My grandfather recently died and we found this watch in his possessions. However, we know nothing about it.

It looks like some kind of 1930s or 1940s model but identifying it is proving a challenge. We are also unsure of its authenticity. It still works perfectly, movement is manual.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Take it to a jeweler or watch maker and have them remove the case back and find the reference. Google the ref. number and that will give you the information you are looking for.

 

If we're taking bets, I'm guessing it is a ref. 2383 from the fifties

It has been redialed at some point, but otherwise looks nice and correct.

 

The watch looks authentic, but it seems some work has been done on it over the decades, so this is a guessing game.

What's the diameter of the case?

What I can see from the pictures it's a case that looks like a CK 2383 or 2384 case reference.

The movement has a central second (no subdial counter) and so might be a cal. 30T2 SC, which would only be matching the 2384 case ref.

The dial has been repainted and reprinted and I haven't seen one exactly like this on a ref. 2384 before, but the printing falls into the 40s designs. Considering the redialer tried to replace the original printing best he could I'd think this might be a mid to late 40s watch.

The hour markers on the dial have a gold tone (and it seems they were painted along with the dial and cleaned from this paint afterwards). The hour and minute hands appear matching a mid to late 40s watch, but they are white and so usually don't go with the hour markers, so most likely they were swapped.

The crown might be original.

As has been said above, the only way to find out the truth about case reference and production date is to have the watch opened...

 

looks like a redial to me. not the best ive ever seen, but defiantly not the worst

 

Sorry To hear about your grandfather. Redial aside, it’s a lovely 40’s style watch that appears in excellent shape. I would find a local watchmaker (not a jeweler), and have it serviced- shouldn’t cost more than $125-150 for a clean and lube provided it doesn’t need any parts. If you don’t have a watchmaker near you, ask here and you can get tons of recommendations of people to whom to send.
Don’t get stuck on originality or value, it’s your grandfathers watch. If you want to wear it as a dresser watch, get a nice padded croc strap which would be era appropriate (rios1931 makes both croc stamped leather or real croc depending on your budget and they are a a steal for the value) or put it on a Nato strap to dress it down and wear with t-shirt and jeans- or both.

I have over 40 watches, but my grandfather’s gold filled Gruen which isn’t worth $60 is still in my collection, serviced and in rotation at least once every few months.

Enjoy it and welcome to the collective.
James

 

Thanks for the replies. After many months it is back from Omega Switzerland including the extract of the archives.

Out if interest how frequently should this watch require winding?

 

Each morning before you put it back on.

Tom

 

What did they do to it at Omega?

 

Where did its beautiful hands go

Also hope those lugs arent as rounded as they seem.

Edit:
Though I guess as a redial in the first place, you probably aren’t that concerned by a change in hands.

 

How nice to have it serviced and running properly again - I hope you get some enjoyment from it. It looks good and should now be reliable plus, the extract is a nice touch.

Not everyone here will use Omega to service and repair their watches because they like to keep all the heritage and prefer minimum intrusion, re-finishing and changes but, that doesn't apply to everyone. If you are not a collector, then this is a safe way to go, in my opinion. Enjoy your watch.

Regards, Chris

 

Thanks for the tip about rios1931. A quick look at their site shows they have organic vegetable died leather straps. Something we should all consider, what are we putting on our skin, what are the strap makers needing to work with day in and day out. I am going to look into this more

 

Did you send the watch to Omega to check their archives to find the information? or did you send it to them for a service?

 

At least the hands have been replaced, so probably more was done.

 

Yes, sent to omega for service and the archive extract.

Its monetary value and originality for collectors was of no interest personally, I wanted it properly maintained and a fuller picture of its history.

The other hands and all parts were returned to me. Based on a receipt I found I think it had some non-genuine maintenance in its past so I was keen to get it sorted properly so it will last another 70 years!