Identifying my inherited Vintage Omega

[RichardW]

UncleBuck

I

Brother, you are going to fit in well here. we have many Veterans (2nd Infantry for me) and many historians and a whole bunch of family love! Plus some of us(not me) know watches.

I know NOTHING about watches, had a few that I've bought over the years as functional timepieces, but never anything I could leave to my grandchildren to cherish in 80 years after I bought it like this one bought in 1944. I'm probably going to get booted off here for Admitting I wear an Apple Ultra....

 

[wagudc]

R RichardW

I have just bought a strap and my wife also suggested we display it somewhere.
I was very close to my grandfather and have a few photos together where he wearing the watch.
I ended up serving as an Infantry Officer for 20-years myself.

Sounds like a good plan. A great way to honor a man who helped save the world from fascism. The crystal on the watch is acrylic and can be polished. It is an easy DIY job. It will require an initial wet sand, and then follow up with a plastic polish. I use product called Polywatch, but you can use toothpast or other plastic polishes. I recommend that you use masking tape to protect the case. You can see a nice description of the process here:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/pol...aper-toothpaste-wet-sanding-pic-heavy.121033/

 

[UncleBuck]

R RichardW

I know NOTHING about watches,

That is the beauty of OmegaForums!
You have the leading horological minds in the world that love this science so much that they freely contribute knowledge that took lifetimes to learn.
I call it a science but it is actually science, mathematics, physics, history and art combining to represent the abstract concept of time. The future and the past are concepts, only the present is real. Sorry, happy hour is kicking in, another fine tradition here.

 

[wagudc]

R RichardW

I'm probably going to get booted off here for Admitting I wear an Apple Ultra....

Given your military service, we'll let it slide.

 

[UncleBuck]

My wife wants me to confirm that your picture shows your Grandpa with the Queen’s Mum!

I told her that you were an Officer and that I was done.
As my Drill Sergeant said “ Don’t call me Sir, I work for a living!”

Edited: Feb 7, 2024

 

[RichardW]

wagudc

Sounds like a good plan. A great way to honor a man who helped save the world from fascism. The crystal on the watch is acrylic and can be polished. It is an easy DIY job. It will require an initial wet sand, and then follow up with a plastic polish. I use product called Polywatch, but you can use toothpast or other plastic polishes. I recommend that you use masking tape to protect the case. You can see a nice description of the process here:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/pol...aper-toothpaste-wet-sanding-pic-heavy.121033/

With very little effort, the crystal is looking as good as I want it to be, I don't want to erase all the wear on it.

 

[RichardW]

UncleBuck

My wife wants me to confirm that your picture shows your Grandpa with the Queen’s Mum!

I told her that you were an Officer and that I was done.
As my Drill Sergeant said “ Don’t call me Sir, I work for a living!”

No that is me at the rear of the photo with my wife. The photo is 1994 at Clarence House,my Regiment had been to visit the Gordon Highlanders (our affiliated regiment for the Bi-Centenary) and as the Queen Mum was our Royal Colonel, we were invited to Clarence House for tea and sticky buns. I was at that time a Captain and the Adjutant. A few years later when I was a Major and the Second-in-Command of the Regiment, I participated in her 100th Birthday Parade at Horse Guards. My grandfather was in the RAF and passed away in 1983.
Rear rank, third from the right (viewing the photo)
Last family photo is my Grandfather, my Grandmother, myself and my son.

 

[Pastorbottle]

Nah we won’t give you the boot for wearing a smart watch, we might give you a bit of friendly shit for it…….we know you won’t be wearing the smart watch long, damned thing will be useless and obsolete before long with operating system upgrades rendering it to landfill.


Consider this post the first bit of friendly shit stirring!
Now you know you’ve arrived!
BTW nice job on the polishing out the scratches on the crystal, and good on you for wanting to keep it to honour the old boy.

 

[UncleBuck]

Y

R RichardW

No that is me at the rear of the photo with my wife. The photo is 1994 at Clarence House,my Regiment had been to visit the Gordon Highlanders (our affiliated regiment for the Bi-Centenary) and as the Queen Mum was our Royal Colonel, we were invited to Clarence House for tea and sticky buns. I was at that time a Captain and the Adjutant. A few years later when I was a Major and the Second-in-Command of the Regiment, I participated in her 100th Birthday Parade at Horse Guards. My grandfather was in the RAF and passed away in 1983.
Rear rank, third from the right (viewing the photo)
Last family photo is my Grandfather, my Grandmother, myself and my son.

