General Description –
Reference 176.007 is the poster child of the 1040 family. It is the most common, most beloved, and most recognizable. It’s barrel case came in either steel, 20-micron gold plate, or 18k gold with brushed sunburst finish from the crystal to the edges. It came with either a bracelet or strap.
This is easily the most common reference of the family and can be found in more variants with more dials than other references. The 007 was depicted in ads and catalogs every year from 1972 through 1976 with at least 5 different dials. Steel watches had dials in blue (two styles) and silver, while gold-plated watches came with either gold or brown dials. There was a solid gold version made, but in few numbers. A gold 176.007 was gifted by Omega to Albert Piguet when he retired from Lemania and is currently on display at the Omega Museum, but the inscription is facing outward so I’m not certain which dial was used.
Specs
Caseback and Maker
For more information on casebacks, case manufacturers, and their maker’s marks, see the Caseback Collector’s Guide.
176.007 ST
Reference 176.001 was phased out quickly, and evidently the remaining casebacks were re-purposed for use in ref. 176.007. Once those casebacks were used up all future 176.007 casebacks only included the single reference. There are two variants of the later “single reference” 176.007 caseback which differ by the order of the text inside the caseback.
Variant 1 – Early Version – Double Reference 176.001
Maker: EPSA (diving bell symbol)
Caseback design: Circle surrounding lightly engraved SEAMASTER, Hippocampus logo, Omega symbol
Variant 2
Maker: EPSA (diving bell symbol)
Caseback design: Circle surrounding lightly engraved SEAMASTER, Hippocampus logo, Omega symbol
Variant 3
Maker: EPSA (diving bell symbol)
Caseback design: Larger lightly engraved Hippocampus logo, Omega symbol, SEAMASTER
Variant 4 – Modern Service Part
Maker: Unknown
Caseback design: Larger sharply engraved Hippocampus logo, Omega symbol, SEAMASTER
176.007 MD
176.007 MD casebacks are identical on the outside, but the insides differ based on text order.
Variant 1
Maker: EPSA (diving bell symbol)
Caseback design: Larger lightly engraved Hippocampus logo, Omega symbol, SEAMASTER
Variant 2
Maker: EPSA (diving bell symbol)
Caseback design: Larger lightly engraved Hippocampus logo, Omega symbol, SEAMASTER
Production Estimates, Dates & Serial Number Range
I estimate that there were 20,000 – 21,000 ST 176.007s in steel made, and 8,000 – 9,000 gold plated 176.007 MDs. Fewer than 250 176.007 BAs were made, possibly as few as 50.
The serial numbers on the steel version run the gamut of cal. 1040 production. In fact, the lowest serial on any cal. 1040 I’ve seen was on a ST 176.007 (30,001,1XX) as was the highest serial I’ve seen on a 1040 (40,922,9XX). The earliest production date I’ve seen is February of 1973 and the latest is May of 1976. Anecdotally (meaning I haven’t seen the actual date or Extract) I’m aware of 007s produced earlier and later than this range.
**For more recent 176.007 serial number data, head over to the interactive serial number chart and filter by reference.
The production of the gold-plated 007 was more concentrated it seems, with most beginning with 342, 346, and 362.
Collectors Should Look For
- A crisp case. Because this is a relatively common reference, there are more high-quality examples out there. I can see being impatient and snagging a lesser 176.001 due to relative scarcity, but with 007 you can be a bit more selective.
- Early casebacks frequently were inscribed 176.001 crossed out (
176.001), with 176.007 below it. - Dial Types A, B, or C are correct. The OAS text order is more common in 176.007 but either are seen.
- Type I dials are also acceptable but less common.
- Dials should have little wear or flaking. Again, due to this reference’s high production models, be selective.
- Steel 007s can come with just about any serial number from 30-38 million. Look for a gold-plated 007 to start with 3425, 3468, 3625, or 3626.
- The gold-plated cases tend to show their age more than the steel ones. Avoid cases that are so polished that the case appears shiny or overly rounded.
