Omega

Trying to get to grips with the forum and threads at the moment and have posted on another excellent thread.

 

I'm looking for help to identify a watch I have recently acquired from my father who died last year. Here are a couple of photos (apologies for the poor camera skills).

 

Thanks.

What an absolute corker - you are lucky.

I'm sure there are many on this forum who will tell you more about the movement than I can - although I can see that it has a serial number of 7 million which dates the movement to anywhere between 1920 and 1935 according to official Omega info.

However the case is a different story - there is very little info out there on Dennison's who were the top case maker in the UK and produced some fabulous watch cases up until their demise in February 1967.  Prior to 1935, Dennison's rarely stamped the cases with a reference number so it is difficult to determine what the case design is - and indeed, there are so few examples about that you may never see another case like it.  The number you see on your caseback is the serial number and this is datable although prior to 1939, Dennison's used a very haphazard numbering system of sometimes 4 figures and sometimes as many as 6.  Your number 527232 could really fit in anywhere from 1919 to 1939 but it suggests mid 1930s and this is confirmed by the hallmark date letter 'H' for 1932.  So, it's a 1930s 15J manual wind Omega in a 1932 coin-edged, hinged clipback Dennison case.

Many Omega watches were imported into the UK as 'movement-only' - and it was the job of the AD to source watch cases and fit the movements.  This set-up was originally brought about by the desire of the Swiss watch companies to avoid the severe import restrictions on gold.  It became established practice and even when the import restrictions were eased, the watch manufacturers continued to supply movements-only with the casing done locally - this happened in the US, South America, France as well as the UK

There were several UK watch case companies - Dennison's, David Shackman & Sons, Stolkace, Montal, British Watch Cases to name but a few but Dennison's were the top dog and they cased movement for all the 'big names' - Rolex, Omega, IWC, Zenith, Tissot, Longines, Vertex, Burren, Movado, Tudor, GP, CYMA, Ulysee Nardin plus a whole host of smaller watch companies. 

I could go on but I sense you are probably asleep by now!!

Cheers

Andrew

That's fantastic information. It's worth keeping then I did notice there are a few very, very feint letters and numbers hand written with a scribe on the inside of the case. Would these be significant?

I understand it's a bit of a taboo on here to talk about value/money but ..... do you think I need to declare it as a separate item on the insurance?

I doubt it's been touched in many years so could probably do with a service, although it keeps very good time. Better infact than my Seamaster Pro that has a tendency to stop for no aparent reason! The strap is a few years old and not an Omega. Should this be replaced with an original perhaps?

Many thanks for your help Andrew.

Martin. 

Hi,

as Andrew told you already a lot about case and date I will only add information about the movement.

It is a cal. 26,5  and will fit into the time range Andrew has provided.

This movement was widely used in many different case References and was very reliable.

regards

erich

Many thanks for the additional info and confirmation Eric. 

I think Andrew and Erich have said it all about the details of the watch, i would just like to say how nice it looks.

I hope you keep it in the family and you and your children enjoy it for many years to come.

Regards
Graham

Thanks Graham,

I was thinking of selling it as there's not really any emotional attachment to it. Now that I know a bit more about it (thanks to you lot), I'll probably hang on to it as a bit of a "watch fancier". 

Not having any watches of particular significance (if value is your guide), this sits somewhat aloof in a box with a couple of modern Tags, a few Seiko's of varying description, a Swatch or two, a couple of old something or others yet to be explored, two or three modern quartz watches and my favourite but unreliable, Seamaster Professional with the new style automatic movement.

Martin.

It would make a superb dress watch for those special occasions.
It sounds like your seamaster needs a service just as much as the dennison cased model does.

It has family history which is a perfect reason to keep it. You would be better to offload the tags which are undoubtedly quartz to pay for the servicing.

G

 

Just for info:

This 26.5 movement (with Geneva stripes, not gilded) has only a slightly higher serial number and has 1933 as year of manufacture.

cheerio,  Ben.

 

 

 

Are more than likely service marks - ie after every service, the watchmaker would put a code for his/her reference. Some put a date in, so its worth checking these marks under a loupe

 

You are absolutely right Paul, thanks.

 

Of primary interest of course is the "birth" of a particular watch. For this 26.5SOB specimen the exact date (1933) was first verified in the archive documentation at Museé Omega.

Then the watch was cosmetically prepared at the museum in order to be photographed at a studio in Bienne. A picture was published in both "Saga" and "Journey through time" by author Marco Richon.

best,  Ben.