Forums Latest Members
  1. pinwizzard Jun 3, 2014

    Posts
    21
    Likes
    43
    I started appreciating watches at a young age. This evening when my 10 year old son said "Wow Dad, your wearing the Omega Darth Vader" it inspired me to write this post. When I was 10 my Dad and I would carefully read the classified ads in the newspaper, looking for watches, flea markets, and garage sales with hopes of finding something collectable. We would go to the NAWCC local meetings and set up a table in the "mart" and trade stuff with other members. So watches have been special to me for a long time. When the Omega brand is mentioned I love the rare ones and particularly the chronographs. Here are some pictures and some of the stories that go with these watches. DSC08534.JPG
    Above we have a Ref 145.023 Darth Vader, A Ref 2077 33.3, An X-33 Prototype, an arrow hand Ranchero, and a 1950's 321 screw back chrono.

    DSC08542.JPG
    In the words of the great Chuck Maddox "Here is a picture of Darth." It took me 1 1/2 years to buy this watch. One of those situations where it was handed down from a Dad to a son. The owner, a very nice guy from Greece, told me the story about his Dad buying the watch and only wearing it on Christmas and special occasions. I have to admit when he first showed me the watch I did not know what it was, but I did know that I really wanted it. I knew it was unusual and that huge black case was a serious WOW. He told me that one day he would sell the watch but he was not quite ready. When I realized how rare the model was and what a nice example I found, it was hard to stop thinking about it. I would email him every couple of months with hopes and dreams. You can only imagine how happy I was when he said he was ready to sell it! I am not sure how many of the black metal 145.023 were made but I rarely see the Maddox nick named "Darth Vader" models. DSC08536.JPG
    This Turler marked Ref 2077 33.3 came from the son of a WW2 pilot that was having a garage sale! The Veteran bought the watch when visiting Switzerland shortly after the war. The original dial is near flawless and the case is unpolished and very nice for the age. A couple of weeks before I bought this watch I purchased a 1965 Rolex 1016 Explorer in fairly rough shape. It had a bracelet from the 1970's and was in need of the harder to find 7206 bracelet. Believe it or not the 2077 Omega was fitted with a 1960's 7206 Rolex bracelet when I found it sitting on a table at the garage sale. It really looked good on the Omega but I just did not feel right having the Rolex emblem mixed with Omega. Not to mention how ridiculously lucky it was to find the bracelet I needed for the Rolex and an Omega 2077 at a garage sale. It was a good day.
    DSC08539.JPG DSC08541.JPG

    I was browsing the listings on Ebay one evening and saw a listing for an X-33 Prototype. While I have always been a mechanical movement guy, I really could not resist the opportunity to own what feels like a piece of watch history and hit the buy it now. I was also lucky enough to get some very specific history about the watch. I certainly am not going to name the pilot that participated in the Omega prototype program but this watch has seen combat in Iraq and Kosovo, it has landed on the Kennedy, USS George Washington and the Ike, and it has gone faster than most people can even imagine. The other interesting thing is the deal Omega made with prototype testing participants. When the testing was completed and the information logs turned in to the Omega X-33 team, each participant was supposed to send back the prototype watch and they would receive a brand new production model in return. The gentleman I got this watch from told Omega that he really liked the look of the prototype and wanted to keep it. I thought it was really neat to get the story behind the watch!

    I hope the forum enjoys the pictures and my stories about my 3 favorite Omega's. Maybe someday my son will show this thread to his son. I can only hope!
     
    lando, Hvacman, watchme and 22 others like this.
  2. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Jun 3, 2014

    Posts
    15,399
    Likes
    32,157
    Bravo :thumbsup:

    More!
     
  3. alam Jun 3, 2014

    Posts
    8,094
    Likes
    18,677
    Nice set! I'd pick the Turtler. Cant't even imagine its dorky look on a Rolex bracelet. I will email you every couple of months in the hope you write back saying you are ready to sell it! :)
     
  4. repoman Jun 3, 2014

    Posts
    2,247
    Likes
    4,271
    Thank you for sharing your collection with us Pin... I love hearing the story behind a watch, as much or more than I like admiring the watch itself.
     
  5. Gavin It's the quiet ones you have to 'watch' out for. Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    2,399
    Likes
    4,466
    That 33.3 is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
     
  6. kyle L Grasshopper Staff Member Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    4,411
    Likes
    11,220
    Thanks for sharing, a couple of amazing watches you have there! :thumbsup:
     
  7. Albertwii81 Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    103
    Likes
    613
    Wow..wow...amazing watches...Thanks for sharing and indeed all is rare and very hard to find.:thumbsup:

    And one more thing...dibs on the turler!! do i need to contact you once every few months??:)
     
  8. Varasc Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    380
    Likes
    184
    This is one of the most interesting threads I read this week. Thank you. Great collection, great stories.
     
  9. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    26,750
    Likes
    32,466
    What an awesome set you have there!
     
  10. cristos71 Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    7,133
    Likes
    32,879
    You have an excellent, varied collection there and really cool stories to go with them too :)
    It is so great to see the amazing stuff that Omega has in its back catalogue and I love the 145.023!
     
  11. Darlinboy Pratts! Will I B******S!!! Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    8,727
    Likes
    69,007
    Mighty fine post - great story and top-notch collection!
     
  12. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    5,753
    Likes
    2,903
    Wonderful collection........
    Shall you be willing to let the Darth Vader a new home, please let me know first..........aka Dibs
     
  13. MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    6,528
    Likes
    10,778
    For me the 2077 is the pick of the litter as they say.
     
  14. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    15,047
    Likes
    23,789
    Incredible. I want to go garage sale-ing with you :thumbsup:
     
  15. ock2915 Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    312
    Likes
    507
    Fantastic pieces , thanks for sharing
     
  16. X350 XJR Vintage Omega Aficionado Jun 4, 2014

    Posts
    12,424
    Likes
    29,477
    Very nice!