Dear members, I've just inherited a beautiful Omega Pocket watch and I'd like toget any info on it as possible. It came to my late uncle's possession during the Portuguese Colonial Wars (1961/1974) he fought in Mozambique, as payment for any kind of help my uncle gave another soldier. It has lived rough times in the jungle in the north plains of Mozambique, and much more peaceful times, carefully wind every day, since 1966 until now. I have reasons to believe it has never been serviced since '66. Keeps time beautifully and it's now a precious item in my small Omega collection. Any info as for mechanism, or model would be cherished. I think it's a 1939 model, am I right?! Thanks all.
A nice heirloom - congrats! But please don´t wind/use it any more! If it has not got any service since 1966 a service is overdue - otherwise you will ruin the movement!
Looks like Unitas 6498 which came before Omega bought Unitas. This movement became ETA 6497 circa 2005. I believe the ETA version is still in production. http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&ETA_6497_1 Image courtesy Dr. Roland Ranfft's watch movement archive.
According to the serial number, it seems to have been made between 1939-1944. Probably closer to 1939, yes. The caliber designation can be found under the balance wheel. I can't read it from the pictures, but you can if you pop off the back again.
Remember this is a pocket watch...if it is one of those it is a 6497, not a 6498 since the stem and sub-seconds are in a line, rather than at 90 degrees to each other... The bridges certainly look like this family, but they did make other sizes that look similar. Cheers, Al
I guess this is a Cal.38.5L T1, 15j – and judging only by comparison with similar watches I own I think it’ll be 1940/1941. There was a very similar dial (same numbers, sub-second) which had a black ring (backing the numbers) and a black sub-second dial (where yours are cream). Case number 1001****, movement 9209***. Particularly around 1939, Omega had a series of different decorated casebacks (named ‘décor’) which were given names (sorry, I don’t recognise yours). The Cal. 38.5 was a very successful movement, first made in 1932, with nearly a million produced over more than 30 years. I agree with mac_omega’s comment above.
Yes, very likely a 38,5. One of my favorite Omega pocket watch calibers - maybe because it looks like a cal. 30! Be carefull with this watch, parts on that movement are really not easy to find!
Thanks for all your comments and knowledgeable information! I can only read ***5l*** under the balance wheel. I'll take it to my watchmaker to check it out and service. Although it has been wound daily and keeps time accurately since '66.