Omega

Tony C.
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Re-post from 2010: The Anomalous Genève

As most vintage Omega collectors know, the Genève model line is unique in more than just name. I say that because when it was first introduced, in 1953, it was meant to make a statement, coming in the wake of Omega’s one-two-three sweep of the the previous year’s chronometer competition held at the Geneva Observatory. The early Genève models were, therefore, positioned at the higher end of the Omega catalogue.

Some collectors, myself included, are very attracted to the combination of the classic elegance of those early models, coupled with their historical import. The high-end Genèves were produced until 1967, after which the line was repositioned downward.

That demarcation, ending the run of the original, high-class Genève models, and beginning the production of entry and mid-level watches, is thought by many collectors to be both rather stark and definitive. But thanks to insights provided by one of the most knowledgable Omega collectors, our own Bill Sohne, I learned that there is one, glorious exception. That exception, manufactured in very small numbers by Omega standards, is the reference number 137001, caliber 602 manual-wind Genève chronometer.

Roughly 4000 of these chronometers were reportedly produced in and around 1969/70. They were marketed as a high-end dress watch, and as such, were only 33mm in diameter, and offered only in elegant 18k gold, waterproof, monocoque cases.

There were slightly different dial variations offered, and the one shown below is my personal favorite. It features applied gold markers with onyx inlays at 3, 6, 9, and 12, an applied gold Omega symbol, and a very well-executed printed second, minute, and hour track, including finely applied tritium nestled inside of black frames above each hour marker. The baton hands include both onyx inserts, and tritium at the ends. It is worth noting that, at least on my example, the hands have survived their 40 years without any signs of degradation. I mention that because in my experience, many (if not most) watches made in the 1950s through the early/mid ‘60s, including some made by the very highest level manufacturers (e.g. Audemars Piguet), used either a lighter allow for their gold hands, or a plating of some sort. As a result, it is quite common to find that the hands on such watches have oxidized, or aged less gracefully than their surrounding case and markers.

The caliber 602 movement was the last manual-wind chronometer movement made by Omega up until the contemporary Railmaster. It is quite similar to the much more common caliber 601 movement, which is a good segue to a rather interesting little mystery. The cal. 601 movements are often marked “adjusted to two positions”, though they were used mostly in lower and mid-range models, and were not (to my knowledge) ever chronometer certified. Ironically, however, the cal. 602 movements, which were all certified chronometers, were not marked as having been adjusted!

Whatever the reason for that odd difference, I am quite happy to present my one and only, and distinctly anomalous, later production Genève. And many thanks to Bill, as always, for his valuable advice.



This message has been edited by Dr No on 2025-10-15 18:12:59