I found this beautiful little pocket watch up in a beautiful little town in Wisconsin. When I first saw it I wondered what kind of movement was powering it especially since it had center seconds. I was pleasantly surprised upon popping the back to see this stunning little Cal 601 wristwatch movement. The watch was a presentation for 25 years of loyal service to an employee of Continental Group...formerly Continental Can Company..

JohnCote

 

Nice catch!

I have this cal. 601, ref. 1706 from 1965

Best Thomas

 

Gorgeous pieces!

 

I love it Thomas. Thanks for the pictures. Mine has a presentation date if 1978 and a serial number 36,275,6XX, about 14 million higher than yours. The date and the SN of mine seem a bit late for this movement. Maybe Omega had them left over and made them into PWs. Who know.

JohnCote

 

Thats late, i dont recall i have seen any cal. 601 that late in the 70's.

I think Omega started using these wristwatch caliber early in the 60's starting with cal. 600.

This one of mine, it is the same small size, ref. 1153, but with a normal pocketwatch caliber, Cal. 140 (37.5 T1 15P) 1950

 

Thomas,

I have had quite a few of the "normal pocket watch movement" examples over the years. As a longtime collector of American pocket watches I have always regarded these movements as very plain looking and not that exciting. I think the Omega wrist watch movements are works of art in comparison.

Note that the case for your second watch although marked Omega is an American made case. The Swiss had a very difficult time in the American market for many reasons, not least of which were the import laws which charged a higher tariff on any imported watch movement marked adjusted and even more if adjusted to 5 or more positions. I believe there may also have been extra tariff on the importation of cased watches. We have all seen Vacherons, Omegas, Longines etc which came into the US as movements only and were cased in specially made American cases. The American watch lobby was very strong.

JohnCote.

 

Actually my (originally posted) watch is in an American made case too.

JC

 

I must admit that my little collection of Omega pocketwatches is not based on the horologie of the movement, but the looks

Especially i like the art Deco look from the 30's

Best Thomas

 

Thomas,

I love your Omega PW collection. You are a true watch nerd. From one nerd to another...glad to meet you and proud to know you. Here are a few of mine which were gathered for a talk I gave last year on collecting/being a smart nerd.

JohnCote

 

Wauw!!!

I collect only Omega up til the start of the 70's.

But i have a strange Collection about +70 pieces

Omega Suverän and Officer's collection
Omega Stopwatches
Omega Pocketwatches
And then a lot of Omega wristwatches

Best
Thomas

 

I started collecting American pocket watches when I was a kid with my dad who was a huge watch nerd. I would always buy a Swiss PW if it appealed to me and if the price was right but as a nerd for the movements and craftsmanship and not a nerd for the jewelry aspect it was hard for many time only Swiss PWs to distract me from the much more elegant American watches. The Swiss watches I liked were of the more complicated variety.

My first real foray into wrist watches was a late '70s Speedmaster cal 861 Moon watch which I probably bought in the mid '90s. Now-a-days I buy more wristies. I still have a preference for chrono and date complications but I can always admire a nice looking time only movement like the Omegas from the "golden era."

Best,

JohnCote