Up for grabs again is this early Seamaster De Ville Omega. Sized at about 34mm, this is a classic Omega, emblematic of the brand’s philosophy during its golden era.



This is the iconic monocoque “front-loader”, with an elegant profile integrated with the striking Seamaster hippocampus medallion. I’ve said this before, but despite being pretty much only one main component, there’s a lot of complex curvature and details that demonstrate Omega’s engineering prowess at the time. If you want to find out more about how the case works, check out this page: https://watchguy.co.uk/tmp/Omega-The-monocoque-case-for-the-new-Seamaster.pdf

This particular watch has both the ‘De Ville’ script and the early coat hanger ‘Seamaster,’ indicating that it was among the first to receive the De Ville branding in 1963 at the recommendation of Norman Morris, Omega’s US distributor. It's in solid condition and will make for an excellent daily wearer or hassle-free piece for someone looking to explore vintage.

Dial: The dial is finished with a sunburst silver with a glossy clear coat. The indices are rhodium-plated, lapped, and faceted. All minute markers are present, and all printing is original, intact, and period-correct. Serifs are present and sharp enough to cut yourself on. There is spotting patination is present on the dial. Original baton hands with oxidation. Under direct sunlight, the dial can turn from a pale silver sunburst to a rich ecru champagne.


Shade:

Sun:


Case: The elegant monocoque case is in pretty good condition, with light scratches and tiny dings on the top left lug. All original contours and edges are present. Simple and subtle.



The Seamaster medallion on the back still retains its original sandblasted finish, which is typically eliminated during polishing. Both the circumferential brushing and ‘WATERPROOF’ engraving are clean and well-defined.


Pantographed reference engraving is present along with the perlage typical of this case. The stylized diving bell represents Ervin Piquerez SA (EPSA), which also manufactured the Seamaster 1000 case, and designed the Compressor family of cases.

Crown: Service crown. The correct scalloped design for this reference.


Crystal: The crystal is an aftermarket replacement with the correct mounting groove and bubble profile for this watch. It has some light hairline scratches from wear, but can easily be polished out with polywatch or toothpaste.

Movement: The movement is an early 1963 Omega 562. All functions are working properly, and the watch is keeping time very well. OH performed in 2022. Amplitude is a solid 280. It’s in very clean condition and is not missing any parts.


Price: Asking $445 shipped CONUS, Paypal F&F, Zelle, Venmo, or Bank Wire accepted. Watch head only, bracelet used only for photos. International shipping can be arranged. Please no returns unless terribly misrepresented.



References below:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/caliber561-is-a-great-seller.153650/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/caliber-561-is-an-excellent-seller.149985/#post-2043659
https://omegaforums.net/threads/caliber561-is-a-great-buyer.97463/