Omega calibre 59.8D 1940s clock

N.B. – this is another save from the WatchOtaku.com blog entries. The clock itself is rare and interesting and beautifully made.

Last updated Jul 13, 2013 by Paul Hubbard

A very unusual find on ebay UK:

Here’s what I’ve been able to find so far:

• Made in the 1940s for a UK store
  From TZ-UK:Model created in 1936 and specifically designed for the British Navy. Calibre 59 8-D with double barrel, back with bayonet closing, enamel dial marked Omega Swiss Made – Story Barrow, arabic numaral hour hands, minute track, blued steel Empire hands, triangular-profiled polished brass case designed to be screwed-in on a boat dash. Ref. British Admiralty. Item production date 3rd February 1940.
• Omega calibre 59.8D, aka 59 8-day. About 3,000 of the movement were made between 1935 and 1940. I think this is the remontoir version.
• 15 jewels
• Handwinding
• Non-hacking
• 8 day power reserve – wind it once a week!
• Enamel dial
• Blued steel hands, Breguet style
• Subseconds dial at twelve
• Wedge-shaped brass case with key
• Dial has ‘STORY, BARROW’ on it – seems to be an old UK retailer. That thread also speculated this was from a submarine, which might account for the oddly shaped case.
• Weighs 1,660g (1.6kg) – very heavy.
• About 10cm wide by 12cm tall by 7cm thick at the base of the wedge.
• Bi-metallic split poised balance
• Blued hairspring with Breguet overcoil.

More info

• A similar one with flawless dial sold for a bit more in July of 2011.
• Someone else with the same clock
• The 59.8D calibre also had a dead seconds version (59.8D-SCS) with spectacular decoration.

More pictures:

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Pretty, eh? Mine keeps time a bit erratically, gaining or losing about 5 minutes per week. I need to do some research to see who can service these, RGM for sure.

It makes a fantastic desk clock, the well-worn case and subtly cracked enamel dial wearing their age proudly. The tick is loud and slow (18,000 vph) and winding it on Monday mornings is a nice start to the week. For just under $400, I got a cool Omega with a mysterious history – can’t do much better than that!