Originally Posted by
walkerwek1958
The watch looks fine to me; personally I like this model, I`ve owned a couple and I`m actually on the lookout for a 9ct gold one.
My only concern is about the gold plating. I thought the gold/steel models were gold-capped, not plated. Perhaps the seller is wrong on this point but he quotes it as '20 micron' which would apply to plating.
The question I`d be asking is about the possibility of wear-through of the gold parts. Can`t tell from the photos, but it could be suffering around the lugs (usual place is the lug corners).
The dial looks good, which is quite usual for these, possibly because they keep the water out effectively.
This sort of thing tends to sell well on ebay and I suspect this will fetch a strong price. I`d be looking for reassurance re. the gold wearing through and I`d ask whether the dial showed any signs of spotting, ageing or tarnish (looks Ok in the photo, but better to pin the seller down and ask the question). I`d also ask for confirmation that it works OK!
This model often comes up for sale without the Seamaster logo. These are likely to have come from the States where they were sold in large quantities as presentation watches. Not surprisingly, they often have insciptions on the back, which knocks the value somewhat. However, I get suspicious when I see one with a plain back that's freshly refinished; that's often a sign that an inscription has been polished out, leaving the caseback v. thin.
Hope this helps,
Paul