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Ploprof "Prototype" - with Omega Extract

dialstatic
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i always called it crown screw..... i guess, everybody, who knows PLOPROF`s, was not fooled by my sloppy description

I'm quite aware that you know your stuff - I never believed you didn't know this. I was just pointing it out for those who may not have handled one 馃憤

Nope, no clue on the red crown wheel. Never saw one in person outside promotional materials. I always just assumed it was coated steel, but never questioned this. For all I know, it might be plastic like the button.

I have the PloProf book somewhere - I'll see if I can find it. Maybe it says something on the matter.
Edited:
 
Spy
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Nice! I love this watch. Some of the prototype's were made from titanium, I believe.
 
TNTwatch
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dialstatic dialstatic
So the one in @Darlinboy's post does not appear to be a Comex, but even though it doesn't have the prototype engraving, I noticed that the case is in fact different from my regular PloProf case.

When looking at the front of the watch, there are little 'hooks' protruding from the case that appear to hold the ribbed wheel in place, and line up with the crown plate on the extreme left. These 'hooks' are not present on my PloProf when viewed from the front (viewed from the back, both have them). Hopefully it becomes clearer in this picture. The top 2 are my PloProf (front and back) and the bottom to are the one in @Darlinboy's post (front and back).



They're not actually hooks: it's just that there's a little 'roof' over the crown wheel gap on mine that is absent on the supposed prototype one, which also makes the wheel appear smaller (as there is less of it in sight). See here:




Might just be a different case style, but it's interesting. Not sure if it's $63K interesting, but at least it seems to jive with the prototype claim on the abstract. I'll have a look around the net to see if this style appears more often. Who knows, it might be one of those given to Cousteau and his buddies. We can dream 馃榾
I think the difference on the crown guard are known variances. At least this page has both of them (and a pic of the red locking screw aswell): http://www.ploprof.com/PloProf.html.
 
dialstatic
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I think the difference on the crown guard are known variances

I believe you are correct. Couldn't find my PloProf book, but took a look around Chrono24 and the net instead. I indeed see both variants offered for sale, which makes it likely that they are simply different case styles.

I wonder which one is older, though. I suspect that the 'roofed' version might be: I saw the one with the 'hooks' somewhat more often with type 2 and 3 dials. Also, from experience, the roof acts as a bit of a gunk collector, so it might make sense that they removed it (rather than adding it later).
 
JACK G
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Swissgmt1675 posted.........

Nice old brochure...Really cool stuff...Also dial looks like blue color on the brochure...or is it light effect?

thanks for sharing Prototype specimen and brochure showing it...馃憤


There is another reason for the variations of the blue colour dials - the crystal.

Early examples did not have anti reflective crystals (or whatever the technical name is) which showed the dial in its natural blue colour. Crystals with a coating dulled off the blue and can in some light make them look almost black.
 
DrStrong
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Darlinboy Darlinboy
We often discuss so-called "prototypes". This one has an extract noting it is in fact an example produced for testing - first one I have ever seen, though perhaps not unique?

Very rare watch !

Not unique though: I have one with full history and I know a couple of others ( incl. one in the Omega Museum).

The titanium model is unique though and was made for Comex.

savon7.jpg
 
M
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Good morning at all, I am the owner of the watch in question.
First of all I wanted to thank you for (not) having informed me of this discussion about a subject.


I see there are many Omega Ploprof enthusiasts but so many have confused ideas, I will try to clarify them.

First, so let's get it right away ... the Titanium PloProf has been produced in a single specimen ... the project was not carried out because it seems that the titanium case does not endure the depth ... the ' The watch was never sold with the red crown because (being plastic ) it would not guarantee the sealing .


We come to us .... 11 prototype products were produced, 6 were given to Comex and 5 to J. Cousteaux.

Those Comex were not engraved by Omega, but were internal codes at Comex as they were simple work tools for them, so not all prototypes have the engraved chest.

