[Closed] Beach find - Omega Seamaster content

Lovely.

I'm with you, it's highly likely there's a load of sentimental value attached to that watch. However, I'd do more than hand it into the plod, but you're probably on a hiding to nothing to try and prove ownership with anyone that claims it is theirs.

Nice pic though and appropriate username 🙂

I'd be handing it in or at least reporting to the police. That way if it is claimed you can feel warm and fuzzy about reuniting it.  If it's not claimed , you get to keep it guilt free.

What’s the best way to try and reunite? It’s got a Omega old leather strap on, bust at one end, so likely fell off.

Unless there’s an inscription on the back, or a serial number that someone can verify, then I can see real difficulty in verifying any claim to ownership, but if there is a serial number, it might be worth putting a letter into the local newspaper, or a local Facebook page if there is one, but I’d be inclined to get the strap replaced and wear it and enjoy it and treasure it, it’s a nice watch.

I suspect that the number of people going to the police speculatively claiming to have lost an Omega Seamaster when they haven't would be astonishingly small.  I'd report it, at least.  It could have immense sentimental value to someone.

My thoughts were some diligent googling for 'lost' posts, alongside handing into plod. If it's still working it may have never seen the sea and be a local person. Or, it could have been someone holidaying from Switzerland 🙂

I also kinda want it.

I know Rolex have their owners recorded against the serial number.  I'd be surprised if omega wasn't the same.

Wow, lovely.

Someones heirloom?

I’d be handing it in, but before that take loads of photos of it and where it was found.

The owner must be distraught.

it’s a nice watch

It might have been at some point in the past.

Disagree - I like it all the more now that it has some miles on it.  Not ostentatious, just a GREAT used watch.

^Looks to be an early model, so doubtful that it’s still the original owner. Think I’d be logging it with the police - some forces allow you to do it electronically for ease e.g.Sussex -  https://sussex.police.uk/contact-us/report-online/report-lost-and-found-property/report-found-property/

Contact Omega directly and provide the serial number. A much more direct approach than contacting the police.

It would be a brilliant finder's/keepers but I'm sure somebody is missing it.

Reminds me of a friend of mine.

Several years ago on holiday in Florida he found a ladies gold Rolex on the beach. Handed it in to the local sheriff leaving his name and address, forgot all about it. Few months later he receives a parcel and sure enough there is the watch together with a letter from the sheriff praising his honesty and informing him the watch is now his as nobody claimed it within the required period. His wife still wears it.

I would hand it in, could be very valuable to someone and maybe if the UK is the same and no one claims you get to keep it guilt free. Win Win.

Pretty sure the serial number is inside, which I’m not going to open! I can make a mess of a jam jar...
I’ll check down the police line, it’s well worn and the strap has seen some action, so certainly an everyday watch.

Edit thanks for the online tip, Dorset police have a email for this.

I know Rolex have their owners recorded against the serial number.  I’d be surprised if omega wasn’t the same.

Indeed they do, not sure whether that goes back to the 1970s though but worth a try.

Lovely watch but yes try and reunite it with the owner.  If you get it back get it refurbed and its a keeper.

I very temporarily lost a nice watch at the airport check in, i was absolutely gutted, 5 mins later got it back as it was in another tray.

Love the simplicity of that one.

1960's 34mm Seamaster, mighht be a 522 movement or bumper. It's working so open it up. Post up a pic of the back. Use Polywatch? polish to buff out the scratches. Good find.

I wouldn't hand it in but definitely see if an owner can be located - could be a great story!

Aye, good call to do it properly: most likely outcome is you get to keep it and all above board!

Well spotted!

looks the same as mine, 65 ish

actually not just saw the automatic below the omega 🙂

Looks like my Dad's watch (which he still has, so not his) which dates from the mid-1960s.  He's the original owner, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the original owner lost it.  No idea if Omega keep those kinds of records.

I'd hand it in and if it's not claimed, you have a nice watch and a clear conscience.

Don't hand it to the Plod, report it.

Avoids any "accidental" loss or other reason why they "can't" return it.

APF

The only reason I would hesitate to hand it in is that a lot of local police no longer have their own station, but share space; Chippenham, with a population of roughly 50k, now has a police space in the local council offices, rather than the large building it used to have, and as a result many won’t deal with lost property, they just don’t have space.

It's a lovely watch, but not massively valuable....they go for about £180-£300. Do some googling, but hang on to it. Unless it has some personal engraving on it, in which case I would hand it in..

Nice watch. I had a very similar Seamaster (not an Automatic)  stolen in a burglery in Watford which was my late Father's. Insurance replaced it with a new fangled seamaster, but it was a sad loss. Only thing I ever regret losing. So it would be great to re-unite with owner!

Can't believe that some people are saying keep it with no attempt to find the owner. If you do not want to hand the watch into the Police (and I can understand why that would be the case) you could at least contact them to check whether someone has reported the loss.

You could also post on social media trying to locate the owner. I have had things returned to me (my wallet and my son's phone) by caring, decent individuals. For the wallet it was reported to the Police who contacted me and put me in contact with the finder.

In both cases I did give the finder a reward but there was no expectation of that on their parts.

