|
|
Post by mikelindsey on Sept 12, 2007 21:44:54 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by foghorn on Sept 22, 2007 13:10:37 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by foghorn on Sept 22, 2007 13:12:16 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by idargos on Sept 23, 2007 12:49:45 GMT -5
Hi everyone, Here is a pict of my favorite seamaster :   |
|
|
|
Post by vincer on Sept 28, 2007 14:59:05 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by JPS on Sept 28, 2007 15:01:07 GMT -5
Fantastic collection Vince!  |
|
|
|
Post by jimmoose on Sept 29, 2007 6:11:15 GMT -5
|
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 5, 2007 12:28:07 GMT -5
The 1920s, 1930s and 1940's war years | 1924 Omega ladies OJ 716 AI manual, 14kYG/green lizard, gold aged (23.7 T2) | | 1934 Omega Tank CK 891 AL manual, SS/leather, white face/subsecond (20F) | | 1943 Omega 30 T2 CK 2905 manual, YGP14k/black leather, black redial/subsecond (30 T2) | | 1944 Omega manual; 18kYG/twistoflex; gold/subsecond (28) |
1924 Omega Ladies 23.7 T2 calibre model OJ 716 AI   1934 Omega calibre 20F model CK 891 AL   1943 30 T2 calibre model CK 2902   1944 28 calibre model ?  A restoration project -- 18k yellow gold case with that twistoflex, scratched crystal, horrible re-dial and inappropriate crown. The 28mm is the rarer smaller size of the 30mm. It seems the 30mm manual became more successful than the 28mm manual, but the 28.10 automatic was much more successful than the 30.10 automatic. Go figure . . . . Next . . . post-war watches |
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 5, 2007 14:00:40 GMT -5
Omega examples from the post-WWII years: Chronometers and complications | 1947 Omega Cosmic Moonphase CO 2486 manual, 14kRGP/leather, silvered redial/1st year (27 DL PC) | | 1947 Omega hybrid F 6212 bumper auto, 14kYGF/leather, Art Deco white/subsecond (28.1 RA PC) | | 1948 Omega Centenary OT 2500 auto 1, 18kYG/leather, gold face/Jubilee watch (30.10 RA PC AM JUB) | | 1949 Omega Automatic Chronometre OT 2514 auto, 18kYG/leather, gold redial/gold indices index reg. (343) |
Omega had never produced a date watch. So when they decided to do so, they produced a complicated one. Not just date, or day-date, but a full calendar and moonphase, the "Cosmic", although that name appears nowhere on the watch  1947 or so US Collection -- this one may not be a hybrid, but the case is 1954 or so by one source  Omega's first automatic chronometer was the Centenary, their 100th anniversary watch, with the larger 30.10mm automatic  I guess I could change straps, but . . .  In 1949, they began the smaller 28.10 automatic chronometers, which later went into Constellations  They make a striking trio  |
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 5, 2007 21:12:36 GMT -5
The 1950s -- automatics become routine & Omega goes high end | 1951 Omega bumper auto, 14kYG/leather, black face/sweep second (351) | | 1952 Omega hybrid N 6555 manual, 14kYG/leather, black face/subsecond (302) | | 1952 Omega Seamaster Calendar CO 2627 auto,14kGP/SS, white face/date @ 6 (353) | | 1953 Omega Seamaster Deluxe OT 14324 auto, 18kYG/leather, hooded lugs/chronometer (352) | | 1956 Omega Constellation De Luxe OT 2799 auto, 18kYG/18kYG mesh, mirrored gold/sterling box (354) | | 1957 Omega Ladymatic 2940 auto, SS/SS, white/1st ladies rotor auto (455) | | 1958 Omega Constellation Grand Luxe OT 2930 auto, 18kYG/18kYG, mirrored stepped gold/brickworks (505) | | 1959 Omega Seamaster 9068 auto, 14k YG/leather, white applied indices/chronometer (505) |
1951 generic automatic with glossy black redial  1952 generic manual with glossy black redial  1952 Seamaster Calendar, date at 6, gold capped  1953 Seamaster Deluxe (Ultima in the US)  1956 Omega Constellation Deluxe on 18k gold mesh, resting on the original sterling silver box  1957 Ladymatic -- fifty years ago -- and look at the size   1958 Constellation Grand Luxe on the brickworks bracelet  1959 (birth year) Seamaster Chronometer  |
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 6, 2007 18:18:41 GMT -5
1960s watches from Omega -- from the classics to the 1970s | 1961 Omega Constellation CK 14393 auto, SS/SS grains of rice, black pie pan/date (561) | | 1963 Omega Deville 561.007 auto, 18kYG/leather white/square (671) | | 1964 Omega Seamaster De Ville KL 6610 auto, 14kYG/leather, white crosshair/date (560) | | 1966 Omega Jewelry manual, 18kWG rectangular/18kWG, silver/backwinder 8 diamonds (690) | | 1968 Omega Seamaster WG Day Date BC 168.0023 auto, 18kWG/18kWG, silver/chronometer expansion bracelet (751) | | 1969 Omega Constellation auto, 18kYG/leather, gold face/coin edge bezel half hooded (564) |
