Found Great Grandfather's WWII watch need help IDing and Restoration

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NASTEEBOY

·Jan 15, 2023

Hello,

Like the title says, found GG's Omega that has been sitting in a drawer for at least 40/50 years. Stumped me at first since the redial is WILD (look at the numerals long enough and you'll see).

Here is all the info I could gather:
Case number: 2346/1
Movement: 30T2 CS
The serial number dates the watch to 1944.

My goal is to source a proper donor dial and take it in for a full service to restore its Post-War glory. Are the family of 30mm dials compatible with this watch (aside from the 30T2 with the separate second dial)?

Any help/tips to go about the process is greatly appreciated!

 

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SkunkPrince

·Jan 15, 2023

I get the idea about dial, but it's part of its history, so you might consider leaving it.

Omega has a restoration service, but it is expensive. However, a factory dial refinish might be less objectionable?

This is your watch in Omega's vintage database. It shows a dial that came with that reference, but it is not necessarily the dial that came with your specific watch.

https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/watch-omega-30-mm-omega-ck-2346

A watch of this age likely has 11/16" lugs. You can get straps of that size on eBay, or modern 17mm generally fit.

Merely comments and questions. Your watch, your choice. 😀

 

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malilis

·Jan 15, 2023

pity the dial says "automatic" when the movement is manual ...

 

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Syrte

·Jan 15, 2023

Welcome to the forum, although I don’t follow Omega closely I have a hunch it might be a long wait to find an suitable original dial, as this is a central seconds movement. As you have noted, it’s different from the more common sub-second movement, which I believe is much more frequently seen.
More knowledgeable Omega experts will correct me if I’m wrong.

If I am correct, the odds of finding an original dial are low, so you would have to find a donor watch in decent condition in order to take the dial. Even that might be hard to find, and the cost IMHO will exceed the monetary value of this watch, as the case and movement show quite a bit of wear.

Since this is a family heirloom with sentimental value, you may also want to enjoy it even with a refinished dial, with two options already mentioned, full Omega factory restoration or have it serviced by an independent and keep the current dial.

I all situations you will probably not recoup the value of the repairs in the final monetary value of the watch, so your choice must be solely based on its sentimental value.

Edited: Jan 15, 2023

 

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Larry S

·Jan 15, 2023·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Agree with @Syrte …. The juice aint worth the squeeze. Your GG must have liked the redialers work, its pretty cool actually despite the unfortunate ‘automatic” … I’d spend a few hundred to service the movement and call it a day. You can have fun wearing a bit of family history.

 

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Tony C.

·Jan 15, 2023·Ωf Jury member

An alternative would be to find an example of original dial that you like, and, using it as a guide, have a good, independent redial artist create a sympathetic dial.

 

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perks713

·Jan 15, 2023

If money wasn’t an object this is the kind of watch I’d want to send to Omega. There was a thread 6-12 months ago where a member sent a watch with a very beat up dial and it came out great.

 

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gatorcpa

·Jan 15, 2023·ΩF InvestiGator

NASTEEBOY

Are the family of 30mm dials compatible with this watch (aside from the 30T2 with the separate second dial)?

Sadly, no. While any dial from a cal. 30T2 (and probably those from related movements, too) would fit a de-cased movement, dial size is dependent on the case as well as the movement.

So if you wanted to buy a donor watch, it would need to be a Ref. 2346, unless someone out there knows which other cases would be compatible.

I rather like the look of the watch as is, although the “Automatic” on the dial would trouble me.
gatorcpa

 

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BlackTalon

·Jan 15, 2023·This Space for Rent

So much for the old saying "it's five o'clock somewhere" 😁

Someone had a Homer Simson "D'oh!" moment.

That's a big part of the charm in leaving the dial as-is.

 

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Syrte

·Jan 15, 2023

I have to say I kind of like the dial as it is, the erroneous “automatic” mention adds one more quirky element.

 

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timesofplenty

·Jan 15, 2023

it's interesting the way it is and has lasted this long without correction...I'd leave it be.
I'd have it serviced, clean only with no case polish, and enjoy it as a family heirloom and as a practice in acceptance 😉

 

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wagudc

·Jan 15, 2023

Syrte

I have to say I kind of like the dial as it is, the erroneous “automatic” mention adds one more quirky element.

What about the double sixes?

 

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BlackTalon

·Jan 15, 2023·This Space for Rent

wagudc

What about the double sixes?

That was the Homer Simpson moment 😗

 

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Vol375

·Jan 15, 2023

I think the dial looks great. The wierder the better.

Edited: Jan 15, 2023

 

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numero27

·Jan 15, 2023

I like this dial, It's probably almost old as the watch, and it's part of its identity now, I would keep it like that !

 

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Dsloan

·Jan 15, 2023

I was on the fence about the idea of keeping the redial until I noticed the double sixes. I feel like the error pushes it into 'so bad it's good' territory and is probably a more fun story than you'd have if you replaced the dial.

 

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wagudc

·Jan 15, 2023

Dsloan

I was on the fence about the idea of keeping the redial until I noticed the double sixes. I feel like the error pushes it into 'so bad it's good' territory and is probably a more fun story than you'd have if you replaced the dial.

A bit like this:

 

J

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joe band

·Jan 16, 2023

was your grandfather at D-Day?

 

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Bruce235

·Jan 16, 2023

Three Homer moments, automatic, double "VI" and "IIII" instead of "IV".
I vote to keep it.

 

J

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joe band

·Jan 16, 2023

pot call the kettle, Honer.