Short answer
"1501" points to two things on an Omega. It is a calibre number for a 1970s automatic movement. It also appears inside case reference numbers, for example 166.1501. A replica Omega 1501 copies a watch that is about 50 years old, not a current catalog model. Omega is owned by Swatch Group. Swatch Group licenses the Omega name to no one for replica or first copy production.
Omega calibre 1501
Public data on calibre 1501 is thin. Omega lists the calibre in its movement records. Parts dealers list it as automatic with a date window and center seconds. Bridge finish on that family is copper-toned. Production sits in the early 1970s, between the 500-series calibres and the later 1000-series. Exact jewel counts and service specs vary by listing. Confirm the number stamped on the movement with a watchmaker before you pay a premium for it.
Case reference 166.1501
Omega case references from the 1960s and 1970s use three digits, a dot, and four digits. The first three digits describe the case material and type. A 166 prefix is stainless steel. If your caseback shows 166.1501, the model cannot be pinned down from that number alone. You need the full reference and the serial from the movement. Omega sells an Extract of the Archives that matches a serial to a production date and model.
How replica versions are built
Most replicas of old Omega watches use a new Chinese automatic movement, a plated case, and a printed dial. Some sellers fit an older Swiss movement into a new case. Collectors call that a franken watch. Genuine 1501-era parts are scarce, so original hands, crowns, and crystals are rare in a replica build. Caseback engravings on copies come from a stamp or a laser, not from Omega tooling.
Checks that separate genuine from replica
- Movement plates: genuine Omega plates carry the Omega symbol and the calibre number. The engraving is crisp and shallow. Stamped lettering points to a copy.
- Caseback: reference and serial are machine-stamped. Font size and spacing on fakes differ from Omega stamps.
- Dial: tritium lume on a 50-year-old dial turns cream or brown. Repainted dials show flat color and soft edges on the text.
- Case metal: solid steel feels heavier than plated brass of the same size.
- Papers: Omega archive extracts carry a serial that matches the movement. Sellers who refuse a movement photo are a risk.
US legal position
A replica carries the Omega trademark without a license. Under 19 U.S.C. 1526, US Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy counterfeit goods at import. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Replica sellers operate outside those rules. Card chargebacks on counterfeit goods are hard to win, because the buyer received the item ordered.
Prices
Genuine Omega watches from the 1501 period trade at auction and through dealers. Price depends on model, case metal, and condition. Replica sellers list numbers far below that. No replica price covers a Swiss automatic movement, a solid steel or gold case, and a 50-year service record. If a listing claims a genuine 1501 movement at a low price, ask for a movement photo and a serial check.