| Author | Message | ||
     Erhard Hohenester New member Username: Erhard Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
I recently acquired a vintage Omega watch and would appreciate some info on its movement (see seller's picture). The gold-plated 30T2 calibre is numbered 106xxxxx, which dates the watch to ca. 1945. Interestingly, it has 17 jewels (jewelled centre wheel) and not 15 jewels like ordinary 30T2s from that period. I have only ever seen 17 jewels in the 30T2Rg chronometers, but my movement does not have the microregulator and special finish of the chronometers. Do I have a rare hybrid?  | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1376 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Hello Erhard, Many manufacturers made the same movement in 15 or 17 jewels, I suspect that Omega is no exception as at least 3-4 iterations of the 30T2 exist, maybe much more. So yes, it's less common, but I'm not sure it make a whole lot of difference to the collectibility of the watch. Zaf | ||
| GregB Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Erhard, Your 17-jewel 30T2 is actually a standard production model that appears in my old Omega movement catalogs. The 15-jewel 30T2 model was designated by Omega as a caliber 260 and the 17-jewel 30T2 (non-Rg) was designated as the caliber 280. The 30T2RG was a caliber 281, according to the books. Hope this helps! Greg | ||
| Erhard Hohenester New member Username: Erhard Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Many thanks, Zaf and Greg, for the illuminating comments. It's always nice to know what's ticking in my watches... Erhard | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1378 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
One additional piece of info...the 3 digit designation 260, 280, 281, etc was not used until 1949. | ||
| GregB Unregistered guest Rating: |
Correct. The 3-digit designation was assigned later, however it makes referencing the differences easier and less confusing since both the 15J and the 17J versions of the 30T2 are called "30T2". In all, I find 13 different variations of this base movement. I know that Zaf has these, but for the benefit of others, the variations are: Caliber Jewels Year Introduced -------------------------------------------- 30 15J 1939 30T1 15J 1941 30T2 15J 1941 30SCT1 17J 1941 30SCT2 17J 1941 30T2 PC AM (Cal 260) 15J 1943 30T2 PC AM (Cal 261) 15J 1943 30T2 RG (Cal 262) 17J 1943 30T3 PC AM (Cal 265) 15J 1949 30T3 PC AM (Cal 266) 17J 1950 30T2 SC PC AM (Cal280) 17J 1943 30T2 SC RG (Cal 281) 17J 1947 30T3 SC PC AM (Cal283) 17J 1950 where: T1, T2, T3 are the alteration/variation numbers AM means anti-magnetic PC means shock-protected SC means center seconds RG means special regulating (chronometer) | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1379 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
As usual, excellent post. By the way, these are wonderful movements, as good anything from the period. | ||
| Erhard Hohenester New member Username: Erhard Post Number: 3 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the stimulating discussion. Having had a look at Greg's list, I am still mystified by my movement. My watch has sub-seconds, so it can't be the 280 calibre. Unless my movement has been put together from several cannibalised watches, it looks like a chronometer base that wasn't finished to the high 30T2Rg standard. Weird, isn't it? Erhard | ||
| Erhard Hohenester New member Username: Erhard Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Doh, I should inspected the movement first: it is a calibre 28 (360 from 1949), not a 30. The 28 only came with 17 jewels and seems to be much less common than the 30s. The design is pretty much the same, though. Erhard |
