Vintage Omega Chronometre - 1940 , Questions

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You are all wrong about the reference.

It is neither a 2254 nor a 2192 (which should have subsec.) - no movement from the 30mm family at all!

It is a ref. CK 2144 with a R 17.8 movement inside.

hope this helps

erich
 
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You are all wrong about the reference.

It is neither a 2254 nor a 2192 (which should have subsec.) - no kovement from the 30mm at all!

It is a ref. CK 2144 with a R 17.8 movement inside.

hope this helps

erich
A CK2144 (a sub seconds version) sold at Bonhams here.
Seemingly from the summer of 1941 and with a case number only 2000 higher than yours.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21662/lot/78/
 
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use a caseback opener if you have one...
I think an attempt to open the case back for a noob would simply be that. An attempt. Even if you went out and bought a good opener, the case probably hasn't been touched for 40+ years. You will have good torque on one side but how do you hold the watch? Vice? Pipe wrench? NO! Now you will need a case holder. Then, let's say you buy a case holder and properly secure everything and hope that your wrench doesn't jump out of place destroying the back or bend the lugs because you don't have it in the case holder properly. What about the 40+ years of debris on the back side that will tumble into the movement? What if you nick the movement?

This is a recipe for disaster. Please take it to a watchmaker. Maybe he will let you watch how it's done.

btw, beautiful watches
 
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I cannot re-iterate strongly enough, unless you're experienced with opening watches and know exactly what you're doing take it to a watchmaker to open the back, give you the serial number and give you an assessment on the movement. They'll usually do it on the spot for a modest fee, as it takes them no time and they have the tools and experience to do it correctly.

A jeweller is not a watchmaker, nor is a pawn shop nor is an engraving place or shoe repair and key cutting shop.

Never, ever attempt to open any watch with pliers, you will do damage its not an if or maybe. So many Speedmaster collectors here myself included own casebacks that people have tried pliers on and I want to cut their thumbs off for doing something that ridiculous.

A couple of new members gave some very poor advice in that respect and I genuinely hope they never do that again, as it can cause people serious difficulty.
 
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I would add that if you do not know the value of a watch, do NOT speculate. A rare and valuable piece presented here could have been lost through idle speculation .
 
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This states that the CK2144 has no water resistance yet the OP's case back says waterproof. Yet another database discrepancy?
I don't think it is a 2144
 
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I think you should be able to read instead of making stupid speculations!
Stop it now, you are causing chaos here

Read the item description of Bonham´s watch and see the related pictures which clearly show a screw back:

Omega. A stainless steel manual wind bracelet watch
Chronometre, Ref:CK2144, Case No.9.989.255, Movement No.9.162.497, Made 19th July 1941
17-jewel Cal.R17.8 manual wind movement, silvered dial with black Arabic numerals, black outer minute track with five minute markers, blued steel baton hands, subsidiary dial at 6 for running seconds, polished round case with screw down back, fitted associated expandable bracelet,together with Extract from the Archives, case, dial and movement signed
31mm.


Im not disputing anything from that article I'm saying that the watch that was posted does not look like that. It has center seconds(so did the 2254) it has a screw caseback just like the 2254(and apparently the 2144). I found numerous photos online of a 2254 that looks just like the one that was posted, and no 2144s with center seconds.
 
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Im not disputing anything from that article I'm saying that the watch that was posted does not look like that. It has center seconds(so did the 2254) it has a screw caseback just like the 2254(and apparently the 2144). I found numerous photos online of a 2254 that looks just like the one that was posted, and no 2144s with center seconds.
Have a close look at the lugs - ref 2254 has double step lugs!
The watch of the OP is much smaller than 2254
 
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Have a close look at the lugs - ref 2254 has double step lugs!
The watch of the OP is much smaller than 2254
fair enough, I didn't notice the lugs.
 
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I am not shy to correct my own statements - obviously I have made a mistake myself...

The wrist watch of the OP is pretty small and the case design (lugs) is the same as on the ref. 2144

As the watch has a center second movement encased in the same case style of 2144 it might deserve a different ref.# maybe 2145 or other 214x ?

There is a ref. 2143 in the data base which has the same case and movement as 2144 but does not have chronometre rating and hence no chronometre inscription on the dial.

Only an extract from the archive will shed some light on this topic and hence we would need at least the movement serial#
I am pretty confident that there is no ref.# in the case back, only a case serial.

Let´s wait and see.
Edited:
 
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This states that the CK2144 has no water resistance yet the OP's case back says waterproof. Yet another database discrepancy?
Yes, or as Erich states, a very similar model with a difference in back/crown
 
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This must have been the most messed up thread ever on OF!

The second watch is the more interesting one and we need better pictures of the back and good pictures of the inside to determine what it is. By all appearances so far, it is a very valuable watch but with some uncertainty.
 
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You are all wrong about the reference.

It is neither a 2254 nor a 2192 (which should have subsec.) - no movement from the 30mm family at all!

It is a ref. CK 2144 with a R 17.8 movement inside.

hope this helps

erich
 
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I am trying to figure out the story of this watch, am battling to find much info on it and dont know enough to discern much from numbers besides that it is a 1939 and quite rare. Pls advise if anybody knows anything about this piece