# Why So Many Vintage Omega'S Out There?



## sharrison01

Hi guys, am a new member so go easy!!!

Have been all over my watches for the past couple of months, looking into different brands, models, places to buy etc and continually come across lots of 60s/70s Omega watches.

Some of the models look absolutely gorgeous and far nicer than current models but it got me to wondering why there are so many out there?

Is it because Omega flooded the market in the 60s/70s and thus pure quantity? The high quality of their watches made them last longer? People like the style and thus have kept them collectable?

Would love to know people's thoughts and opinions as I may be swayed into dipping my toe in with a vintage Omega...


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## clockworks

I've been wondering the same thing!

I'd also like to know why, if there are so many old Omegas out there, do they still fetch more than a comparable Zenith?


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## sharrison01

As an addition to my thread, I've also noticed on ebay that there seems to be a significant proportion of vintage Omega's from India and the Far East?!?

Vintage watches seem to be a strange place for producers of fake watches to target as it would be far easier mass producing newer models than making new-older models look vintage?


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## gaz64

sharrison01 said:


> As an addition to my thread, I've also noticed on ebay that there seems to be a significant proportion of vintage Omega's from India and the Far East?!?
> 
> Vintage watches seem to be a strange place for producers of fake watches to target as it would be far easier mass producing newer models than making new-older models look vintage?


I have s nice vintage constellation if your interested recently serviced (feb 2010)


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## clockworks

sharrison01 said:


> As an addition to my thread, I've also noticed on ebay that there seems to be a significant proportion of vintage Omega's from India and the Far East?!?
> 
> Vintage watches seem to be a strange place for producers of fake watches to target as it would be far easier mass producing newer models than making new-older models look vintage?


I expect that there are a lot of skilled artisans in India who can refurbish old watches at a very low price? I bought a Rado Voyager from a UK-based seller who seemed to have contacts in India. The case and dial were very well restored. Unfortunately the autowind mech was faulty, so I got a refund. I expect that there are a lot of old watches on the sub-continent, left behind from the colonial days. These guys are just recycling them to earn a living.

I'm more suspicious of the huge numbers of old Seikos that come out of the Philippines. Maybe they buy up all the cast-offs from Japan, but how many parts are original?


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## The Canon Man

OK, but how come all the vintage Oris's on Ebay seem to comefrom Uraguay?


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## Clum

clockworks said:


> I'm more suspicious of the huge numbers of old Seikos that come out of the Philippines. Maybe they buy up all the cast-offs from Japan, but how many parts are original?


From experience I've found the sellers from there on eBay are honest in their descriptions.


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## shag

I think it is very good quality combined with perfect PR.


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## sharrison01

interesting point about the colonial days - that was my initial reaction but I reasoned that surely with the rapid growth of these countries over the past few decades this would not be the case.

I'm pleased to hear that there are highly skilled artisans in India and that I can have some confidence in buying from them.


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## streety

Rule of thumb when buying on auction sites, if your not sure dont take the gamble. Personaly I avoid India, Singapore etc . Basically any of the third world countries. Been looking for a 1960s's red dial omega. India has an abundance. ???


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## gaz64

Quite simply there are a lot around because looked after they last. As for buying one sales corner on here


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## Walnuts

I'm currently debating whether or not to bid on this


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## jeffvader

Bullseye dial, usually see them in blue, but red is ok. The second hand looks wrong, but I need to check that. Didn't think Omega put orange with red.

One thing you need to make sure you can see is the movement. Top loaders are a bugger because you can have a generic movement replacement & no have idea until you pop the crystal.


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## kevkojak

streety said:


> Rule of thumb when buying on auction sites, if your not sure dont take the gamble. Personaly I avoid India, Singapore etc . Basically any of the third world countries. Been looking for a 1960s's red dial omega. India has an abundance. ???


The seamaster 600?

I nearly had a punt on a black dial for Â£200 not long ago. Fortunately I decided against. The next week, the same seller had another up...along with a red and a blue. Fishy???

I can see what clockworks is saying though about the skills and materials being in abundance in the poorer parts of Asia. Perhaps there are some ok ones from over there after all.

Even so, I'd stick to a trusted seller for high end watches.

I dont think there is much of a market for them currently, either that or the one i've got up for sale is a duff! lol


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## Walnuts

jeffvader said:


> Bullseye dial, usually see them in blue, but red is ok. The second hand looks wrong, but I need to check that. Didn't think Omega put orange with red.
> 
> One thing you need to make sure you can see is the movement. Top loaders are a bugger because you can have a generic movement replacement & no have idea until you pop the crystal.


Hmm, glad I came on here first, just looks so beautiful


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## Rotundus

i hope this goes without saying but ...

part of the reason for the number of vintage omegas available on that well known auction site is the fact that many of them are fake.

also some of the watches pictured are exactly that pictures only, you may not be getting that actual watch.

also many are "re-finished" to within a inch of their lives on rubbish after market straps/bracelets, frankens, badly reworked dials and overpolished cases or generic movements. "serviced by our retired omega/rolex/insert brand here" technician - yah right !!!

buy the seller and know exactly what you want and exactly what it should look like inside and out.

the obviously cheap ones are cheap for a reason - but often - just 'cos they is asking proper prices dont make it real.

eyes wide open, there is the odd gem out there. better to buy one in need of work and have the work done yourself - but be aware of the costs.

toodles


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## ong

Well said.

I did lots of research before buying my 1966 Constellation off the bay. This really paid off as like you say, there are so many rebuilds/ refinishes using parts from different model watches. Classic is black faced 1960 Constellations, real ones are scarce and pricey but there's lots in India apparently.... also ' wrong hands' that appear regularly.

