My First Vintage Omega

PostwarO27 · Sep 11, 2021

Hello all,
I'm new to the forum but have been active in the horology hobby for a couple years now so I'm still learning. I've been buying old non working watches from Ebay, garage/yard sales and flea markets from the 40-60's and stripping them down and getting them running again. I just acquired my first vintage Omega...a bumper auto in a 2635-1 case with a 351 movement that I want to get running again. The serial number puts in the 1950-1951 calendar year and it doesn't seem to be from a 'collection' i.e. Seamaster, Constellation etc... Its a total mess, there is grime and grit all thru the movement. The hands move and set when I turn the crown but only slightly before there is resistance. Its probably pretty gummed up inside so I'm not going to force it.

One of the things I noticed after taking the back plate off was that the auto wind bridge looks like its brass but the rest of the movement has the classic Omega bronze color to it all be it dingy. All of the watches I've worked on were plated brass but had a stainless finish to them. Is the bronze color on the vintage Omegas a plating as well or might the auto bridge be a different material. Perhaps someone in the past tried to clean up the movement and took the plating off.

Any feedback would be helpful.

Thanks

PostwarO27

Zapatta · Sep 12, 2021

Pictures would be helpful!

Dan S · Sep 12, 2021

And maybe post in the vintage forum?

If the color of the bridges is mismatched, there are probably replacement parts from a different movement. This is pretty common when repairs were needed. Different platings were used in different movements. Not stainless obviously, but rhodium, copper, gold, and other alloys apparently. There are quite a few threads on the topic. Plating is sometimes damaged during cleaning of course, but it's not likely that the plating was damaged on only one bridge.

PostwarO27 · Sep 12, 2021

Dan S
And maybe post in the vintage forum?

If the color of the bridges is mismatched, there are probably replacement parts from a different movement. This is pretty common when repairs were needed. Different platings were used in different movements. Not stainless obviously, but rhodium, copper, gold, and other alloys apparently. There are quite a few threads on the topic. Plating is sometimes damaged during cleaning of course, but it's not likely that the plating was damaged on only one bridge.

Sorry about the wrong thread, I literally just joined a few days ago and not familiar with the interface yet.

From what I understand from your comments though is that the Omega movements are plated and not solid. Which makes it conceivable that the bridge that appears brass could be the original just with the plating rubbed/worn off by one of the previous owners. I agree that it would seem unlikely that only one of the plates/bridges would be damaged and not all of them though.

In he end, I;m not really concerned about it too much as I can always find a bridge somewhere with the plating still intact. My confusion centered more on the movements materials and the plating.

Thanks for your time.

Gstake · Sep 13, 2021

PostwarO27
Sorry about the wrong thread, I literally just joined a few days ago and not familiar with the interface yet.

From what I understand from your comments though is that the Omega movements are plated and not solid. Which makes it conceivable that the bridge that appears brass could be the original just with the plating rubbed/worn off by one of the previous owners. I agree that it would seem unlikely that only one of the plates/bridges would be damaged and not all of them though.

In he end, I;m not really concerned about it too much as I can always find a bridge somewhere with the plating still intact. My confusion centered more on the movements materials and the plating.

Thanks for your time.

My First Vintage Omega

PostwarO27

Zapatta

Dan S

PostwarO27

Gstake

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