Omega Petrograd

it is with mixed feelings that i am offering this superb watch for sale, the main reason being that i am drawn to vintage pieces and this watch deserves far more wrist time. this watch is very much a rarity and i dont think i've ever seen another one for sale on the used market. it is #4 in the series of Museum Collection pieces started by Omega in 2001. this watch was ordered 1 year in advance and bought new by me in 2004 from a large UK jewellers chain. Omega's museum collection was started in order to produce modern versions of their very historical pieces. they are produced in very limited numbers, usually the number is the year the original was first made. this piece honours the case design much loved by the Russians prior to the revolution. it is limited to only 1915 pieces worldwide and is in honour of the last watch Omega made for Czar Nicholas who gave it as a gift to the Mayor of Petrograd in 1915. Petrograd has had many names including St Petersburg and Leningrad. the last picture is a silver cased model that i owned and dates from 1916. i've put that picture on here so that you can see the similarity the new piece has to the original. the watch is a Tonneau shape now made popular by other more modern brands, but as you can see Omega made it first. the case is 18ct solid rose gold and is quite a weighty piece. it measures 32.5mm wide without the lovely flat onion crown and 42.5mm long not including the beautiful articulated lugs. it has its original black crocodile strap which has years of life left in it. it also has its original solid rose gold buckle. the pictures really do not do the watch justice as i have just polished it with a case cod cloth so shines like it is new. it does have some faint lines in the caseback and a couple of very very small cuff marks on the case sides, but you need extreme close ups to see them. a bit more work with a cape cod would get rid of everything if you really felt the beautiful shine needed it. the dial is a lovely antique ivory white with fabulous black liquid numerals. there is a very close up pic of the number 8 so you can see the quality of workmanship. the hands are black and of the traditional style with a small subsecond dial above the 6 oclock. the lovely domed sapphire glass is in perfect condition the movement is a modern chronometer certified automatic, but i would need to check the paperwork to tell you the calibre. it is lovely to wear on the wrist, you feel the weight of the gold, but it sits nicely due to the curve in the caseback. it comes with the white outer box, the inner brown faux leather covered box which is made as a display case. when stood upright the watch sits in the case and the details of the watch including its specific ltd ed number are engraved underneath. i havent posted a pic of the case as it is currently stored away with all my other watch boxes to stop it getting damaged. it also has all papers including the original purchase receipt. as with all my watches, it has been looked after very carefully which is why the condition is so good. due to its very limited numbers and the rising cost of gold this watch will go on to be a highly collectible classic. a watch you can be very proud to own. feel free to ask me any questions you wish and i will do my very best to answer them. the boxes make this a large weighty package which is why the shipping costs are higher than i would normally charge.