Omega Seamaster Cal.552 18ct, 1964

Omega Watches

Since the company was founded in 1848, Omega have pioneered a huge range of innovations. Britain’s Royal Flying Corps chose Omega watches in 1917 as official timekeepers for its pilots and again in 1940, RAF Pilots watches were supplied by Omega. The 40s also saw the first tourbillon wristwatch and the first of the famous Seamaster watches, whilst the 50s and 60s introduced the legendary Constellation, Speedmaster, Seamaster 300 and Railmaster. Over these years, everyone from John F Kennedy to Elvis wore Omega watches on official duties. What’s more, in 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra took his Omega Speedmaster to space on NASA’s Mercury Sigma 7 mission, and in 1969 two Speedmasters landed on the moon, worn by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Description

The Omega Seamaster was first released in 1948 as a waterproof automatic dress watch and has been a mainstay of the Omega catalogue and in continuous production to this very day. Here we have a beautiful example of a fully restored, model reference 165.003,  18ct gold Omega Seamaster with a silver-white dial, from 1964.  This Omega Seamaster is also notable for its original very high grade 24 Jewel, Calibre 552 automatic movement, which having just been overhauled and serviced, is running perfectly and is in absolutely sparkling condition!

The Dial

The beautiful silver-white dial is stunning and looks much better than the photographs do it justice. The dial is beautifully balanced and elegant and we feel benefits from the omission of a date window. The original, restored gold ‘Dauphine’ hands match the applied gold ‘baton’ hour indices, providing the perfect combination of beauty, elegance and simplicity. A new Omega lens has also been fitted as part of the restoration.

This is the original dial which has been restored to the highest standards by the best dial restorers in the UK.

The Case

The solid 18ct yellow gold case measures 34mm in diameter, excluding the original signed Omega winding crown, so this would have been a large sized gentleman’s watch in the early 1960s.

This watch case is totally immaculate, being very crisp with no scratches, dings or other blemishes visible to the naked eye. The rear of the screw-down case-back has the Seamaster relief, which is in very sharp and crisp condition. This, along with the superb condition of the rest of the watch case, indicates this watch has received an excellent level of care and only light use. The inside of the case-back all is correct and as expected. It is signed ‘Omega Watch Co’, and ‘Swiss Made’ and carries 18ct Swiss Geneva hallmarks.  It also carries the Omega model number 165.003.

While all the rubber seals have been replaced, the watch has not been tested for water resistance and this is not guaranteed. Our standard advice applies: Vintage watches should be kept clean and dry at all times.

The Movement

The original, very high grade, Cal.552, 24 Jewels automatic movement is in simply spectacular condition, as can be seen from the photographs, and has been given a full overhaul and service by our vintage Omega specialist watchmaker.

This Cal. 552 movement is very highly regarded for its accuracy and reliability and this movement has been calibrated to run arrow straight within +12 seconds per day! This is no exaggeration – we have checked the test results on our electronic watch timer. This movement also has a 50-hour power reserve when fully wound. The automatic winding mechanism is very efficient and if worn regularly each day this watch will never need winding and very rarely need resetting. We are therefore very happy to provide a 12-month warranty on this watch*. The movement is correctly signed ‘Omega Watch Co Swiss’ and carries the Calibre number 552 and the serial number 23464618 which dates this watch to 1964.

*Please note – our 12 months’ warranty is only applicable if the list price is paid.

The Strap & Buckle

A new high quality, black Lizard strap has been fitted, along with a gold plated Omega buckle. However, if a different colour or style of strap is preferred, please let us know and we will do our best to oblige free of charge. We carry tan, conker, dark brown and black in stock in plain padded leather, crocodile skin or lizard skin. We can also obtain most types and colours at short notice.

The Box and Papers

Although there are no original papers with this watch, all the numbers and markings on the watch are correct, dating the watch to 1964.

Our detailed ‘Particulars’ document will be included in the sale, along with our detailed receipt and 12 months warranty*. A separate insurance valuation for the replacement value of this watch will also be provided at the time of sale, along with our unique ‘Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee’ which states: “If at any time, this watch proves to be anything less than totally authentic, or not as described, Vintage Gold Watches of London will offer you a full refund at any time”.

The presentation box shown in the photographs will be included with this watch. However, if this is not required, we will be able to reduce the price of the watch by quite a few £s. Please enquire.

In Conclusion

This is a superb example of the iconic Omega Seamaster automatic watch with the Calibre 552 movement which is of a very high grade and on a par with watches far more expensive than this. Indeed when new, this watch would have cost more than the equivalent Rolex. Omega Seamaster watches are highly collectable and the rarity of this watch means the value will always remain strong.

This watch will also make an excellent investment and family heirloom piece. Even though vintage Omega prices have risen markedly recently, we feel fine examples such as this still remain undervalued. As each year goes by and the world market for vintage watches expands, availability will become more limited, so prices are surely destined to climb ever higher!

A word about our prices – We always try our hardest to acquire the very highest quality watches we can find, before restoring them to the highest possible standards. We then offer these at the fairest prices we can, taking into account our pre and post sales care and service. This approach inevitably means we will never be the cheapest, but nor will we be the most expensive. Indeed there are a number of well-known stores in West London which are very successful, charging between two to three times the price you see here. We therefore consider our prices to be fair, given the quality of watches we have to offer.

We are happy to accept PayPal as this is the quickest method of payment. However, if you would wish to pay by bank transfer, we will be pleased to pass on a 3% transaction saving to you. Similarly, if you wish to pay by International SWIFT or International Bank Wire Transfer, we will provide you with our BIC / Swift number and our IBAN number.

Please note, we welcome part exchanges and if you have a watch, or small collection for sale, please contact us as we will be happy to discuss.

We will be happy to Service your watch, Repair your watch or Restore your watch, all at ‘sensible’ prices. Please see here.

If you have any questions, please call us on 020 7727 7095 or if calling from overseas on +44 207 727 7095.

We are here, ready, available and awaiting your call! We will be happy to answer any questions and offer advice about this or any of our watches listed for sale. If you would like some general advice regarding any aspect of vintage watches, including buying, selling, or collecting vintage watches, we will also be happy to hear from you.

Finally, please enjoy some time spent viewing our other fine Vintage Gold Watches!

Thank you.