Looking to Learn More About a 1916-23 Art Deco Skeleton Omega

Jessica · Feb 14, 2012

Hey Everyone-

I just purchased a vintage Omega wrist watch as a gift, and was hoping to learn more about this watch. I read in one place that watches similar to this one used to be pocket watch, and it has since been modified to become a wrist watch. I'm not sure if this is reliable information, and would love to learn more about it. Any info, background and education you can send my way will be greatly appreciated.

I bought this watch on eBay, and have the following information on it:
Omega Antique 1916-23 Swiss Gold-Plated Art Deco Mens Watch Omega Skeleton

Technical information:
* Diameter of the case: 48 mm
* Diameter of the case with crown: 53 mm
* Diameter of the dial: 40 mm
* Thickness: 15 mm
* Band size: 22 mm

Information received on watch:
I bring to your attention; very rare antique Swiss collectables, ART DECO unique mechanical men’s wrist watch OMEGA SKELETON decorated with the highest quality. It is improbably wonderful and rarest Omega Skeleton! This watch from pocket was altered in wrist watch. M ENGRAVINGany watchmakers tried re-made pocket watches into wristwatches. But you understand; the military operations and Time incidents, couldn't able to protect an old watch-case in good condition.The stainless steel case, new custom made, fantastic, builds specially for this excellent OMEGA movement. This watch have beautiful high-grade movement with rare caliber 18 SPB, and which signed OMEGA and serial number 5702933. This serial number dates this watch 1916-1923 as per published production numbers. In such excellent condition comes across very seldom! The gold-plated movement handwork engraved. This beautiful wristwatch has the original magic gold-plated movement in an excellent status which was very well saved, considering age of this watch and has been in addition updated and engraved by the craftsman. Each part of the mechanism, each millimeter it is decorated by a magnificent magic ornament. The bridges have in addition to extensive skeletonization have been gorgeously engraved as well. On face side and back side, dome glass is crystal. To the watch a watchband is added in a gift. The watch has been restored, checked and calibrated by a master watchmaker and is in good running condition. This unique watch was kept till our time in excellent condition. Photos are of the actual watch. Getting such thing you do good capital investment. Every year the price for them will increase only! This watch is a stylish acquisition for collectors, 100% satisfaction, and good present or for everyday use!

dsio · Feb 14, 2012

I've been meaning to actually write something about these, its an old pocket watch movement that's worth almost nothing, with holes cut into it to make it look more impressive, put in a cheap steel case with a cheap strap on it, hate to say it but this wasn't worth a fraction of the $1000 they charged.

ulackfocus · Feb 14, 2012

Jessica: where was the seller of the watch located? I hope it wasn't the Ukraine.

dsio · Feb 14, 2012

Its this guy from the Ukraine, he's got an endless supply of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-191...&ssPageName=RSS:B:SHOP:US:101#ht_12647wt_1219

ulackfocus · Feb 14, 2012

dsio
Its this guy from the Ukraine, he's got an endless supply of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-191...&ssPageName=RSS:B:SHOP:US:101#ht_12647wt_1219

Oh no. Jessica, can you return it? The terms do say 100% satisfaction. You could do so much better with that amount of funds. Not that it isn't a good looking watch, but it's not worth anywhere near that sum.

Jessica · Feb 14, 2012

Wow, thanks everyone. That's a huge help. I'll see what I can do, to get this worked out. If you have any suggestions on a great resource for purchasing vintage/antique watches, I'm all ears. I've always been an Omega person, but am open to any quality vintage men's watch. This is a gift that is for someone who has everything, so I'm looking outside the box for a unique gift.

ulackfocus · Feb 14, 2012

I think you're on the right track with a vintage Omega. 👍 We can help you vet the candidates if you post pics or a link to the listings, whether on eBay or elsewhere.

dsio · Feb 14, 2012

Check out the bidding on this other one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-FANCY-...776563472?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item27c3138f10

Someone's actually going to pay over $1,400 for that thing, same guy in Kiev. Guy clearly knows how to use an engraving machine but he just swamps his ads with so much fluff and waffle that its VERY hard to see the fact that he is actually decorating old pocket watches and slapping them into his own cases.

This is the kind of thing I'd expect as a novelty at a flea market not being sold as an Omega watch.

DETMAANGUSTA · Oct 6, 2015

These watches are interesting. This is not one of the best examples.
I have been watching this group designing watches now for about ten years. During that time they have become increasingly professional in the selection of their design themes and the execution of their designs. Other brands are also recreated with new case designs and high quality re-manufactured movements. What they are doing, at the level of the quality that is now being achieved is difficult and special. Of course traditional watch enthusiasts who are collectors or in the business see it as a challenge to their sacred cows. In some cases extremely advance manufacturing technologies are being used. It will be difficult for the watch industry to duplicate some of these designs at a commercial price.

Then there is the charm. They are one-off, pieces of art work, sculpture if you may that moves and tells time. Little time machines made of metal and glass with a leather band.

