Forums Latest Members

A Little Research on Omega watch case Made By Queens Watch Case Co.

  1. Hijak Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    7,225
    Likes
    24,337
    Learning as one will on this forum, many solid gold Omega watches sold in the US during the fifties and sixties, had their cases made by others here in the states. This was done, as I understand it, because the importing of precious metals into the US was very expensive. This started me wondering about the beautiful gold cased Omega I purchased from a fellow forum member not long ago.

    One of the main reasons I could not resist this watch was the incredible lines on the case. Well since a picture is worth a thousand words I'll show what I mean...

    Omega 14k #4.JPG

    This case was manufactured by Queens Watch Case Co. as you can see here...

    Omega 14k #7.JPG

    I started to wonder who this company was, where were they located, are they still in business and so fourth. So I decided to do a little research and found out some interesting things about the Queens Watch Case Co. I found out that the company was founded by Isidor Dinstman (1886-1967) who operated it with his sons Harvey S. Dinstman, Joseph Dinstman and Hyman Dinstman. This family were also principles in the following companies; Diel Watch Case Co., Leeds Watch Case Co., I.D. Watch Case Co., I.D. Precision Components Co. and J.B. Watch Case Co. Another interesting fact I learned was that the Queens Watch Case Co. along with the I'D. and Leeds Watch Case Companies all operated out of 137-11, 90th Ave. in Jamaica, Queens during the fifties and sixties. In the mid to late 1960s the Company moved to Alabama and the I.D. Companies lasted roughly until 1987. Here is an interesting article from a local NYC newspaper...

    From the Queens Chronicle, July 2012:

    ID Precision Watch Case Co..jpg
    One of the unofficial landmarks you pass as you travel on the Van Wyck Expressway in Jamaica is the former ID Precision Watch Case and Precision Components Co. building.
    The structure looked more like a New York World’s Fair pavilion, with its art deco porthole windows, glass block window walls and curved arch flowing lines, than the home of a manufacturing plant for watch cases and gear mechanisms.
    The building was so large it had two mailing addresses, and ID Precision employed thousands and rented out space to other watch companies. Its claim to fame in the 1950s was its four-foot neon clock made by the Modern Clock Advertising Co., installed as a public service to help keep passing travelers from missing their flights at Idlewild Airport, now JFK. Thousands of commuters relied on it too.
    In 1965 the company incorporated in Alabama and started moving operations south, renting the building out to all kinds of light manufacturing companies. But eventually it fell into disrepair and vandalism. In 1989 the building was rescued by The Grand Ayatollah Al-Khoei, who transformed it into The Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center for charitable and educational functions. It also contains a mosque.
    On New Years Day 2012 a frustrated unemployed truck driver allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at the building — reportedly because he wasn’t allowed to use the bathroom. He was quickly arrested and charged with a hate crime.
    The necessary repairs were made, and members continue to worship here and do good works in the community.


    I remember as a kid going to and from what is now JFK Airport in the late sixties and early seventies and seeing this cool building. Even as a child I knew something incredible happened inside that building...Who knew that one day I would posses one of their incredible cases encapsulating an Omega watch!
     
    Darius359 likes this.
  2. John R Smith Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    1,320
    Likes
    726
    It's a really gorgeous case, and thank you for a most interesting post. I too find the locally cased Omegas quite fascinating (both in the US and the UK), and I really don't understand the snobbery over Swiss cases at all. There are a lot of Swiss cases which are really quite naff, actually.

    John
     
  3. Hijak Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    7,225
    Likes
    24,337
    Thanks John...
     
  4. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    6,713
    Likes
    18,259
    First, that really is a great case. There is something to be said for non-Swiss cases in some cases, and I think we may be a little too dismissive of them in some cases. I have American & French cases in mind when I write this.

    Second, good research and very nice little nugget of info.


    Ha! I know exactly the building you are speaking of. On the way back and forth from JFK one passes a blue-domed islamic center on the east side of the highway - it must be the selfsame ID Precision building.
     
  5. Hijak Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    7,225
    Likes
    24,337
    Thanks LouS...I believe that the blue dome was added later.
     
  6. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    6,713
    Likes
    18,259

    Oh, I'm certain that was Mr. Al-Khoei's touch. I doubt the Dinstman family went in much for blue domes.
     
  7. John R Smith Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    1,320
    Likes
    726
    By the by, Hijak, I live quite close to Perranporth, the spiritual home of the Healy! You can still see a nice 100 or 3000 tootling around the Cornish lanes in the summer months . . .
     
    Hijak likes this.
  8. Hijak Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    7,225
    Likes
    24,337
    One of the sexiest cars ever...from any angle, in my humble opinion...
     
    1967 A.H. 3000 #2.jpg
  9. X350 XJR Vintage Omega Aficionado Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    12,430
    Likes
    29,482
    Oooh,that looks familiar. :)

    Thanks for the research.
     
  10. Hijak Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    7,225
    Likes
    24,337

    You're welcome, but really thank you...such a great watch


    Edit: I hope you don't mind me using your pictures...
     
  11. ulackfocus Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    Nice work here. I'd like to know exactly when Omega started importing movements to be housed in American made cases, and who their first contract case maker was. My experience tells me that it might have been in the mid to late 40's and Wadsworth was one of, if not the first, case maker.
     
  12. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    12,168
    Likes
    15,628
    I've seen a few Omega cal. T-17 and 23,4 movements from the late 1930's in Wadsworth gold-filled cases. Remember that the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act started in the early 1930's, during the Great Depression. Don't think there were a lot of Omegas coming here at that point, but when the economy starting improving in the mid-'30's, that's likely when the "national production" scheme started.

    I've also seen a few Swiss made US Signal Corps WWI-era watches (non-Omega) in US made cases, but these may have been recased.

    Hope this helps,
    gatorcpa
     
  13. mondodec Editor Constellation Collectors Blog Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    843
    Likes
    871
    Hi Dennis,

    Norman Morris was importing movements and dials in the earlier 1930s and Wadsworth was indeed one of the earlier case makers as far as I know.

    Cheers

    Desmond

     
  14. ulackfocus Jul 27, 2013

    Posts
    25,983
    Likes
    26,968
    Thanks guys! Makes sense that I wouldn't know about anything earlier than bumpers since I don't chase the earlier manual winds.