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Vintage Ladies Omegas - How to differentiate the collections? Opinions?

vintagelady
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Syrte Syrte
Wow, so what's the size of the saphette and the ladymatic?
That Ladymatic is very pretty by the way, at less than 100$ you did well -- just hope service is not too expensive.

The Ladymatic is about 26mm I'd say... just a smidge wider than a US quarter. Not 100% sure about the Saphette, but I bought a replacement crystal for it not too long ago just in case (hoarding parts already...), and it was a 14mm crystal. 😀 It's 14k on a 14k bracelet/chain, so I stack it with other bracelets - it's quite fun when people realize I have a tiny watch hiding there.

I'm just about to post the Ladymatic in more detail on And What Did You Buy Today to see what everyone thinks - I definitely don't regret the purchase, but it arrived horrifyingly filthy... 😲 a service/clean at my local jeweler is about $150.
Edited:
 
ConElPueblo
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Syrte Syrte
Wow, so what's the size of the saphette and the ladymatic?
That Ladymatic is very pretty by the way, at less than 100$ you did well -- just hope service is not too expensive.

Agree - that Ladymatic looks amazing!
 
dialstatic
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Since we're on the subject of ladies' watches - I have a question. I've been hunting for a nice vintage gold Omega for my wife, and I keep finding these rather gorgeous 9ct or 14ct ones with integrated gold bracelets. However, since the (often very fine-grained) mesh bracelets are soldered to the case, and uniformly taper to some equally ornate clasp, I can't see how one would size such a bracelet. Does anyone know if this is even possible? Were they originally custom-made, or available in different sizes? Or do all ladies have the same wrist size? 😎
 
ConElPueblo
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dialstatic dialstatic
Since we're on the subject of ladies' watches - I have a question. I've been hunting for a nice vintage gold Omega for my wife, and I keep finding these rather gorgeous 9ct or 14ct ones with integrated gold bracelets. However, since the (often very fine-grained) mesh bracelets are soldered to the case, and uniformly taper to some equally ornate clasp, I can't see how one would size such a bracelet. Does anyone know if this is even possible? Were they originally custom-made, or available in different sizes? Or do all ladies have the same wrist size? 😎

Measured up at the jeweller, soldered to the clasp and case 😀
 
Syrte
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
Agree - that Ladymatic looks amazing!
Now of course I'd like to know what the Longines equivalent would have been for this pretty Ladymatic?
Any Admiralette?

Wondering what OF's resident sleuths, historians and Longines experts would say-- @Vitezi, @gatorcpa, @ulackfocus any idea ?
Or was Longines behind the curve in designing high quality automatic watches for women?
 
Speedmasterfan88
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Hi, I recently bought a Collection of 6 Omegas from an elderly collector. Among them a 22mm Omega seamaster Ladies watch. I was smitten with this little watch but was, as you, afraid that it would be very hard to resell. Well I put it up on eBay and three days later it found a new home for reasonable 210€. I think with the Trend nowadays with all the "Girls" wearing those huge hidious Michael Kors watches, there Is Not much demand for small mechanical ladies watches. But as always, trends change and Time will Tell. I think now Is the Time where you can Build a nice Collection of ladies Omegas for a very Little amount of Money. And when they come back into the Focus and case sizes for ladies watches go smaller again, there will be a demand for vintage Omegas again. As others mentioned, condition and originality Is king. No matter if you buy a watch for 100$ or 10k. I think you did well with the ladymatic!

Kind regards,

Max
image.jpeg
 
dialstatic
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
Measured up at the jeweller, soldered to the clasp and case 😀
Thanks! Hmm, that complicates things. Why can't my wife just fancy a nice leather rally strap or something? 😁
 
U
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Syrte Syrte
Now of course I'd like to know what the Longines equivalent would have been for this pretty Ladymatic?
Any Admiralette?

Wondering what OF's resident sleuths, historians and Longines experts would say-- @Vitezi, @gatorcpa, @ulackfocus any idea ?
Or was Longines behind the curve in designing high quality automatic watches for women?

They had one very nice smaller automatic - the 14.17 which was released in 1956.
 
Vitezi
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Longines had the Primadonna automatic, promoted here in this ad from 1959:
s-l1600.jpg
 
Syrte
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Thank you gentlemen, you're just amazing 😀
The name "Primadonna" is quite catchy!! Interesting this one looks much smaller than the Ladymatic.
 
ahartfie
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I just want to say I miss ad copy like that. I swear, we're getting dumbed down.
 
Syrte
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@vintagelady is starting to have a bad influence on me with her teeny weeny watches.
Now that I'm supposed to switch off expensive men's watches, look what I just found for myself (sorry, not an Omega --that's just me):
s-l1600.jpg
 
B
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I found this one for my wife, then a few weeks later scored the correct band on eBay. At least it looks right to me. She wears it everyday and it keeps better time than her Rolex. I think I paid $280, but she really wanted it. Anyway, the new omega lady seamasters (Quartz!) were $2500+ at the local jewelry store, so I'm ok with that...
 
image.jpeg image.jpeg
A
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gatorcpa gatorcpa
I believe that the Ladymatics were technically Omega's top of the line for women at the time of the first advertisement, which was around the mid-1950's. The Ladymatic was waterproof, with an automatic movement. Essentially, it was the ladies version of the Seamaster, and equivalent to the ladies Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

Later on, by the time of that OP's watch (early 1960's?), Omega made some ladies versions of the "C" case Constellation, which were chronometer certified, just like their big brothers.

Hope this helps,
gatorcpa
 
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