Vintage
AndrewD shares his 1966 Omega Seamaster Ref. 166.003, a gold-capped steel timepiece, expanding on its features and historical context. His detailed presentation invites fellow enthusiasts to appreciate the subtle design elements and the enduring appeal of vintage Omega dress watches.
Hi All,
I posted this 1966 Seamaster (166.003) on the last “weekend wristshot” thread and thought I should expand on things here amongst friends on the Omega Forum.
This is a gold capped steel Seamaster from 1966. From what I can gather (and please correct me or add information), this model was introduced in 1962 and ran to 1966 as part of the Omega “International Collection”. The case is 34mm with 18mm lugs, has a screw-in full metal back with the Seamaster medallion, an armoured hesalite ‘crystal’ and is water resistant to 30m. It has a silvered dial with faceted dauphine hands, a faceted gold-framed date window and hand-riveted gold hour markers with black onyx inlays. It originally sold for CHF350 in 1962.
It houses the 24 jewel, 19800vph, Calibre 562 automatic movement which was first released in 1958. This movement features a central sweep second hand and a non-quick-set date display and has a 50-hour power reserve. This movement was based on the Cal. 560 and is similar to the Cal. 561 which was chronometer certified.
My favourite features are the convex dial and the onyx-inlaid hour markers which are accentuated by the black leather strap. The lugs are also subtly faceted and integrate with the ‘pinched’ waste of the watch body.
Andrew
...Even your shirt matches the era! Are you still a hippie? ;-)
. . . particularly the touch lent by the loupe. The aspect of this design that I find most appealing are the inlaid black onyx markers complemented by the black inlay on the hands, which creates an aesthetic effect as the hands cross over the markers; the slight touches of black on the dial similarly mesh with a black strap, which lends a coherence that would otherwise be lacking. When I compare a watch like this with the prevalent designs popular today, I'm tempted to compare the contemporary i
Hi Francois I laughed out loud at your Hippie comment. Although I was born at the time this Seamaster was in the Omega model range, those who know me would in no way describe me as a hippie, but thanks for the compliment! The shirt is an Akira Isogawa design and yes, I did choose it to go with the watch; both the colour and the aesthetic seemed to fit. Thanks for noticing the shirt and I hope it set off the watch in a different way. Regards Andrew
hi I have just like your watch it was geven to my gradfather in april 1967 and his name writen on the back my grandfather geve it to his son when he get marreged hn 1982 but he lost it after lebaration of kuwait in 1991 last week I found it in a shop who sell and buy an old watches so I take it it cast me 1800 $ with best regards nasser
a lovely piece - timeless design and makes me realize why I like vintage Omegas so much. Lovely photos too Cheers
It's always nice to revisit these pieces. I haven't worn the Seamaster for a while and you have encouraged me to bring it back out. Are you suggesting that you found your grandfathers exact watch with the engraving, or a similar Seamaster? It would be great to see some pictures if you wanted to start a new thread on the Omega Forum and tell your story. The 1960's were a classic period for watch designs and a true golden age for Omega. Always happy to see more of these pieces. Kind regards Andrew
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