Before it was called OMEGA, the company’s first workshop opened in 1848. Then, in 1894, they created the revolutionary 19-ligne “OMEGA” calibre – which changed the watch industry forever and gave them their famous name. This year, they are celebrating the 125th anniversary of that iconic moment.

To celebrate this milestone they are producing a De Ville Tresor exquisite timepiece, crafted from 18K yellow gold with a burgundy leather strap and a red enamel dial. The caseback includes an anniversary medallion, as well as a decorative j,engraving known as "damaskeening".

 

For me Red Omega dial means Korean special. I can't unsee it.

 

I won’t lie I thought the same thing. Fratello is claiming a red lacquer dial is a first...

 

Nice case back, I just love the old logo.

 

And the 4 screws in back?

 

Are to hold the watch to the canvas on the wall.

 

In terms of detailing, I always enjoy looking at the organized screws on the Royal Oak. I wonder if there was any thought given to how to position the screw head in the photos. I know it's just on the caseback, but still surprised they didn't line them up...

 

my wife said..oh pretty! I have the perfect purse and boots to match that dial/strap.. and the "is not going to happen" thought occupied my mind..

 

Just wait for the Korean "specials" version of this mentioned above, they already have the red ink ready to go.

 

#Awkward lol

 

Red is a very lucky color in Asia, and the China Spring festival is coming soon. Perhaps this isn’t intended for Western buyers... ?

 

Never can understand collectors who get hung up because the screw slots don't line up. The Royal Oak screws are not screws, of course, but bolts that fit into the bezel and are secured from the back by real screws. But those screws on the back never line up, it is almost impossible to make screws that will consistently line up when the proper torque is applied. That was true for Omega casebacks as well which is why they introduced the NAIAD locking system which allows for consistent orientation of the caseback . I've known people who get upset that the screws in the movement aren't aligned. I just can't be bothered by those sort of details.

 

Ah! Interesting! Good to know.

 

Some people are...


On a side note you know they had a meeting about it. Someone said we should line the screws up for the official press pictures... The head of customer service at that point pulled a gun on him...

 

You can't just bring up paper clips here!

 

I know I am being pedantic here, but those are actual screws that fit into the bezel. The bolts are screwed on from the back

 

I know I am being pedantic here, but the items that go in from the bezel side are bolts, and they are secured by nuts that are fitted through the holes in the back of the case.

 

Screw it, you guys are nuts. I'm bolting.

 

You reckon we're nuts? What about the person that wrote the Patent Description:

"This watch case also has a bezel 5 which mounts a glass 6, made preferably of a hard inorganic material such as hardened glass or corundum. This mounting is ensured by a ledge 7 in the glass 6 co-operating with the edge of the bezel 5.

Rods 9 with tapped bores 10 threadably receiving screws 8 connect the bezel 5 to the back casing l and ensure compression of the fluid-tight packing 4. The screws 8 and 9 pass through and are embedded in the packing 4. The screws 8 have a non-circular head 11, embedded in the bezel 5; they are, for example, hexagonal so as not to rotate when the rods 9 are screwed thereon. In order to permit rotation of the rods 9, they are provided with a slot 9a to receive a screwdriver. For the same purpose, any other known means my be provided in the head of the rod 9 to permit its rotation (lmbus or Philips slots for example).
The fluid-tight packing 4 ensures that the case is completely fluid-tight, since it acts between the bezel 5 and the casing back 1 at A, between the bezel 5 and the glass 6 at B and between the casing back 1 and a casing ring 12 for a watch movement 13 at C.
The watch case according to the invention can be easily constructed, is effective even at high pressures and has an aesthetic appearance.
What is claimed is:
l. A fluid-tight watch case comprising a back casing and a bezel including a glass connected by screws, a fluid-tight packing interposed between the back casing, bezel and glass, and a frame for supporting a watch movement, said screws each having a head countersunk in the bezel and being screwed into a rod having a tapped bore, each rod having means for effecting rotation thereof, and each screw and rod passing through and being embedded in the fluid-tight packing, said fluid-tight packing forming means for ensuring fluidtightness between the glass-and the bezel, between the back casing and the bezel and between the back casing and the movement frame."


I always understood a rod to be a length of solid material of circular cross section, as opposed to a pipe or tube.
As to the definition of what constitutes a screw, a bolt and a nut I leave that to Machinery's Handbook, 26th Edition, 2000:

 

The hexagonal 'screws' that you see around the bezel aren't functional screws since they don't turn, the slots have no mechanical function, they are decorative only. These 'screws' are threaded where a hollow threaded tube is screwed in from the back to hold the case together.

Here is a short AP video showing how a Royal Oak is cased up.