Quick answer
Two things share the name. In vintage collecting, 213 is an Omega caliber number: a bumper automatic movement built in the early 1950s. In the replica trade, 213 appears as a seller stock code. A stock code is set by the seller, not by Omega. The number alone does not name a watch. Ask for the case reference and a photo of the movement before you pay.
What caliber 213 is
Omega caliber 213 sits in the company's first automatic family. A weighted rotor swings through a short arc and hits two buffer springs. It does not rotate a full turn. Jewel count on most examples is 17. Sub-seconds or center seconds depends on the variant. Production ran in the early 1950s. Cases measured 33mm to 35mm across. Steel and gold-capped versions both exist. Confirm the stamp on the movement before you accept a claim about the caliber.
What a replica changes
- Movement: copies use a Seagull ST6, a Miyota 8215 or 9015, or a quartz module. Omega stopped building caliber 213 decades ago, so no copy carries one.
- Rotor feel: a real bumper movement kicks when the rotor hits the springs. A modern automatic rotor turns free and silent.
- Case size: many copies run 38mm to 40mm, larger than the 33mm to 35mm originals.
- Dial print: originals use applied logos and raised enamel. Copies use flat pad printing.
- Case back: originals carry a reference number plus a movement serial. Copies often carry one repeated number across a whole batch.
Price range
US listings for replica vintage Omegas run from about $40 for quartz to $250 for a decorated automatic. A genuine caliber 213 watch sells from about $300 to $1,200. Case metal, dial condition, and service records drive the spread. A $150 listing that claims an original bumper movement sits below the market.
US legal position
Counterfeit watches carry Omega's trademark without permission. US Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments under 19 U.S.C. 1526. Buyers lose the item and the money. Sellers face civil liability. That does not change what 213 means, but it changes the risk.
Checks before buying
- Ask for the reference stamped inside the case back.
- Ask for a clear photo of the movement, not a display back alone.
- Measure the case diameter with calipers.
- Compare the serial range against the caliber date.
If the seller cannot supply the reference and movement photos, the number 213 carries no information.