Hello! I am new to collecting clocks and have recently acquired this Omega 8 Day Clock with a black face and wonderful artwork. It says, "Mare Oceano" and "Tropicus Cancri". It has the initials JPM in the lower right hand corner. I did wind it a little and it ran for a while, but it stopped. It's in nice condition. Would this piece need a clock repair or a watch repair/servicer? Also, is this a collectible clock? Any ideas of value? I haven't seen anything like it anywhere to get information. Thank you for your time and expertise! Fran
Well the movement was a US market movement as shown by the OXG marking. 11m serial puts it about 1947. As for when and where the face was and case was made I’m not sure, it’s out of my knowledge.
I agree with @Foo2rama, but would probably date the serial a bit later, the 11 million series was used (in low production quantities) up to 1953. The case and dial were made for Omega's American market by Jean-Pierre Matthey-Claudet, thus the JPM on the dial. The movement is a caliber 42.9 8D REV CLEF 15P 42.9 = diameter in mm 8D = 8 Days run time REV = Revision (?) CLEF = Key wind 15P = 15 jewelled movement @OMTOM may be able to add more info (or correct anything I've written). Cheers Jim
PS: It will need the services of a watchmaker, rather than a clockmaker. It is reasonably rare and often sought after by Omega clock collectors. Value would be considerable, compared to other standard clocks of that era.
Very good Jim. Just one comment: two versions of this movement were made (each of which was either ‘clef’/key-wound or ‘remontoir’/stem-wound. The difference was that some had an alarm – which in French is réveil, hence the ‘REV’. Image below. This movement is not a REV, so it is a 42.9 8-D CLEF 15p version (the movement was made by Lemania). A successful movement – which replaced the 59-8D SCS (later Cal.120) jump second movement. So the clocks appear similar – but the 42.9 clocks are of course smaller. As Foo2rama points out, the OXG marking gives it away as having been for the US market. Indeed most (maybe all?) of the 42.9 clocks were intended for the US market – with dials that were appropriate. There were many different dials for both the 59-8D SCS and the 42.9 – and JPM was involved in the production of some of these (and then signed ‘JPM’). But there were also many (the majority) that were not JPM. And his dials were also on 59-8D SCS clocks that were not specifically for the US. And only in passing, Jean-Pierre Matthey-Claudet was clearly very skilled: before his (later) years creating not only dials but also other artistic items, he was ‘master watchmaker’ with Omega, involved in the design and production of the 30mm and later the 30i, amongst other things. Sorry, a long answer! Tom
I think this version was still produced later than that. I have clocks with similar (1106XXXX) movements dating 1954.
Thanks for the feedback . Once again a great explanation, and makes me understand, that even at my age, you never stop learning. And you don't have to apologise for long answers at all, I like them as long as they're interesting or informative, or both.
Too true. Served on a couple of carriers when I was younger. They were big enough to have a complete band on board, including a couple of buglers. How I came to hate that rousing call every morning, even the times when I was on watch and had been awake for five or six hours. Kinda miss it though.
True that Jim. But on the other side, I remember one cold winter evening I was on base patrol and I approached the edge of the parade ground just as the Last Post (our equivalent to Taps) started. I stood there at attention/salute in the still night as the sounds of the bugle seemed to wrap around me with the mist rising from the grass around the borders. One of my favourite memories of my early service life.
Not to hijack a beautiful clock thread...……..but, If you ever get to Washington, D.C., the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or "Taps" at an Honors Burial with horse-drawn caissons at Arlington make you feel the Brotherhood. Back to clocks, I love, love this example but my Queen has already banned it from the list, says clocks take up too damn much room..