Knowledge sharing: Omega ref & serial number ( part 1)
Why am I writing this blog post? Quite frankly, I got back into Omega watches! "yay" This is a first since 2015. I still hate them for my own reasons but that does not make me not interested in them. ( Why I am in between omega, you will read somewhere in the future)
There are a million serial charts online from Omega, I am leaving the speedy out but I just stole this somewhere. I am not even going to refer to anyone because this is the info from Omega anyway.
- Serial numbers
| 1895 | 1,000,000 | 1966 | 23,000,000 |
| 1902 | 2,000,000 | 1967 | 25,000,000 |
| 1908 | 3,000,000 | 1968 | 26,000,000 |
| 1912 | 4,000,000 | 1969 | 28,000,000 |
| 1916 | 5,000,000 | 1970 | 29,000,000 |
| 1923 | 6,000,000 | 1970 | 32,000,000 |
| 1929 | 7,000,000 | 1971 | 33,000,000 |
| 1935 | 8,000,000 | 1973 | 36,000,000 |
| 1939 | 9,000,000 | 1974 | 38,000,000 |
| 1944 | 10,000,000 | 1975 | 39,000,000 |
| 1947 | 11,000,000 | 1977 | 40,000,000 |
| 1950 | 12,000,000 | 1978 | 41,000,000 |
| 1952 | 13,500,000 | 1979 | 42,000,000 |
| 1954 | 14,000,000 | 1980 | 44,000,000 |
| 1956 | 15,000,000 | 1982 | 45,000,000 |
| 1958 | 16,000,000 | 1985 | 48,000,000 |
| 1960 | 17,000,000 | 1986 | 49,000,000 |
| 1961 | 18,000,000 | 1989 | 51,000,000 |
| 1962 | 19,000,000 | 1991 | 53,000,000 |
| 1963 | 20,000,000 | 1993 | 54,000,000 |
| 1965 | 22,000,000 | 1995 | 55,000,000 |
This is just a guideline, years and serial numbers will always be within some degree of a margin. There can always be 2 up to even 3 year difference in between a case serial and a movement serial among all watchbands. We like to think of these manufacturers as 1 man operated old men watchmaker style things but they actually are big companies working with a make produce to stock model and use when needed.
2. Reference numbers
The most interesting part for me is the era of the 6-digit serial number. Somebody, please somebody send me an e-mail with the explanation for part 1 of this reference. I only see some kind of SKU model in this that only Omega and the lady from the Omega client service does understand.
The first 3 digits have an explanation though!
| 1st Digit | 2nd Digit | 3rd Digit |
| 1: Gent's Watch (on leather) | 1 - Manual winding without second | 1 - Non-water-resistant |
| 2 - Gent's Jewellery Watch ( something fancy) | 2 - Manual winding small second | 2 - Non-water-resistant Calender |
| 3 - Gent's Bracelet Watch (metal bracelet) | 3 - Manual winding centre second | 3 - Non-water-resistant chronometer |
| 4 - Gent's Jewellery Bracelet Watch ( imagine diamonds and stuff) | 4 - Manual winding chronograph | 4 - Non-water-resistant chronometer calender |
| 5 - Lady's Watch | 5 - Self-winding without second | 5 - Water-resistant |
| 6 - Lady's Jewellery Watch | 6 - Self-winding centre second | 6 - Water-resistant Calender |
| 7 - Lady's Bracelet Watch | 7 - Self-winding chronograph | 7 - Water-resistant chronometer |
| 8 - Lady's Jewellery Bracelet Watch | 8 - Electronic chronograph | 8 - Water-resistant chronometer calender |
| 9 - Quartz |
This chart however I did get from somebody! More info here.
3. Material stamp
Pre 1960 ( in reality 1962-63):
| Steel: CK/MI |
| Solid gold: OT/OJ |
| Gold cap: KO |
|
Gold-filled: PK |
Post 1960:
| BA | Yellow gold |
| BC | White gold |
| BG | Pink gold |
| BT | Platinum |
| DA | Yellow gold combination |
| DD | Gold combination |
| DG | Pink gold combination |
| DL | Gold combination |
| MD | Gold plated |
| SP | Strap |
| ST | Stainless steel |
| TA |
Titanium and yellow gold combination |
Hope this helps some people out there. Got questions? feel free to slide in the dm's on IG or slide in the mailbox!
X ya boy
Bert