Budget SeaMaster 300 from Silix

[trailboss99]

This one caught my eye a few weeks back and for 85 bucks I thought why the hell not? It arrived a couple of days ago and it's a very nice watch for the money and an even better starting point for some vintage modding which will be happening at some point. It's a 21J of cause but if you insist the Swiss ETA is available for $205. One thing to note, the listing says sapphire crystal but it is of cause Perspex same as the gen.

Here is a pic of the gen:

And here is our rep:

As you can see the dial is quite good. yes the date window is in the wrong place by a few mm but that's always going to be the case with either a 21j or ETA MVT in this watch. At life size (instead10x here on the page) of it's not that noticeable. If it bothers you that much get the ETA version. It is the no date, tritium dial model.

The rest is remarkably good for the money. Case is OK, the crown guard is a little pronounced but if you are picky it could be fixed easily enough. Insert is good, the numbers are a little thick but the font is correct. Crown is very close, lume is a bit better than average rep lume, any brighter would be right on a vintage piece. The only thing it needs is some Pam strap tubes cut to size to mimic the solid bars that the NATO strap versions used.

All in all for the bux I'm very happy and can't wait to get some age showing on this baby.

The dust above is on the outside of the crystal BTW, not on the dial.


And of cause a lume shot. Sorry it's a tad out of focus, some clown has my tripod.

If you want one (and for $85 why not) the listing is here: http://www.silix-prime.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=116_231&products_id=4251


For those who either want the No date Tritium dial model with ETA it's here: http://www.silix-prime.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=115_150_190&products_id=1701

If the vintagising turns out good on this I just may sell it and get the no date me thinks.

 

[ShiroTenshi]

The lume brightness seems pretty good! Different color on the hand thou.
At 85$ its a good buy for vintage build!

 

[trailboss99]

Different color on the hand thou.

Na, that's the time exposure doing that. The indices have more lume on them so glow brighter. Looking at it you can't see any difference at all in colour but the hands do not glow near as well as the dial.

 

[wat44]

I always think of the JLC memovox for some reason. Nice watch, col

 

[luckie]

I love that watch. May have to start getting parts to build one. Unfortunately I can't do any building until winter, It's planting season on the farm. Never hurts to gather parts while they are available.

 

[silay]

awesome watch for the price! What is the lug size?

 

[trailboss99]

20 mm I think, it's not in front of me right now however.

 

[mclarendude]

love it!

 

[Five of Clubs]

I like it! I have been looking at NOS versions of the gen for a while and have grown to love them. I have thought strongly about getting one of these reps and doing the opposite of a vintage-job on it (would that be a NOS-job?). Specifically, I'd want to relume the dial and hands so that they are snow white instead of looking like aged tritium. My mediocre luming skills are holding me back for now!

Thread subscribed and I'm looking forward to your results.

EDIT: Regarding lug spacing, the gen is 20mm so my guess is that the rep is the same.

 

[trailboss99]

Please be aware about those NOS 300s. They are NOT NOS, they are parts bin specials put together by an ex Omega repair agent in Australia. There is even doubt expressed in certain circles about the case's authenticity (Phong?). The dials have been re-finished for sure as they have new Tritec lume on them as have the hands (who's origins are also debated). I would be very, very wary of these and treat them as a franken at best. NOS they most certainly are not as there are no papers/box and the prices are rather high for what you are most likely getting. In some cases they are fetching more than a period example. You have been warned.

 

[tommy_boy]

A Watchco is on the sale forums for around $1500.

 

[drbollocko]

Very nice watch for the price, it's a steal really at that price, one of the better budget offerings available.

 

[Five of Clubs]

Please be aware about those NOS 300s. They are NOT NOS, they are parts bin specials put together by an ex Omega repair agent in Australia. There is even doubt expressed in certain circles about the case's authenticity (Phong?). The dials have been re-finished for sure as they have new Tritec lume on them as have the hands (who's origins are also debated). I would be very, very wary of these and treat them as a franken at best. NOS they most certainly are not as there are no papers/box and the prices are rather high for what you are most likely getting. In some cases they are fetching more than a period example. You have been warned.

Perhaps I used the term "NOS" a little to loosely! I'm speaking of a watch built using all new, genuine Omega parts along with a movement from the 1960s. Movement aside, everything to build an SM300 is available from Ofrei or Cousins UK (and the replacement bezels, hands and dials from Omega indeed have lume instead of tritium). Since ebay is loaded with watches that have the correct Omega movement (IIRC cal. 565 for date version) for not a terrible price, I have considered having one built.

I think you were referring to WatchCo above, and it is my assumption that they were basically doing what I described. However, I do know there are some excellent rep cases out there so I will certainly heed your warning!

Since I'm a big fan of "test driving" a rep before considering the gen purchase, your new watch is something I would like to hear more about as you mod it!

A Watchco is on the sale forums for around $1500.

Good price, but it's sold now. That reminds me of a Bob Dylan song that goes something like, "he wants eleven dollar bills and you only got ten". I'm a little bit underfunded at the moment, even for a good deal. :facepalm:

 

[ogladio]

Thanks Boss, will order one of these asap! Perhaps add some light patina.

 

[ogladio]

Btw, while talking 'franken', anyone tried gen parts compability with the watch from Silix? Any mod worth doing?

 

[LHOOQ]

Please be aware about those NOS 300s. They are NOT NOS, they are parts bin specials put together by an ex Omega repair agent in Australia. There is even doubt expressed in certain circles about the case's authenticity (Phong?). The dials have been re-finished for sure as they have new Tritec lume on them as have the hands (who's origins are also debated). I would be very, very wary of these and treat them as a franken at best. NOS they most certainly are not as there are no papers/box and the prices are rather high for what you are most likely getting. In some cases they are fetching more than a period example. You have been warned.

There have been some VERY dodgy-looking SM300s on eBay, but every Watchco example I've seen looks legitimate i.e. built from genuine Omega replacement parts--the same as the ones that can be purchased individually from places like CousinsUK and Ofrei. Omega started production of these cases about ten years ago and even assigned to them a reference number (165.0324) distinct from the originals. The hands dials are similarly all-new and coated with SuperLuminova/Tritec, and they are definitely from Omega itself. As far as I know, the biggest sin committed by Watchco was using a movement that was never found in an original SM300. For example, avoid the c.562 Seamasters if you want a "correct" watch.

I have examined and compared the Vietnamese cases with the Omega replacement, and they are nowhere near as close as Internet legend would have it. Which makes it all the more shameful that Omega allowed a VN rep to be auctioned off for EUR 20,000 at Antiquorum Omegamania...

 

[dirtydawg]

Those links are dead. Is the watch still available anywhere else?

 

[ajs914]

It is because silix's web site has changed.

http://www.silix-prime.co/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=116_231&products_id=4251

 

[ajs914]

I wonder if it would be possible for someone to retroactively change all the silix and puretime links so that they work with the new domains?

 

[rychastings]

dang these are nice. I hope they stay in stock a while longer, I need to get my watch fund together