What "Omega 2576" refers to
2576 is an Omega case reference, not a model name. Omega used the number in the early 1950s on Seamaster cases. The same period produced reference 2577. Both carried bumper automatic movements from the 340 series. Case material and dial finish differ between the two numbers.
Omega does not publish a full public archive for every reference. Published reference lists come from period catalogs, service records and auction lots. If a listing names "Omega 2576" with no photo of the caseback, treat the number as unverified.
What sellers ship under this name
No large replica factory markets a 1:1 copy of a 1950s bumper Seamaster. Most listings that put "2576" in the title ship a modern Seamaster case with a rotor movement. Typical specs in those listings:
- Case: 36 mm to 41 mm steel, modern proportions
- Movement: automatic 2824-style rotor movement, not a bumper
- Crystal: sapphire, not acrylic
- Water resistance: claimed 30 m to 100 m, no third-party test shown
Those watches are not copies of reference 2576. They are copies of 1990s and 2000s Seamaster models. The number is added to the listing for search traffic.
Specs of the original
Period 2576 cases are stainless steel, listed at about 34 mm across, with a screw-in caseback and a domed acrylic crystal. Movements are bumper automatics from the 340 series, 17 jewels, with a weight that swings about 180 degrees instead of rotating a full turn. Production of the reference ended in the mid 1950s. A correct replica would need a bumper movement, an acrylic crystal and a case under 35 mm. Almost none of the listings sold as "2576" have any of the three.
Price
Replica listings with the 2576 label fall between $80 and $300 in most cases. Prices above that band come from dealers who publish movement photos and case measurements. Genuine period examples sell at auction for several hundred to a few thousand dollars, set by dial condition, case finish and originality. A listing under $60 points to a quartz watch with a printed logo.
Checks before buying
- Ask for the case diameter in millimeters and a photo of the caseback.
- Ask which movement is inside. A bumper movement shows a swinging weight, not a full rotor.
- Compare dial printing to catalog photos. Fonts on period dials are thin and small.
- Ask if the crown is signed.
- Get the return policy in writing before payment.
What you cannot verify
Steel grade, water resistance and movement origin cannot be confirmed from photos. Lume compound, gasket condition and movement finish sit inside the case and stay invisible in an online listing. Treat claims about those items as unproven until a watchmaker opens the case.