[RobW]

Hello all,
I'm seeking comment on this 1954 14k solid gold Omega watch. I apologize for the horrific photo. It was taken with my mobile phone. That's glare you see, and the gold color of the dial is only an approximation. The dial, which is an obvious redial, has no flaws (I fall in the "I-don't-mind-redials" camp). This Omega has a 354 caliber movement with serial number 1418XXXX and case Ref. G 6525. Its part of the US collection and the case is by Star Watch Company. There is no "Swiss Made" on the dial. The crown is signed and appears original.

I bought this watch at a Northern California pawn shop for a very low price. Ten minutes later it was in the hands of my watchmaker who specializes in Omegas. She examined the watch and said the redial was "pretty good." She stretched out the word "preeeetty" to imply it wasn't the best redial ever to grace a watch but "good enough." She serviced it and overhauled the innards. When I picked it up she said she would gladly sell it for twice the price I paid for it. She had about a half-dozen all-original and fine-looking vintage Omegas in her case so I took that as a compliment. She researched the watch on the Omega database and everything matches. It's really a great looking dress watch despite the photo.

The redial is indeed pretty good. It's smooth without flaws and the "Omega Automatic" lettering has one tiny barely noticeable flaw on the "e." The markers are in good shape and sit well on the dial. The hands appear original but obviously replated/repainted. I'm kind of bugged, though, by the absence of minutes/seconds markers. I feel that there should be markers there, but I have seen at least two mid-1950s unrestored gold-dial Omegas without the minutes/seconds markers so I feel a bit better. And the gold refinished dial of my Omega appears fairly close in color to these originals.
Does anyone care to venture an opinion? Was Norman Morris a rogue watchmaker who designed his own dials willy-nilly? I've come across so few US Collection Omegas and even fewer with the G 6525 case it's hard for me to determine whether I have something special or just run-of-the-mill. Should I make anything out of the fact that the dial only reads "Omega Automatic?" I've certainly seen other dials with no names, but does it mean anything? And finally, it's interesting that this "no model" Cal. 354 watch was produced right in the middle of the Globemaster/Constellation confusion of 1952-1954. Any relation or just wishful thinking?
Best,
Rob

 

[JimH]

Does anyone care to venture an opinion? Was Norman Morris a rogue watchmaker who designed his own dials willy-nilly? I've come across so few US Collection Omegas and even fewer with the G 6525 case it's hard for me to determine whether I have something special or just run-of-the-mill. Should I make anything out of the fact that the dial only reads "Omega Automatic?" I've certainly seen other dials with no names, but does it mean anything? And finally, it's interesting that this "no model" Cal. 354 watch was produced right in the middle of the Globemaster/Constellation confusion of 1952-1954. Any relation or just wishful thinking?

Based on the length of the hands your watch dial may have originally looked something like this:

The dial on this U.S. market watch below (from 1952) is original and has minute markers located at the end of the minute/seconds hands. Omega automatic watches which were not members of a "named" model, i.e., "Constellation", "Seamaster", etc., were simply marked "OMEGA AUTOMATIC". Your watch is not especially rare or unusual.

Here's the movement in this watch (also a 354):

 

[ulackfocus]

No mystery, it's a refinished dial - and a replacement crown I think.

 

[RobW]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the input.