I've long wanted a one-button chronograph. WIS Honeymoon

Full SS, 35mm X 39mm, with 18mm lugs. Caliber 865 17-jewel movement, minted in 1968.

Drooling

-Ricky

Messages In This Thread

The Search For My First Omega, Candidate Four.	Ricky Lee	138	May 13, 2012 04:37PM
It a cool looking one and as long as you know that you like it I guess it will be OK. Personally I am not very attracted by vintage, I mean I might like some in terms of looks and design, but don't like the fact that being old they might need service, parts, repair, etc. more then a new one. Of course this is not true all the times, but generally I think it is. Anyway, that's my own opinion and maybe if I had lots of funds maybe I would have several vintage pieces... but I don't. If I really wanted on though, I would wait until I found THE deal that IS THE ABSOLUTE DEAL and KNOW IT IS. In other words, a little longer wait won't do any harm...	carlopmwf	26	May 13, 2012 07:48PM
Re: ..being old they might need service, parts, repair, etc. more then a new one. This one has, according to the seller, had a Full COA Service less than 2 years ago. And even if that wasn' t the case, I find something deeply gratifying about "rescuing" old watches that need service. Provided, of course, that the selling price leaves enough headroom for it to Make Fiscal Sense.	Ricky Lee	21	May 13, 2012 08:17PM
Yes, there surely is satisfaction and gratification in having or/and restoring a nice vintage watch. Some love the hunt for parts or the re-painting of dials, or cleaning of the hands... There surely is a great feeling in restoring, if the gratification surpasses the size of the hole in one's pocket due to the expense of the watch, parts, service, etc. each one obviously has different viewpoints of what is worth to him/her. I have seen a few WIS members that do that all the time, meaning get vintage watches because they love them so much. They surely are happy. Make sure that whatever you get is what you like and want and you will be in heaven...	carlopmwf	18	May 14, 2012 11:29AM
I sent you a pm a few mornings ago......had one in there.... Those mono pushers are nice....and....would fill TWO niches I reckon!	dano0	25	May 13, 2012 07:46PM
Right.. The asking price on that one was for the condition, though. IMHO. 'twas a good suggestion, mind, and sure you've got me considering a vintage Chronostop. Quote dano0 Those mono pushers are nice....and....would fill TWO niches I reckon! Oh, they do tick several boxes for me! One of which is they are potentially quite affordable.. the nearly-$1K price of the one you linked notwithstanding. again.	Ricky Lee	12	May 15, 2012 05:46AM
What about a 30T2 handwinder??. Lots of nice variants on that.. Heck, they even made a few that were 40Mm (the "International" series) Cheers Harold	Flasharry	36	May 13, 2012 05:43PM
BTW, here's the Top 30T2 Candidate... What do ye think? 'tis a re-dial, of course. But quite well done, I fancy. Could be had for just under US $600, I think...	Ricky Lee	33	May 13, 2012 06:26PM
I've got a couple o' them bookmarked, too. Problem with.. ..the average 30T2 is that, now matter how fresh the COA, no matter how strong it runs, the patina on the movement itself is almost invariably more than I am willing to accept. The ones that ain't are, frankly, still borderline. And they ain't cheap! Mind you, this should be no surprise for a movement that's been out of production for ~ 70 years.	Ricky Lee	25	May 13, 2012 06:07PM
True.. the copper plate on the movement can get pretty worn... especially on the older movements..	Flasharry	24	May 13, 2012 07:17PM
This one doesn't speak to me, but of course, it's your money... (n/t)	James T. Kirk©	27	May 13, 2012 05:11PM
Too true! And, Politically Correct Fellow that I am, I won't even break out the Tasteless Dolt Trump Card.	Ricky Lee	37	May 13, 2012 05:40PM
Re: Politically Correct Fellow that I am Yes, incredibile pc... That's why you enclosed the link to the worst insult I had here in the forum. That's why I mentioned Larry the cable guy, very diplomatic too...	James T. Kirk©	25	May 13, 2012 07:02PM
Re: Yes, incredibile pc... That's why you enclosed the link to the worst insult I had here in the forum. Hey, it's a Dirty Job but some Peckerwood's gotta do it. I ain't never been a-skeered of a Dirty Job, much less Hard Work.	Ricky Lee	30	May 13, 2012 07:37PM

My First Omega.

