I inherited this from my dad. It was his father or grandfather's. I'm looking for details, model, any info about it. I believe its from the 40s based on the serial. I believe work was done on it in the past to get it working. It is currently not working and I'm considering getting it worked on. Any thoughts on this and if it's worth reviving are appreciated.
It's good that you produced the photos, but you need to be more specific about what you are seeking. Most vintage watches from that era did not have model names, and anyone can find a serial number reference and date the movement. FYI, the dial has been refinished.
So it’s a US market watch built in 1943 to maybe 1947. The “oxg” is a US import code. model 2300/3 or the third variation of the 2300. interestingly omegas vintage watch database claims it’s a sweep second like yours with a sweep seconds movement but shows a picture of a sub second model. Which alas is why that database is not to be taken as gospel. My read on your piece is that it is a great family heirloom and you should keep it. I feel the that like many watches from that period the dial was redone for some reason. This greatly affects collectors value, but does not diminish the heritage of the watch. service from a reputable watch maker (not a mall battery changer) should run around $150-200usd. It looks to be in good condition.
Hi mate! Your Omega is a reference 2300 and the best way of learning about it would be a google search with the terms "Omega reference 2300" that way you'll find a lot of information as well as photos. At some point it has been redialed, which of course has a negative impact on the value.
Thank you! Google brings up lots of stuff. I appreciate the guidance! It's tricky because of all the face variations/fonts. I'm not seeing any identical- they either have only some of the numbers OR have a different font (more square) but this helps me narrow it down greatly! This is the closest I've found (Omega WWII Military Watch Cal 310 (R17.8) Ref 2300/5) but the font is still a little off. I appreciate the guidance!
so there is a lot of dial variation and it’s normal to see different dials on the same reference number. in your case either due to radium damage, the radium falling off, water damage, or just wanting to update the style of the watch th LE dial was redone. There is nothing left on your dial from its original factory look. these are called redials, it’s very common and was a widely accepted practice for decades. This is why you can’t find a matching dial to yours.
It’s far from poorly… it’s just a redial from the early 60’s in my opinion. It doesn’t detract from the look or history. It does detract from collectors value.
If you are comfortable with how the dial looks, and want to wear the watch, nothing else matters. But the redial is not well executed, and the light green replacement lume is highly dissonant with the period during which the watch was manufactured.
I stand by my word, "poorly", with this pix, and may add "very" BUT a nice heirloom, so service and wear and then pass it on.
Sorry if I'm getting into basics with you guys but what you're saying is, an entirely new face is painted over or they just repaint the numbers that were already there? The font is so different, it doesn't seem like a paint over but an entirely new face, is that correct? Either way, thanks for taking the time to shed some light!
Generally the dial is stripped entirely back to bare metal and the face is reprinted in it’s entirety. Often only vaguely resembling the original dial
The reason i say not poorly is even slightly knowledgeable Watch people would not spot it immediately. Yes you and I and most on this forum spot it in under a few seconds. to me poorly also means the watch is ugly. I do not think that is the case here.
Who's doing this work for you this inexpensively? I need details on a reputable US-based watchmaker who can service a vintage piece for $150-200.