Reply With QuoteStunning watch mate
One more review... of a 1968 Omega SM 300. Spectacular watch indeed.
Enjoy. And feel free to comment.
LINK TO THE REVIEW
Last edited by JPE; 9th November 2022 at 16:46.
Stunning watch mate
Interesting and informative review of a fascinating watch. Thank you OP
A
A good review and a very nice example.
Thank you.Originally Posted by Sinnlover
This might be my all time favorite Omega.
I'd just get the steel bracelet for it myself. It'd make it perfect.
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Thanks. You're welcome.
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Thanks.
Uncle Seikos version is not a bad substitute
A bit cheaper than the £1,500 I paid for the correct bracelet for my 165:024. The end links are expensive.
I think I paid a grand for the bracelet and £500 for the end links. Sadly long gone now.
My old one:
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
The little T makes all the difference
Military issued? With caseback markings? Serious money if so.My old one:
Yes that's the military version.
I used this excellent guide to write my review.
This explains all dial versions.
https://squelettewatches.com/omega-v...y-jack-norman/
As it happens I’m hoping to get one of these on Sunday, all being well.
Have you posted this over at Omega Forums? A great site, and the natural home of such a great review
That's pretty much perfection, Chris!
My old one:
Thanks for sharing the review and the guide by Jack Norman.
I would not have guessed these cases are 42mm. They appear in photos to be smaller and sleeker. And the lume in the review photo is unbelievable.
Great review.
That is how I would have mine, on a do anything strap, perfect combination, imo.
The lume shot has been taken with long direct LED exposure and then immediately after shutting the lights off.
I was wondering about the tritium because I've been under the impression that tritium loses its luminous abilities over time. But there seems to be a lot of old tritium dials that still glow. Some have zero lume.
Someone at WUS reported that his original SM300 tritium dial glows perfectly.
Here's someone's GMT gilt dial from 1966 from TRF. With my equipment I could have shot similar lume photograph of that GMT easily.
I was 100% sure that this watch has a service dial and luminova, but they seem to have "SWISS MADE" markings at '6. This has T SWISS T and the owned claims it's the original dial. He's an authorized Omega watchmaker in Finland so he should know what he's talking about.
Interesting. Could these differences have something to do with dial getting exposed to the sun, etc?
If the lume has persistent glow, that is to say lasts more than a few seconds when excited with UV or strong light then it is likely SL. There are fake dials out there with SL lume and the T marks, the originals and the service dials use the Ts properly, that is to say those with T are tritium and those without are SL. The very earliest SM300s with straight lugs had radium dials by the way. When tritium lume degrades, usually the radioactive component fails first meaning you can manually excite the phosphor which will glow for a few seconds, radium lume is the opposite, the phosphor fails but the radioactive component lasts for thousands of years.The lume shot has been taken with long direct LED exposure and then immediately after shutting the lights off.
I was wondering about the tritium because I've been under the impression that tritium loses its luminous abilities over time. But there seems to be a lot of old tritium dials that still glow. Some have zero lume.
Someone at WUS reported that his original SM300 tritium dial glows perfectly.
Here's someone's GMT gilt dial from 1966 from TRF. With my equipment I could have shot similar lume photograph of that GMT easily.
I was 100% sure that this watch has a service dial and luminova, but they seem to have "SWISS MADE" markings at '6. This has T SWISS T and the owned claims it's the original dial. He's an authorized Omega watchmaker in Finland so he should know what he's talking about.
Interesting. Could these differences have something to do with dial getting exposed to the sun, etc?
Stunning watch. Enjoy!
More likely a result of the make up of the luminous compound. Sun can have affect on the discolouration of lume though, as can moisture.
Tritium is the agitator, this makes the material it is contained in glow. Tritiums half life means the amount of radiation in the dial paint will be very limited now but it will still be present.
Dependant on what the lume material is made of, UV light can make it glow for a short while. I have a Tutima NATO Chrono that is still quite bright just after shutting off the lights and it glows for a good 20 mins or so after. My Snowflake Sub is totally dead though.
My SBS from 08 has a tritium dial and hands and still glows all night. It’s perfectly readable at 4 in the morning.
For direct comparison, My SM300 also glows after exposure to bright light but the glow soon fades, thus is more typical of my other Tritium dialled watches.
SM300 from around 1966
Precista from 1989
CWC from 2008
All tritium dials after exposure to a light for a few seconds.
Last edited by Sinnlover; 10th November 2022 at 12:35.
Nice shot.More likely a result of the make up of the luminous compound. Sun can have affect on the discolouration of lume though, as can moisture.
Tritium is the agitator, this makes the material it is contained in glow. Tritiums half life means the amount of radiation in the dial paint will be very limited now but it will still be present.
