~1940’s pocket watch identification

Canucks60 · Mar 14, 2018

hey all,

New to the thread. Received this vintage pocket watch from my grand father and wanted to identify it. I’ve attached two photos. The back of the case didn’t work well to take a picture of but the only number on it was 374-5. The serial 10720739 didn’t come up in any search results but I’m guessing it’s from 1944-47? Any information would be appreciated!

Canuck · Mar 14, 2018

The movement in your watch appears to be based on the Unitas caliber 6497. Chronomaddox serial number/date tables indicate circa 1944. Omega is now part of the Swatch group as is Tissot. Many modern Tissot pocket watches now use the same basic movement. The movement is now known as ETA caliber 6497. AFAIK, it is still being made. I was unaware that Omega was using that movement as far back as 1944.

Image from the Ranfft archive.

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&2&2uswk&Unitas_6497

OMTOM · Mar 14, 2018

The movement is an Omega calibre 38.5. A most successful movement which dated from the early 1930s: nearly a million were produced over more than 30 years. I think this is a 15-jewel T1 version.

Archer · Mar 14, 2018

OMTOM
The movement is an Omega calibre 38.5. A most successful movement which dated from the early 1930s: nearly a million were produced over more than 30 years. I think this is a 15-jewel T1 version.

Yes - certainly not a Unitas 6497, as this has a free sprung balance with overcoil, which was not a feature of the 6497's.

Canuck · Mar 14, 2018

Learned something. Maybe. Then the Unitas movement might be based on the Omega movement, and not the other way around.

Free sprung. How so? I see a manual regulator with curb pins.

Archer · Mar 14, 2018

Canuck
Learned something. Maybe. Then the Unitas movement might be based on the Omega movement, and not the other way around.

Free sprung. How so? I see a manual regulator with curb pins.

Correct - I missed the pins. However the overcoil and adjustable mass balance are not found the Unitas 6497 (adjustabl;e mass balance can be found on some Elater ETA versions that have been modified however). Note that the Omega is a 17 ligne movement, where the 6497 is 16.5 lignes. I don't believe they are in any way related to each other. Omega used the Unitas 6497 later on as a Cal. 960, and later still the ETA version with higher beat rate (the 6497-2) as the 2201.

JimInOz · Mar 14, 2018

C Canucks60
....The serial 10720739 didn’t come up in any search results but I’m guessing it’s from 1944-47? Any information would be appreciated!

I think you're correct for the serial number range, without getting an archive extract it's impossible to date it accurately.

It's a caliber 38.5 T1 as @OMTOM noted, which was later to become the caliber 161. This basic caliber (38.5) was introduced in 1932 and was still being used in pocket watches in 1966.

Your watch is a Lepine style (crown at 12), has a stainless steel case, a silvered dial with "Empire" numerals and black "Empire" style hands.

The number inside the caseback may refer to the model (e.g.: CK374) but I don't know when Omega started model numbers in pocket watches.

OMTOM · Mar 14, 2018

JimInOz
The number inside the caseback may refer to the model (e.g.: CK374)

Absolutely. In fact the following link gives more info on the CK374 with calibre 38.5:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/looking-for-an-omega-pocket-watch-where-do-i-look.40556/

JimInOz
I don't know when Omega started model numbers in pocket watches.

Good point - and I can't answer it directly. From my own watches, before about 1945. This has been raised before but I can't find it now.

So @Canucks60, you have some idea about your grandfather's watch!

Tire-comedon · Mar 15, 2018

Hi,
The bow is not the right one for a CK374. It is probably a replacement.

JimInOz · Mar 15, 2018

@tdn-dk has an identical watch (except for the bow).
Any chance of a show and tell Thomas?

OMTOM · Mar 15, 2018

Will this do the trick? CK374.
I think this is the correct second hand - maybe there were variations...
A different Tom

Tire-comedon · Mar 15, 2018

As far as I know, this is the right bow and second hand. Of course as usual, there were probably dial and hands variations throughout the production period. From what I have seen, case and bow had no variations for the same ref, except for caseback engraved decorations.