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but DO NOT WIND IT either by wrist movement or via the crown.

If it's been sat around on the beach for however long the movement is probably in dire need of a service. The movement running could destroy itself and it would at that point cost more to repair than it is worth.

(sentimental value aside, of course)

Another reason to report it is that it may have belonged to someone lost at sea.

My dad left his watch on a the sink in a campsite when I was a kid. It was his 21st Birthday gift from his mum who had died a couple of years later. He went back for it straightaway but it was gone. No one handed it in despite there being few people on the site.

I had never seen him so sad.

Report it found. You're almost certain to end up keeping it, but there's a chance it means a lot to someone.

Can’t believe that some people are saying keep it with no attempt to find the owner.

Well that what I was saying a little bit more softly. I'd be making every effort to get it back to the owner!

Report it found. You’re almost certain to end up keeping it, but there’s a chance it means a lot to someone.

As has been said by many, this.  If you keep it then it will always be tainted by the potential that it's really upset someone.  Not worth it!

Great find. I'd report it as found property to local plod, provide your contact details and ask them to put it on records as retained by finder. (I'm sure they can still do that). They usually mark things up for destruction after a set time so it would just end up getting binned if not collected by anyone. Saves it going missing from the nick / getting destroyed and you retain possession of it. Its a win win I reckon

I can confirm that Omega do keep records for servicing at least (they're Swiss) - might be worth popping it into one of their stores (if local) or at least writing to them - maybe on facebook.  This sort of thing is a marketeers wet dream, surely.

I'd report it as being found property, but as said, keep the finder slip and mark it such that in whatever time frame, if not claimed by its owner, then you can claim it. ( 6wks? 6 months? cant remember). My dad did that with a watch he found out hiking ... came back after the timeframe and it hadn't been claimed, so its now his.

Then if it still bothers you to find the original owner, then by claiming it, you've kept it legitimately and its not lost to the system. If it were left in the Police system unclaimed, it'd end up going into an auction for found property ... an unlikely to ever find its owner.

The finding records and slip would add to its provenance as well.

When my surly was recovered by the police, the two arresting officers (who where mountain bikers) brought it back to me with an evidence tag on it and said to keep hold of the tag and not sell the bike in case it was needed in court.

Apparently things, and bits of things, go missing regularly in police stations, and they didn't want that to happen to my bike!  That was news to me, but from that I'd not hand anything in.

Let them know you have it and check with Omega and see what happens.

A number of Police forces won;t accept lost property anymore, they just make a note and then write to you after 'n' days to say it's now yours.

If it were me i WOULDN'T hand it to the police - there's little incentive for them to try to find the owner at all (understandably).
But..I would report it to them, and then make it my mission to try to find the owner.

Don'T publically post the serial number or specific marks, but spread the message far and wide!

I think it'd be fun, and probably pretty possible to find the owner.
Contact omega. Google da-fuq out of the description/message boards etc etc!!

DrP

Worth trying Lostbox?

A mate of mine lost his Rolex sailing in Poole harbour. Years later it was found on the beach, handed in and he was traced through the serial number by Rolex who offered to do a total refurb if they could use the story in an advert which they subsequently did. No idea if Omega keep such records but worth an email.

I’ve reported to the police and contacted Omega. I would be very happy to find the owner.

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My mate's dad dropped one of these down a well (accidentally I might add). It was retrieved 21 years later and worked perfectly.

Hope the Seamaster owner gets his back.

My brand new £525 Constellation dropped off my wrist into the sea at Nice in 1992. Fortunately I was only in waist height and saw it hit the bed.

The nice people at Omega are going to open it up and find the serial number and have a look. They also said they would service it for me foc if it becomes mine for making an effort to find the owner and the story.

Class! 🙂

👍

🙂

Nice! 🙂

the world is ok - thank you 🙂

Nice.👌🏽

Brilliant. Interested to see what happens next

Like button pressed.......

Sorry Tang - but I'm now rooting for them to find the owner.

I’m now rooting for them to find the owner

I'm rooting for the above but that Omega/ Swatch gives Tang a new watch for his honesty/ a bit of pr.

Update. No owner found, went to police right at the beginning and omega who took it in and got the serial no. Appears to be a 1964 seamaster.

So do you get to keep it? Will be a lovely watch if omega stick to their promise and restore it for you.

Good effort on yours and Omegas part, hope you get to keep and enjoy the serviced watch now.

Piks please when done

The nice people at Omega are going to open it up and find the serial number and have a look. They also said they would service it for me foc if it becomes mine for making an effort to find the owner and the story.

Great result, better than just handing into the Police.

Great result. Karma

Looks just like my Dads so '67ish is my guess for the date. I had it after he died and loved it. It was taken in a burglary and like Andy did. Insurance offered the new version but it was about the connection with Dad and it would just sit in a drawer so I took the cash. They knocked 20% off! Still consider getting one but it just wouldn't be the same. Try to reunite it. I'd be so generous to who ever got mine back.

Update. No owner found, went to police right at the beginning and omega who took it in and got the serial no. Appears to be a 1964 seamaster.

Excellent work.

Very important.

Make sure you do not let omega change out or repaint the dial and or hands.

that is where the life and value of the watch is..