Hello Everyone


This is my first post to this forum. The pictures I'm posting are of my Omega watch which I purchased NEW in 1967. Those living in the UK may remember back then there was an Army Surplus Stores called "Wakefields" on many High Streets and it was from there I purchased it for £6 new!! I was an apprentice back then and it was the equivalent of a week's wages at the time.

I read with interest many things about these watches on this forum. Firstly let me say it was my main watch for about 10 years and I put it through hard times wearing it to work etc. I must have broken the glass at one stage as currently it appears to be acrylic??...I genuinely forget. Eventually, as you do, I purchased another watch and this has been in a cupboard at home for the last 43 years not seeing the light of day, so I've had it from new for 53 years.

As can be seen it has a white dial (cream with age) the 12 o'clock numeral is fading and it has swiss made written at the bottom of the dial.

Currently it's not working I'm not sure why, as it is intact....maybe overwound?? In any event I'm going to bring it into a mainstream jeweller who stocks high end watches to include Omega and get it overhauled...about this I have a few questions.

1) Should it be real glass/crystal?
2) Is it worth repairing or should I leave it alone?
3) If I do go ahead I fancy a NATO type strap 16mm...would this be an era correct choice?
4) Any recommendations?


View attachment 998102

 

I remember Wakefields well, in Manchester when I was a kid. Whereabouts are you in the UK? Folks here might be able to suggest much better alternatives than your jeweller for service/repair. Lovely watch and great that you still have it direct from the army and navy stores.

 

Hi and thank you for your comment...I purchased it in Alfreton, Derbys....however I now live in Galway, Ireland, there is a very reputable jeweller in Galway with all TOP brands in stock. I've used them before for my Tag Heur , which I purchased off them. I agree it is a nice touch that it came from a surplus retail outlet rather than a jewellers...I like it a lot but it may be expensive to get going and an Omega NATO strap is £130-€150

 

Welcome, @Stinky! Lovely story behind your watch and thanks for sharing it with us.

Your jeweller may well stock high end watches, but what you need is a watchmaker who is both sympathetic to vintage omegas and has an Omega parts account. They need to be instructed to hand polish only on the case and service the watch. Please do double check that they are confident about doing the work before you proceed.

Regarding the strap, David at www.vintagewatchstraps.com specialises in hand-finished leather one-piece straps for precisely your kind of watch. A 16mm NATO will look great, but is not period correct since those straps didn’t come in until the 1970s. In WW2 pilots tended to wear theirs on leather or Bonklip expandable bracelets (which aren’t especially popular these days - for one thing, they can damage the lugs of your watch). I ordered the RAF style one in chestnut brown leather for my later RAF piece (a Smiths 6B from 1968). His straps are excellent quality and the product of a lot of research into the appropriate designs of the time.

When all is done, show us the results back here! It’s a lovely piece and well done you for wanting to get it running again.

My strap for reference:



Best of luck!

 

Thank you for your comment Wilderbeast...If the strap maker is the man in Cheshire I was actually looking at his straps last night. I think I will go ahead and get it running and pay heed to your stipulations. It's like an old friend from my childhood and that gives me the motivation...I saved no other toys...LOL

 

Agree on the recommendation you should avoid the high end jeweler because they might want to make your watch look new, which would destroy its value.
You need to seek a professional watchmaker, you moreover need one who’s used to dealing with vintage watches and not do aggressive renovations on them. Your watch has a great history and the last thing you want is to make it look like new.
What you need is simply a movement service to remove the oils that have blended with dust and seized up - and that might well be all that’s blocking the movement.
you do not want anything done to the outside of the case. And I’m not sure you really need the watchmaker in question to have an Omega part account, because what’s inside this watch is one of Omega’s workhorse movement of the period. There were millions made over a couple of decades and if parts are needed you should find what’s needed on Ebay or various other places.

The crystal on this should be acrylic and easily replaced.

For a watch like this is may be possible to get recommendations for an independent watchmaker in Galway, however people also often ship out watches when needed to get it serviced by the right person.

@ChrisN here is a watchmaker in the UK who comes highly recommended and he will be respectful when it comes to preserving the originality of the watch.

Very nice watch, have it serviced and enjoy it!

 

Thank you Syrte, your advice seems well weighted in favour of preservation and authenticity...I realise the watch has a value, but I'm sentimental and it's a keeper so whilst value can't be ignored I wholeheartedly agree with you neither can the history of the watch in my ownership. Thank you especially for the info about the acrylic....I actually thought I may have broken the crystal and a dud replacement was done but it appears this was not the case and the watch is original as purchased.

 

Ireland isn't blessed with a huge selection of watchmakers but try John Donohoe at thevintagewatch.net in Kilkenny (from memory) or if you are sending it then Simon Freese in UK

 

Thank you Obstando...useful to know.

 

Lug width on ‘56 recase is 17mm.
Nice watch; always follow Syrte’s advice.

 

I measured again just now it and it's definitely 16mm lug width?? Thank you for your recommendation.

 

Sorry, dennison recased 56s are all 17mm. Longines, JLC, Omega and Smiths all.

 

Well here you go at my end... my only point being it will only take a 16mm strap as in my case 17mm would be too big?? The 12 oclock end is a tad wider but not 17mm

Have to agree yours would actually be over 17mm looking at the position of your zero?

View attachment 998752

 

I would measure directly at the lug bar rather than further inside as you have it now. I concur, that Dennison case has 17mm lugs but obviously there is some room for QC variance.

 

Thanks again, please don't take from my posts that I'm disputing anything just putting forward photos of what I actually have. I totally accept that 17 mm is the stated dimension but as you can see a 17mm strap would be pinched in my particular case. Like I said to Larry G I reckon his watch case not sure which make (maybe all same?) could actually be a tad wider than 17mm. In any event the strap is the concern not a who's right or wrong. I will go with a 16 mm strap for the case/lugs I have.

 

Cool. BTW the white dial '56's are substantially rarer than the black dial ones and command a premium on the open market.

 

Prefer the white dials as well.

 

If you put leather or nylon on it, you can get away with a bit of “pinching”. They are supple materials. My Smiths above is on an 18mm strap. There is also an eBay seller that makes NATOs in 17mm width (marketed for Smiths W10 owners) - another option for you.

 

Thank you again....Yes I did actually notice the pinching of your strap (RH Side) in the photo...with leather it is likely to expand with sweat etc over time maybe the nylon/?? versions are more stable in maintaining their width?? Lots to consider...era....material...dimensions. All helpful especially from those who have gone through the process.

 

Very beautiful model you have !
I bought a 7 USD 16mm NATO on eBay and it fits very well.