Handed down from grandfather would like some info and idea if I need to get on separate insurance or an idea of age please.
Appears to be made by Omega. While a serial number doesn’t generally give an exact age, it may help. But I don’t see a serial number on your watch. So I’ll guess at circa 1910-15. The vitreous enamel dial appears to be near mint, the hands could be gold, they match, and might be original to the watch. As to insurance value? Check to see what your deductible is in the event of a lost or stolen item. You might have a “personal property floater” on your insurance policy which covers unscheduled property in the event of loss. If you have such a clause in your policy, there will be a maximum dollar coverage, and a deductible in the event of a loss. Your watch could likely be replaced for $500 to $700, so it is up to you to decide a/ if your policy might cover you without an appraisal, and b/ decide whether the expense of insuring it might be worth your while, considering the deductible. Ask your insurance agent what kind of coverage your policy offers, without having to schedule it by having it appraised.
Typically, the serial number would show on the mechanism (the movement). But I don’t see a s# on yours. There might be a serial number under the dial. But you would probably need the assistance of someone to remove the dial and hands. The serial number inside the case back will not likely help since the case was probably not made by Omega. The serial number will not absolutely nail down the year of manufacture.
Thank you again, guess I'm.looking for a trustworthy watch repairer to get the front off and get serial number. Is that a difficult job? Rough cost?
For an experienced watchmaker, not hard. If it took him an hour that would be remarkably long. But you'll want that watch serviced too, so scout around for someone who can do that too. If you share your location, we can recommend people we trust.
In the UK/europe, the value of a low jewel count unsigned omega, unserviced, in a rolled gold case is much lower than 500usd I'm afraid. I doubt anyone would value it more than 50-150eur and it would depend on its mechanical state imho.
Its a nice thing to have but as noted above It’s gold filled rather than solid, so has little intrinsic value and has no dial marks which is a shame. Pocket watches are the poor man of the watch world really since they have little practical value. I personally think £75-150 is the likely sale price achievable. Were it not Omega marked it would only be maybe half that. You could take it to Fellows in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter for an appraisal of likely auction value. It’s only a tram ride from Wolverhampton, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up too high.
As stated it is just a nice thing to remember my grandad by, I would like to know the date ( just for interest) it has a nice chain too which is undated but stamped sz. 9ct. Thanks for all your help.
Well you could take it to Hancock’s again based in the Quarter who could get you the serial. My guess is also the 1910-1925 era, the earlier stuff is rather more fancy. The chain is probably solid 9k so will have decent value. They don’t often plate with 9K. There probably is a dated hallmark on the chain, maybe you haven’t found it, they are tiny. Are there any other marks on the case other than those above?
Insurance value would be the price you would have to pay to walk into a dealer a buy one if it needed replacing NOT what it might sell for on ebay. I could see this being sold by a dealer for around £250 here in the UK so around $350
No retail dealer worth its salt would touch this imho. Only a watchmaker and then, most of the value is in the service, not in the watch.
In my initial reply, I spoke in terms of $500 to $700. That is CANADIAN dollars. Obviously, relative exchange rates between currencies would mean any expression of value would be relative. But my inclination when expressing “value” in a case such as the subject watch, is to express value based on an estimate of what the owner might have to pay to replace the watch if it was to be stolen. Thereby, that is an estimate based on insurance value. So £250 expressed in CANADIAN dollars is $435. As to going to the expense of having someone uncover a serial number (IF there is one), will make no difference whatever to an expression of value, because it is still only an estimate of age. Gold filled cases showing wear, containing standard grade, low jewel watches are not prime collectibles. Only the owner would sense sentimental value in an item such as this, while everyone else sees only the intrinsic worth. But the meaningful value placed on an item should (in my view), include something for sentiment. So I’ll stay with $500 to $700 Canadian dollars.
Thank you all again for your help , it clearly is more about its sentimental value than intrinsic as stated. And at the value you are all stated it would be covered by household insurance , this again .