A classic stainless steel Connie (with a less than accurate redial) on the classic 5 row grains of rice bracelet, calibre 561  Formerly a unisex size, now a ladies, calibre 671  The classic Seamaster Deville, still a drop dead gorgeous watch in 14k yellow gold, calibre 560  A 1966 calibre 690 backwinder -- buy her diamonds, it helps keep the peace!   1968 Seamaster Day-Date Chronometer in white gold  I really love this watch  In the late 1960s, Connie designs veered away from the classics. This one is being restored, recovering from a bad redial  |
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 6, 2007 18:51:15 GMT -5
Omega was not immune to the fashion excesses of the 1970s. Of course, some of them are now back in style! | 1970 Omega De Ville Ladymatic BA 751.0253 auto, 18kYG/18kYG textured, gold face (661) | | 1970 Omega Seamaster Memomatic ST 166.0072 auto, SS/leather, gray-black/minute alarm date (980) | | 1972 Omega F300hz 198.0045 tuning fork, 14kYGP/leather gold-brown/day-date chronometer (1260) | | 1972 Omega Speedmaster Mark II 145.014 manual, SS/SS, black racing dial/chrono (861) | | 1973 Omega Speedmaster 125 ST 378.0801 auto,SS/SS, black/Jubilee watch chronograph/chronometer (1041) | | 1974 Omega Speedsonic 388.0800 tuning fork, SS/SS, mirror gray/tuning fork chrono (1255) |
Gold mesh 70s excess  The calibre 980 Seamaster Memomatic, a self winding, set to the minute alarm, a new evolution of mechanical technology  Omega embraced tuning fork technology, with the F300Hz watches. This one is unmarked, and may have been either a Geneve or Seamaster  Rather more memorably, Omega created a tuning fork chronometer chronograph, on the unique "lobstertail" bracelet    Omega also created the first mechanical chronometer chronograph in their 125 year jubilee watch, the Speedmaster 125   Omega introduced the Mark II Speedmaster, now discontinued, but a classic in its onw right  |
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 6, 2007 19:38:33 GMT -5
The 1980s brought financial distress to Omega. By 1985, the classic Omega's were no more -- all ETA movements. But Omega still did some interesting things -- with quartz, with the chronograph (where the movements never changed) and trying for a high end limited edition arena that was never the brand's place | 1981 Omega La Magique 191.8523Z quartz, 18kYG/leather brown/mystery dial (1357) | | 1981 Omega Equinoxe 386.0813 quartz, SS/SS, reversible chronograph/timer analog/digital (1655) | | 1988 Omega Seamaster Polaris 1/100th 382.1231/2493 quartz, 18kYGSS/18kYGSS, black/chronograph-date (1670) | | 1985 Omega Speedmaster Mark V ST 376.0806 auto, SS/SS, black/Teutonic (1045) | | 1986 Omega Speedmaster Teutonic Moon ST 345.081 manual, TT 18kYG/TT 18kYG brushed, white/moonphase (866) | | 1983 Omega Phase de Lune Or BA 156.0002 auto, 18kYG/leather, engraved silvered/ moonphase triple date (715) | | 1984 Omega Louis Brandt GMT auto, 18kYG/leather, GMT limited edition (717) | | 1984 Omega Louis Brandt manual, 18kYG/leather, gilded open/7 diamond crown (626) |
The decade began momentously, as Omega made one of the thinnest quartz watches ever made, La Magique  Omega also created a quartz "Reverso", with both analog and digital time displays and multifunction capabilities   More quartz wizardry: the 1988 Seamaster Chronograph, capable of timing to 1/100th of a second with an analog display, in a special edition for the Calgary and Seoul Olympics, yellow gold inlaid in stainless steel   As Omega struggled in the early and mid 1980s, Omega produced models for only the German market: The Teutonic Speedies, with a singular case style, available only in this limited time and limited locations. It has never been repeated. Some 861s had Teutonic cases, but the classic was the Mark V Speedy, with the calibre 1045  A titanium limited edition Teutonic Speedy Moon was issued, the only titanium Speedmaster ever (save a quartz prototype never produced). This version is a titanium and gold.  Perhaps Omega was trying to go high end, with the first Speedy moonphases (which were issued in the early 1980s) and the limited edition Speedys. A later and more blatant attempt was the Phase de Lune Or and the Louis Brandt Collections -- clearly the most high end watches Omega had issued in a long time, maybe ever . . . . 1983 Phase de Lune Or, with a shade shifting dial  It has one of the earliest Omega exhibition backs I know of . . .    The Louis Brandt Collection was issued in 1984 and included perpetual calendars, moonphases and other complications, including this GMT   And this gilded open faced manual    |
