This one arrived today and on the wrist already... Been a tough week on my watch budget, but tasty stuff keeps showing up.

Ref 11310, and a 140XXXX serial number, so it dates to approx 1949. I bought this one with the assumption that the crown and moon disk may not be original. All else seemed spot on. Moon itself has no face, and instead is a silver disk on a blue background with a lovely glossy, almost metallic sheen. comments welcome.

The entire dial, handset and moon disk Looks very appealing to my eye. I particularly like the case shape with those robust lugs.

 

I was really close to place a bid on that one. Just forgot to do so ...
Excellent buy, awesome dial and overall condition ...

Congrats + DIBS

 

Thanks. Dibs duly noted.

What is your opinion of the crown and moon disk. Are they the Correct bits?

 

Moon disk might be original. Faces were disappearing around this time ... or might be a service disc. Either way it's a UG part. Does the crown have a logo? If it does most likely a replacement.

 

Size of the watch ?

 

Both disk and crown btw fall into “The don’t give a damn” category IMO because the overall condition of this watch is amazing.

 

Thanks for the input, Larry.

No UG logo on the crown, and the rose Gold of the crown matches the case perfectly as well- for whatever that is worth.

I was thinking that there must have been a transition away from the face style moon disk at some point in time. But the condition of the remainder of the watch would not seem to support a replacement. Either way, the color of the blue field of the moon disk really pops against the ivory of the dial.

 

32.5 mm

 

Occum's razor at work.

 

very nice piece, I might have jumped at it if I didn't have one already. Mine is a ref 11304 and the serial places is at 1945-46. I don't know when the switch over happened to the silver moons. It's a trade off, the moon faces are lovely, but almost all have lost the blue, and the silver moons have the really intense blue that pops. I love them both...
congrats on your latest pickup!

 

I had a similar one a few years back, I put it on the bay at auction, and it only sold for in the $1500 range ! I was so upset I never did a NO RESERVE auction ever again ! ! Mine was 18k, and mint dial ! The 32,5 mm will never command the prices of the larger 34 m.m. ones !

 

Ouch. That hurts.

 

I even listed it on Omega Forum, at that time nobody really wanted it because of the 32,5 m.m.

 

The broader market apparently puts a premium on larger diameter vintage watches. However I must also say that the smallish case diameters have a certain charm which I appreciate and pursue. Vive la difference.

 

I guess I got old, I sold ALL of my watches UNDER 34 m.m. ! Small watches may appeal to some, I bought some over the years, at some point I felt women were wearing larger watches than I do !

 

I think all is original. The service disc was used because the older discs would fade rather badly. Then UG just switched over. If the crown is plain than this is correct.

 

You can see a bright moon in my example !

 

best of both worlds! pretty rare...

 

Lovely...and it's oversized, too. The font used for the hours and indices is very appealing