Any help appreciated in assessing authenticity on 30s Omega 26.5 SOB T2

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Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about offering this "1930s Omega Cal. 26.5 SOB T2, 30.5 mm" to my wife. Looks good to me. I have some doubts on the hands : are those original to the watch (relumed for sure but is the shape correct ?).

The movement number put it in the middle of 1934 to 1939.

Here are some pics :


Does everything seems legit to you ?

Looks nice. Every help appreciated.
 
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Bonjour... Not sure about this. Would you have better bigger pictures? For sure the hands are newer, not only relumed.
They seem too big (long), what the size of the watch ? 30mm?
EDIT: I'd say it should have blue hands instead (non lume) and not sure about the crown either.

The resident experts will advise you more and better
 
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I agree with the above. Larger images are required to judge the dial, but neither the lume, nor likely the hands, are original.
 
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Thanks @LesXL (Yes its 30.5mm of diameter) & @Tony C.
Here are the only pics I've received. Your comments comfort me in the fact that the hands do not fit somehow. The seller mentioned they have been cleaned and relumed but that they are original.
Looking at Omega from the 30s I've not seen similar hands but it's not clear what would be the correct ones either...

The only other pics I've got (not sure it helps to be sure of anything on the hands... other than that the dial and the case looks good to my eyes) :


Edit : it is mentioned by the buyer and visible on the pics that the crown has a chip.
 
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By the way. Is there a good reference book to get some knowledge and capacity to recognize what is original or not for Omega watches from 30s to 40s ?
I have the good book from our OF member on the 30mm chronometer (but those are quite rare to find in good shape and not too pricey for my purse) but I am interested in the 30T2 movement too and its predecessor/direct ancestors.
Any suggestions ?
 
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Looking at your original photos my best guess would have been redial because that subdial script shows up on a lot of redials… but it’s always fun to dig deeper.

Here’s a better picture of the dial from google.


Here’s an older picture of the dial, also from google.

The dial appears original to me.

It seems an artist tried to lighten the lume with an overpaint? Could be the photos… light changes everything.
 
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mmm interesting 😵‍💫🙄 ! Thanks @Rman
And if it is the case (you're right the light can change a lot the way those old dial/lumed indexes can look like), it sounds 'stupid' in my book as the darker lume was cool too 😀
 
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Though it's newer, I think the hands you would have had are more like the watch in my avatar. That second hand too. But I don't know for sure and a person should always be hesitant until you can find other examples.
 
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I just remembered a friend has this watch and shared a pic.



Might be useful, might not.
 
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Thanks @SkunkPrince that's true that 'thinner' syringe hands would fit more the watch.
Anyway your friends had a very nice watch 😀
I think I will let that one go : it is a little pricey too, could have been discussed of course but I would rather do that for one that is fully original.
Thanks for your help.
 
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I just remembered a friend has this watch and shared a pic.



Might be useful, might not.


I believe that is a 2179 and they are 35mm without the crown. Are there 30mm with such thin hands? Just thinking out loud btw
 
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I believe that is a 2179 and they are 35mm without the crown. Are there 30mm with such thin hands? Just thinking out loud btw
You are right, it is a 2179.
 
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The seconds hand on your watch @YYTIN is absolutely standard for a cal26.5, the tip is missing but it may have been paired down originally. The minute and hour hands may well be original as well, I’ve seen that style installed on plenty of radium Omegas.
 
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Hi everybody,

The hands of the watch shown by YYTIN are perfectly right for this model and period, and the dial looks fine and not repainted to me (as far as one can judge on a picture). Thinner hands appeared later.

This model is a ref 816, probably one of the best selling 26.5 models. It remained at the catalog for a long period and based on the number of them that still can be found today, there must have been a large production. Like most of the Omega production from this period, it was manufactured with variations in dials and hands.

Here in a 1938 catalog with the exact same dial/hands combo :
22012911024419182117773235.jpg

Here is one of mine with luminous (but different layout no 'Fab Suisse' under the logo but swiss made at the bottom) dial and hands that have lost their radium :
22012911024419182117773236.jpg

Another one of mine with the same dial as the OP but in a non luminous version (and a wrong crown) :
22012911024619182117773237.jpg

I don't resist to post this third of mine wit a nice two tone dial :
22012911024719182117773238.jpg

I really love this model, I have accumulated an unreasonnable number of them.....
 
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Stuning guys! It's incredible, tons of knowledge in this Forum!
 
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I really love this model, I have accumulated an unreasonnable number of them.....

Darn, no surprise there as the ones you posted are so nice!
Great to see another beautiful post of yours, we need to catch up 👍
 
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Hi everybody,

The hands of the watch shown by YYTIN are perfectly right for this model and period, and the dial looks fine and not repainted to me (as far as one can judge on a picture). Thinner hands appeared later.

This model is a ref 816, probably one of the best selling 26.5 models. It remained at the catalog for a long period and based on the number of them that still can be found today, there must have been a large production. Like most of the Omega production from this period, it was manufactured with variations in dials and hands.

Here in a 1938 catalog with the exact same dial/hands combo :
22012911024419182117773235.jpg

Here is one of mine with luminous (but different layout no 'Fab Suisse' under the logo but swiss made at the bottom) dial and hands that have lost their radium :
22012911024419182117773236.jpg

Another one of mine with the same dial as the OP but in a non luminous version (and a wrong crown) :
22012911024619182117773237.jpg

I don't resist to post this third of mine wit a nice two tone dial :
22012911024719182117773238.jpg

I really love this model, I have accumulated an unreasonnable number of them.....
Thanks a lot ! That’s comforting and enlightening !
Very much appreciate to get new learnings like that on this forum.

Those 3 watches of yours are splendid !
 
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Hello,
Read through this. Is there a good reference guide to 1930s Omega’s. I acquired a CK859 with a black guilt dial. The movement and movement number seem legit however the dial looks a bit to good to be original. Looking for some reference material to bring up my knowledge.
 
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There are a couple of rare and expensive books. Share some good, large, detailed pics, and we can help you.