Omega Dial Star: Brazilian Market Connection

nilomis · 2012-08-28T12:14:29Z

Uncover the mystery of the Omega 'star' on vintage dials. Learn its connection to precision movements and the Brazilian market, with expert insights.

nilomis

WPS member · Omega forum

16 replies9037 views15 photos

Nilomis brings to light a fascinating detail in vintage Omega collecting: the 'star' on certain dials. This post, originally a translation of an expert's insights, delves into the historical significance of this marking, particularly its connection to Omega's precision competition victories and specific markets. It's a deep dive into a niche aspect of Omega's heritage that continues to spark discussion among enthusiasts.

16 collectors discussing this on the WatchProSite forumJoin the Conversation →

Team,

There was a discussion about the star on a Omega dial, see my post here:

omega.watchprosite.com

As replies to my post there was a discussion if this star designates or not watches dedicated to the Brazilian market.

A dear friend, one of the greatest Omega experts that I know, allowed to share one of his posts about this matter that he did some time back, on a Brazilian watch forum.

I only did the translation. Everything, pictures included, are made by this friend.

His name is Douglas and, just as an example, he had his name on the credits of the famous Omega "black book" and we, watch nuts here, use to call him "Master" and he is one.

Enough said, let's go to Douglas post:

QUOTE

From the book "OMEGA A Journey Through Time" by Marco Richon we have:

The page that contains the "star",

A close up of the mentioned watch:

A detail that states: "The gilt star applied under the Omega logo signifies that this watch (intended for the Brazilian market) has the same calibre that which broke all records at the 1940 Kew-Teddington precision competition".

From the same book, an advertisement from 1942. Because of this, this watch here is called "Omega Teddington".

Douglas collection of "stars":

Because of this, Omega watches, exclusively equipped with this caliber, 30mm and hand wind from that time, can have the "red" star.

In terms of international collection (outside Brazil), Omega released watches with a star in 1955 (as a matter of fact I believe that it was in 1954, calibers 265 and 266)

Here is one of the versions, from the Omega Museum in Bienne, of a Teddington. Notice that it was always OT (gold star).

Here is one that is mine:

UNQUOTE

Following this post, on the Brazilian forum, there was a long debate if a watch with a "red star" is 100% dedicated to the Brazilian market.

The conclusion was "Yes, it was 100% Brazilian only".

On a following post, Douglas made this comment:

QUOTE

As a Brazilian I feel proud that exists a watch model, by Omega, that was exclusively dedicated to our market.

UNQUOTE

Thanks for reading and, again, a warm "thank you" to Douglas for sharing this information with us.

Cheers,

Nilo

Key Points from the Discussion

The term 'dedicated' regarding the red star's link to the Brazilian market was a mistranslation; 'assigned' is more accurate. While there's a strong belief in Brazil that these watches were exclusively for that market, some might have been sold elsewhere due to wartime logistics.
The Omega database indicates that the 'International collection' for reference OT 2619, which features the star, began in 1949, with Caliber 265 created in the same year, despite the original post referencing 1942 advertisements.
A fellow collector shared images of their own 'red star' Omega, noting its significance was previously unknown to them, highlighting the value of such historical context.
A new member sought information on a gold Omega with a red star, purchased in Brazil in the 50s or 60s, indicating the enduring relevance of this topic for owners of such pieces.
For identification of vintage pieces, clear images of the dial, movement, and inner caseback are crucial, as some dials may be refinished or cases not original Swiss production.

The Discussion

MSNWatch

Aug 28, 2012

Very nice and educational post.

nilomis

Aug 29, 2012

The "Mestre" is always ready to clarify an obscure point of the Omega (and other brands) history. Cheers, Nilo

hans_jorgen_1968

Aug 29, 2012

...again a puzzle on the great Omega watches revealed (to me) Thank you so much Best Hans

G99

Aug 30, 2012

Its great for you to clarify things Nilo. Apologies for the poor pics, but these were taken at the very start of the digital era. If only i'd known its true significance :( G

mac_omega

Aug 30, 2012

Hi Nilo, some interesting info indeed, but there are still some questions for me... How can we understand the following quote of your friend Douglas: "As a Brazilian I feel proud that exists a watch model, by Omega, that was exclusively dedicated to our market." How to interpret " dedicated" ? As I am not a native English speaker I may misunderstand the word " dedicated" ... Does this mean that red star examples were sold exclusively to Brazil or only "AD targeted" to sell in Brazil? Does this m

nilomis

Aug 30, 2012

Eric, The " dedicated " was a bad translation from my part. Please read " assigned " as a better translation. Let us remember that the year was 1942 and South America was one of the few places not engaged on the World War II, meaning that Brazil at that time was a very strong market. There is a firm believe, here in Brazil, that those watches were exclusively targeted to Brazil. After all it was just a star on a dial, nice and inexpensive marketing tool. On other hand, we can barely imagine how

Continue the conversation

This thread is active on the Omega forum with 16 replies. Share your knowledge with fellow collectors.

Join the Discussion →

Omega Dial Star: Brazilian Market Connection

Key Points from the Discussion

Continue the conversation

More from this Forum