Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Omega Dress Watch, 1960s
- Maker / attribution
- Omega (maker)
- Date
- 1960s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 35 mm
- Stock no.
- 40960239
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Analog/Shift (40960239)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Omega Dress Watch (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Analog/Shift (dealer), New York (stock number 40960239), this is a wristwatch by Omega, made in Switzerland, dated 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 35 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Analog/Shift
When you think of Omega, you probably picture the Speedmaster, Seamaster, or if you’re a bit more adventurous, the Railmaster. While these pieces played significant roles in forming the watch industry of today, many of Omega’s older, classic offerings provide an exceptional look into their era, speaking to the stories and history from years past. Take this vintage dress piece, for example. Dating to the 1960s, this piece is preserved in exceptional, near mint condition, serving as almost a witness to a bygone era. Considered a large watch at the time, the 35mm case is perfect in a modern context. Fashioned from 18K rose gold with matching applied faceted markers, this piece features a set of curved lugs, a rose gold ‘dauphine’ handset and a signed rose gold crown. Powered by a beautiful Omega’s Calibre 285 manually-wound movement with exposed click spring, this is the type of watch that you cannot wear without smiling, especially when you take that small moment to rotate and wind this piece. This vintage Omega has aged so evenly while maintaining its original character and form, puts a picture in your mind of the world back when this watch first was released. If you’re looking for a step outside the world of iconic Omega and into the world of classic vintage styling and timeless dress watch heritage, consider this beautifully-maintained piece in near time-capsule quality.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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