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Old 25 July 2017, 08:38 PM   #1
Colnago
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Great White serial number missing?

Hi all....haven't posted for a while.

I put my Great White in for a service a couple of weeks ago at my local jewellers who I have been using for Omega, Rolex and Tudor servicing for many many years (first name terms with a very friendly and educated team)

Paid my deposit and off my watch went to the UK Omega service centre......after a week or so I got an e-mail to let me know that there had been an estimate for the servicing of my watch and would I like to go ahead....the estimate seemed about right so of course I agreed to them performing all the necessary work.

An hour ago I had another e-mail - Omega are returning my Great White un-serviced as there are no serial number markings on the watch, I must say that the tech in the jewellers did comment that she thought it odd that there were no markings on the outside of the case, I just thought it must be particular to that model due to the extensive brushing of the case and bracelet......

I am sure I have paperwork for the watch at home, I work overseas and am at work now so I cannot check this right now.....

Can anyone shed any light? I am not an Omega expert by any stretch so I accepted the watch when I bought it as being genuine, it certainly seemed so......it was bought using e-bay and I have never had a bad experience.....maybe this is my first....it was not a massive bargain when I bought it and it doesn't get much wrist time.....but still....I would far rather it be ok than not.

The jeweller has offered to have it serviced for me via an independent so I have agreed to that, worst case scenario is that I get it serviced and have to keep it for all eternity.....not a bad thing but I would rather its makers serviced it than anyone else.....but then, were Omega its makers......I certainly believed so but hey, as I said I am no expert

Below the only two really helpful snaps I have of the watch when I first got it.....does it look "off" to anyone?

Mods - please move this to the "Watch Out" section if you think it's appropriate
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Omega GMT Great White 4.jpg (137.4 KB, 215 views)
File Type: jpg Omega GMT Great White 1s.jpg (209.1 KB, 212 views)
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Old 26 July 2017, 07:41 AM   #2
stockae92
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Some grey market watches have the serial number removed, but not all of them. But then the watch is still genuine, just that they are from a grey market retailer, not an AD.

I thought Omega would still service it since its still an "Omega"??

Otherwise, they are plenty of independent watch maker who can service your watch.
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Old 26 July 2017, 12:00 PM   #3
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It's never a good sign when the serial is removed (polished off).....could be anything from a grey seller (legit....just don't want a trail to the AD/distribution channel) or a stolen watch. Lesson learned I guess, have a good independent that's Omega certified work on the watch and make sure everything is ok and consider it a lesson going forward. On the bright side, the watch is definitely a keeper, love the great white.
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Old 26 July 2017, 02:20 PM   #4
Colnago
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Thanks for the responses guys......I was 99% sure the watch was genuine......now I feel a lot better, I just feel bad that it could have been stolen at some point.....hope not, hope it was the grey dealer reason for the missing serial number.......also hope I manage to get it serviced as it really could do with it.......thanks again
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Old 26 July 2017, 03:37 PM   #5
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Grey Dealers do not remove serial numbers, that's a myth; nobody would buy their product.

Black Market watches may have serials removed to avoid tracing the source.
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Old 26 July 2017, 04:22 PM   #6
Colnago
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Thanks for the response Larry.....what do you think to my situation?.......does the watch look ok to you? If I have been unlucky enough to buy a stolen watch then I feel very sorry for the person who lost it but perhaps slightly better than if I had bought a fake.....your opinion is greatly valued - I cannot supply better photos as the watch is away obviously and I am not at home anyway to take some........certainly if this drags on and I do get the watch back I will post very detailed photographs as soon as possible for you experts to check out
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Old 26 July 2017, 05:01 PM   #7
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Forgive the nooby Q... but where should the numbers be on that Omega?
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Old 26 July 2017, 05:14 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tamiya View Post
Forgive the nooby Q... but where should the numbers be on that Omega?
Should be on the back of 7' o clock lug.
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Old 26 July 2017, 05:21 PM   #9
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ah, Merci mon ami
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Old 27 July 2017, 01:25 AM   #10
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Let us know what you have. Maybe the case was damaged so much prior that the movement was transplanted to another case ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colnago View Post
I am sure I have paperwork for the watch at home, I work overseas and am at work now so I cannot check this right now
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Old 27 July 2017, 04:24 PM   #11
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My first purchase of an Omega 300m on Ebay had the serial number removed off of the case AND also ground out on the movement. I'm betting numbers on your movement have also been ground down to eliminate anyway to trace it back to the original dealer.
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Old 27 July 2017, 08:42 PM   #12
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Rolehex....that would not surprise me at all......reason being they gave an estimate to do the service, now that was probably done quickly just looking at the outside and checking what they could.....once the tech opened it up a missing serial would no doubt have resulted in a refusal to service, missing from the outside may have been tolerated but not from inside as well....I will keep this thread going, when I know exactly what has happened I will let you all know....as well as posting more detailed photos of the watch...I just hope I can get it serviced!
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Old 28 July 2017, 12:06 AM   #13
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I have the black version of this watch. The dial looks right, but the back is very different from mine. Yours is more bulbous. Maybe there are different versions, maybe not.
There is always more to learn, but I'd be suspicious too.
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Old 31 July 2017, 03:36 PM   #14
Colnago
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I had a response back from my Jeweller.....Rolehex was correct, the serial number had been removed from the movement as well so they (Omega) refused to work on it, hardly surprising really, how could they issue a warranty card with no serial number?

So like it or not this watch becomes a keeper - it can be (and will be) serviced by an independent so that's the route I have chosen to follow - it was bought too long ago for it to even appear in my purchase history so it seems returning it is out of the question.

I feel a little bit cheated but not totally scammed - I just hope that there isn't some poor person "one watch down" in their box and that if it was stolen from them that they were insured - I would hate to feel I had gained from their loss.
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Old 5 August 2017, 04:34 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Colnago View Post

I feel a little bit cheated but not totally scammed - I just hope that there isn't some poor person "one watch down" in their box and that if it was stolen from them that they were insured - I would hate to feel I had gained from their loss.
Feel confident that it wasn't stolen...a thief wouldn't go through the trouble of grinding off the numbers on the movement too. I understand when you say you feel cheated but its a beautiful watch. Just have to take it to an independent as you said.
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Old 6 August 2017, 03:48 AM   #16
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Good to know. Thanks for sharing.


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