
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Omega Seamaster Beads Of Rice (Ref. 2975-1), 1950s
- Maker / attribution
- Omega (maker)
- Date
- 1950s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 35 mm
- Stock no.
- Product 8306025693367
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Huntington Company (product 8306025693367)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1950s Omega Seamaster Beads Of Rice With Box (Ref. 2975-1) (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Huntington Company (dealer) (stock number Product 8306025693367), this is a wristwatch by Omega, made in Switzerland, dated 1950s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 35 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Huntington Company
Timeless and Attainable Start your vintage journey with confidence. History & Significance The ref. 2975-1 represents an early chapter in the Seamaster line as Omega moved into the period of fully automatic, chronometer-grade movements. Produced in the late 1950s, this reference houses the cal. 500, the first iteration of Omega’s famous 500-series automatics that would eventually define the brand’s reputation for reliability throughout the 60s. The design is distinctly mid-century: a clean silver dial, applied indices, dauphine hands, and a classic polished steel case sized for everyday use of the era. This example also features an original Omega bracelet and comes with a period-correct red Omega box, adding notable completeness. Examples in this condition, with both the bracelet and box, do not surface often. Writer’s Thoughts This Seamaster captures the quiet refinement of late-50s Omega. The proportions feel natural on the wrist, the dial carries that soft vintage warmth, and the early cal. 500 gives the watch historical weight. It is one of those references that grows more enjoyable the longer it’s on the wrist. Our Promise Every watch is thoroughly vetted, carefully described with complete transparency, and guaranteed authentic. This Omega is offered in original condition, representing an uncommon and stylish take on one of Omega’s most iconic model families. Specifications Brand: Omega Model: Seamaster ref. 2975-1 Year: circa 1950s Case Material: Stainless steel Case Size: 35mm Dial: Silver Crystal: Acrylic Movement: Automatic Strap: Omega Beads Of Rice bracelet Buckle/Clasp: Omega signed clasp Contents: Omega box Condition Case: Very strong with clean lines and light wear appropriate for age. Bezel: Smooth and well-preserved with minimal surface wear. Crystal: Clear acrylic with the Omega logo in the center. Dial: Excellent silver dial with clean printing and attractive applied indices. Hands: Original dauphine hands with light aging. Strap: Omega bracelet showing normal wear. Buckle/Clasp: Omega clasp with light surface marks.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Dive and water-resistant watches
Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.
Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.
What to look for
- Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
- Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
- Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
- Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.
Dating clues
- Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
- Professional dive watches: from 1953.
- Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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