Hi All I am a new member on here and my "hello" post raised the matter of my oldest watch: As wristwatches of the period go, it is a giant: but of course I am well aware that something strange is afoot. Explanations range from it being an extremely rare and valuable prototype, so rare that even the Omega Museum doesn't have an example (to be honest it is only me that has suggested this) to it being a modern case containing a period movement (much more likely). One problem is that no serial number is visible; could it be under the dial? The case looks to be silver plated, and has fixed bars. The patina is convincing, but as I said on my hello thread I am skilled at spray-painting cars so that they look about 60 years old "from the gun"! The "Omega" font seems odd, but nothing about any of the engraving/decorating looks newly done. Here are some more photos - unleash the advice - and don't worry about upsetting me, I am sure it is some sort of franken, I still love it to bits.
Obviously a pocket watch movement put into a converted (to a wristwatch) case. Movement has Omega DNA but could you measure the diameter of the movement only. Serial No could be under the dial. Caliber should be under the balance wheel but I can't see it. Hands are wrong for that dial, or that dial is wrong for the hands (more likely the former). The Omega symbol engraving on the dial is also dodgy in my eyes. The original case may be a French production item. It looks like an enigma wrapped up in a mystery.
I think it is a Franken too. The movement, case and hands look 1910s-20s (those case markings look genuine) but the dial looks 1940s and the dial Omega symbol isn't right to my eye either. At a guess, I too would suggest converted pocket watch. I would further conjecture that based on the size it started life as a ladies fob watch and was redialled to make it more suitable for a chap, perhaps sometime between 1950 and today.
So many questions. No real solutions. I hope @unclealec can get it stripped and measured so we can do some real "forensic horology" on it.
hi, caliber is Omega original, early production when serial was under the dial, not onnthe bridges. Case isn't original, and not made by omega. Dial isn't original. A recasing as one can find many on Ebay nowadays. At least they used a 'savonette' and not a ´Lepine´ caliber which puts the second hands at six and not at 9.
The crown is well out of step with the patina of the case and caseback; far too modern imho. Looks stainless? A lot of side play in it as well. Does anyone know a specialist repairer in this period of movement? Would the caseback be a fake or would it have followed the movement from the original case?
i doubt that the caseback has anything to do with anything original from Omega. The Omega engraving is a fake later addition imho. Period casebacks for pocket watches had serial number engraved inside and a hinge.
I think you are right, but when did the re-casers start using stainless steel? Or more to the point, when did they stop using silver plate?
Hey it's neat looking, and hopefully you didn't pay a lot for it. Any reputable watch maker should be able to work on it.