Hi all! I've been a lurker on this forum for advice, but never asked before. Thank you for the add and hope to be more involved soon since I've recently started collecting vintage Omegas.

I have a few questions about this Omega 321 Chronograph CK2279-1 170-1 (per case back) and wanted to seek the immense collective knowledge of more seasoned collectors. I am searching for a good example from the bay since I wanted a caliber 321 before the re-issue. This came up and with some negotiations with the seller, I could get it at a good price.

However...is this Omega a redial/restored dial and/or re-lume? I've been trying to research on my own, but with some limited success. I see some examples from auctions...etc. But never with lume dots. Also, the word "Tachymetre" is spelled "Tachymeter". Was this ever done officially by Omega?

The 321 movement in this beauty is an early 11,497,xxx engraved white 321, with OXG, meaning it was an US import.

Does anyone see any red flag issues with this example? The seller states that this is an original dial and he has 100% feedback in the thousands from selling vintage watches.





Here is an example of a similar dial from an Antiquorum auction that closed:



I see similarities in the dials, especially the font, spacing, and lines. But there are also differences, including not having lume dots. This example is also a pre-321, but I know cases and movements around the 1940's can be used interchangeably.

Thank you for your collective help! I hope to be MUCH more involved in these forums as I get my collection growing.

 

It's a redial. A poor poor redial. Looks like it was written with a Sharpie. Good to check in before buying, you dodged a bullet. Run away!

 

You needn't look any further than the Omega logo and lettering to spot a pretty poor redial.

 

Wow. You guys are so quick and helpful. My immediate suspicions are confirmed. Should have came here first. How about the movement alone? It's an early example of the 321, but not copper.

 

At an 11 million serial number, it’s pretty early in the 321 run (earliest I’ve seen is in the 10 millions) and I’ve seen other early 321s that were not copper colored.

The movement doesn’t look abused. By itself, the movement is worth maybe $3k, assuming all is well with it, maybe less because of the color issue (can’t use as much as spares).

I wouldn’t buy a watch with such a redial. I'd groan every time I looked at it. A really good redial, maybe — these 40’s chronos are almost impossible to find with nice original dials — but not a redial that I still couldn’t even pretend about after four beers.

 

Thank you for this info. The seller did say that the movement has been serviced (but now questionable) and it runs within +10 secs a day. Is that a good range for an older 321 cal?

 

To me, that’s okay. These movements were unadjusted to begin with and with decades of wear throughout, some 321 movements defy better timing than what’s being claimed with this watch. Only some of the old 321s can be made more accurate, in my experience, typically those that have really laid unused in a drawer for most of its life.

 

How about the radium/lume? Was this added later? Sorry about so many questions, but the seller offered a decent deal, even if just for having an example of the 321 movement itself.

Still weighing my options...

 

There’s no lume on the hands and never was. Why would a manufacturer put lume on the dial and not the hands?

And these lume dots don’t even look right.

 

So many things off with this dial. Thank you and also helping me look out for discrepancies. This will greatly assist any possible future purchases as well. I don't want to be the fool and his money...

 

It’s much easier to be objective with a watch when you haven’t fallen in love with it.

Like you, when a watch has really taken me, I have work much harder to see the problems. But when someone posts a watch I am indifferent to, it’s all low hanging fruit.

Happy to help. So many have helped me here.

HINT: Blow up the photos and many redials become obvious.

 

That close up of the logo gave me a chuckle. I guess they couldn't decide between the 40s and 50s

 

This thread (and others before) gave me the feeling, that this forum is just the right place to be...

 

It’s a transitional dial. Logo changed in mid dial painting.

Very rare.

 

Just startled my office mate laughing

 

To prevent from being criticized for this statement, I'd recommend to declare it's just a joke...

 

Thank you everyone for the honest advice and the "comments". The Omega Logo is interesting, don't know if it has been flaking, thus the look, or the person who re-dialed the watch made a really really bad mistake. In person, it actually is not too noticeable since the watch is only 35mm.

Sorry, to bring back this thread. But I have another issue to debate about this watch. I have an opportunity to purchase this watch below $1500, So the question is, how much is a movement worth if it includes this bad of a redial?

I already have this watch in my possession, but can return if necessary. After wearing the watch for approx 5 days, I can HONESTLY say this Omega 321 has been running +2 secs a day. At first I though more, but then I realized this watch isn't a hacking second, so I was off by my initial time fore the first 24 hours. But after each day, I noticed the accuracy only gaining +2. This very similar and even better than my PO 9300.

Is this watch a keeper, just for the movement, an early steel 321, but also marked Omega 321. Or pass, because you would never be caught wearing it?

Thanks again everyone. I don't want to have self-confirming bias, but just wanted to see people's thoughts on the movement vs. whole watch aesthetics concerns.

 

Sub $1500 is a good price. The question is do you want a project watch?

 

Thanks for the quick honest response. Would this project just include finding a period correct dial/possibly replacing with a signed crown? I've seen "some" on the bay, but as since it was 1940's, most had some "touch up" to them.

 

Project does mean finding a correct dial or potentially finding somebody to do a high quality redial. If you're happy with it as is than you can just enjoy it