This Watch

We have here an Omega military-style wristwatch model 2179, from 1944.  We love military-type watches here at AWC so we are very excited about this piece!  The all Arabic numerals have a cream/yellow, faded lume and sit inside the outer minute tracking.  The lumed hour and minute hands are complemented by the blue steel, sweeping central seconds hand, all of which contribute to the symmetry of the watch.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, dials will need restoration.  This does not mean we disregard them or hide them away.  Dial paint can be fragile and if an incorrect glass is fitted the dial will suffer and could need restoration.

We had this dial restored for the owner some ten years back.  The dial was hardly readable and someone had tried to clean it (please don't do this).  The dial now looks great as its had time to slightly age and patina. It's a true to original restoration and had a pilot / military feel. 

Omega's famous manual wind 30T2 caliber sits inside the unpolished, 35mm, stainless steel, screw-back case.

Founded by Louis Brandt in 1848, Omega started out as La Generale Watch Co., an unassuming, but international business.   It wasn't until 1885, when the company had been taken over by Louis' sons, that the first mass-produced caliber, the Labrador, was released.  By 1903, the company had renamed itself Omega and only two years later were they the official timekeepers at many sporting events across Switzerland.  Omega stepped onto an international stage in 1932 as the official timekeepers at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the first of over 20 Olympic Games. Omega were one of the 12 companies, now known as the Dirty Dozen, commissioned to produce watches for the British Military during the Second World War.  One of Omega's most iconic watches, the Seamaster, was introduced in 1948 to celebrate their 100th anniversary.  Over 70 years later, it is still one of Omega's best selling watches.  Omega made headlines in 1962 when Wally Schirra wore the Speedmaster as part of NASA's first crewed spaceflight programme, making the Speedmaster the first watch to enter space.  It was only a few years before the Speedmaster became the official chronograph for the American space missions and was worn by Buzz Aldrin as well as the Apollo 13 crew.  Omega are still involved with NASA and have been instrumental in creating vital pieces of equipment for space exploration.  Omega's reputation continued to soar in the 1990s with Omega Seamaster worn by Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.  As well as post-1995 James Bonds, Omega has been worn by the likes of Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy, Prince William, Rory McIlroy, Ringo Starr, Michael Phelps, Cindy Crawford and George Clooney.