Aftenroon all Just wanted to share the new arrival of a very special vintage Tissot, manufactured by Lemania (as where all the Omegas 33.3's). Back in the day (from cal 33.3 right up to the 105.003 Speedmasters) Lemania made all of the chronographs watches for Omega and Tissot Although most people on the forum will know me for my passion for Omega's from the late 60's and throughout the 70's, especially the quartz stuff, not many of you will realise I am also a vintage Omega chronograph nut! Speedmasters do nothing for me really, I've owned loads of speedies which most people would see as their grail watches, including 2915's and even a 2998 FAP. Although they are beautiful and remarkable watches I like things which are 'a little out there' and the eary chronographs by Omega are exactly that. As you all know Omegas first real wrist chronograph was the cal 18, most famously know as the Laurence of Arabia watch, they fetches tens of thousands if not more now and are not very wearable, most are between 44 and 50mm due to them fundamentally being pocket watch watches made in to wrist watches at the factory . Their second incarntion of the wrist chronograph was the cal 28.9 (of which I own a few), these are extremely rare watches and things of beauty, small by modern comparison but simply stunners. A couple of year after the introduction of the 28.9 Omega introduced the 33.3 calibre, larger than it predecessor and more reliable. The 33.3 was produced in five variation from T1 (single pushers) through to the T5, which was then replaced by the cal 12, later to reincarnate in to the famous 321 and later the 861 I've owned a few cal 33.3's but have been lusting for the last few months after a gold example as a dress watch, I managed to snag an 18K example from italy but it is currently at STS and along with a new dial is going to require major case work and movement overhaul! Gold 33.3' of any incarnation are extremely rare and then whilst perusing our favourite auction site last week I spotted something. The watch was a cal 33.3 Tissot/ Omega, these were made either branded Tissot or Tissot Omega. The case is solid 14K gold (a rare variation) and it looked too good to be true, I took a gamble and it showed up on Tuesday of this week. I opened the box and to my joy found an utterly untouched and unmolest calibre 33.3 with it's original gold two colour track dial totally unrestored, I am chuffed to bits and for all the fabulous watches on TOF that come up on a daily basis I genuinely feel this on is a real work of art Anyway, hoping to prompt a cal 33.3 roll call so here is mine
A NOS Tissot..... And here a relative, a vintage Lemania with the similar movement, had a little sunburn... Bezel/crystal removed to avoid reflexions
Love the frosted gold movement finishing. It looks even more attractive than a cotes de geneve finish.