Vintage Omega watches

[jtrey]

Looking at getting into a vintage watch... more for this novelty of it than anything else. Figured I'd start w/ something recognizable like an Omega. So as I poke around the Web looking for a starting point, I notice several "Vintage" Omega on UK Ebay. These all look serviceable, and really underpriced... Like a few hundred bucks US.

My question is, does anyone know if these are legit or just fakes being passed off as the real deal. And if they are the real deal, what should I be looking for?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Regards,
Jon

[Gregger]

I'd wait for Tom (Pacifichrono) to chime in...He seems to be into the vintage and has some outstanding Omegas......I do know that in the late 70's early 80's Omega was owned by an American family that almost destroyed the brand...(please correct me if I'm wrong) and they were using junk movements....so you must watch out for these.....My Omega AD told me the story and I hope I got it right. Good luck in your quest.....This is a vintage O that I'm looking out for........This pic was taken from a mod at WUS

[four of diamonds]

The Omega Geneve looks legit to me. I would guess from the 70's. I have not seen that other model before, so I can't chime in on it.

You will need to get pics of the movement and inside of the case back to confirm authenticity with the Omega Vintage database. The database is on the Omega website under Customer Service and Vintage Watches. You can search by model (using the interior case back number) or via the movement caliber number. The movement will also have serial number you can use to date the movement.

[pacifichrono]

A few suggestions on buying an Omega off eBay:

• Get a copy of "The Complete Price Guide to Watches" by Cooksey Shugart (and others), available at Borders, B&N, and Amazon. Read everything about Omega watches, models, prices, movements, etc.
• Buy from a volume seller with impeccable feedback.
• Ask questions before bidding.
• If the watch is priced too low, there's probably a good reason.
• Look for a watch that is correctly "signed" on the dial, inside case, movement, and crown (if applicable).
• Check out the movement serial number against the Omega database and other SN resources on the web. For movement model numbers, you should also check it against the huge movement database maintained by Dr. Roland Ranfft: the "Ranfft Pink Pages."
• Compare the watch in question to those in the Cooksey book.
• If you're spending more than a few hundred dollars, you might run it by the members of the vintage forums at Timezone and WUS.
• After submitting the winning bid, but before paying, download all the seller's photos to your computer for future comparison (if necessary), and paste the seller's auction copy into a Word file, both for comparison purposes, and to give you a reference of the watch's specs should you ever want to resell it.
• After buying, take it immediately to an Omega AD to check its authenticity and condition. Make sure it operates properly and accurately. I suggest completing your examination and authentication within seven days so you can advise the seller on a timely basis -- beyond seven days is asking for trouble.

Good luck!

[jtrey]

Thank you for all the info!! That's awesome. Now off to browse!!

[Fresno]

I have bought many Omega vintage watches.

First off do not buy one that does not show the movement
A lot of people have been ripped off by watches with non-Omega movements put in

If there is a picture of the movement please check the serial number of the movement to the date of the watch. Make sure the date of the movement corresponds to the date of the watch. Again a lot of people have been burned by the wrong movement being put in them.

Serial numbers by date



Look at the dial - A refinished one looks great but lowers the value of the watch

A great resource is here

http://chronocentric.com/omega/

[pacifichrono]

Originally Posted by Fresno

A great resource is here

http://chronocentric.com/omega/

Thanks for the great reference, Kelly.

[boscoe]

Here's my oldest Omega, built in December 1960 or earlier January 1961. Omega couldn't be more specific, but they offer a great service to date your watch if you send in the serial numbers.

This is about 32-33 mm. I had it "restored" by my watch guru Old Grumpy:

[josephc]

Originally Posted by Gregger

I'd wait for Tom (Pacifichrono) to chime in...He seems to be into the vintage and has some outstanding Omegas......I do know that in the late 70's early 80's Omega was owned by an American family that almost destroyed the brand...(please correct me if I'm wrong) and they were using junk movements....so you must watch out for these.....My Omega AD told me the story and I hope I got it right. Good luck in your quest.....This is a vintage O that I'm looking out for........This pic was taken from a mod at WUS

Check this out, just ran accross it cruising around on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Omega-Se...item2a03fc76d6