Which strap for a 1956 Omega Seamaster?

[Dibble]

Since finding my Dad's 1956 Seamaster, I've had not luck working out what the original strap would have been - or if it was on a bracelet.

My Mum can't remember what the strap was like, so does anyone have any suggestions? Or a decent replacement?

It's currently on a rather bland "elasticated" Hirsch metal bracelet.

[Murphster]

Send pics! Perhaps black lizard, or alligator for a chunkier look.

[timesofplenty]

I've seen a few ads showing 1950s Omega watches, including some Seamasters, on shrunken calf straps:

[erasuretim]

If you go to the vintage omega website, register and enter you watch details it will tell you about the strap/bracelet your watch was originally sold with....

http://62.73.172.167/cu_vintage/index.php

Post some pics so we can make some suggestions. Depending on the watch, I sometimes go for historical authenticity, or what I think looks good to me now. I prefer the watch to be the star, so I would suggest a pigskin finish with no contrasting stitching, like those in the add - plain, simple and vintage.

regards

tim

[brownip]

Darlena do a very nice 18mm grained calfskin strap in black that is identical to Omega's own 'entry level' strap for about a quarter of the price. If you can source a vintage Omega buckle on Ebay (the ones with the big Omega applied logo are period correct) the Seamaster will look the mutts' nuts.

Cheers

Ian :)

[Dibble]

Thanks very much for the replies so far.

timesofplenty - the second ad in your post looks like the exact watch.

I know about the Omega site, but I've been trying to decipher from the original gurantee card what the movement number for the watch is - it starts with "14", which I think is about right for a 1956 watch movement.

I have seen some extracts though that don't have details of straps, so this may not take me any further forward.

[Dibble]

This is the watch, with the original guarantee card:

[brownip]

This is the watch, with the original guarantee card:

Snap!

I think yours will have a Cal 501 movement

Mine was bought in a slightly less exotic location!

Cheers
Ian

[Dibble]

brownip, it looks as though the face of yours is in better nick, and it has the four "slash" crown (if that makes sense?), instead of the milled edge like mine.

My Mum bought it for my Dad while he was working as the Principal of a teacher training college in Nigeria. The whole family were out there in the 50s and 60s, and the date on the card is the day before his 30th birthday.

[quoll]

What a fantastic find!

Did he wear it on the Hirsch expander? I'd keep it on that if he did. Failing that, a black matt croc grain would look the part. Or if you're feeling flush, a genuine Omega croc:

http://www.ofrei.com/page749.html

(They don't export - but should give you an idea.)

[Dibble]

What a fantastic find!

Did he wear it on the Hirsch expander? I'd keep it on that if he did. Failing that, a black matt croc grain would look the part. Or if you're feeling flush, a genuine Omega croc:

http://www.ofrei.com/page749.html

(They don't export - but should give you an idea.)

I bought the Hirsch for a present for him for either a birthday or Father's day, I can't remember which. My Dad wore it on that every day, but before that it was on a hideous cheap nylon strap.

I may have to sepnd the money on the Omega archive and get the full extract, so I know what the case number is.

[brownip]

Hi again

Having had a look at the Omega vintage web pages I think you've got the one detailed below - albeit with what looks like a replacement crown

Reference
CK 2921
International collection
Movement Type: Automatic (mechanical)
Caliber number: 501
Created in 1955
20 jewels
Central sweep-second hand
Case Stainless steel
Dimensions: Ø34,5 mm
Case back Screw-in Full metal
Dial Metal, with hand-riveted gold hour markers and "Dauphine" hands
Crystal Armoured hesalite
Bracelet Leather
Water resistance 30 meters
Swiss retail price (1958) : CHF 250.-
Also available in 14K gold-cap on stainless steel (KO 2921, CHF 320.-)



As per the previously reproduced adverts it was originally produced with a leather strap rather than a bracelet, but really it's a matter of personal taste as to what type of strap you go for. The tan pigskin looks very nice as does black grained calf. Mine was cased up by Dennison in the UK and doesn't correpsond with the Omega caseback numbering conventions, otherwise I could have been a bit more definitive.

Cheers
Ian :D

[Dibble]

brownip, you've obviously more luck/patience than I have!

The watch was serviced in 1994, but I don't know nwhether or not the crown was replaced (at that point anyway), as I always remember the milled edge crown on it.

Do you have a link to the page you got that information from?

The numbers on the back of the gurantee paperwork are as follows:

5C.28. RA (I think - handwritten)

CK. 2846AP. (handwritten)

No 14620366 (handwritten - is this the movement number?)

No B 913567 (printed)

[brownip]

Hi

I can't send you a link - you have to register via the Omega Watchfinder page on their website which will take you to the vintage watchfinder pages, you can then search using various criteria including the watch caseback reference, the calibre number of the movement, the watch model name etc.

From your details the caseback reference number is CK 2846 - although the Omega site lists this as a stainless steel back with goldcapped bezel and lugs rather than all steel as yours appears to be. However there was a lot of interchangeability of case parts back then so it's not that unusual to have a caseback reference number that doesn't quite match what the Omega reference site says it should be.

14620366 is the unique serial number of the watch - you can't search on the exact number on the Omega webiste but there is a table on there which indicates that the date of production is around 55-56.

I'm guessing at the movement calibre number as being 501 because it looks identical to mine -it might be a 500. The calibre reference number wil be engraved on the actual movement. Either way these 500 series movements are regarded as being amongst the best Omega ever produced for quality of build, reliability and accuracy.

You'd have to get a watchmaker to open the back for you to confirm all the numbers engraved on the caseback and movement. Then you could do a search on the Omega vintage watch site using the model name (Seamaster) and the calibre number as the search criteria will give you the same type of info I quoted above.

Paying for an Archive extract form the Omega records isn't really going to give you anything you don't already know as you have the original papers.

Cheers
Ian

brownip, you've obviously more luck/patience than I have!

The watch was serviced in 1994, but I don't know nwhether or not the crown was replaced (at that point anyway), as I always remember the milled edge crown on it.

Do you have a link to the page you got that information from?

The numbers on the back of the gurantee paperwork are as follows:

5C.28. RA (I think - handwritten)

CK. 2846AP. (handwritten)

No 14620366 (handwritten - is this the movement number?)

No B 913567 (printed)

[Dibble]

Ian

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to me, as you can no doubt tell, I'm very new to all this!

I have registered on the Omega site, so I'll have another trawl and see what I can find.

Have a virtual pint on me.

[brownip]

Will do!

I :D

Ian

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to me, as you can no doubt tell, I'm very new to all this!

I have registered on the Omega site, so I'll have another trawl and see what I can find.

Have a virtual pint on me.

[dickybow]

18mm brown croc?

[chameleoninc]

Great thread guys, always good to see a vintage omega.

[hawkit]

I've got a black croc, sets it off nice I think, cant speak for its original one tho