THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: OMEGA
MODEL: 176.007
YEAR: 1970
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 38.5mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

Vintage Seamasters and Speedmasters have long been favorites among the collector community—thanks largely to the enormous variety Omega released over the years. Looking back, the brand made many incremental improvements in the first decade after 1957, when the Seamaster and Speedmaster were introduced. In the following decade, however, Omega went into full experimental mode, leaving us with an array of unique and funky watches.

The watch we have here is a great example. This ref. 176.007, dating back to 1970, features a gorgeous dark blue dial with a white tachymeter ring, a grey chronograph hour subdial at 6 o’clock, a sweeping seconds subdial at 9 o’clock that also serves as a day/night 24-hour indicator, a date aperture at 3 o’clock, and finally a central chronograph minute hand in orange—somehow all perfectly balanced. Inside, it’s powered by the automatic calibre 1040 (developed with Lemania), all housed in a 38.5mm cushion case.

Fast forward 50+ years: not many of these have survived, and many that did have either been heavily worn or show water damage to the dial. This watch, however, has been wonderfully preserved. The dial is beautiful—all the colors are retained, the lume plots are fully intact, and there’s minimal wear visible.

The watch was serviced within the last few months and is running perfectly at +2 s/d, 290 amplitude, with a 0.3 ms beat error. A super-cool summer watch that’s sure to bring a smile to your face.