Comments:
In the late 1990s, I was living in Washington DC and spent some fun weekends watch-hunting at local flea markets with the former moderator of this very WPS (then Purists) wonderful Omega Forum. I first saw the Omega Marine Chronometer (OMC) on his (large) wrist and was immediately obsessed. "Tell me about THAT!" I'm sure I said. I knew then and there that I'd pursue this model sometime later despite how ridiculous it looked on my much smaller wrist. On me it looked like a house arrest monitoring device.
Many, many moons past, I used to wait for a bus in Madrid to take me to the university. The bus stop was in front of a jewelry where for the longest time they exhibited…
…in their front window an Omega Marine Chronometer. My love for that watch has never waned. I’ve always wanted one but haven’t been able the one I’d buy: flawless, like new. Anyhow, here is a watch that lives deep in my amygdala.
A million years ago, when I was in med school, I used to drool over the Rolex advertisements in the back of time magazine
I must say, you have good taste...
I bought mine 20 years ago, and my love for it has never waned.
Best wishes for finding one someday!
I hope you will eventually make it.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
Aventurine dial
A few years ago in a very small watch shop that sold used watches of all prices there was one of these, with all box/papers/receipts/etc. with the aventurine "stardust" dial. I believe the request was maybe in the range of 2K Euros.
Sometimes I regret that I did not enter the shop to ask for the watch. As it usually happens to me, servicing fees are what block me when I think of vintage watches.
How did I miss this thread, with your wonderful pics?
Your story very much resonated with me.
Thus began the journey. I'd hunt for examples in great shape with original papers. And at that time, you could find these (always from European sellers) for reasonable prices.
The OMCs came in two flavors: The Cal 1511 and the Cal 1516. The former are rarer.
The 1511 had a larger case, which is really obvious from the rear view:
The watch-specific papers came in a brown vinyl folio:
The other variations, with different blue and other dials were Cal 1510, but movement was identical to 1511 I believe. Some had aventurine dials.
Wrist shots -- not for the small-wristed!
Lastly, there's the Cal 1525 desk clock version, made for the French navy and also for civilian use: