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Is this buckle even remotely original vintage Omega?

  1. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale May 18, 2015

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    image.jpg image.jpg Hi Gang. Hoping some of you pros might weigh-in. This buckle is being billed as original vintage but looks funky to me. Are my suspicions founded? Thanks. Tom
     
  2. Tony C. Ωf Jury member May 18, 2015

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    Highly unlikely to be original, but the view of the back of the buckle is always crucial in such assessments.
     
  3. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale May 18, 2015

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    image.jpg Thanks. The back.
     
  4. alfanator May 18, 2015

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    That looks faux to me. The applied buckle is wrong as is the text in the back.
     
  5. CanberraOmega Rabbitohs and Whisky Supporter May 18, 2015

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    That is a polite way of saying it.
     
  6. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale May 18, 2015

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    Thanks guys......so, no Ifs, Ands, or Buts, right? It's a fake?
     
  7. Giff2577 Quick with the tools! May 18, 2015

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    The tang also looks too short and the Omega tangs look like they mount upside-down.
     
  8. Tony C. Ωf Jury member May 18, 2015

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    Yes.
     
  9. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member May 18, 2015

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    US made buckles have engraving like that. However, if it also says "stainless steel" on the back then I would vote fake. I can't really see enough detail to be sure.

    I can tell you that I once bought a watch on an Omega branded leather band that had a buckle exactly like that, with just Omega on the back.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Watch was from the 1940's, I think the band was from the 1950's or 1960's. It could have been original to the watch (a steel US Army, Ref. 2179), but I'm not betting on it.
    gatorcpa
     
  10. Canuck May 18, 2015

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    Most genuine Omega straps I have seen have the Omega symbol die struck onto the buckle. The subject buckle appears to have had a separate Omega symbol on a post, applied through a hole in the buckle, and riveted. Somebody went to a lot of trouble to cobble this together!
     
  11. mondodec Editor Constellation Collectors Blog May 18, 2015

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    I'm not so sure either.

    I've seen similar buckles with those markings purporting to be genuine. The buckle has been well polished by the look of the front. Are there any signs of machining/hatching in the plinth on which the Omega symbol sits?


     
  12. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale May 18, 2015

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    Thanks for all the responses. I am not sure about the machining/hatching where the Omega symbol sits. But the circular mark on the underside of the logo looks very amateurish.........and per gatorcpa's suspicions there is a faint stainless steel printing on the underside which is clearly visible under a 10x loupe. One consolation of all this is that I learned the word plinth tonight. Thank you!
     
  13. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member May 18, 2015

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    OK Desmond, you made me get out the iPhone for some quick snapshots:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    On the left one, the symbol fell off at some point and was re-soldered. The one on the right is the same buckle from my prior post. This one has a solid and clean rivet in the center.

    gatorcpa
     
  14. mondodec Editor Constellation Collectors Blog May 18, 2015

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    Hmm,

    The OP's buckle is slightly different Evan. The sides appear to somehow welded to the bar, rather than being stamped and bent out of one piece of metal. Quite elaborate and labour intensive if it is indeed a fake. A big pic of the stamping may well sort it.

    Cheers

    Desmond
     
  15. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale May 19, 2015

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    Doh! Ran off to work without the buckle. Will post a magnified view of the inside the buckle around lunch time. Thanks. Tom
     
  16. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale May 19, 2015

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    A couple of more........
    may 19 2015 (2) 008.JPG may 19 2015 (2) 006.JPG may 19 2015 (2) 006.JPG
     
  17. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member May 19, 2015

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    This is one of the reasons I don't even try for an Omega signed buckle anymore
     
  18. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale May 19, 2015

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    Yes, I'm learning. Nothing like a huge case of naiveté to create false courage! At least this is less financially painful than full-on watch mistakes!
     
  19. alfanator May 19, 2015

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    I was giving away some buckles on another thread to raise funds for Nepal. If you want an original 14mm buckle, i could send you one, just make a donation to a charity of your choice, for any amount you see fit, to support Nepal.

    You could find 20mm and 18mm straps that taper down to 14mm on Amazon.

    and PM me your address.
     
  20. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member May 19, 2015

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    That's why I showed both of my buckles, Des. My left one may be a fake, and it has the "Omega" off to the side like the OP's. It also has a rather wonky rivet, with excess solder, again like the OP's. I paid very little for that one. I wanted to contrast it against the other one which I believe to be 100% correct.

    My guess is that the OP's buckle is was cast from a generic steel buckle. A hole was then punched through the cast buckle and a faked Omega logo soldered in. Note how soft the "Stainless Steel" engraving is, in comparison to the "Omega". That part was punched in later.

    I highly doubt Omega would accept any buckle as OEM that was so rough around the edges.
    gatorcpa