I posted this a few days ago by mistake on the modern Omega forum. I am reposting here, sorry for the repeat.
I was looking for a part on Ofrei and came across a curious dial which is supposed to be for ref 176.0013. That surprised me, because... there is no 176.0013. It had day date Windows and 24h counter, which meant without a doubt that it was for a 1045. The dial did not have the typical grey bottom half that you can find on the 24h counter of 0012, 0015 and 0016. It was not a tv dial, because it was round, so 0014 was also out. It was not a Mark V, because it would have said so. It was not a prototype for Alaskas 1045 as far as I could tell... It also did not look like the proto recently sold at Christie's, the one with the red sweep second chrono hand in a cushion case. The Grail? Well, close, but upon closer examination, some small details indicated that this dial was made for something else... It had been used as a replacement dial on some Grails, but you can see it doesn't quite fit.
That was strange. I googled the reference and found nothing of value. Except, of course, a post by Chuck. Damn, don't we miss this guy... 176.0013 seemed to have been a prototype, Chuck didn't know what it looked like but guessed it could have been using a pilot or seamaster case.
Anybody with info about that? A picture of a mysterious prototype stolen from the X-files?
Mudler? Scully? Omega luminaries? Please help close the loop and find out what 176.0013 really was...

 

Ref. 176.0013 pulls up a set of hands and a dial for a Cal. 1045. Title of the main page for this reference is "CS STRUCTURE, DIAL SMOCKED-COLOURED LUM | 4ST1760013R"

Dial is 064PP1868500, and it is round and exactly as you describe it. If I use the dial and search what watches it was used in on the system, it says a 1760012.

Cheers, Al

 

Al, it seems indeed to be used now as a service dial for 1045. Is it common to have a whole ref just for a service dial? I find it strange that 176.0013 was left unused at the time, leaving a gap between the mark 4.5 and the tv dial. What do you think of Chuck's prototype theory?

 

Search the internet and find this on Ebay . http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131494115746Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
Maybe the fingerprints on the back would give some more info?

 

That's it rogart, sort of a clean Grail design for Mark 4.5.

 

Al, is there anything special about the hands? Are they thinner Grail type like MarkV?

 

Well it's not just for the dial, as hands are also listed. But yes it's unusual. I have no opinion on theories...never read these theories.

 

Hands are black at the base for the hour and minute hands.