May 19, 2012 09:29AM

I looked at literally dozens of candidates and, of course, shared a few of them here. One thing I can say with confidence is that shopping for a Vintage Omega is an experience akin to walking through a minefield. Oops!

Lots of frankens, redials masquerading as original, fuzzy photos that you just know are no accident, etc. And prices? Eek!

Well! Don't get me started! Laughing

The winner? If you saw my Rollcall post you won't be surprised...

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
..a 1968 model Chronostop, Ref. 145.010, powered by a Caliber 865 17-jewel handwind movement which was unique to this line. All SS, 35mm X 39mm X 12mm thick, with 18mm lugs, screwdown caseback, push-pull crown, acrylic crystal.

This watch ticked a lot of boxes for me. First, it's a design that truly moved me. And being a seldom-seen "Drivers" model, it's about as far from being a "Belly-button Omega" as you can get. According to reliable sources, only 185,000 Chronostops were made in total. Not exactly an L.E., but compared to, say, a

or a

it's vanishingly rare.

Then too, it's about as original as a 44-year-old watch gets. The dial is original, as are hands, crown, even crystal. If the case has been polished, it was done very gently. Even the strap (a very nice lizard skin) is, while not original to the watch, still apparently OEM Omega. Alas, too short by nearly an inch, hence the "crap strap" seen here. Wink

And the seller had a sterling reputation. Perfect feedback with hundreds of watches sold, and his photos were hi-res and clear, so that the cosmetic flaws were clearly visible.

Yes, there are some flaws...

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
Perhaps most egregious, a couple of paint chips have flaked off the seconds hand. And several of the lume dots are missing (or partially missing). But again, those flaws were evident in the sellers photos, so I knew it going in. No surprises, IOW. Indeed, the only surprise were good ones..

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
While the seller specified that the crystal was an aftermarket replacement, it's definitely OEM

. I was just barely able to..

..capture the etched Ω logo at the center. While I haven't taken a movement photo yet, the seller's photo is pretty good..

Mind you, it doesn't really do the movement justice. It is just beautiful! WIS Honeymoon

More to the point it RUNS excellent. It has been serviced ~ within the last 2 years, and all functions work perfectly. It appears to be keeping spot-on time after 9 hours, though since I didn't leave the chrono running, it's impossible to tell to-the-second. Power reserve is undetermined at this point, but it's still ticking merrily along after 26 hours.

One thing's sure..

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
.."crap strap" notwithstanding, it wears Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr8! WIS Honeymoon

Thanks for readin' y'all!

Sláinte! Cheers!

-Ricky

Recommended further reading:

My "window-shopping" post showing seller's other photos

Chronostop overview at old-omegas.com

A tasty "sideways" Chronostop on Nicholas Hacko's blog

Omega Chronostop Explained on Hodinkee

Other Chronostop articles on Hodinkee

A hi-res Chronostop photo from antiquorum

"He looked down through the scratched, greenish glass that topped the counter. Watches there, each face to him a tiny and contained poem, a pocket museum, subject over time to the laws of entropy and of chance. These tiny mechanisms, their jeweled hearts beating. Wearing down, he knew, through the friction of metal on metal. He sold nothing unserviced, everything cleaned and lubricated. He took fresh stock to a sullen but highly skilled Pole in Oakland to be cleaned, oiled, and timed. And he did this, he knew, not to provide a better, more reliable product, but to ensure that each one might better survive in an essentially hostile universe. It would have been difficult to admit this to anyone, but it was true and he knew it. --William Gibson, narrative describing Fontaine, All Tomorrow's Parties