They are getting better and better, some are very well done, artistic in character and impressive. All are experimental jewelry art, some marching along to what is avant garde in the watch design profession. Because they are avant garde not all of them are wonderful, but some are. Pick that one and you will have a watch that in company of new much more expensive timepieces will receive much more interest, because they are historic. Old movements that have been "saved". Encapsulated in a new case that is unique and "The only one".

They are making one-off watches, which is what happened in the beginning of the industry. For this they are being criticised. It is also interesting that the corporate watch designers have recently been inspired by antique and historic watches in many ways.

DETMANGUSTA

JimInOz · Oct 6, 2015

lillatroll · Oct 6, 2015

D DETMAANGUSTA
These watches are interesting. This is not one of the best examples.
I have been watching this group designing watches now for about ten years. During that time they have become increasingly professional in the selection of their design themes and the execution of their designs. Other brands are also recreated with new case designs and high quality re-manufactured movements. What they are doing, at the level of the quality that is now being achieved is difficult and special. Of course traditional watch enthusiasts who are collectors or in the business see it as a challenge to their sacred cows. In some cases extremely advance manufacturing technologies are being used. It will be difficult for the watch industry to duplicate some of these designs at a commercial price.

Then there is the charm. They are one-off, pieces of art work, sculpture if you may that moves and tells time. Little time machines made of metal and glass with a leather band.

They are getting better and better, some are very well done, artistic in character and impressive. All are experimental jewelry art, some marching along to what is avant garde in the watch design profession. Because they are avant garde not all of them are wonderful, but some are. Pick that one and you will have a watch that in company of new much more expensive timepieces will receive much more interest, because they are historic. Old movements that have been "saved". Encapsulated in a new case that is unique and "The only one".

They are making one-off watches, which is what happened in the beginning of the industry. For this they are being criticised. It is also interesting that the corporate watch designers have recently been inspired by antique and historic watches in many ways.

DETMANGUSTA

I think the main issue here is that they are being sold as something they are not and the sellers are misleading people who don't know any better. If the "artisans" who make these items believe in their work then they should not feel the need to try to deceive people and describe them as something they are not. They are nothing more than scoundrels and ruffians in my opinion.

dsio · Oct 6, 2015

D DETMAANGUSTA
These watches are interesting. This is not one of the best examples.
I have been watching this group designing watches now for about ten years. During that time they have become increasingly professional in the selection of their design themes and the execution of their designs. Other brands are also recreated with new case designs and high quality re-manufactured movements. What they are doing, at the level of the quality that is now being achieved is difficult and special. Of course traditional watch enthusiasts who are collectors or in the business see it as a challenge to their sacred cows. In some cases extremely advance manufacturing technologies are being used. It will be difficult for the watch industry to duplicate some of these designs at a commercial price.

Then there is the charm. They are one-off, pieces of art work, sculpture if you may that moves and tells time. Little time machines made of metal and glass with a leather band.

They are getting better and better, some are very well done, artistic in character and impressive. All are experimental jewelry art, some marching along to what is avant garde in the watch design profession. Because they are avant garde not all of them are wonderful, but some are. Pick that one and you will have a watch that in company of new much more expensive timepieces will receive much more interest, because they are historic. Old movements that have been "saved". Encapsulated in a new case that is unique and "The only one".

They are making one-off watches, which is what happened in the beginning of the industry. For this they are being criticised. It is also interesting that the corporate watch designers have recently been inspired by antique and historic watches in many ways.

DETMANGUSTA

I'm sorry but that's nonsense. These are not one offs, the cases they use are mass produced in China and the entire "kit" to convert one of these movements to a wristwatch costs $2 if you order in units of 500 or more, Alibaba is full of them. The quality is utter garbage, its cheap cast metal with no effort at all going into it. Cutting holes in a movement and pretending you're doing something magical is no different from my nephew making christmas tree decorations out of old egg cartons, these people are not Armin Strom, they're hacks.

DETMAANGUSTA · Oct 6, 2015

dsio
I'm sorry but that's nonsense. These are not one offs, the cases they use are mass produced in China and the entire "kit" to convert one of these movements to a wristwatch costs $2 if you order in units of 500 or more, Alibaba is full of them. The quality is utter garbage, its cheap cast metal with no effort at all going into it. Cutting holes in a movement and pretending you're doing something magical is no different from my nephew making christmas tree decorations out of old egg cartons, these people are not Armin Strom, they're hacks.

You are not talking about the same watches that I am.
Tell the egg carton story to Andy Warhol or any other contemporary artist that takes common elements and adds artistic content. That is what I am talking about, not kits on Alibaba.

dsio · Oct 6, 2015

D DETMAANGUSTA
You are not talking about the same watches that I am.
Tell the egg carton story to Andy Warhol or any other contemporary artist that takes common elements and adds artistic content. That is what I am talking about, not kits on Alibaba.

