1897 OMEGA

Hi everyone. I am wanting to obtain an Omega Extract from the Archives for this Omega watch...mostly to confirm whether or not it left the factory as a pocket watch or wrist watch. I believe the serial number for the watch is on the dial side of the movement (back of the movement) but I really don't want to take the watch apart. As you can see from the pictures, the inside of the case has number 1436648. I believe that this is an Omega case number. A further picture shows that on the inside of the movement cover there is a number 1439648. Note that this is slightly different than the case number. Is this the movement serial number and can Omega pull an abstract based on this number?

As you can see from the pictures, the movement itself does not have an Omega serial number but does have the Omega logo on the balance cock. From what I have learned, this is typical for an 1897 Omega.

Any information or thoughts about this watch from the community is greatly appreciated.

JiminOz, thank you for your input! I tend to agree with you and am pretty certain you are correct but I am not totally certain. Omega was initially marketed as a brand of Louis Brandt & Frere. This company made wrist watches as early as 1892 (worlds first minute repeater) and perhaps earlier produced a non-minute repeater wrist watch. This wrist watch is attributed to Omega even though Louis Brandt & Frere started the Omega brand in 1894 and did not incorporate Omega until 1903. Some of the early Omega brand watches did not indicate the Omega brand anywhere on the dial or outside of the watch {Omega only appeared on the inside of the watch}.

The 1900 Omega's you refer to were made by Louis Brandt & Frere and were marketed as the first wrist watches bearing the Omega name even though the company Omega did not exist until 1903. As an aside, I don't see any reason why the 1892 minute repeater wouldn't be Omega's first wrist watch.

My research on the serial numbers on my watch indicate that it was produced in 1897. This would have been in a transition period, when the Brandt's, who were already producing wrist watches, also branded Omega in various ways. Some of the early Omega brand watches did not indicate the Omega brand anywhere on the dial or outside of the watch {Omega only appeared on the inside of the watch like my watch}.I think it is possible that my watch may be an early version of an Omega branded wrist watch {but most likely not}.

So I will probably be wasting my money getting an abstract but want to be sure a use the correct serial numbers when ordering it. Do you know what the two numbers that I refer to in my original post are (case, reference, movement or serial number)?

Hello @PocketOmega.

I agree with all that @JimInOz writes.

The Omega service offering Extracts from the Archive can be very useful - but sadly there are some gaps. I’m afraid I think your watch will be in one of the gaps.

You will therefore be short of ‘facts’ and can only assess ‘thoughts from the community’ (as you write).

I agree with your estimate of 1897 as year of origin. As Jim writes, dating (and listing) in this period was according to case number.

Even if you removed the dial to see the movement number, it wouldn’t help your cause.

The marking of dials, movements and cases of these early watches varied depending on the country of destination. It was not unusual for there to be no marks of the manufacturer - only some indications, such as the Omega symbol on the balance cock (to which you refer).

Your discussion about the differences between Louis Brandt or Omega production in this period is not relevant to your cause. This was an Omega watch. As Jim writes, pocket watch movements were used in the early wristwatches - but they used the Savonette, not the Lépine movements.

I have a similar pocket watch (13’’’L) with similar case number (which I show below) - in my opinion, this is how your watch started its life.

Hi JiminOZ and OMTOM,

Thank you so much for your insights. They are very helpful piecing together the history of this watch. Omtom, your Omega is very nice. I especially like the blue roman numerals.

I did notice that your case number appears to start with "143". Is this correct? If so then, wow, the two watches are very close in terms of production date.

Do you have any thoughts about the value of this watch?

Thanks again!