Omega reference 1501.50.00 is a steel watch with a 35.5 mm case and the Omega calibre 2500 movement. The calibre 2500 uses a Co-Axial escapement, beats at 25,200 vibrations per hour, and holds a COSC chronometer certificate. Replicas sold under the 1501 name copy the case shape and the dial text. None of them carry a Co-Axial escapement. Every automatic replica of this reference uses a Swiss lever escapement, most often a clone of an ETA 2824 or an ETA 2892.

One note on the number: 1501 is a case reference. It is not an Omega movement number. Sellers mix the two.

What the Original 1501.50.00 Has

  • Case: steel, 35.5 mm across, with claws (Omega calls them griffes) at 3 and 9.
  • Movement: calibre 2500, Co-Axial escapement, 27 jewels, 48 hour power reserve.
  • Beat rate: 25,200 vph, or 3.5 Hz.
  • Certification: COSC chronometer certificate, tested in five positions and at three temperatures.
  • Crystal: sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating.
  • Dial: applied hour markers, printed Co-Axial text under the Omega symbol.

How Replicas Differ

Replica sellers list one case size and ship it under many reference numbers. Case diameter on these listings runs from 36 mm to 41 mm. The real case is 35.5 mm. Measure before you compare.

  • Claws: machined and polished on the original. Stamped and soft on most replicas. Check the inner edge.
  • Weight: a steel replica of a 35.5 mm watch runs 20 g to 40 g lighter than the original. Bracelet links are thinner.
  • Beat rate: hold the watch to a timegrapher app. 28,800 vph points to a clone. The 2500 beats 25,200.
  • Rotor: the calibre 2500 has a decorated rotor with the Omega wordmark and a stripe finish. Clones have flat etching, no bevels, or a glued-on plate.
  • Date change: the 2500 snaps at midnight. Clone movements creep from 10:30 pm to 1:00 am.
  • Power reserve: 38 to 42 hours on a clone. The 2500 holds 48 hours.
  • Text: check the spacing of Co-Axial and the position of Swiss Made at 6 o'clock. Print weight differs on replicas.

Price and Legal Facts

Replica listings for this reference run from about $80 to $600. The original watch is out of production. Used examples trade for a few thousand US dollars.

In the United States, trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. section 2320. US Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy incoming shipments. Omega does not service or authenticate a counterfeit.

Checks Before You Pay

  1. Ask for a photo of the caseback and the movement.
  2. Ask for a timegrapher reading: rate, amplitude, beat error.
  3. Ask for case diameter measured with calipers.
  4. Ask for the serial number and a photo of the card.
  5. Compare dial text against photos from the brand.

If the seller will not send a movement photo, the answer is no.