I have a vintage gold ladies Omega watch, non-working, inherited from my mother, which I believe she most likely acquired between 1960 and 1970, although I have no way to be sure. It has a rectangular face, small diamonds on the top and bottom of the watch face, no markings on the back, and a gold wristband stamped 14k. Photo below. (Here is a link to the photo on flickr, in case my upload doesn't work:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/797108...posted-public/ )

I have two questions:

1) Any reason I should be suspicious that it is fake, and if so how can I confirm that it is real, given that I divide my time between Jakarta, Indonesia and the Big Island of Hawaii, so I don't have ready access to a reliable appraiser (although I do have a jeweller on the Big Island that I trust).

2) Assuming it is authentic, is there any reason I should not use the watch to make other jewelry? Even if I could get the watch fixed, I would never wear it. However, I have an idea in mind for making drop earrings with the diamonds and part of the wristband. The only reason I wouldn't do this is if the watch was somehow very special in its intact form, and watch-lovers would faint at the idea of cutting it up. That is not the case, is it? Thank you in advance for your help.

 

Although there are others here with more knowledge about this, my instinct would be that this would not be a commonly faked model.

Only you can answer the second question. The watch, if real, probably does not have a staggering value. So if you would never wear it, pass it down to a relative, or re-create it in a form that makes you happy. I'm sure your mom would like that.

 

I'm not going to address authenticity because I don't know.
I like your idea. There may be some of the female collectors who will chime in otherwise, but women's watches aren't very collectible and the value is either sentimental or the value of the gold. If you won't wear it in its current form, then I say go for it.

 

Thanks for the comments. To be clear, I don't care about any money I could get (well, I would if it were thousands of dollars, but I assume that is not the case), but I do care about the sentimentality and I don't mind spending a little money to engage a good jewelry maker. By making the diamonds/wristband into earrings, I could create something with sentimental value, since every time I wore them I would think about the source. Or that's my thought, anyway.

 

The watch is absolutely genuine! The expense of the labour involved to convert two 0.05 carat (5 points each, approximately) diamonds into earrings is absolutely not worth doing. You'd end up with no watch, and two dinky earrings I doubt you would ever wear. If you are determined to do this, simply have the stones removed and leave the watch intact, and have a goldsmith supply suitable settings for the stones. My quess is that the watch is older than you think. I would say no newer than the mid-1950s, or possibly the late 1940s. Aside from the fact it seemingly doesn't run, it is in lovely condition, and the case is likely 14-karat as well. This is a watch that MANY ladies would be delighted to have, even without the added attraction of family sentiment which seemingly you don't have. I suggest that you refrain from being in a hurry to destroy the watch in an attempt to "create" something else at great expense. Your mother obviously treasured it, and you might as well, if you give it some thought.

As to liquidating it? You'd be lucky to be able to sell it for much more than scrap value. Your mother's watch deserves more than that!

 

Whoa, there, Canuck. Thank you for your assessment that the watch is real, but please don't judge my "family sentiment which seemingly you don't have." You seem to think it's better to leave the watch forgotten in a safe than to turn it into something that I would treasure and actually wear. Not that it's your place to lecture me about it in any case.

 

Be assured it was not my intention to piss you off! The title of your post led me to believe you wanted to know what to do with it. I have a suggestion that I think I will keep to myself!

 

I thought, frankly, you received some really sound advice from someone who has been in the field for many years. His statement didn't read to me as a judgement, just an observation gleaned from your statement above. You clearly don't appear that attached to it, other than if it were "value special in its intact form," or, if you could get a lot of money for it. You have to admit: many heirlooms would never be sold, at any price. May I gently suggest that your focus on this, rather than the other information put forth, seems a tad ungracious.

 

I apologize to Canuck if I seemed "ungracious." Please be aware, though, that money is the LAST thing on my mind. (Yes, I did say that if it were "worth thousands" I'd care, but I assume it's not and that's fine - I am not looking to make a profit, in fact I expect to spend money turning the watch into something I can treasure.)

