Show me your oldest Omega wristwatch please.

[davidswiss]

This is nowhere near me at the moment but is, I think, from 1952/3/4. A cal 265.

 

[OMTOM]

Omega Calibre 9’’’S
1916
My wife will sometimes wear it to a special function – I walk behind, ready to catch the bits.

 

[micampe]

Woodward

My oldest Omega. According to the good folks on this forum it is a CK793 from around 1936:

Lovely, this case must have looked so modern and futuristic in the 30s.

 

[Larry S]

Great thread!

 

[Hamish02]

I’m new to all of this and I only own 2 watches but this is mine from around 1943, 30T2 10K Gold filled D&A case (replacement second hand and crown).

 

[alam]

Its extract indicates a production date of August 4,1959 and here is the watch

😀

 

[kpaxsg]

Woodward

My oldest Omega. According to the good folks on this forum it is a CK793 from around 1936:

Is this a 26.5 SOB? Btw what does the SOB stands for?

 

[UncleBuck]

Seconds, Omega, "B" quality, I believe.

Here in Missourah it means a "sum'bitch.

 

[kpaxsg]

Interesting, and the T2?

 

[Hamish02]

kpaxsg

Interesting, and the T2?

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&159&2uswk&Omega_30_2

That's the best I can do. An upgrade from the T1 😉. I'm sure someone can shed more light, in a different thread? (If there's one in the archives - I couldn't see from a quick search).

EDIT: After a quick google and pillaged from another forum, "The name derives from it's 30mm wide pillar plate. After 1949, Omega changed their movement nomenclature, and the same movements have three digit caliber numbers in the 260 and 280 ranges."

 

[UncleBuck]

Hamish02

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&159&2uswk&Omega_30_2

That's the best I can do. An upgrade from the T1 😉. I'm sure someone can shed more light, in a different thread? (If there's one in the archives - I couldn't see from a quick search).

A beautiful watch, Hamish!
I feel that the dial has been refinished, so I'm afraid this won't be a museum piece except in your museum.

The case and lugs are spectacular!

Do you have any inner caseback photos?

 

[Hamish02]

UncleBuck

A beautiful watch, Hamish!
I feel that the dial has been refinished, so I'm afraid this won't be a museum piece except in your museum.

The case and lugs are spectacular!

Do you have any inner caseback photos?

Thank you, the lugs really add to the beauty! Unfortunately the case was a bit loose so I had it fixed together better by the watchmaker so I’m happy to keep it in one piece atm!

I was pretty certain it wasn’t a redial, the numerals still have the reflective finish and the patina suggests it’s fairly old - I am still learning, however, if I attach a better picture would you mind a look?

 

[cicindela]

Gavin

Not as old as the ones above but my oldest.

Gavin, you've been holding out ! I can't believe you have one of these and I have never seen it before. They are fairly rare. Here are some other examples.


This one is mine, one of the Bulgarian horde, I believe Erich, @mac_omega has 1 or 2 of these too.

 

[UncleBuck]

Hamish02

Thank you, the lugs really add to the beauty! Unfortunately the case was a bit loose so I had it fixed together better by the watchmaker so I’m happy to keep it in one piece atm!
I was pretty certain it wasn’t a redial, the numerals still have the reflective finish and the patina suggests it’s fairly old - I am still learning, however, if I attach a better picture would you mind a look?

The inconsistency of the font thickness in the O of Omega, compare it to the "M". The variations in the 12 and 6 (60 and 30) markers of the subdial leave me with no doubt, imho.
I agree about the patina, I feel this was refinished as part of a normal service long ago.

 

[UncleBuck]

cicindela

one of the Bulgarian horde

I think I dated her!

 

[cicindela]

UncleBuck

I think I dated her!

That was her sister.

 

[Hamish02]

UncleBuck

The inconsistency of the font thickness in the O of Omega, compare it to the "M". The variations in the 12 and 6 (60 and 30) markers of the subdial leave me with no doubt, imho.
I agree about the patina, I feel this was refinished as part of a normal service long ago.

As long as it wasn’t done for the current market, I can live with that - part of its history. Thanks.

 

[UncleBuck]

Hamish02

Thanks.

Hamish, you have a spectacular watch!
When you visit a Collector's forum, you get these weird opinions that have nothing to do with beauty or wearability or history, only a comparison to the day it left the factory.
View your watches history as part of it's story, part of what makes it yours!
Who has gazed at this the same as you?
What was their story?
That is what watch collecting is about.

 

[Raymondo5508]

Hi
I have three very old Omega wrist watches, two wrist watches, one gold filled and one gun metal. An Omega gunmetal pocket watch as well.
The oldest is the pocket watch in the below pictures which is a 1.6 million movement serial number. The Omega gunmetal wrist watch is a 1.78 million movement serial number. The gold filled Omega wrist watch is 1.93 million movement serial number.
I have yet to see an Omega wristwatch with a movement serial below 1.78 million.
Cheers Russell.

 

[OMTOM]

Raymondo5508

I have yet to see an Omega wristwatch with a movement serial below 1.78 million.

A number in the region that you quote would date about 1901. And since the first Omega wristwatch (according to AJTT) dated 1900 (not counting converted pocket watches), you're probably about right! It would be an unusual find....