A Love Letter to the Omega Seamaster 166.010
The affordable Gerald Genta daily wearer you’ve forgotten about.
Omega has produced a number of truly diverse Seamasters, from uber sporty models like the Ploprof to manually wound, thin dress models – but the Seamaster’s bread and butter is the everyday watch. Situated between the extremes of dress and sport, the Omega 166.010 is the perfect vintage daily wearer.
A slightly larger 34.7mm case and sharp, more “Datejust-y” lugs give the 166.010 more presence on the wrist than a traditional 34mm Seamaster with “beefy” lugs. The modern size and sleek case lines lend to the true strength of the 166.010: its versatility. Just as easily as it could be worn on the original beads of rice bracelet, it could be swapped onto a leather strap and worn as a dress watch (or on a rivet bracelet like mine!).
While the case makes the watch more attractive for a modern wrist, the dial is where the Omega 166.010 really shines. A subtle sunburst finish, applied indices, and the tiny Omega symbol offer an air of elegance and class that solidifies the timeless design. A simple date window guarantees the everyday functionality of the watch, and it was offered both with and without a magnifying cyclops lens. If all of that didn’t already sound perfect, the dauphine hands and indices share beautiful onyx inlays that contrast against the reflective steel. A rarer, glossy black dial version of the 166.010 can be found for a small premium over the silver dial models, however the silver dial will always have my heart.
The 166.010 also has a few close relatives worth discussing. First, the 168.024 is nearly identical to the 166.010, with one key difference – the movement. While Omega’s in-house Cal. 565 found in the 166.010 is no joke, the 168.024 uses a Cal. 564 movement that has been chronometer certified. The chronometer versions are rarer than the 166.010s, however there is no real leap in accuracy, as the movements are functionally the same, with one simply having been certified in Geneva.
Image courtesy Omega Forums
Omega also offered a gold plated model of the 166.010 (and 168.024). The gold plated version is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous value proposition in comparison to other gold watches from the era. Equally as versatile as the 166.010, the gold plate models promise a more luxurious aesthetic without sacrificing any of the beautiful design language found in the steel models.
The final reference that shares lineage with the 166.010 is more of a predecessor than a sibling. In the 1960s, a young jewelry designer by the name of Gerald Genta formed a partnership with Omega’s special projects division. Genta’s tenure at Omega began with designing individually perfect watch parts, like the beads of rice bracelet, onyx inlaid indices, and the case that would later house the 166.010. The combination of all of these parts would be the Omega Seamaster CK 14710, a beautiful, time only watch to be presented for the 1960 summer olympics.
Image courtesy FineWatchClub UK
Aside from the specifications that make it a fantastic watch, there is something romantic — something that just works with the 166.010 (and family!). Like many of Genta’s designs, the 166.010 seems to eschew any particular decade or era, holding on to a sense of timeless elegance similar to that of a black suit or a flowing ball gown.
Above all else, every form of the Seamaster 166.010 is versatile and well-balanced, making it the perfect everyday watch for vintage collectors old and new.
Jon Tarquinio (@j_tarq) is a regular contributor from Nashville, who has a passion for wristwatches, vintage clothing, and classic cars. If you have a pitch for us, reach out through our Contact form or send it to @iamjoshcameron on Instagram.
