Model guide · Seamaster
Omega Seamaster Cosmic and Cosmic 2000
The Seamaster Cosmic was Omega's everyday automatic of the 1960s and early 1970s, sold in steel, gold plate, gold cap and solid gold. It came in two generations with different cases, different calibres and different depth ratings. The reference inside tells you which one you have, and every reference on this page is from Omega's own vintage database.
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Live listings and real sold prices, split by calibre so they match this page.
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Two generations
The 1960s Cosmic, from 1962, has a unishell case: there is no caseback, and the movement comes out through the front. It is rated to 3 bar, 30 metres. The 1970s Cosmic, from 1972, has a press-in caseback and is rated to 6 bar, 60 metres, on a strap or an integrated steel bracelet. This is the generation sold as the Cosmic 2000. The calibre settles it either way: 55x, 56x, 60x, 61x and 752 are the 1960s movements, and 1012 and 1022 are the 1970s ones.
1960s references
| Reference | Year | Type | Calibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST 136.0017 | 1962 | Hand-wound, date | 613 |
| ST 135.0016 · 135.0017 | 1966 | Hand-wound (the 0016 has a screw-in back) | 601 |
| LD 165.0026 | 1966 | Automatic, gold-plated | 552 |
| ST 166.0022 · 166.0026 | 1967 | Automatic, date | 565 |
| ST 166.0023 | 1967 | Automatic, date | 562 / 565 |
| ST / LD / CD 166.0035 · 166.0036 | 1967 | Automatic, day-date | 752 |
| ST 166.0045 | 1968 | Automatic, date | 565 |
| BA 166.0050 | 1968–1971 | Automatic, date, 18k gold, 35 mm | 565 |
| BA 166.0049 | 1969–1971 | Automatic, day-date, 18k gold, 35 mm | 752 |
| ST 566.0018 | 1970 | Ladies' automatic, date | 681 / 684 |
All unishell cases rated to 30 m, except the screw-back 135.0016. Source: Omega's vintage database, as held in the reference lookup.
1970s references: the Cosmic 2000 generation
| Reference | Year | Type | Calibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST / CD 166.0130 · 166.0132 · CD 166.0128 | 1972 | Automatic, date, on a strap | 1012 |
| ST 166.0131 · 166.0133 | 1972 | Automatic, day-date, on a strap | 1022 |
| ST 366.0825 · 366.0827 · 366.0838 | 1972–1974 | Automatic, date, integrated steel bracelet, 38 mm | 1012 |
| ST 366.0826 · 366.0830 | 1972–1973 | Automatic, day-date, integrated steel bracelet | 1022 |
All press-in backs rated to 60 m. Source: Omega's vintage database. A reference not on these lists may still be right. Send it and I'll check it.
The calibres, from the factory catalogue
Omega's GF 620-5 lists the 752, the 1960s day-date, as 27.90 RA SC PC CALD CORR AM 24 pierres: 27.90 mm, automatic (RA), centre seconds (SC), shock protection (PC), day and date (CALD) with correction (CORR), antimagnetic (AM), 24 jewels. It is 5.68 mm high and beats at 19,800 an hour, and the catalogue derives it from the 563. The ladies' 681 is a 17.50 mm automatic with date and 24 jewels; the 684 that replaced it runs faster, at 21,600. The 565 and 552 are covered in the Seamaster calibre table, and the calibre lookup has the rest.
Not to be confused with: the 1949 Omega Cosmic
Omega used the Cosmic name once before, on a hand-wound calendar watch of 1949 to 1951 with the calibre 381, in steel (CK 2471), gold-filled, gold cap, 14k and 18k. It is not a Seamaster, it has a press-in back with no water rating, and it sells in a different market. If the dial carries a calendar and no "Seamaster", this is the one you have.
Is your Cosmic all original?
The reference, the calibre and the dial have to agree. Six photos and the weight, and I check them against Omega's own records and put it in writing. Nothing to pay until I confirm the photos can answer it.
Dating one
The serial is on the movement; the serial number lookup gives the year band. On a 1960s unishell case you only see it with the watch opened from the front, so ask the seller whether it has been. The date should land in or after the year the reference appears above.
Parts for the 565 and the rest of the 55x/56x family: the 565 parts list gives the parts people hunt and which calibres share them.
What it's worth
The Cosmic sits at the affordable end of vintage Seamasters. A correct steel example usually sells for a few hundred to around a thousand dollars, with day-dates and solid 18k cases above that. Use the "What they sold for" links above rather than asking prices. A redialed example is a parts watch, and on a solid gold case the gold sets the floor. What's my Omega worth? explains all three values.
What goes wrong with them
Redials. Cosmic dials were refinished in large numbers; look for thick print and a minute track that doesn't line up with the markers. Swapped movements. A 1970s 1012 in a 1960s unishell case, or a date movement behind a day-date dial, means the watch was put together from more than one. Worn plating. On LD and CD cases, brass showing through at the lug edges means the gold is gone. Water. None of these should go near water until the case has been tested.
Buying one without getting burned
Before you pay, ask for these photos:
- The dial, square on and in daylight. Even print, and a minute track that lines up.
- The reference and its prefix. Inside the back on a 1970s case; on a unishell, ask where the seller read it.
- The movement, with the calibre number readable. It has to match the reference.
- The lugs from the side. Sharp edges, and no brass showing on a gold-plated or gold-capped case.
Six photographs and the weight, and I put it in writing: calibre confirmed against its factory sheet, case checked against Omega's own case data, serial dated, dial judged, three honest values. Within a day. US$75, and nothing to pay until I confirm the photos can answer it.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between the Seamaster Cosmic and the Cosmic 2000?
They are two generations. The 1960s Cosmic has a unishell case that opens from the dial side, is rated to 30 metres, and runs on the 552, 565, 601, 613 and 752 calibres. The 1970s generation, sold as the Cosmic 2000, has a press-in back, is rated to 60 metres, and runs on the 1012 (date) and 1022 (day-date).
What movement is in my Omega Seamaster Cosmic?
It depends on the reference. The most common are the 565 (date) and 752 (day-date) in the 1960s, and the 1012 and 1022 in the 1970s. The calibre number is on the movement, and on a unishell case you only see it with the watch opened from the front.
Is my Seamaster Cosmic gold?
Check the prefix before the reference. ST is steel, LD is gold-plated, CD is gold cap on steel, and BA is 18k solid gold. Only BA cases are solid, and they carry a 750 stamp.
How much is a vintage Seamaster Cosmic worth?
The Cosmic sits at the affordable end of vintage Seamasters. A correct steel example usually sells for a few hundred to around a thousand US dollars, day-dates and solid gold for more. Check the sold prices on this page, and treat a redialed example as a parts watch.
Watch Breaker is an independent identification specialist and parts dealer and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Omega SA or the Swatch Group. Omega is a trademark of Omega SA. Reference data is from Omega's vintage database; calibre data is transcribed from Omega's GF 620-5 catalogue. Terms.