176.007 BA
The most famous solid gold 176.007 BA Omega made was a retirement gift to Albert Piguet of Lemania which is on display at the Omega Museum and featured in A Journey Through Time. 176.007 is the only confirmed cal. 1040 or 1041 produced in a full precious metal case.
I have seen very few of these, and purchased one of them. It is an interesting watch, and truly rare.
See here for more information on possible gold 176.007 BA examples.
From My Collection
176.007 ST – Seamaster Chronograph “007”
This was my first cal. 1040, the one that started it all. The case on this has seen some polishing in the past and as such the case isn’t as sharp as I’d prefer, but it was a good buy for my first. It was listed on eBay with only one blurry photo as an auction, and the first few times it didn’t attract any bids. I finally contacted the seller, who turned out to be a pawn shop minutes away from where I worked at the time. I was able to negotiate a very good price and see the movement… So even though it isn’t the best example, it was a bargain.
I doubt that I would buy this watch now, even below market price, but I think owning and handling lesser examples is extremely valuable. There is a lot to be learned through the experience of handling multiple examples of a reference that inform your future selectivity. So I have no regrets and still am proud to own this one.
The dial on this is A1. In fact, my labeling system for all cal. 1040 dials that I later came up with is based on this dial. I could have made this dial type B or this text order 2, but since it was the one I owned and I was the one coming up with the typology, I gave this one the honor of being A1. Noticing that less common text order (Seamaster above AUTOMATIC) is what got me started researching cal. 1040 in the first place.
This came on the 1170 bracelet -at least I think it is, this is an “unmarked” inner clasp – with 120 end links. The Extract shows this was made on May 25, 1976 (serial 38288XXX), making it the latest cal. 1040/1041 I have seen based on Extract data.
176.007 MD – Seamaster Chronograph “007” – Gold Plated
To be honest, I would never have bought a gold-plated Seamaster 176.007 if I wasn’t trying to complete a set. They never seem to look good in photos, the vast majority of surviving examples are in sorry shape, and the look is a bit gaudier than I normally go for, especially on a bracelet. When this one arrived after winning an eBay auction, I was taken aback at just how much I really liked it and wanted to wear it.
This one was worth pursuing due to the fact that the case and dial are in better shape than most, and that it came with a full bracelet in decent shape. The bracelet is the gold-plated 1162 with 653 end links, and has a date stamp from 1976. The bracelet is curious because both the bracelet and links have characteristics of differently numbered steel parts. The 1162 is more like a steel 1170, and the 653s look more like steel 120s. I have no reason to believe the bracelet is anything but period-correct and original to the watch, but these little differences in the gold-plated parts from the steel ones are interesting to me.
The dial on this one is I3, and the serial number is 36267XXX. Interestingly, nearly all gold-plated 176.007s I have seen in the 3626XXXX serial number range have this dial.
My gold-plated 176.007 serves as a reminder of the friendships I’ve made in this hobby, as I probably would have missed the auction if a friend in Denmark hadn’t called it to my attention (because of the bracelet).
176.007 BA – Seamaster Chronograph “007”- 18k Gold
I don’t use the word rare lightly, but this one really is rare. Omega did not make many solid gold 176.007s, and this is one of only 3 I’ve actually seen for sale.
Appearance-wise it looks much like a gold-plated 007, except the caseback is gold in color on the 18k version, whereas the plated version uses a steel caseback. The color of the dial (A5) is really hard to describe – it is somewhere between brown and grey, with perhaps a hint of blue. It gives the watch a more casual look and feel than you might expect from a solid gold piece.
The caseback has unfortunately been overpolished, but hints of the original Seamaster engraving can still be seen. The engraving is shallow and in the same style as the engravings of gold Speedmasters, as seen on page 605 of A Journey Through Time.
This one came on an aftermarket strap. I have since sourced a period correct 18k gold buckle. I don’t know if Omega made solid gold bracelets for this reference. If so, it is quite possible the bracelet is worth more than the watch. The serial number of this one is 36255XXX, assembled on February 7, 1975 and delivered to France.