Omega Calibre 30T2 Sub Seconds Wristwatch, Dennison Case, circa 1944

Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist

Omega's 30mm hand-wound movements are among the most respected chapters in the company's 20th-century history. Introduced before the Second World War, the 30T family earned a reputation for straightforward, robust construction and excellent timekeeping, eventually providing the foundation for Omega's celebrated observatory competition movements. During the 1940s, Omega watches were also frequently supplied to Britain in locally manufactured cases, with respected Birmingham case maker Dennison playing an important role in casing Swiss movements for the UK market. What's on Offer We are delighted to offer for sale this wonderfully characterful Omega wristwatch, Reference 13322, dating from approximately 1944 and powered by Omega's celebrated manually wound Calibre 30T2 movement. The watch is housed in a British-made Dennison case, giving this particular example an interesting UK connection. Dennison was one of Britain's foremost watch case manufacturers and produced cases for movements from several important Swiss manufacturers, including Omega. The dial is undoubtedly one of the most distinctive features of the watch. Now displaying a rich warm yellow-gold tone, it has developed considerable vintage character over the intervening decades. Black Arabic numerals provide excellent contrast, surrounded by a neat outer minute track, while the Omega name and emblem sit cleanly beneath 12 o'clock. A pair of elegant syringe hands complements the numerals particularly well, while the subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o'clock features its own finely printed scale and slender seconds hand. Together, these details give the watch the restrained, highly legible appearance associated with quality watches of the 1940s. Inside is Omega's manually wound Calibre 30T2, a 15-jewel movement from one of the manufacturer's most respected movement families. The 30mm Omega calibres earned an excellent reputation for their straightforward, robust construction and accuracy and remain particularly well regarded among collectors of vintage Omega watches. The case measures 33mm across, excluding the crown, with elongated lugs giving it a 40mm lug-to-lug profile. Its relatively slim bezel allows the dial to occupy much of the available space, helping the watch wear with more presence than its dimensions might initially suggest. A blue fabric strap completes the watch and works particularly well against the warmth of the dial. Dating from the closing years of the Second World War, this is an attractive example of a mid-1940s Omega that combines one of the company's most important manually wound movements with a British-made Dennison case and a dial that has acquired plenty of individual character over more than eight decades.