You stay in control
Posting valuables should never feel like a leap of faith, so here it does not start as one. Ask your questions first and send photos of your Omega watches on WhatsApp for a no-charge quick indicative figure. Only when you are comfortable do you request a label.
This is a UK-wide postal service with no branches anywhere. Wherever you live, it works the same way: a free insured label in, a written offer back, and a free return if you decline.
What we buy, and why an Omega starts with a photo
An Omega can be bought two quite different ways. A solid gold or silver case is valued for its precious-metal content, weighed and XRF-assayed like any other gold item. But a great many Omegas are worth considerably more as watches than as metal, and those are assessed as watches instead. Nobody can settle which route applies by eye, so send a photo of the dial, the case back and the inside of the clasp on WhatsApp before posting anything. You will get an honest steer and an indication of what we can offer, at no cost.
- Solid gold Omega cases, 9ct and 18ct, British-cased and Swiss-cased
- Omega pocket watches in gold and silver, open-face, half-hunter and hunter
- Vintage Seamaster, Constellation, De Ville, Genève and Dynamic models
- Speedmaster chronographs, manual-wind and later
- Steel and gold-capped Omegas, working or not
- Omega-signed bracelets, buckles and clasps, even without the watch
- Non-running, water-damaged and part-complete Omegas
Gold, gold-capped or steel, and how to tell them apart
Omega used several quite different case constructions through the twentieth century, and only some hold recoverable metal. Weight and colour will not tell you which you have; what is stamped on or inside the case back will.
| Marked on or inside the case | What it is | Metal value |
|---|---|---|
| 375 or 9ct with a British hallmark | Solid 9ct gold, usually cased in Britain | Weighed and XRF-assayed |
| 750, 0.750 or 18K, often beside a Swiss punch | Solid 18ct gold, usually cased in Switzerland | Weighed and XRF-assayed |
| "Gold capped", or a gold shell over a steel back | A gold layer bonded to a steel core, measured in microns | Little recoverable value |
| "Plaqué OR", "20 microns", "gold filled" | A plated or filled finish over base metal | Little recoverable value |
| "Staybrite", "acier inoxydable", "stainless steel" | Steel throughout | No metal value, assessed as a watch |
| 0.800, 0.935 or a lion passant on a pocket watch | Solid silver case | Weighed and XRF-assayed |
Gold-capped Constellations catch people out more than anything else on that list. The cap is real gold, thick enough to survive decades of wear, but it is measured in microns and there is very little in it to recover. The watch is still well worth sending. It simply goes in as a watch, not as metal.
Omega supplied a great many movements to Britain to be cased here, so a 9ct Omega usually carries a full British hallmark: the fineness 375, an assay office mark such as an anchor for Birmingham or a leopard head for London, and a date letter. Swiss-cased Omegas are marked 750 or 0.750 instead, often beside a small Swiss punch such as a Helvetia head or a squirrel. The gold hallmark guide reads the British marks in detail.
The serial number, the reference, and what each tells you
An Omega carries its serial number on the movement rather than the outside of the case, so it is only visible once a watchmaker opens the watch. That number dates it. As broad, approximate anchor points: 9 to 10 million points to the 1930s and early 1940s, 12 to 14 million to the early 1950s, 17 to 20 million to the late 1950s and early 1960s, and 24 to 30 million to the middle and late 1960s.
The number stamped inside the case back is something else: the reference, which identifies the model. Short forms such as 2577 or CK2998 appear on earlier watches, with the later three-and-three format such as 168.005 or 166.024 on 1960s pieces. For value the reference usually matters more than the serial, because it names the exact model rather than the year. You need neither number to get in touch.
When an Omega is worth several times its gold
This is the part most gold buyers leave out. A gold-cased vintage Omega is frequently worth several times its gold weight to a collector. Once the movement, glass, crown and non-gold parts are excluded, a 9ct dress case commonly comes in somewhere around 8 to 15 grams, so the metal figure is modest. The same watch, with an original dial and a sharp case, can be worth a multiple of that to somebody who wants it as a watch.
Gold-cased Omegas are therefore not quoted as scrap by default here, and one is not bought as scrap where it is plainly worth more whole. Where a watch would do better with a specialist dealer or at auction, we say so and point you there, even though it means we do not buy it. What lifts an Omega above its metal:
- An original dial. A refinished or redialled dial, often recognisable by soft printing or wrongly shaped lettering, reduces value sharply. Honest age on an original dial does not.
- A sharp, unpolished case. Crisp lugs and defined edges carry real money, and over-polishing rounds them away permanently.
- The calibre. The bumper automatics of the 1940s and early 1950s, the 30mm manual-wind family, the 550-series chronometer movements and the manual-wind Speedmaster calibres are collected in their own right.
- An original Omega bracelet. A signed clasp with a reference number and correct end links can be worth a meaningful fraction of the watch on its own.
- Box, papers, guarantee booklet and service receipts. Worth keeping together and worth mentioning when you first message.
So do not polish the case, do not have the dial refinished, and do not separate the case from the movement. None of those can be reversed.
Omega pocket watches
Omega made pocket watches in quantity from the 1890s onward, and in UK estates they turn up at least as often as the wristwatches. Cases are found in 9ct and 18ct gold, in silver marked 0.800 or 0.935, and in gold-filled Swiss and American cases that hold little metal. The movement is usually signed Omega with the serial across the bridges. Half-hunter and full hunter cases are bought, as are the gold Albert chains, T-bars and fobs that came with them. Our sell pocket watches page reads British case hallmarks mark by mark, and sell vintage watches covers the wider vintage picture.
What happens, from first message to payment
- A photo and a question. Send photos of your Omega watches on WhatsApp. We reply with a quick indicative figure and answer whatever you want to know.
