Omega
1970s Omega Seamaster Cosmic (Ref. 166.022) "Turler"
Omega has had its share of home runs over the decades to be sure, but every so often a model will unexplainably slip through the cracks and off the radars of collectors. Our eyes become so glued to the big names that we miss some incredibly unique things. And the Seamaster is a big name, absolutely, but the "Cosmic" sub-model has been extravagantly overlooked. The Cosmic comes in a variety of case shapes and fantastic dial combinations, a diverse family that deserves its time in the sun.
Turler was established in 1883 by two brothers, Jean Henri and César Alexander Turler. The two brothers made a name for themselves by offering their customers the newest and most exclusive Swiss watch brands at the time; namely Omega, Longines, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, and Blancpain. After establishing themselves as one of the top retailers in Zurich Switzerland, and with the prestige the Turler name carried, they started to cosign the dials of some of the watches they offered, similar to the other well-respected retailers at the time. These Turler cosigned watches produced throughout the 20th century are now desired by collectors alike for their rarity and the provenance they carry.
| Stock # | OMSMCOT | |
| Brand | Omega | |
| Style | Seamaster Cosmic | |
| Model | 166.022 | |
| Serial | N/A | |
| Size | Men's | |
| Material | Stainless Steel | |
| Dial | Silver "Turler" | |
| Millimeters | 36 | |
| Bracelet | Omega 1040 Brick-Link Bracelet |
CASE & BRACELET
The unpolished 36-millimeter stainless steel case gracefully shows its 50 years of age. This is a watch that has been and is meant to still be, worn day after day. The case is sharp and beveled, featuring a sunburst finish. One of our favorite parts of this watch is the fitted end links connecting the signed Omega bracelet to the case. They were perfectly designed to complete the shape of the case and create a singular streamlined look. They even fit to the case along the same eye line as the 11 and 1 o'clock markers on the top side and the 5 and 7 o'clock markers on the bottom, achieving ease of design remarkable in its hidden simplicity. The Omega 1040 brick-link bracelet retains 19 links that show some stretch from use.
DIAL & HANDS
The dial is a beautiful dark silver with black inlaid stainless steel hour markers. The dial has a matte appearance but upon closer inspection, you'll see a fantastic and slightly rough texture. The silver is connected to a white outer track by the all intact and lightly aged tritium markers, a matching feature to the tritium-filled steel hands. Finally, this particular Seamaster Cosmic was retailed originally by Turler, featuring the brand's signature in bold black text at the bottom of the dial.
ACCESSORIES
None. The watch is keeping time, previous service history is unknown.