Omega PW 121.1716

Sep 16, 2014,15:06 PM
 

Friends,

 

I promised to start sharing more of my lesser known Omegas...

So, let’s start with this little red box.





Inside is a clean classic pocket watch in steel. Breguet numerals and hands.





Hands are in copper or rose gold and the dial has red 24 hour markings.

A diameter of 38.5 mm and 12 mm thick.





The back of the pocket watch is clean, no markings or initials.





All this points to a PW from the late 30’s/early 40’s…

But you might have noticed the box, the box is much later.

I believe the box to be original to the PW.

Why? Let’s open it up and you will see why.

Inside is a very nice and clean movement. The movement is gilt and with a very large balance wheel.

Oh, how I wish more wrist watch movements looked like this!

smile





If we look closer you see the Caliber 161 markings and the movement serial number.

Movement number 24 million which place it around 1966-1967!





If the movement number would have been around 8-10 million I would have except it without a blink…

Here is a scan from the 1937 catalog.





Look at the Caliber 38.5. Honestly, I do not know what separates the Caliber 161 from Caliber 38.5.





OK, I am no expert in Omega or PW movements, but to my untrained eyes they look very much the same!

Same size, same layout, they even have the same number of jewels, 15.

And if we again look in the catalog from 1937.





See the E 1164…





Then look at the 121.1716…





The dial layout looks exactly the same except for the Omega logo which also indicates the later year of this PW.

In the 1937 catalog it says that it is enamel dials. Not sure if mine has that as well. I don’t want to scratch the case to open the front but one day I will bring it to my watchmaker and ask him to open it to confirm.

What separates the PW’s from this catalog scan is also that the case back has a hinge while mine has a snap on case back.

Inside the case back you see the reference (and one service mark from a watchmaker many years ago).





I guess that it is a lesser known fact that Omega made pocket watches also in the 1960’s; at that time their wrist watches were much more famous!

But they did. Here is a scan from a 1963 catalog featuring several versions of PW’s and stop watches.





Look at the MA 141, quite close to mine…





(Thomas, I have an entire catalog dedicated only to PW chronograph and PW stop watches. Will try to find time to scan and share it one day)

Price in 1963 CK 1180, 179 SEK.





I must say that I find Omega to be a very fascinating and intriguing brand with a vast history!

All ingredients to make me want to come back for more!

smile





Stay tuned…

 

Best

Blomman

This message has been edited by blomman on 2014-09-16 15:08:46

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Comments: view entire thread

 

What a beauty ...

 
 By: nilomis : September 16th, 2014-16:13
Blomman, Thank you for sharing. I only have one pocket watch (a Zenith if one ask) but my son has many and in fact, he wears one. Now, Blomman, you must have a Speedmaster (modern, please. I hear that rust is not good for babies). Cheers, Nilo

You are perfectly (half) right, Nilo! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 17th, 2014-12:11
Yes, I NEED to find "my" Speedmaster! And NO, it will not be modern... Thank you, my friend! Best Blomman

Wear one with the co axial movement ...

 
 By: nilomis : September 17th, 2014-14:12
Just two days and you will be hooked. Cheers, Nilo

I think we have very different turn on's....!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 18th, 2014-03:48
I doubt two days would make me change my mind..... Best Blomman

Well ...

 
 By: nilomis : September 18th, 2014-07:42
Give to yourself a chance. Don't forget, after this life change experience, to say "thanks" and finally ship the donation to the 3rd world. Cheers, Nilo

And if I don't feel it...

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 19th, 2014-11:17
You send me your GP Traveller...?! ;) Best Blomman

But if you like it ...

 
 By: nilomis : September 19th, 2014-13:33
You send some rusty watches that you have, like a Polaris etc. Deal? Cheers, Nilo

Deal! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 19th, 2014-13:52
You better start packing....! ;) Best Blomman

Can I have two?

 
 By: nilomis : September 19th, 2014-16:40
Cheers, Nilo

These pocket watch movements have something.

 
 By: amanico : September 16th, 2014-22:09
I experienced the same when looking at them, some 4 or 5 years ago, at the JLC Heritage Galery.... A fascinating world! Nice catch, my friend. Very nice. All the best, Nicolas

Thank you, Nicolas! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 17th, 2014-12:14
Yes, the craftsmanship is absolutely stunning on these PW's. I must confess that I would love to go deeper into the PW's at some point. But if it is hard to find info on vintage wrist watches.... Then it is almost impossible to find reliable info on PW's!... 

Something you could see at the JLC Heritage Gallery.

 
 By: amanico : September 17th, 2014-13:42
Marc André is found of them! Best,Nicolas

I will ask if they could show me! :) [nt]

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 17th, 2014-14:06

Ask to meet Marc André.

 
 By: amanico : September 17th, 2014-14:13
I think I will go to the Manufacture in the ealry days of January, this year.... Will spend some time with the HG... If there is something which is of interest for you, let me know. But the best is that you come and see... Best, Nicolas.

Will do! :) [nt]

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 18th, 2014-03:45

Great.....

 
 By: tdn.dk : September 16th, 2014-22:23
Thanks Nice pocketwatch, i think they made pocketwatches up to the 1970's at least. I think i have a lot of the stopwatches from your catalog, could bee great with a scan of your catalog. [URL=] [/URL] ...  

Ah! There you are, Thomas! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 17th, 2014-12:15
I was expecting you here! :) Great lineup you have! Best Blomman

Great article! A lovely looking clean pocket watch....

 
 By: DivingT : September 16th, 2014-22:33
...and your research and scans are excellent. cheers Tony

Cheers, Tony! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 17th, 2014-12:16
Yes, you know how I love to dig down a bit on all watches I have... Hope one day to join you in the Polprof club! :) Best Blomman

I think the difference between the earlier cal 38.5 . . .

 
 By: Dr No : September 17th, 2014-10:37
. . . and later cal 161 pocket watch movements lies in the type of balance used, with a split bi-metallic in the former and glucydur ring in the latter. Lovely pocket watch, blomman. As with so many other Omegas shared on this forum, a '50s vintage cal 14... 

140..

 
 By: tdn.dk : September 17th, 2014-11:53
[URL=] [/URL] [URL=] [/URL] [URL=] [/URL] ...  

Another beauty, Thomas! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 17th, 2014-12:20
Are all your PW's from Sweden?! We should set up an export embargo to Denmark! ;) Best Blomman

shhhhh.... its a secret....

 
 By: tdn.dk : September 17th, 2014-12:31
I think Sweden had a tradition for Omega's. In Denmark there is not many PW for sale and compared to the Swedish market they just not in the same condition. Its the same for wristwatches. So i think the postman is getting tired of delivering Swedish recom... 

That might be the difference

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 17th, 2014-12:18
Thank you for the input, Art! Yes, I will keep digging to try to find some answers to this... You know how I love a good "mystery"! ;) Best Blomman

Stunning Pocketwatch...

 
 By: kyle L : September 17th, 2014-22:14
Here's the only one in my collection :-) ...  

Would love to find a PW chronometer!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : September 18th, 2014-03:46
Great PW, Kyle! :) Absolutely stunning! Best Blomman