This is a beautiful Omega watch I believe was made for the military during WW1. I am a Regina collector here in Ontario Canada and Regina was a very successful watch company out of Toronto that purchased most of its movements from Omega casing them in Toronto and distributing them across Canada through their network of Jewelers etc.....the Regina company was taken over by Omega in 1911 and the movement you are picturing is their basic 15 jewel model. They also made 7 jewel 17 jewel and 21 jewel models but the 15 jewel model was very common. The movements were almost always serialized. During the early 1900s Regina and then Omega offered customers for slightly additional cost the opportunity of engraving their name on the dial and movement sometimes excluding reference to Regina or Omega itself. I think your watch is a military contract either with the British or Canadian military given the black dial and gun metal case and the movement consistent with the early style of movement. Omega also provided military watches both pocket and wrist during WW2. The movements I have seen for the WW2 period are different than yours hence my assumption yours is a WW1 contract likely before the British and Canadian govts started doing the broad arrow stamps perhaps for the early RAF as pilots would need watches in their cockpits.
I think its worth around $200 to $250 $Can if its running....
Please post your pictures of your Regina PW's......from my google research the past 5-8 years, there have been less than a few of these ever posted on the WWW.
I would enjoy as much knowledge as you want to provide on Regina PW's, all ears here.
Regina pocket watch? I have one of those. This one came to me through my wife’s family. It had belonged to a friend of my wife’s paternal grandparents who was in the cattle business in Lethbridge, Alberta. I expect it is close on 100 years old. I don’t consider it an integral part of my collection which comprises 90% U S made watches. Comparing this one with my Walthams, Elgins, Hamilton, Illinois, Howard watches, meh! Pretty hum drum.
Please post your pictures of your "high end" Regina PW's......from my google research the past 5-8 years, there have been less than a few of these "high end" (like Canuck's above and mine here) ever posted on the WWW.
I would enjoy as much knowledge as you want to provide on Regina PW's, all ears here.
Your Regina pocket watch dates to 1918 so its seven years after Omega bought out and took over the Regina business in 1911. Watches in the timeframe after the takeover are interesting some times you see a Regina inscription on the dial but Omega on the back of the movement. I think Omega was still protecting their Brand's price point as Omega was still pretty much in stores (at higher prices) they were associated with but the same watch with Regina labelling continued to be sold via jewelers and interestingly Opticians. Your watch is the basic 7 jewel movement. I have the same movement in my collection with the dial inscribed Norman Bassett Jeweler & Optomitrist Whitby Ontario embellished with a beautiful gold inlay of a Racing Horse on the back cover. Important to me as it came a few miles from where I live today. I compare these Regina 7 jewel movements pretty much equivalent to what Waltham and Elgin were doing at market with their 18 size 7 jewel watches....so I basically agree with you they are really not comparable to my E Howards or higher end Walthams, Elgins, Hamiltons, Columbus etc watches but Regina did play in this high end game to some degree with their micrometer adjusted 17 jewel and 21 jewel movements. I have only found one 21 jewel Regina again a private label inscribed F Chinnek Napanee Ont. which interestingly is micrometer adjusted on the regulator arm but not the fancy micrometer adjustment on my Omega branded 21 jewel pocket watch of about the same timeframe of about 1910....
Your Regina pocket watch dates to 1918 so its seven years after Omega bought out and took over the Regina business in 1911. Watches in the timeframe after the takeover are interesting some times you see a Regina inscription on the dial but Omega on the back of the movement. I think Omega was still protecting their Brand's price point as Omega was still pretty much in stores (at higher prices) they were associated with but the same watch with Regina labelling continued to be sold via jewelers and interestingly Opticians. Your watch is the basic 7 jewel movement. I have the same movement in my collection with the dial inscribed Norman Bassett Jeweler & Optomitrist Whitby Ontario embellished with a beautiful gold inlay of a Racing Horse on the back cover. Important to me as it came a few miles from where I live today. I compare these Regina 7 jewel movements pretty much equivalent to what Waltham and Elgin were doing at market with their 18 size 7 jewel watches....so I basically agree with you they are really not comparable to my E Howards or higher end Walthams, Elgins, Hamiltons, Columbus etc watches but Regina did play in this high end game to some degree with their micrometer adjusted 17 jewel and 21 jewel movements. I have only found one 21 jewel Regina again a private label inscribed F Chinnek Napanee Ont. which interestingly is micrometer adjusted on the regulator arm but not the fancy micrometer adjustment on my Omega branded 21 jewel pocket watch of about the same timeframe of about 1910....
April 18 - International American Railroad Pocket Watch Day
Being observed over on National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors forum.
Anyone here going to gear up to wear and feature a railroad pocket watch over here tomorrow?
I chose a tasty Waltham to trot out for the day.
April 18 - International American Railroad Pocket Watch Day
Being observed over on National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors forum.
Anyone here going to gear up to wear and feature a railroad pocket watch over here tomorrow?
I chose a tasty Waltham to trot out for the day.
