Short answer
If you are searching for a replica Omega 2579, you are hunting a vintage-styled Omega, not a modern one. The 2579 number belongs to Omega's early-1950s reference block, the same era as the CK 2577 Seamaster. No factory builds a true clone of that watch today. What you can buy is a modern case shaped like the original, a printed vintage dial, and a generic automatic or quartz movement inside. Understanding that gap is the whole game.
First, pin down what 2579 means
Omega used four-digit numbers for both cases and calibers in that period, so sellers mix them up. Ask for a photo of the caseback and the movement. If the number is stamped inside the caseback, it is a case reference. If it is engraved on the movement bridge, it is a caliber. That one distinction changes what a "correct" replica should look like, and it changes what you should pay.
Case and proportions
Originals in this block sit around 34 to 35 mm across, with a narrow bezel, thin lugs, and 18 mm strap width. Plenty of replicas stretch to 38 or 40 mm because that is what sells. If you want the vintage look, 36 mm is the outer limit before it reads as a modern watch wearing a costume.
Look at lug shape, straight versus twisted, and at crown size. Budget builds use small unsigned crowns, which is close to period correct. Check the crystal too. Originals had a tall domed acrylic. Most replicas ship with flat sapphire, which sits wrong against the bezel line.
Movement reality
Genuine pieces in this family used bumper automatics, where the rotor swings and hits springs instead of spinning full circles. You will not find that in a replica. Expect a Miyota 8215, a Seiko NH35, or a Chinese clone of the ETA 2824. Quartz versions cost half as much. Ask which one you are paying for, since the same case can hold any of them.
Dial details that decide quality
- Font weight on the Omega symbol and wordmark. Originals are thin, wide, and a touch uneven.
- "Swiss Made" at 6 o'clock, printed small and low. Cheap reps crowd it or cut it off.
- Lume plots. Aged tritium turns a warm, uneven cream. Painted fake patina looks flat and every plot matches, which no real dial does.
- Hands. Leaf or dauphine shapes with a slight dome, not flat stamped steel.
- Printing versus applied markers. Dials of this era were mostly printed, so applied markers on a "2579" are a tell.
What honest sellers tell you
A good seller states case size, movement name, crystal material, and lug width in the listing. If those details are missing, the listing is decoration. I also want to see crown position and date window alignment, because a date at 3 that crowds the index is the fastest way to spot a cheap dial.
Prices
Budget quartz builds run about $70 to $140. Automatic versions with a decent case and sapphire land between $180 and $350. Above that you enter builds that mix genuine vintage dials or cases with replica parts, sometimes called franken watches. Those carry their own risks: mismatched patina, refinished dials, and no service history.
A quick checklist
- Confirm whether 2579 is the case or the caliber.
- Measure the case. 34 to 36 mm is period correct.
- Ask for the movement name, not just "automatic."
- Study the dial printing up close.
- Check patina for uniformity. Real age is uneven.
- Confirm lug width so a period strap fits.
- Compare the caseback with reference photos before buying.
Bottom line
A replica Omega 2579 can look convincing on the wrist, and for casual wear it holds up. What it will never be is a bumper automatic in a 34 mm case with sixty years of patina. Buy it as a vintage-look watch rather than a stand-in for an original, and you will be happy with the money you spent.