Advice Needed 1944 Omega 2318

westmtn · Mar 24, 2016

Hi all,

This is my first post. I've been reading on here a lot and finally decided to join. I've recently fallen in love with vintage Omegas and it seems like there's more knowledge on here than other websites.

Last year my wife and I spent the year in Europe. While I was there I picked up this Omega 2318 at a market in Spain. The crystal was broken at the time but it has since been replaced. Here's the watch as it site right now.

I love the watch. It's a perfect size for my tastes. It's classy, tasteful, and subtle without being overly dressy or classy. A truly everyday versatile watch. I'm planning on wearing it a lot.

I think the dial is original with maybe the exception of the sub-seconds dial which may have been redone a long time ago. What do you guys think?

I thought about leaving the dial alone but as it's going to be a daily wearer I picked up a replacement dial off ebay which is almost an exact recreation of the original dial. This dial looks to be an extremely good recreation and I've seen the exact ones posted online. Do you guys know anything about these dials and if they may have actually come from Omega? As in a NOS dial? The sub seconds dial is slightly smaller but I was able to find a NOS seconds hand that will fit.

Here's the dial I purchased and then a picture I found online of the exact same one. Up close the one I purchased looks identical and it even has the same sheen as the original dial on my watch but obviously no patina.

My watch is winding and running but I do want to have it serviced. It will last for about 24 hours on a full wind but it's running about 10 minutes slow. I would like to find a watchmaker that will service my watch and swap the dial out. I'm planning to keep the original dial to preserve it.

Any information or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. If nothing else, it's an interesting piece.

Jungle Jim · Mar 24, 2016

Where are you located? The US, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, etc.? With a location, our members can steer you to a competent watchmaker we have worked with.

All the Best.

dx009 · Mar 24, 2016

Really lovely watch.

westmtn · Mar 24, 2016

Jungle Jim
Where are you located? The US, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, etc.? With a location, our members can steer you to a competent watchmaker we have worked with.

All the Best.

Good point. Thanks. I'm in Texas.

rbob99 · Mar 25, 2016

If that was my watch I wouldn't change the dial.

Wongo · Mar 25, 2016

Both looks good. Depends you want a nice vintage looking or a new look watch. Would use the older one and keep the new one as back up if there is any unforeseen damage.

westmtn · Mar 25, 2016

Wongo
Both looks good. Depends you want a nice vintage looking or a new look watch. Would use the older one and keep the new one as back up if there is any unforeseen damage.

Yea, I've gone back and forth about replacing the dial and honestly I'm still a little torn. I don't generally like redials but the patina color is a bit too much for me as a daily wear. I wouldn't be considering it if the replacement dial wasn't so perfectly done. The printing really is spectacular. It must have been done with a printer. Also, having the original dial is, I think, enough for me..

Other options I've considered and might still consider;

1. Sending the watch to Bienne. They would just replace the dial anyways? This might be my exception for redials. It's pretty cool knowing Omega restored it. Has anyone sent a 1940s watch to them? I know it's pricey but I'm planning to keep this watch a long time.

2. Cleaning the original dial. When they replaced the crystal they did accidentally rub some patina off on the outer edge of the dial. It is silver underneath.. But who would do this for me?

Jungle Jim · Mar 25, 2016

I don't know of any watchmakers in your area (Texas) but I can share the one I have used. He's located in Sacramento, California and I found him from recommendations here at Omega forums.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/wat...ence-bad-experience-and-recommendation.27978/

I sent in my vintage C-case Constellation for an overhaul. Took about 2 weeks for it to be completed and it's running beautifully. Prices are very reasonable.

I recently stopped in to visit Raimond in person several months ago when I was passing through Sacramento. Raimond is a third generation watchmaker and works with his father Paul in their shop in a small strip mall called Town and Country center. The neighborhood isn't the greatest (they have bars on all the windows and doors and the door has to be "buzzed" open) but parking is really good. The place is very clean with displays of newer and older vintage wrist watches and pocket watches and a much larger section in back where he does repairs with shelves and shelves of NOS vintage and new parts. Saw some vintage Zodiacs, Omegas, and Rolex watches for sale in his cases. Raimond is a young guy, early thirties. He learned his trade from his father and grandfather, and he said "the true art of watchmaking is dying out as the older generation retires. Very few of the younger generation want to learn about the intricacies of mechanical watches. It's all about digital for the x and y generations." (paraphrased from a longer talk, lol).

