omega kleerback - cal 565 ?

Hey OF !

I came across this clear back, it has a calibre 565 in it. I can only seem to find similar options with a cal 560.

Does anyone know if they came with a cal 565, or has this one been meddled with ?

Iv seen these sell at not very high prices, is this because the case was USA made and not Swiss made? (or is that even correct)

This one is listed in the $1600 CAD range, (1250 USD)

Its very neat and im tempted to drive a few hours and pick it up

Thanks all
see photos

I would not doubt the 565 is correct but I seriously doubt that is a factory configuration. Been looking at Omegas for decades and this is the first time I've seen anything like this.

You dont think its factory ?
Theres old advertisements for "kleer backs"

I have read most of them i believe.
I had suspicions about the movement mostly. The dial, i had no idea, just figured maybe a deville version was produced.

Thank you so very much !
Learn something new every time i come back here.

Daaaaaamn.

Always something new to learn, thanks for that.

That's partially what got me going. It looks to me like somone took a monocoque case, cut a hole in the back, and stuffed a crystal in there.

But I will definitely look at that Kleerback doc, looks fascinating.

Found this thread while doing some research.

I took possession of this watch on Saturday through a trade with the intention of listing it for sale here and on CWC. I've decided to hold onto it for a while and will be posting some pics soon.

There's a story behind this watch and the 565 24 jewel movement vs. the American 560 17 jewel movement, which I'll write about when I post the pics.

Awesome. Excited to see more.

So here's the story on this particular Kleerback.

Back in 1969 a woman went into Dunnette Jewellers located at 30 King Street West in Kitchener, (decades before it would become Dunnette-Overgaard Jewllers & Gemologists) to buy her husband a nice watch for their wedding anniversary.



The original location of Dunnette Jewllers (the striped awning) circa 1962

Murray Dunnette told her about an American made Omega watch with a clear back and showed her some pictures of the model. She wanted one so Mr. Dunnette called his Toronto rep for the Norman Morris Company who contacted the NM company in New York.

(As we all know Norman Morris was the sole distributor for Omega watches in North America until 1980. In 1979 Bolduc was created to distribute and service Omega and Tissot watches in Canada. They still exist today as a service center for all makes of watches.)

These watches were still available but the caliber 560 17 jewel movement could not be exported outside of America by agreement with Omega. The Toronto rep took it upon himself to order an empty case, (model KL6292 in 14k gold fill.)

When the watch reached Toronto the rep installed a 1969 caliber 565 24 jewel movement and a De Ville dial, a dial and movement combination which is quite common in Canada. The watch was presented to the customer by Mr. Dunnette who was pleased with the higher grade movement.

The watch stayed in her husband's possession until four years ago, when the widow had an estate sale to downsize before moving into a retirement community.

The watch was bought by an antique dealer who had the movement serviced and he sold the watch to a collector.

That collector sold the watch to an antique dealer in October of this year.

That dealer sold the watch to another antique dealer in the same month.

That dealer traded the watch to a collector in November.

I traded for the watch in December.

So this watch may not be a correct American 560 Kleerback, it is a correct Canadian 565 Kleerback.

Amazing.
I am so glad someone who will appreciate it, got their hands on it.