Omega Geneve 166.041 cal.565 - a tribute

Spruce · Dec 11, 2021

This is the third Omega I bought - on eBay for about £200. It had a signed crystal (broken when dropped) and still has the original buckle.

This is my tribute to the watch, it’s design and it’s longevity. I originally thought I might head the thread, a ‘homage' but in the watch collectors' world that can mean other things, or a ‘eulogy', but it’s still ticking, so ‘tribute' it must be.

It is one of the most comfortable watches to wear and, you will not be surprised given the movement, one of the most accurate and reliable I own.

Since acquiring it, my Omega collection has expanded to include a variety of watches (which I’ve posted in WRUW) including Constellations, Seamasters and a couple more Geneves, as well as sunburst models from other makes.

I keep returning to this one. If you’ve ever read on OF that Geneve 166.041 (or 165.041) are entry level Omegas best avoided, ignore it.

These are terrific watches, dressed up, dressed down, and (generally) at a bargain basement price 😀

kaplan · Dec 11, 2021

Most of our journeys start with a re-dial it seems 😀

wilderbeast · Dec 12, 2021

I’ve enjoyed reading your passion for these, @Spruce - I really like the case shape and wouldn’t rule out adding a Genève to my stable at some point…

river9 · Dec 12, 2021

Memories of 166.041... real workhorse, not so ostentatious on wrist, casual watch I would say.
This ref is my second buy (merely 200$US back in winter 2018) in vintage Omega world - with the first one was made back in 1980s then.
Traded in this Genève for my third Omega, an 136.020 in "homage" to the first (an Omega Seamaster De Ville mono-coque) sold long time ago.

Spruce · Dec 12, 2021

wilderbeast
I’ve enjoyed reading your passion for these, @Spruce - I really like the case shape and wouldn’t rule out adding a Genève to my stable at some point…

They sit/fit in a very similar and comfortable fashion to the 168.017 Constellation that I still blame you for!

Notwithstanding that the Connie is a really great watch and, like this one, incredibly comfortable to wear 😀

aprax · Dec 12, 2021

Spruce
I keep returning to this one. If you’ve ever read on OF that Geneve 166.041 (or 165.041) are entry level Omegas best avoided, ignore it.

These are terrific watches, dressed up, dressed down, and (generally) at a bargain basement price 😀

👍 Well said.
I bought this one for cheap only because I was intrigued by the rivet bracelet (a 1156 with 0 end links btw...) but ended up wearing it a lot.

kaplan · Dec 12, 2021

One from me too - bought this with excitement, but the papers/serial didn't match the movement, sold out of sadness (at that time I was collecting watches other than C-Case's) - fetched lower than my purchase price afaik

Bought a handwind one later on, arrived with wonky time keeping, got it fixed and decided to let it go too, hurt a fellow member by not understanding his interest in the watch and selling to someone else

Every Geneve of this case design I bought brought me sadness 😁

One good thing came out of it though, developed a relation with my father's watch guy, it was the first Omega I brought to him, so overall it's a win

TIMElyBehaviour · Dec 13, 2021

Does the OP’s omega share the same movement as this tissot?

The tissot is a 784-2 and I know there is an omega ref for the same movement. Just curious.

kaplan · Dec 13, 2021

I haven't seen Tissot's on this model, they are exclusively 500-600 era movements afaik - I bet 565 for this one, it should be 601 or 613 for the handwind versions, I forgot

The 1480 Omega Tissot movement is in 2 main models afaik, the Geneve one has a unique case design

TIMElyBehaviour · Dec 13, 2021

Ok thanks. Just thought that the case shape was similar and it having only the date complication like the tissot made me think.

dsio · Dec 13, 2021

I’ve posted so many of these in the recommended thread, owned dozens of them mostly to gift to close friends and family or to sell to friends who needed a good Swiss watch, they’re chronically overlooked and undervalued in spite of having one of Omega’s best movements of the era (whether 552/565 or 601/613), great water resistance for its time, a sturdy and easily restored case, and typically very good condition dial and hands (if you can’t find a clean original dial, just be patient, there are tons of them out there).

I’m writing a more detailed article on these early Geneves because they deserve far more love, and the only thing “cheap” or “entry level” is really the simple case design, which is actually an asset given how much metal there is to work with and how simple it makes it to refinish the case back to perfection.

Any young man or woman wanting a first watch and budgeting around Apple Watch price should consider one.

Spruce · Dec 13, 2021

TIMElyBehaviour
Does the OP’s omega share the same movement as this tissot?

The tissot is a 784-2 and I know there is an omega ref for the same movement. Just curious.

Not the same movement but at one stage Omega and Tissot were linked and used very similar movements that were differently numbered and the Tissot movements were neither bronzed nor, in my view, as pretty.

At one stage I owned this Tissot which, I think, had a 781 movement comparable to an Omega 1481 movement.

Spruce · Dec 13, 2021

dsio
I’ve posted so many of these in the recommended thread, owned dozens of them mostly to gift to close friends and family or to sell to friends who needed a good Swiss watch, they’re chronically overlooked and undervalued in spite of having one of Omega’s best movements of the era (whether 552/565 or 601/613), great water resistance for its time, a sturdy and easily restored case, and typically very good condition dial and hands (if you can’t find a clean original dial, just be patient, there are tons of them out there).

I’m writing a more detailed article on these early Geneves because they deserve far more love, and the only thing “cheap” or “entry level” is really the simple case design, which is actually an asset given how much metal there is to work with and how simple it makes it to refinish the case back to perfection.

Any young man or woman wanting a first watch and budgeting around Apple Watch price should consider one.

You won’t be surprised to learn that I agree with you entirely and I’m looking forward to reading the article 😀

padders · Dec 14, 2021

I think the phrase ‘entry level’ is seen as a slur by the owners of the 041 Geneves but it was factually correct from one POV. Back in ~1970 this was about the cheapest watch Omega sold. I’ve had a few myself so I am no hater but while I will consider the sensitivities of others in future, I won’t apologise for having called them this, because when new they were the most accessible Omega and even today as noted above the market hasn’t woken up to their considerable charms.

ps is ‘entry level’ really worse than ‘bargain basement’ as mentioned by the OP 😉

hant26 · Dec 3, 2024

Sorry to dig this up. I just found a beautiful one (IMO) with starry patina dial and want to share it here 😀

Omega Geneve 166.041 cal.565 - a tribute

Spruce

kaplan

wilderbeast

river9

Spruce

aprax

kaplan

TIMElyBehaviour

kaplan

TIMElyBehaviour

dsio

Spruce

Spruce

padders

hant26

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