I searched the numbers listed on the caseback, H6583 and D97682, but get no hits on either.

Is the Planet Omega database not complete? Is this not an authentic Omega casebook or correct diamond bezel?

Heres the link to the watch BTW:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141717371151?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:ITPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

The Omega database is not even remotely complete, especially with regard to US cased watches.

The watch is quite genuine with a US production case by Jonell, movement serial number dates the watch to ca 1956.

 

The 510 movement is kind of a rare bird, although it's not necessarily a collectibly rare watch. Reportedly only 27,500 movements were made, at the Marc Favre factory, between 1955 and 1957.

Disclosure: I am definitely not a vintage watch specialist, but I happen to own a watch with the 520 movement, which is the 510's successor. It's only by chance I happen to know a little about this particular family of calibers.

 

Another observation: although 18k GOLD is stamped on the outside of the case back, I can't see anything that looks like "0.75" stamped on the inside of the case back.

 

US production cases are not marked in such a manner.

 

Thanks everyone for commenting.

That's something I was wondering too, it is stamped 18k gold, but is it solid gold or capped or plated? In previous solid gold models I've seen I would see 0.75 stamped. Is that only Swiss cases that do that marking?

 

It is solid 18K gold. Simply a different way of marking gold content from country to country.

I should note that most US made cases were 14K.

AFIK 0.750 was not used on US produced cases. SWISS cases are marked in this manner and some South American cases as well. However the SA cases lack the OMEGA marking.

 

What was Omegas reasoning for using localised case makers? To give different regions more flexibility in producing products to the taste of their customers?

In these watches is only the movement and related parts, ie hands and crown, Swiss? And they were assembled in the region where the case was made, such as England for Dennisson cases and U.S. for Jonell cases?

 

My impression is it was done to lessen import tariffs. Uncased movements were subject to lesser tariff rates than complete watches.

 

Thanks for the history lesson. Very interesting stuff.

Was their any perception (real or imagined) of a difference in quality between totally Swiss watches and ones with local cases and assembled regionally?

 

From a collectability standpoint Swiss cased watches typically are more desirable, however there are many US case styles which were offered only locally, so if its a style one particularly likes the origin is a moot point.