When is an Omega automatic NOT an Omega automatic?

[kevkojak]

I've just bought a collection of vintage watches (most of which are headed for ebay) but there are three Omega watches I'd thought about restoring.
All are running well on test, but when I've opened one of them up to look inside for the serial number... well.

Omega 552, supposed to be an automatic of course, but the rotor is missing! Obviously removed intentionally, and the rest of the movement is intact. It still winds manually and runs like a dream. Why on earth?? I'm perplexed. I can only think it was noisy so they had it removed.
Anyone come across anything like this before? It's the correct movement for the watch, just with a little bit of it missing.

Ebay it is. Wish me luck.

[walkerwek1958]

Are you sure the caseback is deep enough to accommodate the rotor? It's possible that a 552 movement has been fitted to a case designed to take a hand-wound movement, the only difference would be the depth of the caseback. Either way it's a bodge.

Obtaining an auto-winding bridge and associated parts to make it correct shouldn't be too difficult, but people ask daft prices for second-hand parts thesedays.

Never ceases to amaze me how watches get bodged, I`ve had a couple on the bench this year that were wrong 'uns!

Edit just re-read the post, I may be interested in buying it either for parts or as a fixer upper.

[walkerwek1958]

Reminds me of an ETA 2801 hand-wound movement I encountered a couple of years back, fitted to a micro-brand watch. The watch ran but would wind forever. Turns out the mainspring and barrel were for an ETA 2824, they're interchangeable, and the mistake must've occurred at the ETA factory.

[M4tt]

Picked this 'fake Rolex' off ebay last year: