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Thread: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

  1. #1
    Master
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    A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Afternoon all

    Well, after whats been a pretty rubbish week, this arrived and has cheered me right up!



    Introduced in 1968 these where basically the predecessors to Omegas quartz revolution of the 1970's, they were produced in very limited numbers and from what I can gather weren't commercially available, virtually all of them where sent to large Omega retailers and display clocks or given as gifts by Omega.



    I bought this one from a chap in France, it is only the third one I have ever seen and the only black dial version, the only other one I have seen in the flesh is owned by Swiss Time Services and resides in their museum display.




    What makes it so special is the movement, yes thats right it requires 4 AA batteries and as you can see the technology is pretty old school, but man is it accurate, I have had it for four days and it hasn't missed a second, I trimmed it in when it first arrived and it is bang on, apparently according to Journey Through Time it should be as accurate as my Marine Chronometer and Megaquartz Stardust, variation of +- 1 SPM, pretty impressive even my modern standards



    Everything about the clock smacks of hand made limited run manufacture, even down to the glass which when dismantled is noticeably hand finished on the edges to fit the case, the case is hard plastic with a steel inner shell/ hub for the workings to be mounted on all of the workings are encased in a large plasic pod like rear shell, very cool! It weights about a kilo and is very marmite, I personally love the design, my wife thinks it looks 'cheap' sigh!



    Anyway thought I would show it off, not something you will see everday and certainly not something i'm likley to find for sale again anytime soon!



    Cheers Tom

  2. #2

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Thats cracking, love it 8) and those Liquorice allsorts capacitors are pretty tasty as well :D

  3. #3

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    What a great desk clock

  4. #4
    Master
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Quote Originally Posted by kiki-picasso
    Thats cracking, love it 8) and those Liquorice allsorts capacitors are pretty tasty as well :D

    It is a very impressive piece of kit, the images really don't do the movement justice, what amazes me though is that one year later this technology was in a wrist watch! The quartz on it is huge and the circuit board is just a work of art, really just amazing, whats more amazing is that even unserviced (which is not something I think even STS would want to try) it is absolutely bang on time!

    Cheers Tom

  5. #5

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Thats a great find and very very cool. Well done :)

  6. #6
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    I love that.

    Ultra cool. 8)
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  7. #7
    Grand Master jwg663's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    I like it. Well done.
    .
    .
    ______

    ​Jim.

  8. #8
    Master flame's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Quote Originally Posted by dickstar1977
    Afternoon all

    Well, after whats been a pretty rubbish week, this arrived and has cheered me right up!



    Cheers Tom
    Hiya Tom

    A cracking addition as usual and very well found ! Love it.... 8)

    Cheers Neil

  9. #9
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    that is really, really cool.
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  10. #10
    Master village's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Fan-bloody-tastic.
    I want it :D

  11. #11
    Master Plake's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    That is very cool indeed. Really like the design and very nice to have a little date on it too.

    Would love one on my desk.

  12. #12

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    That's fantastic!



    (Don't let Gary see it.............)
    Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.

  13. #13
    Master Omegary's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Quote Originally Posted by Backward point
    That's fantastic!



    (Don't let Gary see it.............)
    Too late :lol:

    Excellent find (as usual), well done Tom.

    Is this a similar to the one that Keith had a while back? I liked that one too. I know JonW had a similar but brightly coloured Tissot (from memory) desk clock too, which I came very close to buying.

    Cheers,
    Gary

  14. #14
    Master Omegary's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Got it wrong again

    Jon's was a Derby Swissonic, very cool design though and so of its time.



    Cheers,
    Gary

  15. #15

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Wondered when another one of these would surface....trust me to have my back turned.

    Especially as I lost the last one when a fellow collector sniped me after agreeing not to bid.

    Ah well...suppose it serves me right for selling mine to TC at STS.

    Nice find Tom..



    Thats the last couple to come out of France ..isn't it ?
    K

    PS Hang onto to it this time eh!

  16. #16

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Looks like it needs more than batteries.


  17. #17
    Master
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Thanks for all the comments guys

    Keiths example was lovely, a silvered dialed version of the same variant

    Keith, yep this is the second one I have seen to come out of France, they usually only come form Germany and France, never seen one come out of anywhere else. I remember when you got sniped on the last one, real shame! This one will be going no where quick, thats for sure! Such a great piece of kit!

    Cheers Tom

  18. #18

    A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Ah so you're the one who convinced that French guy to end the auction early! I was tracking it and all of a sudden it was gone...I thought maybe he'd had to stop the auction (he had mentioned something had come unglued) and was going to relist...he did get back saying he'd taken an offer (how does that work, the seller adds a BIN option?)...good price too...for the buyer, apparently he needed the cash for an upcoming vacation.

  19. #19

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    I like this a lot, really cool.

  20. #20
    Master
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Very nice indeed, a great find Tom.

  21. #21
    Master
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Wot abeauty buddy! 8) 8)

  22. #22

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    :D I think it looks cool, design is very of its time but it looks good to me, as a piece of the history of the development of quartz timing its got to be really special.

  23. #23

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Stunning! Love these. Yes I had an old Derby Swissonic which was fine but i found it too noisy, hows the Omega for noise Tom?

  24. #24

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Nice... Very Nice!!!!

  25. #25

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Hi
    Does the seconds hand jump in 1 second increments, or glide smoothly as the Beta 21 Electroquartz?
    Lovely piece :wink:
    Rob

  26. #26

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    They jump Rob.

    TBH they actually have little in common with the Electroquartz watch..other than the same era and the name...

    Still kick myself for selling mine...my wife was most annoyed...she liked the tick or tock..said it was friendly.

    K

  27. #27
    Journeyman
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Lovely, very nice indeed. :) A joy to have on your desk :bounce:

    I'm sure there's one in the garden shed under some rocking horse poo and the jar of pickled dragon's eyelashes :drunken:

  28. #28

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Quote Originally Posted by keitht
    They jump Rob.

    TBH they actually have little in common with the Electroquartz watch..other than the same era and the name...

    Still kick myself for selling mine...my wife was most annoyed...she liked the tick or tock..said it was friendly.

    K
    Cheers Keith for the info :wink:

  29. #29

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    very cool :drunken:

  30. #30

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    New one popped up on eBay, scary price, great pics : http://cgi.ebay.com/260796364833


  31. #31
    Master
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Yep, seen this one, I seriously doubt he's going to get that sort of money, rare old thing though

  32. #32

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Yes, crazy price, you did get a good deal on yours though ;-) How has its accuracy been? Did we ever figure out what kind of quartz it was using, a 2.4 mhz maybe?

  33. #33

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Thanks Tom for introducing me to this rarity.

    But then Webvan finds another, just like London buses.....!

  34. #34
    Master
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Mine is currently on display at STS, it is keeping accurate time to about 2 SPM, never did get to the bottom of the quartz though, will ask next time I am in

  35. #35

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Was searching for some Omega calibre references and came across this page and found that this "Electroquartz f8192hz" clock uses Calibre 1390.

    Code:
    1970 	1390 	84 Q SCS CAL CORR STS CORS 	pendulette Electroquartz 100% Omega - 1000 pièces 	  	  	  	  	  	8192 Hz 	  	  	125 x 80 x 48
    Also of interest on that page is the "Calibre 1526", a 4.19Mhz apparently used in 1986 for another desk clock...never seen one and Google either, that's unusual ! As a side note, Omega's other 4.19Mhz quartz, Calibre 1525, was used in the Marine Chronometer built for the French Navy.

  36. #36

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Cool looking clock I want one of those.

  37. #37

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Quote Originally Posted by webvan
    Also of interest on that page is the "Calibre 1526", a 4.19Mhz apparently used in 1986 for another desk clock...never seen one and Google either, that's unusual ! As a side note, Omega's other 4.19Mhz quartz, Calibre 1525, was used in the Marine Chronometer built for the French Navy.
    Well, when in doubt, look it up on "Omega - A Journey through Time"! Now that I own one that's just what I did and I found that elusive clock. Not quite as nice as the 1525 OMC (or the 1390 EQ of this thread), but interesting all the same :


  38. #38

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    How about this Omega Clock that was fitted on one of the Concorde prototypes apparently...yours for a paltry...



    ..€39.000 !

  39. #39
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Quote Originally Posted by dickstar1977
    Afternoon all

    Well, after whats been a pretty rubbish week, this arrived and has cheered me right up!



    ........................................
    Cheers Tom
    Omega's hands of that period are just ... divine!!! Love the date position. I also prefer this model to the silver one. 8)

    There's a '2001 Space Odyssey' (which is the right date) feel to the design.

    Clean those contacts. :wink:

    On a serious note, unlike in a mechanical mov, in a quartz such as this, there is absolutelely no stress on the pivots so you will only need to clean and re-oil the mechanical elements and you are to back-to-as-new condition.

    john
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  40. #40

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    How about this constellation clock currently on the Bay at a pretty price :


  41. #41

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Superb :D

    One of the coolest items I have seen on here for a while.

  42. #42

    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    Holy smokes, that is super cool. I'm imagining that on my desk right now. Absolutely pleased that my 50th post should be a comment on that. I love Omega's.

  43. #43
    Master Tony-GB's Avatar
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    Re: A special new arrival: Omega Electroquartz clock

    That is bloomin' gorgeous. Congratulations. 8)

  44. #44
    I guess it's true when they say that good things come to those who wait (or something like that) ;-)







    So that's the version with the black dial and the previous owner took it upon himself to paint the case in black as the original grey color had apparently not aged well...guess it's always better to keep clocks/watches the way they were designed but I must say it works rather well.

    With the black color it reminded me a lot of the...TomTom GO 500! Also on display at the Science Museum in London next to the Marine Chronometers ;-)



    Last edited by webvan; 23rd January 2013 at 15:53.

  45. #45
    Craftsman
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    That really is a stunner. Well done fella.

  46. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    On a serious note, unlike in a mechanical mov, in a quartz such as this, there is absolutelely no stress on the pivots so you will only need to clean and re-oil the mechanical elements and you are to back-to-as-new condition.

    john
    Indeed.
    A great benefit of electricity instead of braked spring tension driving the hands.

  47. #47
    Master
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    Awesome catch mate, where on earth did you find that beauty???

  48. #48
    Thanks! As with all good things, came across it very much by accident ;-)

    I wonder how many of the original 1000 survive these days...they seem built like a tank so most should still be ticking, alas many are probably forgotten somewhere in an attic or in a cellar...

    STS have two I believe, there was this guy in Spain asking €3000 for his, I know of another one, Bienne must have a few I'm sure.
    Last edited by webvan; 24th January 2013 at 00:35.

  49. #49
    Craftsman
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    Never seen one of these before, very nice and unique :)

  50. #50
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by webvan View Post
    Thanks! As with all good things, came across it very much by accident ;-)

    I wonder how many of the original 1000 survive these days...they seem built like a tank so most should still be ticking, alas many are probably forgotten somewhere in an attic or in a cellar...

    STS have two I believe, there was this guy in Spain asking €3000 for his, I know of another one, Bienne must have a few I'm sure.
    Indeed STS do have two, both supplied by me, really cool clocks!

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