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Dial check: 168.005 - Calibre 561

vtgconst
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Hi all,

Please could you legit check this dial? The missing text of "Officially Certified" sticking out massively for me, not sure that I've seen any examples of the 168.005 without the text.

Any assistance as ways greatly appreciated!

5606411908.webp 5606411920.webp 5606408114.webp 5606416286.webp 5606408120.webp 5606408130.webp
 
reggie_v
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Likely a Franken watch. More likely a 14902 dating to around 1962. These didn’t have the officially certified on the dial and I see yours is a lumed dial without a T meaning it was before it was regulated to be on tritium dials. I’d guess at some point the dial was taken from a 14902 and put into a 168.005 case. Only thing I would say is I haven’t seen a constellation case back like that before. The round brushed finishing taking up the entire back. Also the case is a bit over polished as the lugs are a bit soft.

See my 14900 (basically a 14902 without a date) in the pics below - very similar dial to this example

IMG_7882.webp
 
Peemacgee
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It’s a funny one this;
The perlage in the caseback doesn’t worry me for an SGR case - and I think the image makes it look harsh.
It is possible to get a very early 168.005 with a missing text dial and no Ts ( just as it’s possible to get an arrow head 168.005) but they are quite uncommon.
What we are missing here is the movt serial number and calibre.
The title says 561 but there are no confirmation pics.

My main concern is the wide outer plain of the exterior of the caseback - more usually seen on later (CB) 564 cases.
 
reggie_v
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
It’s a funny one this;
The perlage in the caseback doesn’t worry me for an SGR case - and I think the image makes it look harsh.
It is possible to get a very early 168.005 with a missing text dial and no Ts ( just as it’s possible to get an arrow head 168.005) but they are quite uncommon.
What we are missing here is the movt serial number and calibre.
The title says 561 but there are no confirmation pics.

My main concern is the wide outer plain of the exterior of the caseback - more usually seen on later (CB) 564 cases.

Didn’t know this regarding the dial text and T’s. I’ll have to note that for future. Good spot on the caseback. I had a Cb case with a 564 and it looked exactly like this. Whereas my sgr case with 561 is more rounded. Definitely strange this one!
 
Peemacgee
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The earlier dogleg case backs usually have a flat ring around the medallion.
 
Peemacgee
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reggie_v reggie_v
Didn’t know this regarding the dial text and T’s. I’ll have to note that for future. Good spot on the caseback. I had a Cb case with a 564 and it looked exactly like this. Whereas my sgr case with 561 is more rounded. Definitely strange this one!
The exact release date of the 005 cases is unknown - so there was bound to be a crossover with the last 5-figure cases and Omega would have stockpiles of movements and dials (the latter produced by suppliers, as were the cases) to use up during early production of the 005 cases.
 
vtgconst
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
It’s a funny one this;
The perlage in the caseback doesn’t worry me for an SGR case - and I think the image makes it look harsh.
It is possible to get a very early 168.005 with a missing text dial and no Ts ( just as it’s possible to get an arrow head 168.005) but they are quite uncommon.
What we are missing here is the movt serial number and calibre.
The title says 561 but there are no confirmation pics.

My main concern is the wide outer plain of the exterior of the caseback - more usually seen on later (CB) 564 cases.

This is the other movement photo available

5606416292.webp
 
lindo
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The machining around the observatory may indicate that an engraved name has been removed.
 
JimInOz
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lindo lindo
The machining around the observatory may indicate that an engraved name has been removed.
That was my thought when I saw it earlier.
 
Peemacgee
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vtgconst vtgconst
This is the other movement photo available

5606416292.webp
An 18,37 serial means it could easily have been released in that transition period referred to earlier.
 
Peemacgee
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lindo lindo
The machining around the observatory may indicate that an engraved name has been removed.
This might explain why the exterior caseback looks ‘wrong’.
 
vtgconst
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
An 18,37 serial means it could easily have been released in that transition period referred to earlier.
So you think this is potentially legit, right? The caseback is not ideal though
 
Peemacgee
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vtgconst vtgconst
So you think this is potentially legit, right? The caseback is not ideal though
Yes, potentially legit - personally it's too polished for my liking and I still think there is something awry with that case back.
there is always the possibility (as others have said above) that it is a later case with an earlier movt and dial or a caseback swap - and there is no way of telling unless you had the sales papers.
 
vtgconst
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Peemacgee Peemacgee
Yes, potentially legit - personally it's too polished for my liking and I still think there is something awry with that case back.
there is always the possibility (as others have said above) that it is a later case with an earlier movt and dial or a caseback swap - and there is no way of telling unless you had the sales papers.
Yeah I'm siding with the too polished as well. There are too many franken risks as well to really go for it, there are no papers. Thanks all, great learning exercise if nothing else ☺️
 
Peemacgee
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texascollectors texascollectors
Something just looks a bit off.
which bit in particular looks off?
the dial?
the case?
the movt?
 
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