The prototypes have all One thing in common, namely the quadrants and the very low numbering of the serial.

There are several prototypes with certificates that show the production date of 1972, which is why Omega dates back to the year of production of the watch through its archives, never seen a prototype of any item produced after the production of the series .



I've seen Comex certified prototypes with a Second Series dial. (Absurd and unlikely).

From my point of view those prototype watches have only the original serigraphed case, movement and sometimes dial, they are not coin with the watch.

My watch has been dismantled and tested directly at the company at Bienne and it is completely coeval, in addition to being one of the few (to date I am 2 or 3) with a very low serial as It should be in all the prototypes.


As for the price, the demand is 25% lower than the price realized by a Comex-printed Omega PloProf (always with low and fully Coeval as my own) sold by Phillips.

Another specimen was sold at around 85,000 euros from Sotheby's, but the dial is not for sure Coeval was released in 1972-1973 on normal production and also the movement puts me in doubt as being over 29 million, but this also from my point of view was only certified for Comex screen printing on the cash register.

If we also consider the auction fees that pay the buyers, I really think that 66,000 euros is a deal.

This is not a watch for everyone, if you have the money to buy it you buy it, otherwise you can just admire it.

Greetings.
 
M
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Third Series Dial, Nice a Prototype with 3 Series Dial ... not even coeval..many of those replacing in review as seen from the date window....馃槜
 
M
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Also this was sold (and then seems to be returned) 2 years ago, quadrant second set of supply, disk not given for PloProf (this is why mounted left) ...Even the hand of the hours is not coeval
http://www.leclere-mdv.com/html/fiche.jsp?id=4962500&np=1&lng=fr&npp=20&ordre=&aff=1&r=

There are Prototypes and Prototypes unfortunately ...

For this sold by Sotheby's, for sure they will change the dial in the future ... because as it is put it can not be considered prototype
Edited:
 
DrStrong
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M memnon
First, so let's get it right away ... the Titanium PloProf has been produced in a single specimen ... the project was not carried out because it seems that the titanium case does not endure the depth ...

From what I know the T2 (titanium), is part of a small series of less than 12 examples produced with a titanium case made by the casemakers Schmitz Fr猫res of Granges and the project was finally abandoned due to the extremely expensive cost of this material.
 
M
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One of the problems was the production costs but there were others, but here we spoke of Prototypes and only one prototype with titanium case was produced and serial (if I remember well) of 32 million
 
DrStrong
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M memnon
One of the problems was the production costs but there were others, but here we spoke of Prototypes and only one prototype with titanium case was produced and serial (if I remember well) of 32 million

The movement no. 31'508'923 was finished on 7 December 1971 and sold with a stainless steel case in April 1972. The case was exchanged to a later date.
 
M
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As we can see, finding prototypes completely coeval is not easy ...
 
M
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watchlovr watchlovr
Coeval?
I do not know if it is the right word, but it is to indicate a watch that has all the components of the era of construction, in fact the one sold by Sotheby's a few days ago has several things that are not of the era of the clock starting from the dial, the hands of the hours ...
 
rcs914
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Coeval?

I had to look it up too - it's not a word I've heard previously, but it is actually a pretty good description of what the seller is trying to convey:

Definition of coeval
of the same or equal age, antiquity, or duration
 
dialstatic
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M memnon
Those Comex were not engraved by Omega, but were internal codes at Comex as they were simple work tools for them, so not all prototypes have the engraved chest.

That makes a lot of sense from a practical perspective. However, I still wonder why, if that is the case, some of the Omega abstracts actually say that the engraving is there. Or are those not original abstracts?
 
Foo2rama
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dialstatic dialstatic
That makes a lot of sense from a practical perspective. However, I still wonder why, if that is the case, some of the Omega abstracts actually say that the engraving is there. Or are those not original abstracts?
Where is it located on the extract. Certain periods of extracts could have had additional notes provided by the owner in the remarks area. At least for a few owners....
 
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