I'm talking about the watches in the original post... which watches are you talking about?

gatorcpa · Oct 6, 2015

D DETMAANGUSTA
These watches are interesting. This is not one of the best examples.
I have been watching this group designing watches now for about ten years. During that time they have become increasingly professional in the selection of their design themes and the execution of their designs. Other brands are also recreated with new case designs and high quality re-manufactured movements. What they are doing, at the level of the quality that is now being achieved is difficult and special. Of course traditional watch enthusiasts who are collectors or in the business see it as a challenge to their sacred cows. In some cases extremely advance manufacturing technologies are being used. It will be difficult for the watch industry to duplicate some of these designs at a commercial price.

Then there is the charm. They are one-off, pieces of art work, sculpture if you may that moves and tells time. Little time machines made of metal and glass with a leather band.

They are getting better and better, some are very well done, artistic in character and impressive. All are experimental jewelry art, some marching along to what is avant garde in the watch design profession. Because they are avant garde not all of them are wonderful, but some are. Pick that one and you will have a watch that in company of new much more expensive timepieces will receive much more interest, because they are historic. Old movements that have been "saved". Encapsulated in a new case that is unique and "The only one".

They are making one-off watches, which is what happened in the beginning of the industry. For this they are being criticised. It is also interesting that the corporate watch designers have recently been inspired by antique and historic watches in many ways.

DETMANGUSTA

They are being criticized for false advertising and exorbitant pricing, not for lack of craftsmanship.

The question in my mind is whether these things would run past their return period. I can see the work that went into the creation. I can't see whether they have been properly maintained or serviced over the last 80 or so years.

So to ask for over $1,000 for one of these seems more like preying on the ignorant more than anything else. Price them at $200 and I would have a totally different attitute.

Methinks one doth protest too much.
gatorcpa

DETMAANGUSTA · Oct 6, 2015

dsio
I'm talking about the watches in the original post... which watches are you talking about?

I stated right at the beginning what I was talking about, only one-off special watches. I have a wonderful hand made movement, signed, made in the late 1800s with the original enamel dial and hands that has been preserved and installed in a unique and new stainless case that has wonderful graphics and form language. It a real piece of art work, any watch enthusiast finds it captivating as it also has a back observation window. The sound of this hand made piece is amazing, almost as good as an LT1 twin-turbo Corvette at six grand.

To be clear, just read my piece again, I am not trying to insult you or lead people to spend money on junk. Like everything else some people will buy in ignorance. When I bought the watch described above I was assured that it ran and it was in excellent mechanical condition and it was. There always has to be some trust. At my discretion I wear a piece of horological history, more important to me than anyone else that I know.

Those are the watches that I am talking about.

DETMANGUSTA

Mouse_at_Large · Oct 6, 2015

“Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.”

and

“There's a sucker born every minute.”

Both attributed to P.T.Barnum and somewhat apposite to this thread 😗

With regard to my own personal thoughts, if the op likes the watch, is happy with the price paid, then wear it in good health. Just don't expect everyone else to share your opinion. Shilling the product however, endears a poster to no-one.

vinn2 · Oct 6, 2015

i had this same question with kiev clone LEICA came_as -------- O.K. if the p_ice is low

Davidt · Oct 6, 2015

If you like the look of the watch and are happy with the price, then all is well.

IMO however there are two things to remember.

1. It is not an Omega watch. It's an Omega movement in a generic case/dial/hands etc.

2. If you came to sell at any point, it is very likely that you would take a huge hit on the price.

Personally, I'd be looking at the trusted sellers in the FS section here for a nice, original vintage Omega.

dsio · Oct 6, 2015

D DETMAANGUSTA
I stated right at the beginning what I was talking about, only one-off special watches. I have a wonderful hand made movement, signed, made in the late 1800s with the original enamel dial and hands that has been preserved and installed in a unique and new stainless case that has wonderful graphics and form language. It a real piece of art work, any watch enthusiast finds it captivating as it also has a back observation window. The sound of this hand made piece is amazing, almost as good as an LT1 twin-turbo Corvette at six grand.

To be clear, just read my piece again, I am not trying to insult you or lead people to spend money on junk. Like everything else some people will buy in ignorance. When I bought the watch described above I was assured that it ran and it was in excellent mechanical condition and it was. There always has to be some trust. At my discretion I wear a piece of horological history, more important to me than anyone else that I know.

Those are the watches that I am talking about.

DETMANGUSTA

If you want to post a picture I'd be curious to see it

Looking to Learn More About a 1916-23 Art Deco Skeleton Omega

Jessica

dsio

ulackfocus

dsio

ulackfocus

Jessica

ulackfocus

dsio

DETMAANGUSTA

JimInOz

lillatroll

dsio

DETMAANGUSTA

dsio

gatorcpa

DETMAANGUSTA

Mouse_at_Large

vinn2

Davidt

dsio

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