Good afternoon members of the OF, somebody knows what can mean the word " SURETE" on the dial of this vintage Omega T17. At 12 hours, the word is inverted.

Thank you in advance

 

Thanks

 

Google is your friend. SURETE is the French word for SAFETY or SECURITY. As to how it might apply to the watch I have no idea.

 

It can mean Police in Francophone countries, usually the investigative branch i.e. Detectives. Those pesky Europeans seem to have several flavours of police, civil, paramilitary, secret etc etc.

 

Thanks, first I believe was a batch for French Police, but the words in French is Sûreté,
I found the same inscription in some Movado pocket watches dials, but not sure if could be a jewerly....

 

Surete is a trade mark registered by Movado but I never see such inscription on Omega.
Anyway nothing to do with the French Sûreté

 

Thanks, I bought this watch in France, they will never write this word without the accent marks for a Police special order, and the word only exist in English without accents, I don't have any hipothesis about this mistery.

 

Accent marks are there, is French.

 

Calling a T17 expert, @Tire-comedon

 

Hi,
Never saw this on an Omega dial before. Sorry I'm afraid I can't help,

 

Hi , thanks, could be for the French Police ? The name change to National Police in 1941.

Best

 

It is highly unlikely. I am not aware of any marked police watch for this period.

 

I don't have any other hypothesis.......another mystery

 

As the Moody Blues said so well, "Lovely to see you again, my friend"!!
I very much miss your input here and am going to attempt a Coup de' tat and revert this forum to a prewar focused historical horological magical mystery tour! (Sorry Beatles)

Enough rock metaphors, Yann, @Tire-comedon, is the authority on prewar and we are a much better place with his input.

 

I don't mean to gush, I feel bad, but Yann represents a part of this forum that is sorely missed by some and he is a key to historical research.

 

True words @UncleBuck, real vintage Omegas are becoming thin on the ground here.

I'll give Yann a big man hug on your behalf when I see him in June.

 

I don'f think "Surete" here would refer to a police type institution.
It doesn't feel like a commonly used name in France even in history books, even though I could be wrong of course.

I'm wondering whether there could be some sort of a locking or security feature inside the case, some peg or what not to help secure the case in place. For example 1920s or 1930s cushion cases have a peg on one corner to secure the case back placement. So I'm wondering whether there could be something like that in close proximity to that "12".
Of course if Yann @Tire-comedon has never seen or heard of it that's not necessarily a good start, but the fact the lettering is reversed is making me think it's a code for something about the way the watch is made, not about the owner of the watch.
Easy enough to verify, i suppose.

Maybe @François Pépin has an idea?
Best regards,
S

 

These days, that's called a bro-hug.

(thanks)