Omega ‘Tank’ 21x36mm 14ct 1937

Omega

Since the company was founded in 1848, Omega has pioneered a huge range of innovations. Britain’s Royal Flying Corps chose Omega watches in 1917 as official timekeepers for its pilots and again in 1940, RAF Pilots watches were supplied by Omega. The 1940s also saw the first tourbillon wristwatch and the first of the famous Seamaster watches, whilst the 1950s and ’60s introduced the legendary Constellation, Speedmaster, Seamaster 300 and Railmaster. Over the years, everyone from John F. Kennedy to Elvis wore Omega watches on official duties. What’s more, in 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra took his Omega Speedmaster to space on NASA’s Mercury Sigma 7 mission, and in 1969 two Speedmasters landed on the moon, worn by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Description

A beautifully fully restored 14ct yellow gold dress watch with a beautiful rectangular honey and gold dial, from 1937. The star of the show here is undoubtedly the stunning dial, quickly followed by the 15 Jewel hand-wound movement which following an overhaul and service, is in tip-top condition and running perfectly. Omega watches of this period are very highly regarded for their high quality, particularly their movements which are outstanding.

The Dial

The stunning, fully restored rectangular honey and gold dial is incredibly eye catching. The added addition of the honey 1 – 12 standard Arabic numerals and ‘index’ hands give this watch a definitive and very unique appearance. The dial catches the light beautifully and looks far better in real life than in the photographs. This wonderful dial also has the addition of a perfectly proportioned subsidiary seconds dial at 6. All of these beautiful features come together perfectly and give the watch ‘presence’ when on the wrist. The style is a classic of its time and is perfect for both evening wear and regular everyday use.

The dial simply carries the applied gold Omega brand and signature and is marked ‘Swiss Made’ at the bottom.

This is the original dial which has been restored to the very highest standards by the best dial restorers in the UK. Please take a close look at the beauty of the dial and the quality of the restoration, as it is in truly, immaculate condition.

The Movement

The movement within this watch is the original high grade, Omega, 15 Jewel hand-wound movement which is correctly signed ‘Omega’, ‘Swiss’ and ‘15 Jewels’ and carries the serial number 8534480, dating this watch to 1937.

This example is an absolute gem and following its overhaul and service by our Omega specialist vintage watchmaker, it is running perfectly and is in absolutely sparkling condition! We are therefore very happy to offer this watch with our 12 months warranty*.

*Please note – our 12 months’ warranty is only applicable if the list price is paid.

The Case

The 14ct yellow gold watch case measures 36x21mm, excluding the signed Omega winding crown, 43mm in length excluding the lugs, 35mm diagonal across the case and 50mm diagonal including the lugs. The case, as we would expect from Omega, is very solid and well made and the press-fit case-back closes with a very solid and satisfying ‘pop’, indicating the case has been impeccably built and maintained.

This wonderful case design is reminiscent of the earlier Cartier Tank design. Though not officially referred to as the ‘Tank’, there is little doubt this model was produced in response to the success of the Cartier Tank model, released in 1919. This was so called, because the outline of the watch case somewhat resembles the aerial view of the WW1 military tank. Prior to this, all watches were round, reflecting the shape of the movement. However, during the 1920s and ’30s, rectangular case design watches became hugely fashionable, which is why now perhaps, we loosely associate these designs with our Grandfather’s watch.

Having been cleaned, carefully examined and lightly hand-polished by our case-maker, the case is totally immaculate, being very crisp with no scratches, dings or other blemishes visible to the naked eye. This, along with the superb general condition of the rest of the watch, indicates this watch has received an excellent level of care and only light use.

The inside of the case-back is all correctly signed with ‘Omega’, ‘Fab Suisse’ and  ‘Swiss Made’ with the correct 14ct hallmarks and the case serial number 9373436.

Please note – This watch has not been tested for water resistance and this is not guaranteed. Our standard advice applies: Vintage watches should be kept clean and dry at all times.

The Strap & Buckle

A new Chestnut alligator strap and gold-plated Omega buckle has been fitted, which we feel matches the watch perfectly. However, if a different colour or style of strap is preferred, please let us know and we will do our best to oblige, free of charge. We carry tan, conker, dark brown and black in stock in plain padded leather, crocodile skin or lizard skin, but we can also obtain most types and colours of strap from our partners at ‘Watch Obsession’ within 48hrs. Please take a look at their huge range of straps if you wish here.

Box and Papers

Although there are no original papers with this watch, the reference numbers, markings, signatures and hallmarks are all correct, dating this watch to 1937.

Detailed particulars will be included with our purchase receipt for your interest and security. A separate insurance valuation for the replacement value of this watch will be provided at the time of sale along with our unique ‘Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee’ which states: “If this watch proves to be anything less than 100% genuine, authentic and original, a full refund will be given at any time”.

This watch comes complete with a high quality hardwood presentation box.

Payment and Delivery

If you would like to pay by bank transfer, we will be pleased to assist you with this. Similarly, if you wish to pay by International SWIFT or Bank Wire Transfer we will provide you with our BIC / Swift number and our IBAN number.

Please check the import duties and any taxes your government may apply, these are different for each country and, unfortunately, out of our control.

We understand there may be some ‘loopholes’ that may help you avoid these charges; however, attempting to use these could impact our ongoing ability to serve our growing international customer base.

For those who happen to visit London on occasion, we are, of course, more than happy to store your watch until we can meet you in our offices in Kensington, London, and hand your watch directly to you there.

As with all our watches, this watch will be sold under our 14 days no-quibble sale or return policy.

In Conclusion

This is a first-class example of a highly collectable and highly practical vintage gold watch from one of horology’s most famous names which will provide an excellent financial investment as well as be something to use, wear, treasure and enjoy! This will make an excellent evening wear dress watch as well as be a practical highly accurate and reliable timepiece to use on an everyday basis.

A word on our prices – We always try our hardest to acquire the very highest quality watches we can find, before restoring them to the highest possible standards. We then offer these at the fairest prices we can, taking into account our pre and post-sales care and service. This approach means we will never be the cheapest, but nor will we be the most expensive. Indeed there are some well-known stores in West London which are highly successful charging between two to three times the price you see here. We, therefore, consider our prices to be fair, given the quality of watches we have to offer.

Please note, we also welcome part exchanges. If you have a watch or a small collection for sale, please contact us as we will be happy to discuss this.

We will also be happy to Service your watch, Repair your watch or Restore your watch, all at ‘sensible’ prices. Please see here.

If you have any questions please call us on 020 7727 7095 or if calling from overseas on +44 207 727 7095.

Please take a look at our other fine vintage gold watches.

Thank you.