Looking for info about an old Geneve automatic

JimInOz · Feb 18, 2020

D duubuu
Apologies, the add photo button in the editor prompts for a URL, but I've just seen the "ADD PHOTOS" button at the bottom. I will edit OP to include all photos 😀

It makes it much easier for us if the pics are hosted here.

First: they don't die when the other hosting site dies or starts charging unreasonable fees and blocking unsubscribed people.

Second: If they are on here we can download the image and enhance clarity, colour and balance to identify things not visible in the posted image.

duubuu · Feb 18, 2020

JimInOz
It makes it much easier for us if the pics are hosted here.

First: they don't die when the other hosting site dies or starts charging unreasonable fees and blocking unsubscribed people.

Second: If they are on here we can download the image and enhance clarity, colour and balance to identify things not visible in the posted image.

I can't put them on here, I think they are too high res to load correctly. Only 1 file will insert, and it is the one that I cropped slightly. I understand why link-rot is nasty, but typically forum webmasters prefer if someone else pays for the hosting of large files, rather than hosting themselves. It's very nice of this forum to allow that, though. I can either re-export them at lower resolution or they can be downloaded at full res from flickr in the bottom right.

I've added the (slightly) lower res files to OP, if you want to download them at full res from flickr feel free 😀

Spruce · Feb 18, 2020

I’m inclined to suggest that the dial is a later one.

I’ve five Geneves, all 1968-1970, and all have the single bar 12 marker, not the double as in @duubuu's post.

I googled 10** and 1481 movements and there were examples of the 'double top' shown. Ranfft says all made 1972-1980/1984. I’d go for one of these.

duubuu · Feb 18, 2020

Spruce
I’m inclined to suggest that the dial is a later one.

I’ve five Geneves, all 1968-1970, and all have the single bar 12 marker, not the double as in @duubuu's post.

I googled 10** and 1481 movements and there were examples of the 'double top' shown. Ranfft says all made 1972-1980/1984. I’d go for one of these.

This 1481 movement example appears to be very similar, down to the ~~main face~~(my mistake it has the other logo and a thicker date box) and the back - https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-geneve-166-0118-auto-stainless-with-beads-of-rice.54316/

The obvious difference is the case shape, and a more subtle difference are the hour markers. They appear similar, but seem to be lacking the gap at the middle end of the marker, and they look to have a raised centre black marking, rather than the flat or slightly indented black marking on mine. It is a small difference, but I am yet to find any other example with the same markers which still perplexes me. Could it really be that its just an uncommon variant? Surely it would be possible to find a picture of one with the same markers after a couple of hours of trawling...

padders · Feb 18, 2020

The final piece of the puzzle is the caseback shown in the watch in the DavidT sales post you link to above. I think I have found your mystery Geneve, or at least something very similar. As you suggest this used the short lived collaboration movement, the 1481 which is part Tissot, part Omega. I think what you have is an early 1970s 166.098. There are subtle differences in the pics that google throws up for this reference, I think it straddled the era when they changed the logo and went from applied to painted but I do think this ticks most of the boxes.

Here is one that was sold with more pics, looks a lot like your dial and caseback

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/omega-geneve-ss-vintage-automatic-478413129

JimInOz · Feb 18, 2020

D duubuu
...........................Surely it would be possible to find a picture of one with the same markers after a couple of hours of trawling...

A couple of hours? Sometimes I've spent a couple of days (or more) checking out a watch before buying.

padders
The final piece of the puzzle is the caseback shown in the watch in the DavidT sales post you link to above. I think I have found your mystery Geneve, or at least something very similar. As you suggest this used the short lived collaboration movement, the 1481 which is part Tissot, part Omega. I think what you have is an early 1970s 166.098. There are subtle differences in the pics that google throws up for this reference, I think it straddled the era when they changed the logo and went from applied to painted but I do think this ticks most of the boxes.

Here is one that was sold with more pics, looks a lot like your dial and caseback

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/omega-geneve-ss-vintage-automatic-478413129

I think we can call it "BINGO" until the OP has provided inside pics of caseback and movement.

duubuu · Feb 18, 2020

JimInOz
A couple of hours? Sometimes I've spent a couple of days (or more) checking out a watch before buying.

I think we can call it "BINGO" until the OP has provided inside pics of caseback and movement.

I too would spend considerably more time researching before buying a watch, but I find it hard to believe that an element of a relatively common watch is so rare that even after looking through thousands of examples not a single one has the same element. Anyway, I think that padders' call seems pretty good, but I'm not 100% convinced. I will consider if I want to open it up and investigate more. I will phone around some watch repair places near me and see what kind of money they want to let me have a peek inside, hopefully nothing too ridiculous.

Thanks a lot for the help 😀

Spruce · Feb 18, 2020

Let us know the outcome. Take a photo of the movement and post it.

Looking for info about an old Geneve automatic

JimInOz

duubuu

Spruce

duubuu

padders

JimInOz

duubuu

Spruce

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