One of the rarest vintage Omega watches available today is the all-original first-generation dive watch known as the Marine, which was first introduced in 1932 and produced until the late 1930s. This particular example dates back to 1937, according to its movement serial number, 8572040.
These unique watches were specifically designed for diving and are among the earliest watches with a shaped case to feature a gasket. There are several reasons why these watches are challenging to find in today's market:
1. There weren't many professional divers at that time.
2. The early gaskets are likely not as durable as modern ones, making these watches susceptible to water damage after just a few dives.
3. They are equipped with a modified manual-wind 19.4T2 movement, which has the crown positioned at the 12 o'clock mark, omitting the sub-second feature from this caliber.This particular Marine features a beautifully aged dial with its factory original finish. The solid stainless steel case measures 23mm (24mm including the shoulder) in diameter, and it is 34mm from lug to lug, which makes it a perfect fit for someone with a smaller wrist or for a collector of dive watches. This piece is a must-have for enthusiasts!
One minor flaw is that it does not keep precise time, at least not to the standard I usually prefer for the watches I sell. However, the Marine is not intended for daily wear. To hand-wind the watch or set the time, you must flip open the clip on the case back to separate the outer case from the inner case. The original mineral crystal is in good condition, and it has the correct unsigned original crown.
The wrist size in the photo measures 6 inches, and the watch will come with a brand new 18mm genuine leather strap. There are several dings on the case back, and the case model is CK 679. While there is no record of how many pieces were produced, Omega did reissue a heritage version this reference in 2007 to celebrate the model, with a limited quantity of only 135 pieces.