If possible, buy an original in need of work. This is what I did, found one in the UK sold as working by a 100% 1000+ feedback seller. Movement date, case and hands all matched the 1960s model spec with full ( but expired) Tritium as indicated and correct hand, baton and caseback design material. It worked but the stuttering second hand showed it needed attention. I had it fully overhauled by a real Omega specialist (who used to do all the Omegas for a well known swiss restorer), then bought a genuine bracelet from Cousins.

I'm very pleased and use the watch regularly.It keeps time to about 30 secs per week. Total cost was under Â£500 and I know what I own. Alernatively, push the button on a Â£499 auction site item and take your chance...


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## dickstar1977

In answer to your question:

Omegas hay day (other than their current stratospheric revival) really was the 1960's and 1970's, when the 'masters' series was born in 1957 things really took off for Omega, the 1960's saw the birth of the modern age of watches, a period Omega really capitalised on! They where (at the time) one of the only swiss manufacturers to make the most of product placement and brand loyalty and when the Speedmaster became the offical watch of NASA, well that was it!

With watches like the SM300 they really where one of the top swiss watch manufacturers out there:

Seamaster 300 2913-6










In the late 1960's they led the market in the development of pioneering quartz technology, not the mass manufactured tat we know know, but true high end quartz! They where the lead partner in the development of the beta 21 calibre which they used in the electroquartz, a watch accurate to 5 SPM (when even the best chronometers of the day where accurate to 5 SPD)










Whilst most Swiss manufacturers flirted with quartz/ electronic technology (Rolex for example) Omega dove head first, developing in 1970 the most accurate wrist watch ever made (unrivalled to this day bar but a few very small production pieces). The Marine chronometer really set the standard and remains unrivalled:










At the same time Omega just went quite simply nuts, whilst Rolex etc where sticking to the porsche 911 style of watch making, making only very minor alterations to their trade mark line up, Omega went wild! They developed dozens of new movements, automatic chronographs (cal 1040 family) introduced the first chronograph chronometer in the cal 1041 Speedmaster 125 and the first 120 M waterproof chronograph in the cal 1040 BigBlue

They made literally dozens of new watches, chronographs, automatics (again continually developing movements from 565- 1001), divers (including the famous Ploprof) and quartz, where there dozens of different models, culminating in the very late 70's with the dinosuar, the thinnest quartz watch ever produced!

Sadly at the end of the 70's the bubble burst for Omega, they became reliant on cheap eta quartz movements, their watches lacked the longevity of brands like Rolex and they nearly fell off the face of watch making! throughout the 1980's they produced little of note, apart from the Speedmaster, making very unmemorable watches (with a few exceptions)! Then in the early 1990's, the phoenix rose from the Ashes again and under the Swatch group Omega really took off, the introduction of the 'Bond' SM300 and some clever product placement in Goldeneye secured the brands recovery!

Now they are once again a strength to be reckoned with, they really have stepped up to the mark!

Still, I say that with a sigh, because I don't think we will see the days of the late 60's and early 70's again! A time when the sky was the limit and technology seemed to know no bounds! Where anything went with Omega and IMHO they made some of the most iconic watches of our time:

A few of my favourites:


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## dickstar1977




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## dickstar1977




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## dickstar1977

I think what makes Omega so great is that all the watches above are real icon (IMHO) and they are only a few of the Omegas I own or have owned, there have been so many superb Omegas over the years and unlike vintage Rolex's of the time, you don't need to sell you soul to the devil to buy one! Yes of course watches like the MC and the early Masters are pricey, but no where near that of their Rolex equivalent, and you can buy a stunning 1970's Omega (something like an SM120 F300) for a few hundred quid!

I know flea bay yeilds some terrors and horrors but IMHO if you shop around there are bargains to be had! I picked up a stunning MQ32KHz today for Â£180, when it was new in 1971 it was the equivalent of Â£3500! A watch with one of the best swiss quartz movements ever, stunning retro design and accurate to 5SPM! Can't say fairer than that!

Cheers Tom


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## sam smith

Well I start with mine first!It all started 2 yrs ago...when I was 14. I got my hands on the Rolex that was collecting dust in my mum's drawer. The moment I put it on my hands..I loved it. Back then I didn't know much about Rolex,but I was amazed that a watch could last that long. Then I started doing researches on it...and one fine day I came across WatchUseek! Slowly..the love just got deeper and deeper...there is no way I can find a watch better than a Rolex Watch.
So it's your turn now!







Tell us your story!


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## mexico75

sam smith said:


> Well I start with mine first!It all started 2 yrs ago...when I was 14. I got my hands on the Rolex that was collecting dust in my mum's drawer. The moment I put it on my hands..I loved it. Back then I didn't know much about Rolex,but I was amazed that a watch could last that long. Then I started doing researches on it...and one fine day I came across WatchUseek! Slowly..the love just got deeper and deeper...there is no way I can find a watch better than a Rolex Watch.
> So it's your turn now!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tell us your story!


WTF?!


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## 46723

> Rule of thumb when buying on auction sites, if your not sure dont take the gamble. Personaly I avoid India, Singapore etc . Basically any of the third world countries. Been looking for a 1960s's red dial omega. India has an abundance. ???


Bit of a thread resurrection going on here I see but I do take issue at the notion that Singapore is third world, their GDP per head is now higher than the UK indeed the IMF has them at third highest in the world on the PPP measure:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita


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## streety

Unreserved appologies to anyone offended by a post made in May 2010 or indeed anyone offended by the use of 'rule of thumb'.


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## ong

And 5 years later I no longer have the Constellation. Traded it and a few other vintage pieces and am now out of vintage watches. No bad reasons but prefer more modern horological gems.


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