

Heres mine. Pin pricks visible

IMG_7393 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

[watchlovr]

Heres mine. Pin pricks visible

IMG_7393 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

Love it, I'm very jealous.

[Wallasey Runner]

Love it, I'm very jealous.

I think he would happily swop it for your military issue

[Flashharry]

I own a Big Triangle, bought it many moons ago from Mike Wood.

[Wallasey Runner]

I own a Big Triangle, bought it many moons ago from Mike Wood.

Very nice indeed. You want to check out a possible value for insurance cover, these are selling for crazy money these days.

[Flashharry]

Very nice indeed. You want to check out a possible value for insurance cover, these are selling for crazy money these days.

Was thinking of trading it for a Tudor Pelargos when a couple of friends advised me that prices of the Big T had probably risen beyond my estimation!!

Was shocked when I found out its true value on the original bracelet.

[sish101]

Another watch way beyond my means...