You can give Raimond a call and talk to him about what you want done. Remember we are on Pacific Time!

Here's his website: http://www.paulswatchandclockrepair.com/

All the Best.

MSNWatch · Mar 25, 2016

westmtn
Hi all,

This is my first post. I've been reading on here a lot and finally decided to join. I've recently fallen in love with vintage Omegas and it seems like there's more knowledge on here than other websites.

Last year my wife and I spent the year in Europe. While I was there I picked up this Omega 2318 at a market in Spain. The crystal was broken at the time but it has since been replaced. Here's the watch as it site right now.

I love the watch. It's a perfect size for my tastes. It's classy, tasteful, and subtle without being overly dressy or classy. A truly everyday versatile watch. I'm planning on wearing it a lot.

I think the dial is original with maybe the exception of the sub-seconds dial which may have been redone a long time ago. What do you guys think?

I thought about leaving the dial alone but as it's going to be a daily wearer I picked up a replacement dial off ebay which is almost an exact recreation of the original dial. This dial looks to be an extremely good recreation and I've seen the exact ones posted online. Do you guys know anything about these dials and if they may have actually come from Omega? As in a NOS dial? The sub seconds dial is slightly smaller but I was able to find a NOS seconds hand that will fit.

Here's the dial I purchased and then a picture I found online of the exact same one. Up close the one I purchased looks identical and it even has the same sheen as the original dial on my watch but obviously no patina.

My watch is winding and running but I do want to have it serviced. It will last for about 24 hours on a full wind but it's running about 10 minutes slow. I would like to find a watchmaker that will service my watch and swap the dial out. I'm planning to keep the original dial to preserve it.

Any information or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. If nothing else, it's an interesting piece.

You'll have to make sure the NOS dial is going to fit - that it is the right size and the right style (some dials are flat, others are curved and some are in between). Omega used the same dial styles for different models so it is definitely not a given - have a ton of experience here where the size is perfect but the curvature of the dial is slightly off so it's a no go.

westmtn · Mar 25, 2016

MSNWatch
You'll have to make sure the NOS dial is going to fit - that it is the right size and the right style (some dials are flat, others are curved and some are in between). Omega used the same dial styles for different models so it is definitely not a given - have a ton of experience here where the size is perfect but the curvature of the dial is slightly off so it's a no go.

Interesting.. I'll check the dial when I get home. I believe it was flat on the back. The dial was advertised to fit a 30T2. Are you saying that there are different shapes for different movements or are you saying the shapes can vary even among watches with the same movement?

noelekal · Mar 25, 2016

Hi westmtn and welcome to the Forum from another Texan. We need more Texans here! You're in East Texas. I'm out west of you, south of Abilene. My mother's people came from a rural area between Gilmer and Gladewater. Who knows? If your last name is Morgan or Bradshaw then we may be kin.

We may have watches which are kin. I posted in this thread on this page recently.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/lets-see-some-30mm-manual-wind-omegas.1546/page-7
My watch has reference number of 2319/2 and appears to be close to the same age and style as yours.

Thanks for the post and the photos of your watch. At least to me as a novice, it would seem that there are almost endless combinations of cases and similar dials out there.

MSNWatch · Mar 25, 2016

westmtn
Interesting.. I'll check the dial when I get home. I believe it was flat on the back. The dial was advertised to fit a 30T2. Are you saying that there are different shapes for different movements or are you saying the shapes can vary even among watches with the same movement?

Massive variation among dials for 30T2 movements. There were millions of these movements produced and housed in over a hundred different cases of various sizes and styles - the dials for the most part were meant to fit the movement as housed in a specific case.

Advice Needed 1944 Omega 2318

westmtn

Jungle Jim

dx009

westmtn

rbob99

Wongo

westmtn

Jungle Jim

MSNWatch

westmtn

noelekal

MSNWatch

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