Vintage Omega Seamaster 165.003 Automatic Watch 1968 serviced UK warranty

SPECIFICATION

Reference: Omega Seamaster 165.003
Movement: Omega calibre 552, automatic
Age: Circa 1968
Case Size: 34mm
Case Thickness: 11mm
Lug to Lug: 41mm
Lugs: 18mm
Condition: used omega watch
Box and Papers: No
Case Material: Stainless steel
Warranty: 12-month mechanical warranty, UK only

POINTS TO MENTION

• In great pre-owned condition, with light wear
• Case and bezel have some light scratches and marks
  
• Sunburst dial
  
• Original signed Omega crystal
• Omega signed crown
• Fully serviced automatic movement
  
• Paired with an unworn blue stitched leather strap
  

THE WATCH

There is something particularly satisfying about an Omega that knows when to stop adding things. This Seamaster gives its silver sunburst dial the space to catch the light, with fine hour markers, three hands and no date window interrupting the symmetry. It is exactly the sort of quiet confidence that made Omega such a compelling name in the 1960s.

Reference 165.003 belongs to a period when the Seamaster could be a beautifully made everyday gentleman's watch without pretending to be a diving instrument. The changes of plane around its lugs and the neat polished bezel give the case a character all its own. This example has a restrained appearance, allowing the dial and case to do the talking.

A BIT OF TRIVIA

The 552 has a rather interesting sibling: Omega's calibre 551, used in chronometer-rated Constellations. They share much of their architecture, but Omega reserved the chronometer adjustment and certification for the 551. That gives this unassuming Seamaster a direct engineering connection to a rather grander corner of Omega's catalogue, without the watch needing to shout about it.

OUR THOUGHTS

The appeal of these no-date Seamasters is their simplicity. There's something rather pleasing about a watch that gets everything it needs from three hands and a beautifully finished dial. The silver sunburst catches the light without making a fuss. It's the sort of Omega that feels just as comfortable worn every day as it does tucked beneath a shirt cuff. A watch that makes a convincing case for keeping things simple.