Hi Omega watch lovers and experts,

I've just recently inherited a watch from my father which was originally my grandfathers and I need some help identifying it and advice on where the best place to get it serviced/restored in Hong Kong. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to vintage watches so any help and advice would be very much appreciated.

Some History. My dad didn't know a great deal about the watch apart from my grandfather either got it before or shortly after ww2. He never mentioned that it was military issue but my grandfather did fight in Burma in the 1940's so it's possible he got it then. The strap is not the original - my father replaced the original strap in the 60's but he said he hadn't replaced anything else, or even serviced it in over 30 years ... and it still works! I've had a good look on the interwebs to try and identify it but I've not managed to see one exactly the same. I've seen a lot of similar watches but not exactly like this one.

As my pictures aren't the best quality a few other observations:

- 32mm diameter
- all hands are gold color and the numbers appear to have been a gold color
- no markings on the back of the case
- the lovely browny/gold color patina on the dial makes me think it is the original
- crown looks a bit suspect - that possibly could have been replaced at some time

After reading other forum posting I know the only true way to identify it is to take the case off for more details so I took it to an Omega service center in Hong Kong (where I live) to see if they could help but unfortunately the only thing they would do is send it to Switzerland which will cost a small fortune. Should I send it or should I get a local HK watchmaker to take a look? If I go local would anyone have a good recommendation on where I could take it? I'm not selling it - it means too much to me - I just want it serviced properly by someone I can trust.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Nice watch!!

It will be difficult to identify without any pictures of the inner caseback. An independent service centre will be cheaper and perhaps better than Omega with a watch like this. I can recommend Michael Young, who is based in Hong Kong. His shop is called 'Classic Watch Repair'.

 

That's a nice wee watch you have there. The dial Looks absolutely allA I'd get the speidel wristband off it pronto as they chew up the lugs over time. Replace it with something nicer! The mid 40's era is about right for this watch , especially the hands. it probably has a small T2 movement. any decent watchmaker should be able to service it no problem without costing an arm and a leg (but then again you are in HK!!). Not sure about the crown , but I'd probably leave it. I have one from around 1938-39. (the sub second hand has a tiny barb).Do not send it to Omega, they aren't set up to help you and will most likely ruin it.

 

Thanks for the recommendation

 

Yes the strap definitely needs replacing. Thanks for the advice.

 

Very nice watch, and wonderful to have something passed down through multiple generations.

 

Just a quick update on the watch. I got it serviced (thank you Classic Watch Repair Hong Kong !) and I took the opportunity to get a couple of pictures of the movement and the case. It appears that the case was made by Dennison which seems to have been quite common back in the day in the UK. Do these pictures help with identifying the age or history of the watch? The case numbers aren't that clear in the pictures but are 13322 / 6690 and the movement number is 11520535.

Any information would be much appreciated!

 

Serial number (on the movement) dates your watch to ca 1948/49.

 

While I agree that this watch deserves something different, like leather or perhaps grossgrain or perlon, I don't think that particular Speidel style band will chew up the lugs to any great degree, because it doesn't appear to have spring-loaded endlinks and it's not harder than the case.

 

The spring loaded links are the worst in terms of chewing up the lugs, but they certainly aren't the only links that do this. If you look at most modern bracelet end links, there is a tab on the underside that anchors the end link to the case, not allowing any relative movement, and there's a reason for that. Two steel parts moving relative to each other will erode both the end links and the case, so my advice is to ditch these bracelet whenever you find them.