Hi All,

I'm new here so be gentle. I didn't really have an interest in watches just a few months ago, but now I find myself looking at them fairly often. Anyway, I really liked the 1940's Omega 30T2SC watches in the various styles so started watching a few on eBay (I know what you're thinking, here we go). I ended up buying a 1944 30T2SC in what looked to be decent condition and I was told that it kept good time.

Now my question is - what would you consider as keeping good time on this movement?

I've monitored mine and it seems to be out by 2-3 minutes over 24 hrs, almost all of the variance came from it sitting on a desk between 7.30pm - 7.30am, the following 12hrs or so on my wrist it hardly deviated.

I am now going to monitor it again for the following 24hrs. I might try place it elsewhere as it is near computers/speakers on the desk I mentioned, which I suppose could affect it.

Service history is unknown - it is on my list of things to do if I know the watch is worth keeping.

Anyway, your thoughts are welcome!

 

Watches keep different time depending on their orientation to gravity. While any old watch procured with no service history should be serviced, try putting it on your desk a different way.

It's also not a good idea for watches to be near magnets. Id keep it at least 1.5-2 feet or more away from speakers.

 

I am not an expert in watches of this era but I would think that a properly serviced and regulated watch (that is not chronometer certified) could keep time in the +/- 20sec/day range.

 

You cannot expect similar performance between two otherwise identical movements once they have reached that age. One could have been carefully serviced the first many years of its life, while the other could have been neglected and the parts of the movement slowly worn down.

The 30mm family of watches are all capable of very good results re. time keeping IF they are properly maintained - it is a near certainty that your new purchase haven't been serviced by a competent watchmaker for some time, so not only will time keeping most likely be poor, but you will also slowly destroy parts of the movement, making a service and adjustment less effective and possibly more costly.

I'd say that @Jones in LA is probably pretty accurate (badamm-tiiiisch!) in his proposed range. If the watch hasn't been abused, a good watchmaker could likely get it running a fair bit less inaccurately.

 

This one from 1944 was fairly clean inside and must have benefited from maintenance to some extent for it can be worn Monday through Friday and still be within a minute. It probably comes in at a little under Jones in LA's +/- 20sec/day range.





Computers can play havoc with watches' accuracy. Don't ask how I know that.

 

Keeping good time is generally lo losing or gaining under 20 seconds per day, over a min, it is a sign the watch needs a service

 

I keep a three minutes/24 hrs rule for a vintage watch. More than that is not convenient or practical.

 

Thanks guys.

The second 24hrs of testing with the watch in a different location away from computers/magnets yielded the same results. On my wrist I'd say it's fairly accurate, I didn't notice a variance whenever I checked.

I'll get it serviced and go from there.

 

Mine is a bit better than 15s a day post service but movement was in excellent condition even beforehand

 

Love that! I'm lusting over so many watches of this era. Are the hands original on that?

 

Haha,yes, im lusting after more watches from the era too. Yes the pontife hands did come on some of these from the era.

 

Nice.

These are the two I'm lusting over at the moment

 

This is stunning!

 

Hi,

As said above, there is no general answer. It depends ont the watch condition and the service history. But in any case, a watch with a 2/3 minutes variations per day needs a service.

I also would like to say that the real criteria is rather the delta over 6 positions. I have 30 cal. watches (after I serviced them) with a delta as low as 15 or even 10 secs a day over 6 positions.