168.005 - is there 2 différents length for hour hands?

ConElPueblo · Jul 12, 2020

Gui13250
One more example of early Piepan from 1959 with the longer hour hand.
Thanks @Arno (NL) for the picture

The dials for 14381s are smaller than the ones in 14900 + six digit Constellations, so you cannot reliably use the length of the hand in relation to dial furniture. I may have missed it in the above posts, but have you considered that the position of the Omega logo could be different from the dial to dial?

EDIT: Oh, and by the way - you've got a PM 🤦

Gui13250 · Jul 12, 2020

Hi @ConElPueblo,
Thanks for your feedback! So this one is disqualified 😀

Indeed, it may be the logo position which changed in 63, you are right, I don’t know to be honest.

Only thing i have noticed is the difference between early Piepan Dogleg and later version, it may come from either a different length of hour hands or a different position of the omega logo.
But in both case, there is a difference which should help when assessing a Connie

Caliber561 · Jul 12, 2020

Gui13250
Hi @Caliber561

great, thanks for your shot!

Can you gave us the year of each watch?

On the first pictures, it is exactly the same length that the one I’ve found on Connie until 1963.

On the second picture, hour hand seems a bit shorter, or is it due to the glass?

Well, I guess we start to have several exemples to confirm that there is indeed two length, one until around 1963 and a longer model then

The Arabic Cardinal Dial Connie is from 1962, and the Onyx Insert 168.005 is from 1966.
In the second picture, the hour hand definitely seems to be shorter than the 14900's hour hand, but only if using the AML as the benchmark.

Caliber561 · Jul 12, 2020

I do not know if this is a widely-known detail, but I found it interesting and figured it ought to be pointed out if it hasn't been already. Basically, both my 14900 and 168.005 do not have step dials, but I have a 14393 that does have a step dial. Assuming that the date windows are at the same location (same movement), we can use them as a reference point to see that their minute tracks seem to be placed at slightly different distances from the center of the dial. I've attached some photos to illustrate the difference.

14393:

168.005:

I can also confirm that the 14393 seems to have the "longer" hour hand. However, it should be noted that the dial is missing the "Officially Certified" script, and the spacing between "OMEGA" and the AML is different compared to the OC, no-step dials I own.

Gui13250 · Jul 12, 2020

Can you explain what is the AML?

thanks 😀

Caliber561 · Jul 13, 2020

Gui13250
Can you explain what is the AML?

thanks 😀

My bad, AML = Applied Metal Logo.

Gui13250 · Jul 13, 2020

Thanks for this feedbacks, so now we have confirmation that there is a difference around 1963, but we have two options:
- either the hour hand is longer
- or the AML is not as the same place

Peemacgee · Jul 13, 2020

Gui13250
Thanks for this feedbacks, so now we have confirmation that there is a difference around 1963, but we have two options:
- either the hour hand is longer
- or the AML is not as the same place

Actually, it could be both

As @ConElPueblo noted above, the 14393 dial is slightly smaller - but the date window will have to stay in the same place relative to the centre point of the dial as its position is governed by the movt. (hence @Caliber561's splendid illustrative photos above)

However, if the Omega symbol and wording are consistently arranged at the same distance from the pie-pan edge, then (if the hour hand remains the same length) the hour hand would naturally intrude further into the Omega symbol.

This doesn't mean to say that the earlier watches don't have the longer hour hand we are discussing but the only way to tell would be to measure the distance from the centre point to the Omega symbol (and the length of the hour hand of course)

Gui13250 · Jul 14, 2020

Here another example with this beautiful 1962 14900 from @gbesq
Still an early model with the longer hour hand

168.005 - is there 2 différents length for hour hands?

ConElPueblo

Gui13250

Caliber561

Caliber561

Gui13250

Caliber561

Gui13250

Peemacgee

Gui13250

Similar threads

Question for Watchmakers - Minute and Hour hands do not move but seconds do