Help identify omega

[BuzzBravado]

A few years ago my mum accidentally threw out my stepdads omega watch and Im hoping to trace one down as a surprise. Issue is I don't know what model it was and it would give the game away if I asked too much about it, but I would recognise it if I seen it.

He bought it with his very first pay cheque so likely late 60's early 70's. It was steel with a grey face and a strange stretchy single piece steel strap, like a concertina type strap. Sorry hard to describe. Not a chrono and possibly just date.

Any ideas? Googling omega images brings up nothing.

[mikeveal]

I'm afraid all you've managed to do is tell us that it's not gold. There are an awful lot of Omegas that still fit your description. I suggest that you head to ebay and chrono24 and get browsing.

The type of strap you are describing was popular in the early 70's. Spiedel still make them. Ignore the strap when you're browsing, Your stepdad's watch strap probably wasn't an orignal Omega strap anyway and even if it was, any watch from the period is likely to be on it's third or forth strap by now anyway.

So: sorry. There are no shortcuts here, you are going to have to do the grunt work.

[foxsasha]

Like this? Square or round face?

[thebraketester]

So if you type "omega stretch strap" into google it gives you no clues at all to as what model it could be.....

Hmmmm. Ok. ;-)

[BuzzBravado]

Sorry all, i know its all a bit vague. Googling Omega Stretchy strap doesnt help no.

This is as close as i can find it:





I think you are right about the strap being Speidel. So early constellation maybe but his had "Omega" in orange and the number markers were orange, and the glass was quite domed if that makes sense. He used to wear it when he was a diver so that maybe narrows it down? Are they all waterproof?

Edited by BuzzBravado on Tuesday 2nd May 10:10

[GC8]

My guess is a 136.001. I too would abandon the Fix-o-flex strap.

[mikeveal]

BuzzBravado said:

Sorry all, i know its all a bit vague. Googling Omega Stretchy strap doesnt help no.

This is as close as i can find it:

Is that a Constellation dial in a Cosmic case folks?

BB, as a guess, you might want to look at the Geneve models. Not because they match your description (still waaaayy to vauge). Rather the Geneve was an entry level (cheaper) Omega in the 70's. So it would have been an affordable first pay packet watch.

Other models are the Seamaster, Cosmic & Constellation. The Dynamic and the Speedmaster do not match your description.
You have a lot of work to do.

Edited by mikeveal on Wednesday 3rd May 10:43

[GC8]

135.001 & 136.001 were hand wound cal601/cal610 pieces available as Seamaster Geneve and Seamaster 600.

I think that anything other than these or similar types is unlikely, and talk of Constellations is comical.

[mikeveal]

Agree. A Constellation would have been a little out of reach for a first pay packet watch.

[BuzzBravado]

I think i might have found it. The Geneve 145.009 is the right colours. I was sure it wasnt Chrono but maybe it must have been.

[MitchT]

mikeveal said:

Agree. A Constellation would have been a little out of reach for a first pay packet watch.

I bought a Constellation with money I'd saved working my first job. Took quite a few pay packets to save up for it though. When I moved on after three years my take home pay was still only as much as the watch had cost! Still wearing it 22 years later.

[GC8]

I doubt that it would have been a Chronostop either. Whilst it is marked Geneve (as is mine), they were a good deal more expensive.

If the dial detail plays a part: I have an Omega Seamaster 600 marked 'Geneve' (but recorded as a 600 by Omega) which has a Chronostop style dial with 1/5th of a second markings. Very rare but available.