Short answer
Omega 1501 is a case reference number, not a model name. Omega stamped case reference numbers inside casebacks of watches built in the 1960s and 1970s. A replica Omega 1501 is a copy made to look like a watch from that period. Most copies sold today use a new case, a new dial, and a modern Chinese or Japanese movement. They are not vintage watches. They are not made by Omega.
What the number 1501 covers
Omega used case reference numbers to track case shape, lug type, and crystal size. Reference numbers do not identify the movement on their own. The movement caliber is a separate stamp on the bridge and on the rotor.
Public reference tables do not agree on the exact model family tied to case number 1501. Omega has not released a free public lookup for case references. The firm's own archive is the authority. A buyer who needs a firm answer should request an Extract from the Archives and compare the stamped reference, the case metal, and the movement caliber against the watch in hand.
What replica sellers advertise
Listings use "1501" to signal a vintage look: round case, slim bezel, baton or dauphine hands, and a date at 3 o'clock. Case sizes from the era ran about 34 mm to 36 mm across with 18 mm lugs. Copies run larger, in the 38 mm to 42 mm range, because modern buyers want a bigger watch. A 40 mm case with a "1501" stamp is not original.
Movement
Genuine watches of that era carried Omega automatic calibers from the 550 and 560 families. Copies carry low-cost automatic movements, and common swaps include Asian copies of the ETA 2824 and the Miyota 8215. These run at 21,600 or 28,800 vibrations per hour and have no Omega markings under a loupe.
Tells on a copy
- Caseback engraving: shallow laser marks with sharp edges instead of stamped metal with 50 years of wear.
- Serial numbers: copies repeat the same serial across units. Genuine numbers fall in known production ranges.
- Dial print: thick lettering, uneven spacing, and misaligned minute tracks.
- Case metal: some original references came in 18k gold. Copies use plated brass or steel with gold tone.
- Hands: wrong length, blunt tips, and painted lume with no aging.
Price
Copies sell from about $80 to $400. Genuine vintage Omega watches from the 1960s and 1970s trade from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, based on case metal, dial condition, and service history. A "1501" listing priced at $150 is a copy.
US legal status
18 U.S.C. Section 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at import and can destroy them. The same rule applies to single items bought for personal use. A seized watch is not returned and the buyer has no refund path from the seller.
What is not known
Public reference tables conflict on which Omega model family used case number 1501. No free Omega database resolves this. Treat a seller's claim about 1501 as unverified until an archive extract matches the stamped number, the metal, and the caliber.