watchco omega sm300

[toastie]

what are people's opinions on these are they any good? does it defeat the object to buy a "new" vintage watch?
i have fancied an vintage original sm300 for a while now but have just been offered a watchco one and i kind of understand why the new one is good with the luminova dial and hands and the saphire crystal etc but will i always regret not buying an original if i buy the watchco
also what are they like to resell if i do buy it and just cant live with it?
it is the date model by the way if that makes a difference to price or desirability of the watch
any help would be greatly appreciated

[dieseldragon]

Basically this is an old watch made from new parts, probably using an old movement. On Omega website they list the case reference as being re manufactured to meet customer needs as they had no cases left in stock. I think you will find that opinion is divided with regards to these, personally I have nothing against them, would love to own one myself, but its not quite the same as having an old watch with history and patina.

[toastie]

yeah thats kind of where i am at the moment
i currently own an old speedmaster and a flightmaster 910 and i like the fact the lume has gone and that they have the odd dent and scratch here and there but it would be nice to own a totally mint vintage watch or would it
decisions decisions

[oldbronco]

I've had one for about a year. Love it. the case & bracelet are new. my watchmaker opened the watch, & the "remanufactured" 5xx movement looks brand new.I also found the Watchco people great to deal with.

[toastie]

Originally Posted by oldbronco

I've had one for about a year. Love it. the case & bracelet are new. my watchmaker opened the watch, & the "remanufactured" 5xx movement looks brand new.I also found the Watchco people great to deal with.

Is it true they are luminova? And is the crystal sapphire or plexi do you know? Also what sort of price do these go for second hand as I'm not really even sure what its worth ?
Thanks for the replies guys

[1675-David]

I also spent a lot of time with this "problem" and in the end decided on patina! My SM300 is from '66 and gets a lot of wrist time. As far as I know the watchco SM300 has a plexiglass crystal. There are a lot of dodgy ones out there and it's a mine field if your not well versed in this model. By opting for watchco you are at least certain of what you are getting and that is a stunning brand new vintage watch.

good luck with whatever you decide,

[sishac]

Along with a Speedy Pro, I've got a Watcho SM300 and absolutely love it. It is great for every occasion and wears very comfortably on either a vintage bracelet, a leather strap or a nato strap. For me, it is the best of both worlds...the clean classic lines, but the fantastic, clean and very readable in the dark luminova dial and sword hands. While I love vintage watches, I don't necessarily want my expensive watches to look like they've been dragged through the dirt (even if they have)...yes, at this point it has a few scratches and scrapes, but that is par for the course on my wrist.

I recently picked up a 1675 Rolex GMT (my first Rolex) and eventhough it has beautifully white dial markers, there is no lume left...rather than relume (which causes the value of the dial to drop), I am contemplating getting a service dial and hands so that it will also have that night readability that the SM300 has....now if only it had sword hands!!!

Go with a Watchco SM300 and you'll have the best of both worlds!!!

[JEC]

I'm building one as we speak. You can order all the parts needed from Ofrei or Cousins UK, you just need to provide the movement (I had the correct calibre lying around).

Unfortunately it isn't a piece that holds ANY value. It costs around 1500-1700 to build one from parts (you have to source the correct movement), 3500 from Watchco. Street value never exceeds 1800$. It's a watch you get and enjoy, don't expect it to be some sort of investment. It's a legitimate franken made of OEM service parts - most vintage guys look down their noses at them and have no interest in them. 99% of the time the movement (and thus the serial number and factory records) is not at all related to the SM300, it comes from an Omega dress watch from the same era. If you want one, get it and wear it. But it ain't vintage, it certainly isn't NOS, and it is not a collectible. Keep that in mind.

[Dweller of the Sea]

If you like the design, and want a watch that you can use as a beater, then these are great.
As it is a new watch, you can use it like a brand new watch, and use the **** out of them.
With vintage watches you have to be more careful, as not to damage the watch fx water. People are often also more careful not to scratch their vintage pieces, as this devalues.

[JEC]

My parts are finally en-route after a a three month backorder... And I just noticed that the prices have jumped sharply on cases. They were 930 ish before, now they are 1300$ (fortunately I ordered before the price increase). They used to be 650, and at one point they were around 300... Looks like Omega is catching on to the popularity of building these "new old" SM300s.