Hello, all...My name is Jeff and this is my first post here.
I am a fairly new “watch nut”...i own about 50 watches and I REALLY love tinkering with them.
I just purchased my first Omega at a local thrift shop. The case and crystal are in really great shape, but it does not run (probably in need of a good cleaning service).
Can you guys tell me what model it is, what it might be worth and any advice on how to get it running nicely?…from the number on the movement, I’m guessing it was made somewhere around the early 1940’s? Is this a military watch?
I held the watch under a light for about a minute before taking the picture showing the lume.
Thanks!

 

Thrift Shop Find
Wow.
It looks to me to be genuine, possibly military although without seeing caseback markings hard to say for sure.
Dial appears to be original, I'd have to check on the logo style though.
It looks to have been well kept and maintained.
I think it's a cal 231SC, it will need a movement clean and oil which will detect any problems (broken pivot?)

Great find, I'm jealous

 

It's a reference 4044 as shown on the inside of the case back. I think that's a caliber 30t2 from 1942, [EDIT: I see Jim nailed it above as a 213SC] but it looks to be missing the bridge for the indirect seconds as seen in the center of this photo:





It's also a refinished dial.

 

Dial is refinished.

 

Ih the lume the immediate giveaway?

 

Refinished dial...does this mean that it is radium-free?

 

A couple more shots.

 

Missed the intense lume

 

S'alright. Some of us have guessed at the caliber inside a watch as, say, a 56x even when the dial didn't say AUTOMATIC on it anywhere.

Yes, it's probably superluminova.

 

That's actually a 23.4SC first center seconds mechanical movement.

 

Hi,
No doubt on the caliber, it's a [edit typo : 23.4]SC. Ref 4044 is a nice one from the 40's. On yours, the dial and probably the hands are not original.

Here is mine, with an original dial and hands :

 

Ah yes. < 1944.

So when did it become 231, post 1949?

 

Yes, the numbering system changed in 1949.

 

It's not missing anything - there is no bridge on this design. The two common designs of indirect seconds are with bridge and without. If it has a bridge, the friction spring is typically under the pinion pushing the pivot up into the jewel on the bridge. If it does not have a bridge like this one (and all the 550 series watches) the spring is on top of the pinion pushing it towards the dial side.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks so much for the replies...now i must get it running and pick a nice strap for it...any suggestions?
I have a lot of homework to do on this site =)

 

A black pigskin strap would be the proper choice for the age and style. There are a few interesting choices.. military style straps on ebay.