Hi all first post here

[Socalwis]

Hi all,

My name is Rodrigo and I'm a diver watch nut  and a part time strap maker  . looking to purchase my first vintage Zodiac SSW. Can any one here can tell if these two Zodiacs looks legit? It's an as is condition, no return nor exchange. SO I'm really careful about this

Sellers Picture

Thanks all
Rodrigo

[Sea Wolf]

They both looked modified.  The left one the bezel looks to be redo or non original.
The right watch looks to be in non original case.

Others will be along with more detail.

Welcome aboard!

[dawej]

I am pretty sure the hands on the left one is non-original. Usually the hour hand is red/orange-ish with cream-white in it, while the hour and second hand is stainless steel with the same cream-white details in it. I have never seen one all three hands in the same color. Never seen that bezel either.

And as SW said the case on the right one looks not legit either. Big warning bells when both looks modified.

But, its not a crime selling modified watches, especially not when it states "as is". 

If the price is right, you could snap the left one and keep your eyes open for any "used parts lot" including original hands and possibly a bezel.

[Butch]

The hands and the bezel are incorrect for the SSW on the left. As for the SW on the right, it looks like the guys, dial, hands, maybe movement, of an older SW was stuck in a later case and bezel.

I would pass, unless you really like them. They have no resale value to a collector.

[Socalwis]

Thanks guys much appreciated!  :)

I will pass and keep on hunting

[JDS (Ohio)]

.... I have never seen one all three hands in the same color. Never seen that bezel either.

........If the price is right, you could snap the left one and keep your eyes open for any "used parts lot" including original hands and possibly a bezel.

I think that bezel came from a Gruen, there was a model approximately contemporary with the Zodiac version, that came in the same case as the 1st generation SSW, but it had an orange dial and bezel insert, and stick hands if I recall correctly.

That is a good point about buying the one on the left if the price is right, and then looking for correct replacements for the altered parts.  I suspect that the crystal is about equally difficult as the bakelite bezel insert to find a replacement; the crystsal had that minutes track decal on the inside, so you can't just buy a flat ground piece of mineral glass.