Messages In This Thread

My First Omega.	Ricky Lee	193	May 19, 2012 09:29AM
Congrats! (n/t)	Need_Omega	15	May 21, 2012 10:47AM
Congrats (n/t)	pumpkin2001	18	May 20, 2012 12:19AM
Super clean, very nice Great, tidy dial. Love the alternating outer track, central dash of color 'O' - even the second hand seems to fit the design with especial ease. Add to that the apparent scarcity and youve got a great looking, appreciating first example. Congrats!	Ethan_Mack	26	May 19, 2012 10:34PM
Re: ..youve got a great looking, appreciating first example. Oh, I feel certain this one could be flipped for a hefty profit right now. But I ain't gonna! Quote Ethan_Mack Love the alternating outer track.. Yes, I do love that touch. Quote Ethan_Mack Congrats! mate.	Ricky Lee	20	May 20, 2012 08:31AM
Beautiful Omega, Ricky. Enjoy and Congratulations. (n/t)	Mark C.	18	May 19, 2012 10:22PM
Congrats Ricky! Great Omega! (n/t)	Julio	20	May 19, 2012 07:09PM
Lovely watch! And I envy your 'Tardis' wrists that can handle watches from tiny to gargantuan! (n/t)	JY	20	May 19, 2012 06:12PM
Looks like a winner. Congrats. (n/t)	Robmks	20	May 19, 2012 04:27PM
Beautiful! Congrats Ricky! (n/t)	Wen	20	May 19, 2012 02:54PM
Ricky, once again a great topic and Congratulations! A really wise choice and a lovely vintage! (n/t)	IF	21	May 19, 2012 02:15PM
It's a beauty, RL. Movement shot is super.Congratulations! (n/t)	itschris	19	May 19, 2012 01:12PM
looks great, but careful, it's a slippery slope here > I bought one, and within 2 months bought 2 more. It'll wreck a bank account quick.	greg honeycutt	28	May 19, 2012 12:56PM
Re: I bought one, and within 2 months bought 2 more. It'll wreck a bank account quick. Well. Perhaps I didn't "steal it", at least not to the degree that Dan did that Seamaster 613. But IMHO US $459 shipped was a pretty Fair Deal for the watch, all things considered! The "sideways" Chronostop models command higher prices, of course. However, pristine examples identical to mine can fetch US $1,500+. And I saw one that was in far worse cosmetic condition than mine go for US $800. Still, I know that if I started buying ~ $500+ watches like they're Alphas, I'd blow my wad PDQ so it's Sound Advice.	Ricky Lee	24	May 19, 2012 03:06PM
You done good Ricky! Great dial! Congratulations! (n/t)	Timemiser	22	May 19, 2012 12:05PM
Very nice score! Yeah, you gotta get those walmart tires off your classic (n/t)	Nuvolari	22	May 19, 2012 11:51AM
Great buy, man, congrats! (n/t)	James T. Kirk©	18	May 19, 2012 11:27AM
Wonderful first there, Ricky! Congrats! (n/t)	RR218	20	May 19, 2012 10:49AM
Looks good, but please get a proper strap! (n/t)	MCV	17	May 19, 2012 10:04AM
You need a good and proper XXL strap for that one bro Ricky...... I have two if your interested, PM me. Looks great by the way. Congratulations!!!! Welcome to the vintage omega owners club!!!	dano0	23	May 19, 2012 09:57AM
No doubt I do! Quote dano0 I have two if your interested, PM me. I'll keep it in mind. However, I'm pretty convinced that mesh is the way to go. Mind you, an actual mesh bracelet as originally fitted is scarce as hen's teeth. And they can go for as much as I paid for the watch. So needless to say, I'll be Going Aftermarket. Quote dano0 Looks great by the way. Congratulations!!!! Thanks mate! Quote dano0 Welcome to the vintage omega owners club!!! When will I get my Membership Card and Secret Decoder Ring?	Ricky Lee	26	May 19, 2012 01:22PM
Congrats Ricky, enjoy! (n/t)	BILLANAGNOS(GREEK)	19	May 19, 2012 09:35AM
Great choice, excellent watch, congratulations. (n/t)	Paul J Costa	18	May 19, 2012 09:33AM

The Search For My First Omega, Candidate Four.

The Search For My First Omega, Candidate Four.

I sent you a pm a few mornings ago......had one in there.... Those mono pushers are nice....and....would fill TWO niches I reckon!

Right.. The asking price on that one was for the condition, though. IMHO. 'twas a good suggestion, mind, and sure you've got me considering a vintage Chronostop.

What about a 30T2 handwinder??. Lots of nice variants on that.. Heck, they even made a few that were 40Mm (the "International" series) Cheers Harold

BTW, here's the Top 30T2 Candidate... What do ye think? 'tis a re-dial, of course. But quite well done, I fancy. Could be had for just under US $600, I think...

