18K pink gold from 1958 mint

By ICONEEK January 16, 2023

Lot 98

Omega, movement no. 16630306, case no. 410135, for the French market, circa 1958

Est. CHF 1’500 – 2’500

A fine and superb condition, manual winding, 18K pink gold wristwatch with cream colour dial and sweep center seconds, gilt Omega buckle.

Fitted with a caliber 284, hand wound, mechanical, copper colour, 17 jewels, Breguet hairspring, shock-absorbers, index regulator.

Dial and movement signed by maker, case back with case maker stamp “PGF”.

Diam. 34.50 mm Thickness 9.90 mm.

Preserved in original and superb overall condition, with sharp edges, this Omega is a great example of the 1950s design

Extended note:

With movement no. 16630306, the present watch was produced around 1958. The model comes with a three-body construction: a pink gold round case with lapidated lugs, a snap on gold bezel bearing the hesalite glass and a snap on plain gold case back. The case back is engraved inside with the case maker stamp « PGF », a French company, that also used to created cases for other brands like Longines. The quality of these cases were as good as the Swiss one.

Under the plexiglass crystal, we find a mint cream colored dial with applied gold Baton indexes, gold Baton hands, a blued steel sweep center seconds hand, an applied raised gold Omega logo and signature. The watch is powered by a caliber Omega 284, copper colored, mechanical, manual-winding, 17 jewels, with straight line lever escapement, self-compensating blued steel Breguet balance spring, monometallic two-arm balance with timing screws, shock absorbers, index regulator. Caliber 284 was introduced in 1955, with original designation 284 30 SC T4 PC AM 17p (30 for 30 mm., SC seconde centrale, PC pare-chocs, AM amagnétique). Dial, case and movement are signed. The present watch comes with a later original Omega leather strap and a later original Omega gilt buckle. The size between the lugs is 18 mm.

According to Omega Heritage department, « the movement was produced on 8.4.1958 and sent to France, where the case was  Produced ». We thanks Omega Museum department for their kind help. A similar watch with French case, Production Nationale Française, from 1954, is described and illustrated in Omega book, A journey through Time, page 154, ill. 3047.

Condition: 9.8, almost perfect for its age, in working condition, a superb and rare example.