Omega Naiad - 1939?

[JimmyT]

Hello all - newbie here.
So, I picked up this old Omega while living in Sweden. When I left in 2014 it went back to the UK to join the remainder of my worldly good - dumped in a mountain of various junk in my brother's spare room. I have rooted around for it several times since to no avail, but today unearthed it secreted in a matchbox.


I would be interested in any additional info or comments the experts here may have.
A quick measurement with a plastic ruler suggest the case to be approx 30mm and the lugs 18mm.
The back of the case (which is remarkably unpitted) reads 'Waterproof' and also 'Mod + Depose'. It also has '59' on the reverse of one of the lugs, but surely this a 1930's watch. There are also numbers on the back casing which are very hard to decipher - I'm fairly confident of 9749 but less so of two further digits 27.
The movement is not functioning, but due to the crack in the crystal on the winder side I'm loathe to open up the back as the pressure required to fit it back together may make things worse. The crystal is in poor condition and the scratches obscure the fact that the face is pretty good for its age. Two-tone dial is always good. Any thoughts/comments?

 

[PerJ]

Normally I would expect the numbers on the lug to match the two last digits of the serial in the caseback. At least for other brands in the 1940’s.

 

[Tire-comedon]

Well spotted, it's a Naiad. The dial looks beautiful and original, but the luminous hands don't match the non luminous numbers, I suspect they are a replacement (all three hands seem too long for this dial).

 

[JimmyT]

Thanks for the replies.
I've had a little more time to study the watch and have come up with this so far:

Omega Naiad 'Medicus'
Case Size: 31mm
Lug Size: 16mm
Polished Stainless Steel 'Stepped' Snap Down Case
Dial: Two-Tone Ivory/Silver Medicus Dial with Arabic Numerals
Movement: Mechanical (Hand-winding)
Caliber: 23,4 SC
Year: ?

Back of case reads: 'Waterproof' and ' Mod + Depose'.
The numeral '59' is on the rear of one of the lugs.
Cannot yet decipher the full serial number on the back of the stepped case - 9749 is certain, thereafter it could be:
73 or 78 but perhaps 43 or 48.
Awaiting a more powerful magnifying glass.
On the back of the case to the right of where it reads 'Waterproof' I'm sure there are marks which are digits but am
unable to read them at his time.
15 jewels?
Have not opened snap down case.

The hour and minute hands are designed like an empty frame or border (I don't know the correct term) so that the
watch face is visible below. They don't appear to be luminous - apologies here for the efforts of my ageing camera which also strangely reverses the two-tone colours of the centre and outer rim of the dial.
At first the hands all appear black, but tipping the watch into sunlight I have caught glints of blue.

 

[Gaz6263]

J JimmyT

The hour and minute hands are designed like an empty frame or border (I don't know the correct term) so that the
watch face is visible below. They don't appear to be luminous - apologies here for the efforts of my ageing camera which also strangely reverses the two-tone colours of the centre and outer rim of the dial.
At first the hands all appear black, but tipping the watch into sunlight I have caught glints of blue.

That just means the lume has dropped out.

 

[Fallout Boy]

Gaz6263

That just means the lume has dropped out.

...and is luckily not inside the case 😀

Even if the hands a not original: A BEAUTY!! 🥰

PLEASE do not overpolish or over-restore

 

[JimmyT]

Fallout Boy

...and is luckily not inside the case 😀

Even if the hands a not original: A BEAUTY!! 🥰

PLEASE do not overpolish or over-restore

Well, I do take your point - I've seen a lot of refurbs and repainted dials which somehow lose the classy look of the original, but I confess to having had a rub with the PolyWatch to clear up the crystal a bit. I didn't get too carried away though, and I think it's an improvement:

 

[JimmyT]

I had the watch opened today - and took a few photos.
The '59' on the lug corresponds with the same number inside the case. A few numbers scratched in - I think from previous servicing.
The movement has some teeth missing from a cog, and no gaskett which I would presume was originally fitted to make it waterproof.
So will require a service - I had a tentative estimate of £200.