True.. the copper plate on the movement can get pretty worn... especially on the older movements..

This one doesn't speak to me, but of course, it's your money... (n/t)

Too true! And, Politically Correct Fellow that I am, I won't even break out the Tasteless Dolt Trump Card.

Re: Politically Correct Fellow that I am Yes, incredibile pc... That's why you enclosed the link to the worst insult I had here in the forum. That's why I mentioned Larry the cable guy, very diplomatic too...

Re: Yes, incredibile pc... That's why you enclosed the link to the worst insult I had here in the forum. Hey, it's a Dirty Job but some Peckerwood's gotta do it. I ain't never been a-skeered of a Dirty Job, much less Hard Work.

My First Omega.

My First Omega.

Congrats! (n/t)

Congrats (n/t)

Super clean, very nice Great, tidy dial. Love the alternating outer track, central dash of color 'O' - even the second hand seems to fit the design with especial ease. Add to that the apparent scarcity and youve got a great looking, appreciating first example.

Congrats!

Re: ..youve got a great looking, appreciating first example. Oh, I feel certain this one could be flipped for a hefty profit right now. But I ain't gonna!

Beautiful Omega, Ricky. Enjoy and Congratulations. (n/t)

Congrats Ricky! Great Omega! (n/t)

Lovely watch! And I envy your 'Tardis' wrists that can handle watches from tiny to gargantuan! (n/t)

Looks like a winner. Congrats. (n/t)

Beautiful! Congrats Ricky! (n/t)

Ricky, once again a great topic and Congratulations! A really wise choice and a lovely vintage! (n/t)

It's a beauty, RL. Movement shot is super.Congratulations! (n/t)

looks great, but careful, it's a slippery slope here > I bought one, and within 2 months bought 2 more. It'll wreck a bank account quick.

You done good Ricky! Great dial! Congratulations! (n/t)

Very nice score! Yeah, you gotta get those walmart tires off your classic (n/t)

Great buy, man, congrats! (n/t)

Wonderful first there, Ricky! Congrats! (n/t)

Looks good, but please get a proper strap! (n/t)

You need a good and proper XXL strap for that one bro Ricky...... I have two if your interested, PM me. Looks great by the way. Congratulations!!!! Welcome to the vintage omega owners club!!!

No doubt I do!

Congrats Ricky, enjoy! (n/t)

Great choice, excellent watch, congratulations. (n/t)

I sent you a pm a few mornings ago......had one in there....
Those mono pushers are nice....and....would fill TWO niches I reckon!

Right.. The asking price on that one was for the condition, though. IMHO.
'twas a good suggestion, mind, and sure you've got me considering a vintage Chronostop.

What about a 30T2 handwinder??.
Lots of nice variants on that..
Heck, they even made a few that were 40Mm (the "International" series)

Cheers
Harold

BTW, here's the Top 30T2 Candidate...

What do ye think?

'tis a re-dial, of course.

But quite well done, I fancy.

Could be had for just under US $600, I think...

True.. the copper plate on the movement can get pretty worn...
especially on the older movements..

Too true!
And, Politically Correct Fellow that I am, I won't even break out the Tasteless Dolt Trump Card.

Re: Politically Correct Fellow that I am
Yes, incredibile pc... That's why you enclosed the link to the worst insult I had here in the forum. That's why I mentioned Larry the cable guy, very diplomatic too...

Re: Yes, incredibile pc... That's why you enclosed the link to the worst insult I had here in the forum.
Hey, it's a Dirty Job but some Peckerwood's gotta do it.

I ain't never been a-skeered of a Dirty Job, much less Hard Work.

Super clean, very nice
Great, tidy dial. Love the alternating outer track, central dash of color 'O' - even the second hand seems to fit the design with especial ease.

Add to that the apparent scarcity and youve got a great looking, appreciating first example.

Re: ..youve got a great looking, appreciating first example.
Oh, I feel certain this one could be flipped for a hefty profit right now.

But I ain't gonna!

looks great, but careful, it's a slippery slope here >
I bought one, and within 2 months bought 2 more. It'll wreck a bank account quick.

You need a good and proper XXL strap for that one bro Ricky......
I have two if your interested, PM me. Looks great by the way. Congratulations!!!! Welcome to the vintage omega owners club!!!