Vintage Omega Seamaster from the 70s.
I bought this watch with my first self-earned money and then wore it continuously for about 20 years.
Vintage Omega Seamaster, Quartz caliber 1345, Case 196.0089
Intro
As I said, I wore this watch continuously for about 20 years: Education, military, first long trips. It has seen a lot and you can see it.
It is a quartz watch. At some point I no longer thought quartz was cool and switched to mechanical watches. First a Junghans Max Bill, a design classic with an ETA 2824, very accurate but with a Hesalite glass. And some cool microbrands with mixed experiences.
Specs
- Vintage Omega Seamaster. I bought mine 1976 for around 1200 Swiss Francs.
- Quartz caliber 1345.
- Case 196.0089. Diameter 37mm, lug to lug 43mm.
- Mine runs with an accuracy of +2 seconds a month.
- As far as I know, the first or one of the first quartz watches from Omega.
Style
I prefer watches without a date. The date display is usually visually not convincing and disrupts the symmetry. It often feels like you want to make the date display invisible. But I have no problems with the day and date. It is implemented consciously and convincingly.
For me it is a dress watch with a sporty twist. She stands out in a positive way without being loud.
The 70s style has been taken up again by some brands. Tissot has a copy of my Omega on offer.
Are Quarz Watches Cool?
For me, this watch became cool again about a year ago. The reason was a very good-looking watch from a microbrand with an accuracy of -3 minutes per month (no ETA 2824). This watch annoyed me!
I remembered my Seamaster. It got new batteries and has been my main watch for about a year now.
An accurate watch is a cool thing!
The accuracy of this watch was always a topic of conversation. It was a real ritual at lunchtime to listen to the time on the radio and compare it with the Omega. Only after a long time was there a slight deviation.
To be honest, I don’t think most current quartz watches are cool. They are mostly in the lower price and quality segment.
But my Omega Seamaster is very cool! I’m proud to own it.
Vintage Quarz?
Quartz watches are not an issue among collectors and the prices are moderate. But for good brands, prices could soon go up. But they are rather more difficult to find. For my Omega Seamaster in good/excellent condition you pay CHF 800 to 1600.
My tip: also include the quartz option for vintage watches.
My Recommendations
The Tissot PRX 40 205 Quartz is almost a perfect copy of the 70s Omega Seamaster. Unfortunatly no day display. Price around CHF 400.
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