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Thread: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

  1. #1
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Omega Seamaster 120m 'Deep Blue' dial vintage, 1970
    Manufacture: Omega
    Complications: Date and sweep second hand
    Ref: [s:1vd8vlvy]ST116.073[/s:1vd8vlvy] ST 166.0073
    Cal 565
    Original purchase date: estimated at 1970



    History and Impressions
    This watch is powered by the vintage Omega Cal 565 that is contained in many of the Seamaster and Geneve watches in the 1960's and 1970's era. These models were issued with blue and black faces - I have the version colloquially known as 'Deep Blue'.

    This example has been around - but still looks fantastic. I have a typed letter passed onto me from the original owner's son that says, "I was handed it by my father who was an officer in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundeswehr Bundeswehr Marine (Navy). He wore it for many years and loved the watch stopping wearing it only when his site failed and he opted for a modern quartz watch".

    But the watch has been fully serviced and overhauled by the previous tz owner at Omega and the finish both inside and out is as the posting said, "simply stunning". This is an original - though the hands were replace during service. The dial and bezel are near perfect. The movement runs lovely and smooth.

    The winding is a little stiffer than it's modern companions but the quick date 'pump action' works just fine . I found instructions on the method of how to wind and set and change the date on this page: http://www.old-omegas.com/pics/sea71-565/p123.jpg

    Compared to 'modern' Omega 300m versions I noticed these immediate physical differences: (1) Modern bezel in uni-directional; Vintage bi-directional; (2) Modern just a luminous pip; Vintage numerics are luminous - on the bezel; (3) Modern lume Superluminova; Vintage lume tritium; (4) Markers more distinctive on the 120m vintage. There are of course lots more but in terms of esthetics there are immediately obvious to me.

    I seem to remember reading the 120m version was released to market for the enthusiast diver - with the 300m version destined for the professional diver (or professional desk-diver)

    Vital Statistics
    Cal 565
    Self Winding
    Sweep second hand
    Water Resistance: 120m
    Case Dimensions: 42mm x 39mm, thickness 13mm, tonneau-shaped
    Lugs: 22mm
    Black Stainless Steel Rotating Bezel with Arabic ten minute markers
    Concave lugs
    screw-in crown
    screw-down back with Seamaster logo
    Deep Blue face with applied faceted baton indexes and luminous rectangles framed by white background
    Outer minute / second divisions - big luminous hour markers
    Date Aperture
    Luminous Steel hands - "losange" type for the hour hand

    The Movement
    Here is the Cal 565 movement - in excellent condition
    Technical details: 24 jewels. Straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring

    courtesy of Tom tz-uk.com

    The face
    Has a combination of the faceted batons and lume with white background - Very easy to read off the time and just that bit different from it's 300m cousin. It has bezel has lumiosity built in which I really find attractive - the only other watch with this feature I have is the PloProf (1200m modern version). You can certainly see they come from the same stable!


    The lume shot
    showing the -T SWISS MADE T - tritium still has some life - (the new replaced hands show up brighter)


    The Case
    is three-part, steel, polished finish, having concave lugs means it hugs the wrist rather nicely - here is a casual wrist shot:


    The case back
    with hippocampus and in the days when it was o.k. to put 'waterproof' on the case.


    Conclusions
    This is my first vintage watch I have purchased for myself. The other is a 1978 Rolex Air-King Perpetual owned and bought originally by my father which I have inherited. I have worn the 'Deep Blue' for more than a week at a time and find it an extremely easy watch to wear. Time keeping is good and apparently the movement is the same as the COSC certified Cal 564 but has not been COSC certified. Certainly it seems to keep very acceptable time.

    I am ordering the archive material from Omega based on the movement serial number which should make interesting reading. It would be great to add an original [s:1vd8vlvy]ST 1170/623[/s:1vd8vlvy] ST 1170/634 bracelet - sadly no longer made by Omega - but the non-OEM bracelet suites it just fine as an alternative. I have been told these are quite rare especially in this condition so I'll be hanging onto it for a bit I think :wink:

    Final Pictures










    Thanks as always, for looking.
    “ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG

  2. #2
    Master
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Great review Martyn, thanks for posting 8)

  3. #3
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Good review and great pics. Thanks so much for posting and for taking the time to put this together. If ever I had a 'grail' then this is it - What a great start to the day, seeing my favourite watch reviewed on the forum. Two of my horological loves , classic omegas and blue faced divers, rolled into one... :drunken:
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  4. #4

    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    A nice review and excellent photo's.

  5. #5
    Grand Master WORKSIMON's Avatar
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Excellent post and pictures, very good post :thumbright:
    Cheers

    Simon



    Ralph Waldo Emerson: We ask for long life, but 'tis deep life, or noble moments that signify. Let the measure of time be spiritual, not mechanical.

  6. #6
    Master Flashharry's Avatar
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Great review, have you tried it on an Omega mesh? Here is mine, another all original..



    I even have two spare tritium NOS dials

  7. #7
    Master
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Thanks for the review Martyn :thumbright:

    Definitely "warming" to these vintage beauties - especially after recently splashing out on a lovely Flightmaster (or should that be "flightmaster" :lol: )

    Cheers, Gerry

  8. #8
    Master Optimum's Avatar
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    I hadn't seen this before but nice little review. Weirdly and concerningly, I get more of a buzz wearing mine than I do my 5513 which cost 3 times as much. The law of diminishing returns, eh?

  9. #9

    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Quote Originally Posted by MartynJC (UK)




    Wonderful photos ...Congratulations!

    This is one of my favorite vintage watches, together with the Superocean and some others (f.e. BlancPain FF etc)

  10. #10
    Guest

    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Quote Originally Posted by MartynJC (UK)
    Thanks as always, for looking.
    Stunner!

  11. #11

    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Irresistible vintage omega 120m .... so lovely .... and nice review .... :P

  12. #12

    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Pretty impressive review of an equally impressive golden oldie, great stuff :)

  13. #13
    Journeyman
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    A classic watch really nice patina.

  14. #14
    Master Timelord's Avatar
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Thanks for writing such a good review. :)

    I am currently collecting most of Omega's significant dive watches from this period and the SM120 Deep Blue is certainly one of my favourites. The SM1000 is now so expensive, I'll never own one sadly, and the PloProf and SM120 Big Blue chronograph are going the same way. As such, I will have to make do with my Helson Sharkmaster, Ocean 7 LM-7 and hope that someone somewhere will make a homage to the SM120 Big Blue chronograph.

  15. #15

    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    Very comprehensive write up mate- thanks for posting :)

  16. #16

    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    The mesh is as beautiful as the watch...

  17. #17
    Craftsman
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    Re: REVIEW - 'Deep Blue' Omega 120m (vintage)

    This has made me want my own :P

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