Dependant on what the lume material is made of, UV light can make it glow for a short while. I have a Tutima NATO Chrono that is still quite bright just after shutting off the lights and it glows for a good 20 mins or so after. My Snowflake Sub is totally dead though.
My SBS from 08 has a tritium dial and hands and still glows all night. It’s perfectly readable at 4 in the morning.
For direct comparison, My SM300 also glows after exposure to bright light but the glow soon fades, thus is more typical of my other Tritium dialled watches.
SM300 from around 1966
Precista from 1989
CWC from 2008
All tritium dials after exposure to a light for a few seconds.
Does that SM300 have original dial?
Yes it does
Tritium t Swiss t
The minute hand may have been re-lumed at some point but it is also tritium.
Last edited by Sinnlover; 10th November 2022 at 13:09.
Wow. It is even brighter than on my review watch. Not just as clean from the left side markers but bright.
So much for the "Tritium should be all dead in 50 years" claims.
Modern cameras make the glow look much brighter than it seems with the human eye. In real life it is a fair bit darker than the other two. The glow stops after 10 /12 minutes.
Really beautiful watch and very good review. Thanks for sharing
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You just don't get it do you...
That's probably true.
When I took my review lume shot the effect was likely to be exaggerated somewhat when I make "auto levels" and contrast correction to the photos.
But claim that all tritium dial lumes "die" in 50 years is absolute BS... and another myth that has become "true".
Sure I get it.
A lot of forum people claim to be hardcore experts while many times they have absolutely no clue what they're talking about.
I never claimed to be an expert. Never claimed anyone's watch being fake without being 100% sure about it either.
That way a person can avoid embarrassing him/herself.
The level of radioactivity present in tritium halves every 12.5 years, when the level of radioactivity drops enough it will no longer agitate the luminous compounds in the paint. UV exposure will cause the lume to glow for a limited time after the radioactivity levels drop below the level required but it’s not tritium that is causing the glow.
The paint might glow but it is not glowing in the manner intended.
Surface area and thickness of the application can also influence the perceived lume brightness just as with Luminova.
The Big Triangle has large hands and plots with thick paint, this will mean bright lume. Compare this with a Submariner of the same age. The SM will seem much brighter.
Yes. That sounds perfectly logical to me.
Your input is much appreciated.
Not a problem, it’s good to see reviews like this here, it makes a nice change. It is also nice to see watches I like being discussed.
I will shut up now!
I should have said the lume is astonishing rather than unbelievable in my post above. This thread has been very, uh, illuminating, but I hope I did not sound incredulous or doubting about authenticity. Again, fantastic watch and great review!
No problem mate.
It's just another forum where it was questioned.
I found it rather amusing though.
Just "forum experts". :D
Fantastic watch op. Just about impossible to find in this condition nowadays.
Lovely example OP
I had one on a bracelet and sold it, which I regret.
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Thanks for the review OP. I have had a couple of vintage pass through my hands
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
Beautiful Martyn!!!!Thanks for the review OP. I have had a couple of vintage pass through my hands
That bracelet is really the "icing on the cake" on this watch. Perfection.
Just bought this "Watchco"-esque build (i.e. all original Omega parts)
Vintage tritium dial sympathetically relumed with SL
1950s, 1960s (ish) and 1970s
Nice one!Just bought this "Watchco"-esque build (i.e. all original Omega parts)
Vintage tritium dial sympathetically relumed with SL
1950s, 1960s (ish) and 1970s
I have a watchco which I love!
Reviewed it here:
https://www.speedychronos.com/single...-money-can-buy
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That’s a nice looking example Rev.
Very nice
Nice watch
Likewise I have a Watchco. Really rate it. Really think they are a fantastic design, case, size etc .
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Congratulations Rev-O, that is a beauty
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What a great photo
And such a clean example.
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These are really great looking watches. With such a great look - for one it's surprising this is so relatively unknown / lower cost alongside the Submariner, but also that Omega haven't re-released it.
If they did I'm sure it would be a huge hit, but wonder what it would do to prices. Omega would likely want a new price similar to what vintage models go for - so where would that leave the price of a vintage? Or a WatchCo?
Anyway, absolutely gorgeous watches. I slightly prefer the '12' rather than the BT, but both fabulous, and some lovely examples in the thread, especially OP.
What has happened to the prices of 5513/5512s or earlier subs? I would have thought they would have a similar trajectory. (Economy & bursting bubbles aside).
The originals are not made anymore. The heritage models had a similar (although not as extreme) effect on the very first Seamasters, Speedmaster and Railmasters.
That’s said if I like a watch you can guarantee it will be worthless in a few years!!
That would also be my guess, to go the trajectory of early Subs (and well deserved it would be too IMO) - but I share your experience about watches I like, so it's perhaps double cursed!
Quick Sell now! ;-)
Might it make a comeback as a reissue?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjeY89kf-qA
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