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Stainless steel Omega 33.3 Chronograph wristwatch, 1940 — view 1 of 2
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Stainless steel Omega 33.3 Chronograph wristwatch, 1940

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
OMEGA (maker)
Date
1940
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Wristwatch
Materials / technique
stainless steel
Dimensions
Case 37 mm
Stock no.
O.3458
Credit line
Dealer listing, Somlo Antiques (O.3458)
Catalogue title (original)
Stainless steel OMEGA 33.3 Chronograph wristwatch. Made 1940 (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Somlo Antiques (dealer), London (stock number O.3458), this is a wristwatch by OMEGA, dated 1940. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: stainless steel. Recorded dimensions: Case 37 mm. The record is illustrated with 2 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 — Somlo Antiques

Developed by Lemania in 1933 the OMEGA manual winding chronograph 33.3 and was a technical marvel for its time and is still revered by collectors today. The 33.3 was far larger than most chronographs for its time and became a favourite of many military forces as well as explorers of the day. The three-piece stainless-steel case is in great condition with well-defined crisp edges to the lugs. This calibre was initially produced with an independent start-stop reset mono-pusher located at 2 o’clock. However, like the calibre 28.9, a version with two pushers was introduced in 1938: a separate stop-start pusher and a reset pusher integrated into the crown or at 4 o’clock. Anti-shock and anti-magnetic was introduced in 1942 and the name of the calibre 33.3 CHRO changed in 1949 as two lines of chronograph models were introduced: the calibre 170 used to equip non-resistant models and the calibre 171 to equip water-resistant models. The calibre 33.3 CHRO was regarded as a very precise and reliable movement with 14,000 pieces produced until 1952. Brand: OMEGA Made: 1940 Model: Chronograph Reference: 2393 Calibre: 33.3 Movement: Manual Material: Stainless steel Features/complications: Three piece case with square pushers Dial: White dial with outer gilt tachymetric scale with inner minute track with strokes to 1/5th of a second, inner telemeter scale and applied gold Arabic numeral hour indices and subsidiary seconds at 9 o’clock, 30 minute register at 3 o’clock with gold leaf shaped hands and gold centre chronograph hand. Case dimensions: 37mm Bracelet/strap: Leather strap Accessories: Certificate of Authenticity SKU: 03458

Historical context

Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)

The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.

The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution

Atlas type guide

Chronographs and split-seconds watches

A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.

Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.

What to look for

  • Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
  • Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
  • Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
  • Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).

Dating clues

  • Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
  • Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
  • Automatic chronographs: from 1969.

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.

Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph

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