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Grandmother’s Omega: need help identifying

M
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Hello all. I need a little help identifying my Grandmother’s Omega watch and I’m hoping someone here can help. We’re not sure when it was purchased (my Grandmother passed in 2004) but we think it’s pre WW2 as my Mother recalls her Mother telling stories that had that watch in it during the war. My Grandmother was in the Woman’s Army Air Corps. The watch works, but has a Bulova crown that was put on at some point for some reason, and I’d like to try and track down an Omega crown so I can get it back to it’s original configuration. The band is also not original, but at this point we’re not too concerned about it. If anyone knows what this Omega is and where I might be able to find a vintage Omega crown for it I would be greatful.
Thank you for your time (pun intended.)
Dave
Sacramento, CA
 
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McKinley
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I am sorry, I can't help you, but you can be proud of her service during the war. I know I would be. It was strong men and women like her that ensured us our freedom to do all we do today.....even the stupid things dinosaurs like myself don't agree with. Her service is appreciated.

McK
Edited:
 
X350 XJR
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Looks like a L&W (Lutringer & Wittmer) gold filled American market watch with a caliber R17.8 SC movement, ca early mid 1940s.

This most likely had a plain unsigned crown when new. Watchmakers often used whatever they had on hand that would fit.

It would have actually been considered a men's watch, which were generally much smaller at the time.
Edited:
 
M
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X350 XJR X350 XJR
Looks like a L&W (Lutringer & Wittmer) gold filled American market watch with a caliber R17.8 SC movement, ca early mid 1940s.

This most likely had a plain unsigned crown when new. Watchmakers often used whatever they had on hand that would fit.

It would have actually been considered a men's watch, which were generally much smaller at the time.
Is this different than a Lutringer & Kammerer of NY? I’ve read on another thread about American/Swiss watches of that era.
 
X350 XJR
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L&K is not L&W, but both were watch case makers which made cases under contract of Norman Morris, the US distributor for Omega.
 
Dan S
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Great heirloom and wonderful history. Given the scale of the watch against the OP's thumb, I'm curious about the diameter of the watch. It would also be interesting to see photos of the inside (movement, serial number, engraving inside the case-back, etc.). I agree that the crown would not have been signed in the 1940s.
 
M
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Dan S Dan S
Great heirloom and wonderful history. Given the scale of the watch against the OP's thumb, I'm curious about the diameter of the watch. It would also be interesting to see photos of the inside (movement, serial number, engraving inside the case-back, etc.). I agree that the crown would not have been signed in the 1940s.
The watch is actually with my parents in New Jersey, and I’m out here in California. Trying to get them to send an email is difficult enough, getting my Dad to measure the case would be impossible knowing that he doesn’t have the proper tool to do so, and getting him to open it would surely spell certain doom for said watch. The best I could hope for is for him to put it on a Stanley tape measure and take a picture.
 
M
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X350 XJR X350 XJR
This most likely had a plain unsigned crown when new. Watchmakers often used whatever they had on hand that would fit.

when you say “watchmakers, are you talking about watch repair shops? I’m ignorant to the lingo and history, so please forgive me, but if the crown came plain stock/new/OEM, wouldn’t Omega be the watchmaker in that case? Why would a crown need to be replaced?

Also, and again, forgive my ignorance, but is this an Omega watch or a watered-down U.S. made Omega? Like the movement is Swiss but everything else is American? Thanks.
 
JimInOz
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M mhkpilot
when you say “watchmakers, are you talking about watch repair shops?
Yes. But ones with a trained and competent watchmaker doing the work.

I’m ignorant to the lingo and history, so please forgive me, but if the crown came plain stock/new/OEM, wouldn’t Omega be the watchmaker in that case? Why would a crown need to be replaced?
It's a manual wind watch, and if your GM wound it every day the original crown became worn and didn't have the required "teeth" to enable the owner to grip the crown and wind it so it was replaced, in this case with the first one available with the correct stem/pipe/tube domensions, which happenned to be a Bulova crown.

Also, and again, forgive my ignorance, but is this an Omega watch or a watered-down U.S. made Omega? Like the movement is Swiss but everything else is American?
During that era, many countries had heavy customs and excise duties on precious metals and other watch components, even jewels. The solution was for Swiss factories to ship uncased movements (usually complete with hands/dial) to agents in those countries, thus reducing the import tax.
The local agents (Norman Morris Corp in this case for USA) would then have local casemakers produce suitable cases. It is in no way a "lesser" Omega, even though some "experts" will tell you it's not "truly Swiss", usually if they are trying to buy it from you.


Thanks.

Your watch is quite attractive and looks to have an original silvered dial with "Poire" style hands, it would be worth getting it serviced and have the crown replaced by an unmarked one suited to the style of the watch (it would not have had an Ω at that time).
 
JwRosenthal
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M mhkpilot
when you say “watchmakers, are you talking about watch repair shops? I’m ignorant to the lingo and history, so please forgive me, but if the crown came plain stock/new/OEM, wouldn’t Omega be the watchmaker in that case? Why would a crown need to be replaced?

Also, and again, forgive my ignorance, but is this an Omega watch or a watered-down U.S. made Omega? Like the movement is Swiss but everything else is American? Thanks.
It was common practice for Omega to ship movements and dials/hands as a complete assembly to a distributor in a country to have them cased for sale. This got around many precious metal import taxes of the time. They are very much all Omega as would have been sold in that country from an Omega dealer.
 
X350 XJR
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
It was common practice for Omega to ship movements and dials/hands as a complete assembly to a distributor in a country to have them cased for sale. This got around many precious metal import taxes of the time. They are very much all Omega as would have been sold in that country from an Omega dealer.

I believe it was bare moments which were shipped, cases, dials, hands etc were all sourced locally.
 
X350 XJR
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Same watch as OP from my stuff I'll probably never get around to stash. Serial number is ca 1943.

30mm.

IMG_6938.JPG
 
gatorcpa
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M mhkpilot
Also, and again, forgive my ignorance, but is this an Omega watch or a watered-down U.S. made Omega?
No such thing as “a watered-down U.S. made Omega”. This is what was available if you bought a non-18K gold Omega in the USA during the 1940’s. Not everyone could have afforded or wanted an 18K gold watch back then.

Your example is exceptionally well preserved. It is uncommon to find all original examples with the box.
gatorcpa
 
M
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A gentleman on the watchuseek forums thinks it’s a 1937 “Tiny Omega” men’s model. Is anyone familiar?
 
X350 XJR
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M mhkpilot
A gentleman on the watchuseek forums thinks it’s a 1937 “Tiny Omega” men’s model. Is anyone familiar?

I've told you exactly what you have.
 
M
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X350 XJR X350 XJR
I've told you exactly what you have.
You said “it looks like,” you didn’t say “it is...” Since I don’t know, and I don’t know you, I’m open to hear what other people have to say and then look at everything as a whole. Don’t take it personally.
 
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