You must be damn proud!

 

[RichardW]

Pastorbottle

Nah we won’t give you the boot for wearing a smart watch, we might give you a bit of friendly shit for it…….we know you won’t be wearing the smart watch long, damned thing will be useless and obsolete before long with operating system upgrades rendering it to landfill.


Consider this post the first bit of friendly shit stirring!
Now you know you’ve arrived!
BTW nice job on the polishing out the scratches on the crystal, and good on you for wanting to keep it to honour the old boy.

Nobody is going to inherit an 80 year old Apple Watch Ultra and be excited are they?That is where something like this watch is special.

 

[RichardW]

UncleBuck

Y

You must be damn proud!

I had a good career.

 

[wagudc]

R RichardW

With very little effort, the crystal is looking as good as I want it to be, I don't want to erase all the wear on it.

Makes sense, sorry I missed in your original post that you already cleaned it up.

 

[RichardW]

A really big thank you to those who in a very short space of time contributed some really pertinent information about my watch. I really appreciate it, I know a lot more today than yesterday.
Some additional questions if possible.
Someone on X commented that the face/dial must have been replaced as the colour is unusual. I don't know if it has, but knowing my grandfather and how fastidious he was, I don't think he would have fiddled with or bodged a repair on a watch he bought to celebrate becoming a pilot. Under a camera lens, the face is either dark green with a dirty patina making it look black, or it is a black face with fading from sunlight?
Anyone have some ideas?
Secondly the same person on X said the crown was not the correct one, my feeble research says Omega did not "sign" the crown or the crystal in 1944.

 

[JimInOz]

I can't comment on the crown, but one of our gurus should be able to count the teeth and confirm if it's an Omega or a Bestfit replacement.


I just thought I'd let you know that this is a most enjoyable thread coming from a first timer.

 

[UncleBuck]

JimInOz

I just thought I'd let you know that this is a most enjoyable thread coming from a first timer.

Hear, Hear!

 

[RichardW]

JimInOz

I can't comment on the crown, but one of our gurus should be able to count the teeth and confirm if it's an Omega or a Bestfit replacement.


I just thought I'd let you know that this is a most enjoyable thread coming from a first timer.

Thank you, I appreciate the comment. I understand that a non-watch enthusiast asking copious questions can be irksome for regulars, so I appreciate the comment.
I'm not as passionate about watches as many here must be, but as I approach 60 (my grandfather died aged 62) I am aware of my own mortality and am writing down as much family history and information as I can for my two adult children, who at the moment are disinterested, but hopefully will appreciate the knowledge of who they are and how they got to be here. I don't intend to go for sometime, but preparation is always a good thing.

 

[RichardW]

R RichardW

Thank you, I appreciate the comment. I understand that a non-watch enthusiast asking copious questions can be irksome for regulars, so I appreciate the comment.
I'm not as passionate about watches as many here must be, but as I approach 60 (my grandfather died aged 62) I am aware of my own mortality and am writing down as much family history and information as I can for my two adult children, who at the moment are disinterested, but hopefully will appreciate the knowledge of who they are and how they got to be here. I don't intend to go for sometime, but preparation is always a good thing.

I count 20 teeth, use a magnifying glass as it is difficult to get a clear photo on my phone.

 

[drose224]

USAF 1966-1970. I remember vividly looking at the Rolex watches in the PX at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Two to three hundred if my 77 year old memory serves me correctly. I was a lowly non-com and two hundred was out of reach for a watch. Saw many Rolex's on officer's wrists.

 

[RichardW]

drose224

USAF 1966-1970. I remember vividly looking at the Rolex watches in the PX at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Two to three hundred if my 77 year old memory serves me correctly. I was a lowly non-com and two hundred was out of reach for a watch. Saw many Rolex's on officer's wrists.

RHIP - rank has its privileges.. To be fair when I was a Lt in the 80's I wore horrid watches that regularly got damaged. I was an Anti Tank Platoon Commander and operating in very dusty terrain, no place for a fancy watch. (Plus we were paid a pittance).

 

[wagudc]

R RichardW

I understand that a non-watch enthusiast asking copious questions can be irksome for regulars, so I appreciate the comment.

It is only irksome when said non-watch enthusiast is rude and looking to make a buck buy selling grandpa's watch. You are polite and looking to honor the watch and the man who wore it. That is why what @JimInOz said is so true.