nilomis
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Sunday Omega - Omega Albatross (396.0839)
Team,
This sunny morning, where we transition from the Winter to Spring, I dear friend show me this watch:
The Omega Montreal Olympic Games of 1976, case ref. 396.0839 with a caliber 1611.
Normally I don't pay attention to quartz watches but this one is remarkable.
During those games, an outstanding gymnast appears, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the first female gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event.
Nadia Com?neci, at that time from Romania:
(Picture from Wikipedia)
Back to the watch, I don't have a clue why it was called "Albatross":
The large case back with the "Seamonster" and the Olympics game logo:
It wears surprising nice, giving the huge size (50.5mm wide!):
Impressive on the wrist:
Cool in B&W:
The Omega "Albatross" was, according to my sources, the first analog/digital watch.
Allow me to end this post showing Nadia, in 1976, getting her perfect 10!
A great week to all,
Nilo
Note: A warm thank you to Mr. P. that had the watch and congratulations to Mr. A. that, when I was taking those pictures, "grabbed" the Albatross. My friends are sharp and quick!
Sunday Omega - Omega Albatross (396.0839)
Team, This sunny morning, where we transition from the Winter to Spring, I dear friend show me this watch: The Omega Montreal Olympic Games of 1976, case ref. 396.0839 with a caliber 1611. Normally I don't pay attention to quartz watches but this one is r...
Same here but ...
I only saw two of those and I like to share the 70's madness here. Imagine yourself dressed 70's styled wearing the Albatross! "Nico, the ladies man"!!! Quite cool, for that crazy time. Cheers, Nilo
There were watches from the Seventies which were much cooler.
From Omega? The Ploprof, for example. Best, Nicolas
Of course ...
That there are lots of watches, from Omega and others, that are much cooler from our XXI century perspective. But in 70's ... - Progressive Rock - Saturday Night Fever - Quartz watches Cool at that time. Cheers, Nilo
Good catch!
Nice watch... It's hard to find this model in good condition... Really good catch!!
This Omega was clearly . . .
. . . ahead of its time. It should've been dedicated to Michael Groß, the West German Olympian . . . . . . who won several medals in the '80s. His nickname was 'The Albatross'. :-) ...
So, here's the origin of the "Albratross" ...
Art, My Olympics knowledge is so limited that I could not associate the name to the watch. Ironic fact: The Albatross watch don't seem to be waterproof. Thanks for the great clarification. Cheers, Nilo
That can't be the origin of the name, Nilo . . .
. . . since Michael Groß was only twelve at the time of the '76 Olympics. His fame came in '84; that's why I said the Omega was 'ahead of its time'. I think the reason for the unusual name is the extreme width of the case, and nothing more than that. Art ...
Omega site uses the name "Albatros" ...
With a single "s" at the end, that is the German spell for the English "Albatross" but no explanation about the name origin was given. Notice that some references states that the "Albatros" is the name of the movement 1611 and not from the watch, that on ...
Ah, the mystery gets deeper. The term 'albatross' . . .
. . . in colloquial English refers to something unusable due to obsolescence. If the context for usage of he term is, "That movement is an albatross," then the connotation is negative. Let's see if Omega can shed some light . . .
The reason for the Albatros/Albatross name ...
From the horse's mouth: (Source ) (Source - Internet) Notice the battery clamp format - hence the Albatross (Albatros in German). Cheers, Nilo ...
That makes perfect sense! . . .
. . . and yes, the clamps look very much like the wings of a bird.
