You can't go wrong with Omega when it comes to vintage timepieces. Many old Omegas may still be obtained at a bargain, and the popular Swiss luxury brand has a lineup full of iconic models with tonnes of tradition and status (though prices are on the rise). The brand is a terrific place to start for any novice collector interested in vintage timepieces, but purchasing your first Omega can be intimidating. That's why we've put up this advice on how to buy your first vintage Omega watches to provide you the assurance you'll need to safely and affordably add an older Omega to your collection.
When purchasing a vintage watch, there are a few things to keep in mind. You'll need to know what you're searching for, be familiar with the market, and buy from a reputable seller. This is especially true with Omega, given its position as one of the most popular luxury watch brands, where copies and cobbled-together Frankenwatches abound. These "Faux-megas" may be avoided when buying a luxury watch on eBay owing to the site's Authenticity Guarantee, so keep reading to find out how it works and get some additional ideas on how to buy your first vintage Omega watches. Then, at the very end, check out our guide to our favourite antique Omega watch families.
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Why Is Omega So Important?
Omega is the second most popular Swiss watch brand after Rolex. However, it's easy to argue that Omega should be ranked first in terms of prestige. The company was founded in 1848, and it has been making history ever since. Omega introduced the first commercially produced dive watch in the Marine in 1932. Omega timepieces were used exclusively to time the Olympics that year, a tradition that has continued to this day. In 1969, when Buzz Aldrin placed one on his wrist for the Apollo 11 mission, an Omega Speedmaster became the first watch worn on the moon.
There's also James Bond, who's been wearing an Omega Seamster for the past 25 years and you may have heard of him. When it comes to Omega's interesting and astounding history, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and owning a watch from the brand allows you to write your own chapter in the Omega storey.
Limit Your Options
Unlike its main competitor Rolex, which has a library of models that spans decades with relatively minor revisions, Omega likes to shake things up. From the Genève to the Dynamic to the, um, Genève Dynamic, there are plenty of defunct Omega models worth looking at on the vintage market. Then there are the brand's "Big Three" lines, which have been around for more than 60 years: the Speedmaster, Seamaster, and Constellation. They, too, have undergone numerous alterations over the years.
In fact, among the dress watch, diving watch, and chronograph categories, there are so many different Seamaster references that one could easily assemble a diverse watch collection comprising solely of Seamasters. With so many timepieces to select from, it's crucial to find out what type of Omega you want and learn everything you can about it before you start shopping.
Purchase from a reputable vendor.
You're not so much buying a watch as you are buying the merchant, as the adage goes. When you're spending a lot of money on something as easily faked as a luxury watch, you want to make sure you're getting the real thing. And eBay is the ideal location to do so. The new Authenticity Guarantee, which applies to watch sales over $2,000 on the auction site, is a gamechanger. Here's how it works: you buy your vintage Omega (or any other watch worth $2K or more) from an eBay seller, who then sends it to eBay's team of authenticators.
The team then sends your certified watch to you after expertly verifying that it is both authentic and meets the seller's description. Best of all, eBay provides this service for free, so your peace of mind won't set you back any more than the price of the watch.
Increase your horizons.
You could be tempted to buy an expensive watch in your hometown. You may have heard stories of sketchy imitation watches being smuggled in other nations and desire to stay away from the situation. However, you should not do so. Outside of the United States, some of the best vintage watch buys can be obtained, with Japan in particular having a reputation for delivering flawless vintage Speedmasters at incredible prices.
Plus, as long as the listing has eBay's soothing blue checkmark, you may be confident in your far-flung purchase thanks to eBay's Authenticity Guarantee. Simply set your location parameters on eBay to "Worldwide" while looking for your old Omega watch, and let the worldwide bargain hunting begin.
Constellation
High-precision dress watches were the hottest ticket in town before sports watches like the Speedmaster and Seamaster took over the premium market. And there was no more renowned watch to own in the mid-twentieth century than the Omega Constellation, which was dubbed "the Swiss Watch" for a while.
The highly collectible (and mind-numbingly beautiful) pie pan-dialed & dog leg-lugged Manhattan Constellations from the 1950s and early 1960s, the allegedly-Gerald Genta-designed "C-Case" Connies from the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the divisive integrated bracelet Manhattan Constellations from the 1980s and beyond are all vintage examples.