Dear forum members, Excuse me if this is the wrong place to do this. I've just joined up, and do not really know my way around the forum. I was about to buy myself a vintage Longines, when my father reminded me that my grandfather's vintage Omega was available. I've posted this because I should like to know more about it. Here are some photos. UNFORTUNATELY the crystal is scratched and cracked. The bezel is also scratched. It is18k gold. The automatic movement says 24 jewels. The face says Omega automatic. There is some dirt under the crystal and I cannot see whether the dial is marked. The inside of the back has [Omega Watch co] inscribed inside a triangle and also (made in England). Beneath that are some figuresin square brackets [9] [375] [8 (or possible 4)] [0].Underneath that are the letters A.L.D., which I believe stands for Aaron Lufkin Dennison, an English watch case maker from Birmingham. Under that are two numbers a seven figure and a six figure: 1615002 and 2417565. There are three tiny Greek symbols which look like mmm on the rim and a hallmark which we can't read. I'd be grateful for any information you could give me about it. Perhaps, as with Longines, there is somewhere I can email the firm to identify and authenticate the watch. I should like to pass it to a watchmaker in order to have the movement serviced. As for the dial, I know one is not supposed to have it refinished - or rather that this lowers the value, but is it possible to have it cleaned without devaluing it. Anyway, it will need a new crystal, and very possible a new strap, so it will never be pristine. Anyway, thanks for any advice you may be able to give me. Meanwhile, I do have two fine Longines watches, one from 1962, that I can upload pictures of in the Longines thread. Gordon
UK produced case (Omega shipped the movement from Switzerland but the case was made by the UK case maker and assembled and sold there) From memory A.L.D. is Dennison (casemaker)
Nice memory of your Grand Dad Gordon. My thoughts. Get a new strap and crystal and get it serviced. You'll never get it looking pristine and if you did it would wipe away all of the marks your gran made. The dial may be able to be cleaned up a bit but don't expect too much of an improvement. It's a pretty little vintage Omega and well worth looking after.
Hi Gordon, a lovely looking watch, I'm also inclined to Mothra's view that the dial has been refinished, so you could if you wished restore the dual with impunity - but a watch records the passage of time in many ways and it in its present condition it must speak to you in a way that a refinish would obliterate - I'd replace the crystal and keep it as it is, good luck
The hallmark on the caseback, 375 means 9ct, if it was 18ct it would be stamped 750, and there should be another very small one, probably on the back of one of the lugs. The anchor mark is for the Birmingham Assay Office, the sideways O letter dates the hallmark to 1963. For more interesting details you can read up here, thanks to mondodec and Andrew Romaine.