- A prepaid label, on request. Ask for the label when you are ready. We send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery label, tracked and signed for, or a QR code for the Post Office counter.
- You post it. Any padded envelope is fine, posted whenever you choose.
- We assess and write it up. Calibrated weighing plus an XRF assay produce a written, itemised offer for you to read at home.
- Your decision. Accept for payment by Faster Payments, or decline for a free, tracked, insured return.
Valued on fact, not estimate
Your valuation rests on three things we can measure. An XRF assay confirms the purity, a calibrated scale records the weight, and the live precious-metal rate on the day sets the price. It is all shown to you in writing first. XRF testing explained covers how the assay works.
An Omega sold for its metal has the solid gold or silver case weighed on calibrated scales and XRF-assayed, with the movement, glass, dial, crown and any steel or plated parts excluded from the figure. Gold-capped and gold-filled cases hold only a thin layer and little recoverable value. An Omega with standalone value as a watch is assessed against that instead, on model, calibre, dial originality, case condition and completeness, and where the watch is worth more than its metal that is flagged rather than absorbed.
How your parcel is protected
Your parcel is covered by Royal Mail Special Delivery, with cover available up to £2,500 depending on the cover level used. Your items travel on Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: fully tracked, needs a signature on delivery, arranged with that compensation cover per parcel. Worth more than that? Tell us before you post, and we will either arrange extra cover or suggest splitting the items across separate parcels. See postage and insurance for the full picture.
What GoldPaid can and cannot do with an Omega
- We can weigh and XRF-assay a solid gold or silver case and put a written, itemised figure against the metal.
- We can assess an Omega as a watch instead, and make a no-obligation written offer on that basis.
- We can tell you plainly when a watch belongs with a specialist dealer or at auction rather than with us.
- We cannot issue an authenticity certificate. Omega does that through its own service network.
- We cannot service, repair or restore a watch, and would not advise having one serviced before selling.
- We cannot give a firm figure before inspection. Offers depend on inspection, weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, condition and the market rate on the day.
- We cannot buy a watch without clear ownership. Proof of ID is required by UK precious-metal-purchase law, and we ask you to confirm the watch is yours to sell.
GoldPaid is not affiliated with, authorised by or an agent of Omega SA or the Swatch Group, and is neither an Omega dealer nor an Omega service centre. The Omega name is used on this page only to describe the watches customers ask us about.
What to include when you post an Omega
- The complete watch, movement, dial, hands, glass, case back and crown. Do not open it and do not separate the case from the movement.
- The bracelet or strap, even a worn one. An Omega-signed clasp carries value of its own.
- Box, papers, guarantee booklet and any service records, wrapped separately from the watch.
- A note with your name, address and phone number, plus a list of the contents, so the itemised offer stays matched to your items.
- Sensible packing, the watch in soft cloth inside a small rigid box, padded within the outer parcel. No need to wind or set it.
Photograph everything before you seal the parcel. Cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used, so tell us beforehand if you believe the watch is worth more than that.
If you decide not to sell
There is never any obligation to accept. If the offer is not for you, simply decline, and we return everything free of charge by tracked, insured post, with no fee and no follow-up pressure. The full return process is on what happens if I decline the offer.
Who this helps
This suits people who have come into an Omega through an estate or a house clearance, anybody with a gold-cased Omega sitting unworn in a drawer, and people with a broken or water-damaged Omega they have assumed is worth nothing. Executors too: where a written, documented figure is needed for estate paperwork, see probate and inheritance. The photo-first check exists so that an Omega worth more than its metal is recognised before anybody melts anything.
Being paid
If you accept, payment follows by Faster Payments, transferred directly to your bank account. It is the last step, and a simple one.
Why sellers choose GoldPaid
GoldPaid is a small, owner-run UK business built on one promise: show the working. Every item is XRF-assayed and weighed on calibrated scales. Every offer is itemised in writing. Postage is free and insured both ways, and there is never a countdown or a hard sell. If something is worth more to a specialist than to us, we say so.
Common questions
Is my old gold Omega only worth its gold weight?
Often not, and this is the most important thing on this page. A gold-cased vintage Omega is frequently worth several times its gold weight to a collector, particularly with an original dial and an unpolished case. Gold-cased Omegas are not quoted as scrap by default here, and where a watch is worth more whole we tell you so, even when that means we are not the right buyer for it.
How do I find out how old my Omega is?
The serial number dates it, and on an Omega that number sits on the movement rather than the case back, so it is only visible once a watchmaker opens the watch. The number stamped inside the case back is the reference, which identifies the model instead. You need neither to get in touch; a photo of the dial and case back is enough to start.
Do you buy Omegas that do not work?
Yes. A stopped movement is very often a service matter rather than a fault, and a solid gold case is valued on its metal regardless. Water damage, a missing crown or a broken glass reduce a figure but rarely to nothing. Send a photo and you will get a straight answer on where it stands.
My Omega has no box or papers. Does that matter?
It reduces the figure on a collectable piece but does not stop us buying. Most inherited Omegas arrive without either. If a box, an outer card, a guarantee booklet or an old service receipt turns up later, put it in the same parcel, because it is worth including.
Can you tell me whether my Omega is genuine?
You will get an honest opinion from the photographs and again from the watch in hand, and we will say plainly if something does not look right. We cannot issue an authenticity certificate; only Omega does that, through its own service network. GoldPaid is not affiliated with or authorised by Omega SA.
Should I have it serviced or polished before selling?
No. Polishing rounds the case edges permanently and reduces value on a collectable Omega, and a refinished dial reduces it sharply. A service usually costs more than it adds. Send the watch as it is.
What if I decline the offer?
Your watch is returned to you free of charge by tracked, insured Royal Mail post. There is no fee for declining and no follow-up pressure.