Watches Information

Since Paul Cattin and Georges Christian developed the first Oris watch factory in Holstein, Switzerland in 1904, Oris has made countless breakthroughs in achieving numerous milestones in its rich watch-making tradition.

In the minds of watch fans today, the name Oris is synonymous with the mechanical watch. This didn’t just happen by accident. At the end of the 1980s and beginning of the 1990s, when the “normal” watch consumer was becoming more educated in the ways of mechanical watches, the small watch company, Oris, noted the growing demand and reacted immediately. Oris called upon a rich fund of historical models that reaches back to 1904 that all seemed to have something special about them. There was huge demand for the hand-winding alarm watch outfitted with the AS Caliber 1730 and a carefully modernized 1950s design that captivated an entire generation of mechanical watch consumers. Strongly fueled by the catchy slogan, “It’s high mech by Oris,” and with just the right mixture of nostalgically designed watches, slightly modified movements and affordable prices, Oris’s position in the market was continually pushed upward. At first the cases were designed with the 1940s in mind and seemed a bit old-fashioned, but today, they are designed with a more contemporary style, and the watches have also been outfitted with some remarkable technical innovations.

Secure in its good nose for the likes and dislikes of its customers, Oris presented models like the Pointer - with an unusual sweep calendar - the Complication and the Rectangular. The Worldtimer models, sporting a dial train exclusively developed for Oris, proves that the company also has the technical competence to modify ETA-base movements immensely.

In 2001, Oris combined traditional watch making techniques with modern micro technology by producing collectible pieces such as the Big Crown with a large crown and pointer calendar. Watch collectors around the globe are snatching up the Big Crown BC3, the Big Crown Commander Divers and the classic Big Crown Commander Divers Regulator.

Oris signed an agreement in 2003 to become the exclusive watch partner of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team. The Oris Limited Edition WilliamsF1 Team Chronograph watch was the most successful Oris watch in 2003.

See All-Watches for more on Oris Watches.

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There is much confusion and not a few myths surrounding the topic of water resistance in watches. The purpose of this article is to bring clarity to this subject for the sake of consumer education.

Several features contribute to the water resistance of a watch. First is the gaskets, or 0 rings. These are made of rubber, nylon or teflon. They form the watertight seals at the joints where the crystal, case back and crown meet the case. Chronographs also have gaskets at the pushers.

Further, water resistant watch cases are sealed with a quick hardening liquid.

The material of the case and its thickness are also large factors which help to determine how well a watch can safely withstand underwater pressure. Generally, to be sturdy enough, the case must be made of steel or titanium or a gold plated steel case. Solid gold cases can be water resistant, too, if there is sufficient thickness.

A screw down case back is more water resistant than one which simply pushes or snaps in. A feature of many divers’ watches, the screw in crown, helps to prevent the watch-stem hole from leaking water into the case. When screwed down a water tight seal is formed.

Always bear in mind that the various levels of water resistance are strictly theoretical. These rating, expressed in meters, refer to the depth at which a watch will keep out water if both the watch and the water are motionless. Naturally, such conditions cannot be met outside lab testing machines. In the real world, just the movement of one’s arm through the water dramatically increases pressure on the watch.

Am I saying that there is no such thing as water resistance for watches and it’s all just a big con game? No, but it is best to follow the guidelines below, which are suggested by most responsible watch manufacturers at the indicated ratings:

30 meters/100 ft.: Should not be worn for swimming or diving, but will will withstand splashes of water or rain

50 meters/165 ft.: Suitable for swimming in shallow water

100 meters/330 ft.: Suitable for swimming and snorkeling

150 meters/500 ft.: Suitable for snorkeling

200 meters/660 ft.: Suitable for skin diving

Diver’s 150 meters/500 ft.: Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving

Diver’s 200 meters/660 ft.: Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving

Obviously, it is not recommended to swim or dive while wearing your watch unless it has at least a screw down crown and a rating of at least 100 meters.

