Watch for a blind man, 1916

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OMTOM

·May 27, 2017

A ‘Braille’ watch for a blind man.

The watch dates 1916, with enamel dial and raised dots to ‘feel’ the time. An otherwise standard Cal.19’’’ movement, no crystal. Rugged hands!

The advertisement dates June 1917, from French publication L’Illustration, showing Omega’s main distributors in France, Kirby Beard.

I find it moving to think of what the watch and owner must have been through.

 

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bubba48

·May 27, 2017

Very interesting adv.

This is not an Omega but my thought is the same

 

Q

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quixet

·May 28, 2017

Very nice watch. There are at least 7-8 different variants (cases/movements) i could identify so far.

Here 2 out of 4 i was lucky to find:

 

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nonuffinkbloke

·May 28, 2017

Interesting advertisment.
Reminds me of the the Soviet Union's Raketa Braille watches.

(Quote from Ed's Corner. US.)"The Raketa Braille watch is, as its name implies, a watch that is primarily meant for the visually impaired. That being said, however, it can be used like any other watch as well. The watch was manufactured at the Petrodvoretz factory outside of St. Petersburg. Raketa itself has supposedly gone out of business but numerous examples of their watches remain."

 

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Ed Black

·Aug 8, 2018

Hi, I inherited this one from a distant relative, a brushmaker, apparently a common job for blind people in thee olden days. From what I can find it's from around 1920. I appreciate the passion some have for these watches, but I have my focus on other things right now. So I wonder if anyone could help me with a rough estimate of the value and give me a recommendation for an auction house that could make it available to the right crowd. I'm not sure you can find the right interest here in Sweden. I appreciate any help and will try to answer any question. Thanks

 

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Larry S

·Aug 8, 2018·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Cool ...Why I love OF!

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 8, 2018·understands the decision making hierarchy

Great piece of history!
Please give us a movement shot and inner caseback for more info.
With a cracked dial and todays market, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed with the value. Probably not too much more than the intrinsic value.
The story is what's worth a fortune!

 

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Dan S

·Aug 8, 2018

Very interesting! Were these watches produced even earlier, or did they become popular as a result of injuries to soldiers in WW I?

 

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Ed Black

·Aug 9, 2018

Thank you for your helpful comments, here are more pictures.

 

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JimInOz

·Aug 9, 2018·Melbourne Australia

Ed Black

.

The wear on the hands shows that this watch was well used and obviously well loved.
If you are going to do any restoration I'd just remove the rust on the minute hand so it matches the patina on the hour hand and get the movement serviced.

If you are going to sell it, just leave it as is and use good photographs to show all details.

 

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bonerp

·Aug 9, 2018

how does the user not knock the hands out?

 

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JimInOz

·Aug 9, 2018·Melbourne Australia

bonerp

how does the user not knock the hands out?

I suspect that their sense of touch and feel are exponentially more refined than the average sighted person by the time they get to use watches like that.

If they can read braille novels, signs, user instructions etc etc.

Hell, I can't even feel those dots on the braille section in an elevator.

 

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Wivac

·Aug 9, 2018

Well I learned my new thing for today.
Is there an evolution of the dial on show here or just design?
The 3 dots over 12 denoting orientation on some of them, while on others 2 dots at 12, 3, 6, 9 ?

 

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OMTOM

·Aug 9, 2018

I’m sure @quixet is right: Omega made different versions over the years - and as shown by @bubba48 and @nonuffinkbloke, there were versions from other manufacturers.

To answer @Dan S, they were produced way before WWI. Of course the dealers will assign them to WWI and as being ‘military’ etc - but that would (in my opinion) be rubbish. I own three, which are all the same, 19 SOB: two date 1912 and the third is 1916.

AJTT p.462 covers the Omegas - and shows a dial similar to that from @Ed Black (and one from @quixet) as being a 40.6. However, the 40.6 didn’t start until about 1923 and the movement shown by @Ed Black is a 19S (which I would guess is about 1917).

So I guess the dial from @Ed Black replaced (my) earlier dial and was retained for later watches with the 40.6S (AJTT says 1930).

 

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Vanallard

·Aug 9, 2018

Q quixet

Very nice watch. There are at least 7-8 different variants (cases/movements) i could identify so far.

Here 2 out of 4 i was lucky to find:

Very cool!

 

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allwoundup

·Aug 9, 2018

Linked here is a YouTube video review of the Eone Bradley watch for the visually impaired....an interesting back story and technological approach, I thought.

 

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Ed Black

·Aug 30, 2018

I have listed it for sale now on eBay. Search for Omega braille and it should turn up. Please put in a bid for more than the £8.50 highest bid right now... 🙁

Edited: Aug 30, 2018