I recently inherited two omega pocket watches,

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SpeedyG

·Aug 2, 2023

I recently inherited two omega pocket watches, one is silver with a stop watch, the other is strange and the only one I can find that is the same claims to be palladium. I gather from the serial number it is dated 1916, its not magnetic and is very bright silver inside but fine rubbing on the outside. no sign of any tarnishing at all. Has anyone got an idea what it might be?

 

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TexOmega

·Aug 2, 2023

Nickel-silver or chromium-cobalt

I do not see a stopwatch in your pictures

 

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Dan S

·Aug 2, 2023

We will need better photos, showing hallmarks etc. Why do you say it is palladium?

 

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SpeedyG

·Aug 2, 2023

Because it looks exactly the same as this one for sale on ebay, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225187792094
The other one that is Silver has the stopwatch, both are working too. Picture of the silver one below.I don't think there were hall

 

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SpeedyG

·Aug 2, 2023

I don't think there were hallmarks for palladium in those days.

 

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SpeedyG

·Aug 2, 2023

It can't be Chromium-colbalt as it is not magnetic and it just doesn't look like Nickle silver to me.

TexOmega

Nickel-silver or chromium-cobalt

I do not see a stopwatch in your pictures

 

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TexOmega

·Aug 2, 2023

S SpeedyG

It can't be Chromium-colbalt as it is not magnetic and it just doesn't look like Nickle silver to me.

Well, I guess that settles it.

 

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Dan S

·Aug 2, 2023

S SpeedyG

Because it looks exactly the same as this one for sale on ebay, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225187792094
The other one that is Silver has the stopwatch, both are working too. Picture of the silver one below.I don't think there were hall

I'm curious how the eBay seller knows that the case is palladium. Just sounds like BS. However, if you think it's palladium, take it to a precious metals dealer and have it tested. We can't tell you over the internet without any hallmarks.

 

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padders

·Aug 2, 2023·Oooo subtitles!

Wont be palladium. Pd has only been used for jewellery since WW2 and even then it was more commonly used as part of white gold alloys. Considering the ebay watch is supposedly from the 1920s, the seller is either wrong or full of bs.

 

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SpeedyG

·Aug 2, 2023

padders

Wont be palladium. Pd has only been used for jewellery since WW2 and even then it was more commonly used as part of white gold alloys. Considering the ebay watch is supposedly from the 1920s, the seller is either wrong or full of bs.

I was thinking that it was BS too so I have messaged him to ask how he knows it is palladium. I'm still curious as to what metal it is. I've also contacted Omega direct so we will see!

 

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Annapolis

·Aug 2, 2023

Yeah, most precious metal buyers and some coin/jewelry shops will have a handheld XRF tester than can tell you (non-invasively) what the composition is in a few seconds. That’s what you’ll need, most likely.

If it’s palladium it could be worth a couple hundred bucks, so you’ll definitely want to know. But as others have said, that’s extremely improbable.

 

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JimInOz

·Aug 2, 2023·Melbourne Australia

The eBay watch has "LOAN No22" engraved on the cuvette, so to me that indicates that it was a factory/company/business loan watch issued to an employee when needed.

The "M" stamp below the Omega "hallmark" signifies "Metal", not precious metal.
The eBay seller is full of it.

I suspect your watch has a brass/plated case.

 

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SpeedyG

·Sep 4, 2023

JimInOz

The eBay watch has "LOAN No22" engraved on the cuvette, so to me that indicates that it was a factory/company/business loan watch issued to an employee when needed.

The "M" stamp below the Omega "hallmark" signifies "Metal", not precious metal.
The eBay seller is full of it.

I suspect your watch has a brass/plated case.

I suspect you are right. I have had a reply from Omega at last and they don't know what it is made of but said it is very unlikely to be palladium so it looks like I have wasted enough of my time and let curiosity get the better of me.

 

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Canuck

·Sep 4, 2023

Precious metals marking laws almost everywhere, mandate that in order to market a precious metal object as being made of precious metal, it must have the metal identified with a quality mark on the item, AND a maker’s trade mark. Unless it is marked thusly, the item cannot even be mentioned verbally as being made of precious metal. And these laws have been around since long before these watches were made. The eBay watch has an inner cuvette that is marked Loan. Watch dealers often had watches available for loan to a customer whose watch was in for repair. No way on earth a watch dealer would loan out a watch made of palladium! Palladium is from the platinum group of metals. Currently @ $1,254.00 US per ounce! Almost exclusively used in very ornate, gem set ladie’s watches. I call BS on the eBay seller! You can wish your watch was made of palladium, but it is of base metal.