Caring for your water resistant watch cannot be overlooked, either. You should never wear it in a sauna, a hot tub or even a hot shower. The extreme heat causes the metal parts and rubber gaskets to expand at different rates, creating small openings through which water may penetrate. As with the human body, a sudden temperature change is particularly harsh. So, if you chance to wear your watch in something like a hot tub, be careful not to dive into a cold pool after.

Salt is corrosive. Therefore, after swimming in salt water, immediately rinse the watch in flowing fresh water. Also, if the watch has a rotating bezel, turn the bezel several times while rinsing to prevent salt buildup and corrosion of the bezel ring.

Heavily chlorinated water can damage your watch as can some chemicals. Spray-on perfumes and hairsprays can work into the seams and damage the gaskets. The watch’s finish can be marred in the same way.

There are water resistant leather straps,too, but in general leather straps do not fare as well if frequently exposed to water. A metal bracelet or a rubber or nylon diver strap is recommended.

The author operates a webstore which specializes in watches and clocks of all types and price ranges, including all the major brands. His store can be found here: http://www.ioffer.com/shops/timezone

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The Omega calibre 750 movement was the first calibre to feature date and day of the week. The Constellation version, calibre 751 with 24 jewels and official chronometer certification, came out in the late nineteen-sixties.

The 751 has the same heritage as the legendary calibre 551 and has inherited the staying power of its famous cousin. It’s certainly not like some of the very recent Omega calibres that spend so much time in the workshop you’re lucky to get visiting rights for them on a weekend!

You’ll not have to cosset or pamper this old workhorse much, and it will amble along indefinitely at its comfortable 19,800 oscillations an hour if you have it serviced at intervals of four to five years.

Parts are usually not a problem for this movement if, on the rare occasion, they need replaced. Tens and tens of thousands of them were produced, and most savvy watch makers have one or two around from which they raid for spares.

Why, then, are they so relatively cheap? The answer is complex, but one of the answers is that the earlier constellation calibres 551, 561 and 564 have not yet reached prices that would require a second mortgage on the family home to pay for them. And so, the demand for calibre 751, while steady, is not overwhelming.

Calibre 751 Omega Constellations can be purchased for as little as 400 US dollars in on-line auctions. They represent excellent value, particularly if they come with an integrated bracelet or an original C Case bracelet, as do many of the examples available.

So, what do you do if you net one for such a price? The first thing you do is take it to your horologist/watchmaker and have it dissembled, cleaned and oiled. Make sure your watchmaker actually dissembles the watch and isn’t one of the Short-Cut Charlies who throw it in a cleaning machine without taking it apart first.

While there are some quite cheeky operators about, you shouldn’t really have to pay much more than $US 120.00 for a traditional clean and oil and it should be a bit less, still making your acquisition an extremely good buy.

If you’re buying from a bricks and mortar dealer, make sure you ask if, and when, the watch was serviced. Sometimes vintage watch dealers have a watch serviced, stick it in the window under lights and there it stays for quite some time. If the watch hasn’t been serviced in the preceding twelve months, chances are a combination of window light heat and immobility has dried out the lubrication and the watch will need servicing again.

So, how much should you pay for a good quality 751 at a bricks and mortar outlet? Using a base of US $400.00 which is about average for on-line auctions, add $40.00 for rent and services, $120.00 for a service (If indeed it has been serviced) an additional $100.00 for orthodontist bills for the dealer’s children, and you arrive at a figure of around $660.00. Take $60.00 off the dealer’s margin (This is your haggling bonus) and you arrive at around the $US600.00 mark. If you pay more than $650.00 for a stainless steel calibre 751 at a vintage watch outlet, you’re edging towards paying too much.

(c) Desmond Guilfoyle

Desmond Guilfoyle in an award winning commentator on influence, persuasion and charisma. He has written three books on those subjects and his book ‘The Charisma Effect’ has been published in seven languages around the globe. He can be contacted at mondodec@tpg.com.au For further articles, tips and information visit his blog at http://charismacom.blogspot.com/ He also collects vintage Omega Constellations to remain sane, and his comprehensive blog on Constellations can be found at http://omega-constellation-collectors.blogspot.com/

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