When I said I wanted to be sure it wasn't "special in its intact form," I was thinking more along the lines of not wanting to ruin a piece of art. For example, imagine if someone had a Picasso and didn't know what it was, so they cut it up because there was just one corner of it that they liked. People with more understanding of art would faint with horror! That's all I meant by my statement - I don't want to be the barbarian who destroys a work of art out of ignorance.

Also, Canuck, if you "have a suggestion that [you] will keep to yourself, by all means feel free to share. I am trying to figure out what to do with this watch and other jewelry. My cousin is the daughter of a jeweler (He's been dead for decades so I can't consult him) and knows a lot about jewelry thanks to him. She was the one who suggested that I take pieces I inherited that I would never wear, and work with a jewelry maker to turn them into something I could cherish. My nascent plan for the watch was based on that advice. I would be happy to hear ideas from others as well.

 

Hi Hawai,
I kind of agree with that on all counts.
But I also agree it's a pretty watch (and from no later than 1950s).
Best regards
S

 

@Syrte is being modest in her reply. Vintage watches look lovely on a ladies wrist, and you may reconsider fixing and wearing yours after seeing these photos from her collection:

 

Believe me, I meant it when I said I have a suggestion as to what you can do with watch, but I'll keep it to myself! Since you saw no value in the suggestions I made, you'd be livid if I was to offer you another opinion of what you can do with it! Expect no more advice from me!

 

Again, sorry if I offended you. I did see value in what you had to say and I thank you for your perspective. I'll certainly take it into account when deciding what to do, though I think it is far likelier I'll eventually post a photo of "dinky" earrings than attempt to follow through on the increasingly clear meaning of your unspoken suggestion.

 

By the way, are you the only descendant of your mother. No sisters, daughters of yourself...? Give it to them. Not this chopping up business of your mothers emotional legacy. Others may appreciate it intact!

 

Very good question. I am an only child with few female relatives. My mother left a list of how she wanted her favorite jewelry distributed among friends and relatives (she didn't say anything about the watch). I have given a great deal away to others, both as directed by her list and beyond.

 

@Vitezi - very pretty pictures, especially the first one.

 

Were it me, I'd first get the watch fixed, and then re-evaluate not wearing it once it was running and could fulfill its purpose. I think it might grow on you.

 

Do you have any suggestions for how I would go about getting it fixed? Forgive my ignorance, it is just that I am (obviously!) not a watch person. The thing is, I live mostly in Jakarta, Indonesia and otherwise on the Big Island. Would it be safe just to take it to any old watch repair place, or do I need a place that specializes in Omega? I certainly wouldn't mail anything in Indonesia (it would be stolen for sure) but could I mail it from Hawaii, if I could be sure it would be returned in a timely fashion (I'll be there for about 30 days).

Apologies if these are incredibly dumb questions! All I know about watches is what I learned from looking into the "Rolex" I inherited from my dad (it was fake; I don't know if he knew that or not but suspect he did).

 

Very good points have already been made, here are my 2 cents.

- That watch has an integrated bracelet, if you have it taken apart for the stones, you will not be able to find anything to replace it unless you get one custom made.
- If you're going down that road, maybe keep the bracelet safe, but have the watch integrated into a bracelet or a pendant?
- The watch actually looks like its in good shape, it probably just needs a service.
- A lot of these ladies watches are scrapped for what little gold content they have, look in ebay, there are plenty of complete movements available for parts should you require any. Have a watchmaker open it to find out what calibre resides within, very likely a 48X...
- These are simple watches, servicing should not be expensive, any good watchmaker should be able to do it. OF members in Hawaii & Indonesia ( which city?) might chime in to recommend one.

I occasionally save these watches from being scrapped, and have a few of them, that my wife uses.



Especially when they have a heartfelt message like this... this would have cost a month's salary back in the day, no small purchase.