Dr No
[Moderator Omega - Wristscan]
34913
A curiosity from Dr No's photo files: what is . . .
. . . this?
"Obviously," you'll say, "a pink gold hooded lug Grand Luxe Constellation." Ok, but which reference? Why no printed CONSTELLATION CHRONOMETER/RE OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED? Why are the applied Ω symbol and brand at the bottom of the dial? Where are the steps and pie-pan?
I can rule out ref 14355 because onyx bar markers were introduced ~ 1958, well after cal 354 movements were discontinued. That leaves refs 14365 and 2930, right? I've seen Omega nomenclature at the bottom of dials before, but usually in connection with limited productions for Saudi Arabia where a portrait of the King would be placed at the top of the dial, leaving the bottom half for branding. (I've also seen similar 'southern hemisphere' dials without portraits.). But what to make of the flat dial without steps?
My sense is that this was either a special order intended for a portrait that was never completed or a dial that was cleaned by an ambitious watchmaker. If anyone here knows how to look into the background of the photo to discern its origin, please do so.
Art
More posts:
A curiosity from Dr No's photo files: what is . . .
. . . this? "Obviously," you'll say, "a pink gold hooded lug Grand Luxe Constellation." Ok, but which reference? Why no printed CONSTELLATION CHRONOMETER/RE OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED ? Why are the applied Ω symbol and brand at the bottom of the dial? Where are...
Well, that was quick! Thanks, Myles. There's still a conundrum of sorts . . .
. . . as I was under the impression ref 14355 gave way to 143 6 5 with the transition to full rotor cal 501/505 movements ~ 1957. Were there any inner caseback photos? If yes, and the reference number is 14355, then another 'factoid' goes the way of the d...
The movement number leans towards 1957 production . . .
. . . so it could be there was a transition between the two similar [143 5 5 vs 143 6 5] references, but I still feel there's an unanswered question here. We'll never know for sure.
My sentiments . . .
. . . to a 't'. Hooded lug Omegas are like Detroit-style pizza: a little too rich for my diet, but oh-so-tasty. Here's one I'd have a hard time resisting, a white gold ref 14327. Extremely rare; I've never seen one in the metal. [photo credit: Erich] I sa...
You were busy back in the day (were you around in 1958?), probably listening to Scotch & Soda and playing snooker
In high school electronics shop class I resurrected an old juke box that played 45 and 78 RPM records, and this came booming out, but by Dale Hawkins, many years before Credence made it famous. Here it is by the Rolling Stones (for Art)
Dad knew his #1 son was going to be like an apple . . .
. . . that fell far from the tree when he found me playing Scotch and Soda incessantly. At that age, I didn't know what Scotch was other than tape. Twenty years later, when I started following the Stones, it drove him bananas I'd spend so much money seein...
Think I may have found a similar watch with a portrait
This is from a 2012 auction. Ref 2930, circa 1958, serial number 15,769,268, only 4 away from watch above. Almost certainly from the same batch delivered to Saudi Arabia Markers and diamonds look the same. I'm not convinced that the other auction catalog ...
Sterling research, Gator. Thanks very much . . .
. . . for clearing the mystery up. Impressed, Art
