WATCH POP

Hi guys;

I was wondering whether i could get you opinion on the following watch:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4972730154

Ive chatted with the seller online and he reports that the watch has a 560 caliber. Should I avoid alltogether ?

Thanks

Sidd Hi Sidd,

Personally I would avoid that watch at any cost, as it is what we call a Frankenwatch, and a problematic one at that. That is a watch, which has been assembled by original yet unrelated sub components. A quick glance reveals the following problems:The hands doesn't belong to the dial. The hands have inlaid luminous materials, yet the dial doesn't have nay at or near the hour markers.The movement is a transplant from another watch. The 560 calibers were movements made specifically for the north american market to circumvent an import tax on watches, they only have 17 jewels in the movement and were sent over as 'raw', Ie. uncased. These 'raw' movements were then put into cases made in the US. The dial and case of this watch are clearly marked 'Swiss Made' and not 'Swiss' only, which the US ones are. So the movement has been snatched from another watch, probably as part of a previous repair job.The 560 is anything but desirable, as they are 'missing' 7 jewels from the automatic winding bridge, and this has a marked effect on the service life of the movement. You want a 552, 562 or a 565 in a vintage Seamaster like this one.Assuming the automatic winder works even now, then I suspect you are aware that this watch isn't 'wrist ready'. It hasn't been properly checked nor serviced, meaning that even if it runs now, sorta, kinda, it probably won't do so for long. And even if it does keep running, prolonged wearing will just wear down the reverser wheel in the automatic winding bridge. That one is expensive to replace.If you intend to use a vintage watch as an every day timekeeper, the watch must have proper moisture protection. That is, the crown and gaskets must be reasonably fresh and properly checked. A 40 year old crown will not protect the movement.You don't want this watch, sorry.

Frank N. ...that the condition of the movement, even given the poor quality photo, seems very run down. It is tarnished and the many scratches suggests that it has been in the hands of a rather ham fisted 'watchmaker'. There is no telling what problems may lurk in the depths of this movement, and, speaking from experience, they probably aren't pretty.

If you told us why you intend to buy a vintage Omega in the first place, we might be better able to suggest a course of action.

Frank N. Hi Frank

At first glance the watch looks ok for 200$ , nice case, nice bracelet, nice dial. The 560 is ok, tarnished but ok. Oh Omega did send COMPLETE watches to the US with 560, 550 in them. They also sold them as raw movements for service spares. They also sent them with dials and Norman Morris cased them in the States with domsetic cases. Same with bracelets some were swiss made and other s were made my JB Champion in the States.

But getting back to the watch on ebay. On closer look, the bracelet is not correct! It looks like someone assembled the bracelet from a hong knog steel beads of rice and took a Omega clasp and added to the watch.

I hate to admit it ( HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ), but I mildly agree with Frank, I would pass on the watch.

Good Hunting

Bill Sohne
Good Hunting Hi Guys;

WOW! thank you for that detailed break down. Ill be passing on that watch now.

My reason for wanting an antique omega are really two fold. Firstly, Ive been wearing only quartz watches for a long time, and I would like something that is a more true representative of who I am as in the watch I wear. I like the understated elegance and complexity that these watches hold and the fact that these watches (and from what Frank, Bill, Jaap and Niel have indicated), are the pinnacle of watch mechanicals for that time, signified by the sheer superiority of the 56x movement.
Secondly, Ive fallen in love with Omega watches for the 60's period. Once again, very classy and understated.

My ideal watch would be an automatic speedmaster or an omega counterpart with a black face and date function - sadly I havent seen very many of them on eBay or anywhere else. I would like my first Omega to be something special that I have hunted for and found.

One sample of my ideal watch would be something like the one that follows and I would be bidding for this watch, except that as noted by other experts on this forum, the watch seems to have degreaded, especially close to the crown.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4973475778&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT


Thank you again for all the helpfull information. I guess the search for my first omega continues

Sidd Hi Sidd,

That Seamaster has lost its original back. The ref. 166.037 SP belongs to a Constellation, and it is fairly evident, that the back has been roughly ground down to remove the observatory logo. Then someone has attempted to engrave the Hippocampus logo one would expect to find on a Seamaster.

Buying a vintage watch off eBay is a matter of trust and prayers. Statistically you will not get a watch, which is ready to wear, and often not in original condition either.

Think of this as a situation similar to buying a classic, vintage american car from the fifties or sixties. The car has just been hauled out from a dusty garage after having been left in storage by its previous owner for an unknown number of years.

Unless you get the car properly checked out and lubricated before use, you wil ruin the engine. No second opinions needed. Same thing with a mechanical watch. Buy a vintage watch in an auction and wear it 'out of the box' and you are very likely to face expensive repairs in the near future, where they are possible at all.

It is getting late here. I will write some more on this in the near future if you like.

Hope this helps a bit.

Frank N. Hi Frank;

I would LOVE to hear more from you on this topic. Im based in Austin Texas, so if there is any one on the board who can reccomend a place to go to, that would be great too.

I'm guessing this is going to be my task for the near future - getting a good wearable example of the 56x movement seamaster.

thanks again for all the advice.

Sidd