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Founded in 1848 in Switzerland, Omega has become one of the world's best-known watch brands. Omega produced high-quality wristwatches during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Renowned for its precision and craftsmanship, Omega also created exquisite pocket watches in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, enhancing its reputation as a premier watchmaker.
The original Omega porcelain-enamel dial is unmistakably American in its design, executed in the traditional railroad style with bold Arabic numerals, an outer minute track, and a recessed sub-seconds dial. The dial bears the iconic Omega signature at the center and is one of the cleanest, best-proportioned dials we have come across. The original hands were corroded, so we polished them to a mirror finish and thermally colored them to a rich plum hue. The contrast of the plum hands against the white porcelain-enamel dial is incredible. This Omega timepiece was manufactured in Switzerland and completed in 1908. It was built specifically for the American market and features a rare American-style setting mechanism, making it one of the few Swiss movements we are able to convert. The watch is powered by a robust 17-jewel in-house Omega movement produced during the period. Beautifully decorated ratchet and crown wheels, along with a finely machined balance regulator, showcase the quality of Omega's early manufacturing. Every movement component has been carefully refinished by hand. Instead of our typical blue, we added plum accents to the screws and steel hardware through precise open-flame thermal coloring using traditional watchmaking techniques (read more here). We wanted the plum coloring of the movement to carry through to the dial side and match the restored hands. Plum is considerably more difficult to achieve consistently than blue because it develops within a narrower temperature range during heating. Even small differences in temperature can shift the steel toward brown, violet, or blue, so each component has to be carefully polished, heated, and stopped at nearly the exact same point to maintain a consistent color throughout the watch. The gear train, balance, and balance weights were individually hand-polished to restore their original golden luster while preserving the movement's period-correct appearance. Altogether, this piece represents a fascinating intersection of Swiss and American watchmaking—a Swiss-made Omega engineered specifically for the American market, complete with an American-style setting mechanism and a traditional railroad-style dial, complemented by matching plum accents throughout the hands and movement. At just 36 mm, it carries the proportions and wearability of a modern dress watch while preserving the character of a vintage Swiss movement from 1908.
Housed in our 36 mm conversion case, this timepiece is designed to preserve the elegance of its vintage aesthetic while offering the refined proportions of a modern dress watch. Crafted from surgical-grade 316L stainless steel, the case features both caseback and crown gaskets for enhanced durability and water resistance up to 50 meters (though we recommend removing the watch before water activities). At just 36 mm across with a slim profile, the case wears compact, elegant, and exceptionally comfortable on the wrist. Every piece is fully serviced, meticulously tested, and built for reliable everyday wear.
Watch Performance
Accuracy: +/- 10 seconds per day
Amplitude: 265 degrees
Beat Error: 1.5 ms
Frequency: 18,000 (5 beats per second)
Power Reserve: 24-30 hours
Complication: Sub second hand
Watch Specifications
Manufacture: Omega
Location: Switzerland
Year Manufactured: 1908
Dial Material: Porcelain-enamel
Jewels: 17 jewels
Case Diameter: 36 mm
Front Crystal: Domed AR coated sapphire
Back Crystal: Flat AR coated sapphire
Case Material: 316L stainless
Lug width: 20 mm
Lug to Lug: 44 mm
Height: 10 mm
Serial Number: 3617237
Water Resistance: 50 meters
Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
All Frett & Co. Clockworks watches come with a full 1-year warranty unless otherwise stated.