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 6, 2007 20:52:34 GMT -5
Omega remained a troubled company in the early 1990s. Designs were unremarkable. They repeated the Louis Brandt Collection in 1991. By mid-decade, they had regained their feet and began to have interesting watches again: the Bond Seamaster, the ChronoDiver and others. Some of my example originated in the 200s, but the designs are from the 1990s | 1991 Omega Louis Brandt II Date 5311.30 auto, 18kYG/leather, white guilloche/21k rotor (1119) | | 1991 Omega Louis Brandt II 5331.30 chronograph auto, 18kYG/leather, white Clous de Paris guilloche/decorated mvmt (1158) | | 1991 Omega Louis Brandt II Perpetual 175.0200 auto, 18kYG/black leather, white Clous de Paris guilloche/decorated mvmt (1116) | | 2000 Omega Seamaster Professional Chrono-Diver 2296.80.00 auto,TT RG/TT RG, blue wave/date-double chrono (1164) | | 2003 Omega Seamaster Professional Chrono-Diver 2298.80.00; TI 378.0504.400 auto,TT/TT, blue wave/date-double chrono (1164) | | 1998 Omega De Ville Prestige Tonneau 4653.31 auto, 18kYG/leather, white sunburst/jump hour (1221) | | 1998 Omega Speedmaster Professional 1957 Replica ST 345.0222/3594.50.00 manual; SS/SS; black face/chronograph (1861) | | 2000 Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33 3290.50.00 quartz, TT/TT, Analog&LCD/multifunction (1666) |
I have examples of each of the three major styles of Louis Brandt II Collection watches. Each was produced in a couple of varieties. Date -- this one is in such poor shape I didn't photograph it before sending it for restoration. Chronograph  The guilloche dials are amazing   the Perpetual Calendar   The ChronoDiver was an immediate hit, but is a huge watch. Both of my examples are titanium, which makes it a much more livable watch.  Indulge me this sequence    Refraction, my dear Watson, simple refraction.    Omega tried other interesting experiments and design attempts, such as the Deville Prestige Tonneau Jump Hour, some examples of which are on page 1 and 2 of this post  Omega made some interesting variations on the seemingly neverending series of limited edition Speedmasters: 1957 Replica. It suggests the original, leaving many common features with the current watch.   And the 1990s had the first real attempt to make a watch useful to astronauts and pilots, the X-33  Talk about lume! If this isn't enough  and if that's not enough, you have a back up  |
|
hewybaby
follower
If time is money, I'll spend my money on time.
Posts: 51
|
Post by hewybaby on Oct 6, 2007 21:18:57 GMT -5
Omega is a force in this decade, emerging as a collectors item in the auction arena, with modern technological developments and interesting designs. Omega is successfully mining its heritage while still moving forward. | 2002 Omega Museum 1951 Cosmic 5701.80.03 auto, 18kRG/leather, blue/triple date-moonphase (2601) | | 2002 Omega Constellation ladies 1498.75 auto, SS diam. bezel/SS, silvered w /diam. 50th anniversary (2520) | | 2004 Omega Speedmaster Triple Date 3523.30 auto, SS/SS, silver/triple date-chronograph-24hr (1151) | | 2001 Omega Speedmaster Rattrapante ST 377.320/3540.30 auto, SS/SS, silver/X-33 case (3600) | | 2003 Omega Speedmaster Professional 3578.51.00 manual, SS/SS, Snoopy dial/caseback (1861) | | 2007 Omega Speedmaster 50th Anniversary Patch 311.30.42.30.01.001 manual, SS/SS, black w/patch/chronograph (1861) | | 2006 Omega De Ville coaxial 4531.31.00 auto, SS/SS silvered white/brickworks chronometer (2500) | | 2006 Omega De Ville coaxial GMT 4533.31.00 auto, SS/SS silvered white/brickworks GMT chronometer (2628) | | 2006 Omega Seamaster GMT 2538.20 auto, SS/SS, white GMT (1128) |
Omeg began the decade by overtly mining their past with the Museum Collection -- designs at least 50 years old. I love the square Cosmic   Omega still stumbles. 2002 was the 50th anniversary of the Constellation. Did anything memorable come out of the anniversary? Here's a 50th anniversary market ladies automatic . . .   The watch that started it all for me. A full calendar automatic Speedy  Omega still stumbles. They planned to introduce a new movement, which failed. They then adapted the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750 to make a split seconds model. It was a commercial failure as the interest had evaporated . . . still a cool watch  Omega starts to get it right more often as the decade goes on The Snoopy Speedy was a hit . . .   And the 50th anniversary was a lost opportunity to do something truly memorable, but its not too bad   The Deville Coaxials reached back for the 1950s eera brickworks bracelet in both the date  and the GMT versions  But no GMT touches the Great White   |
|
