In brief
Open the back of a 1970s Seamaster or De Ville and, more often than not, this is what you find. The 1012 grew straight out of the 550/560 series, kept 23 jewels and ran faster for the sake of accuracy — the everyday automatic of Omega's decade.
Short history
It arrived in 1972 alongside the rest of the family, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour where its 1960s predecessors had run slower. Unlike the 1011 it carried no chronometer certificate, which did nothing to stop it becoming the most heavily produced member of the whole series. Omega's answer to quartz at that moment was well-built mechanics priced below its top-tier watches, and the 1012 is exactly that.
Why it matters
A sturdy, well-made automatic that collectors tend to overlook in favour of the 55x/56x — which makes it one of the best ways into a quality vintage Omega automatic without paying the premium the sought-after references carry.
Watches that used it
- De Ville and Seamaster automatics of the 1970s
- Our De Ville Automatic — Calibre 1012 →