always a student
February 10th, 2006, 19:11
First off, thank you to everyone on this forum for all of your insight and enthusiasm about Omega watches. I have been quietly reading and learning these past couple of weeks and wanted to let you know what a great experience it has all been.
Anyway, I am a first time poster, too anything, so please indulge me while a tell a story of how I got to this site.
My father immigrated from India in the early 1960's to pursue an MBA in the US and he landed in Houston, TX of all places since the U. Of Houston offered him a scholarship. He did not know anyone so he applied for housing at a host family in the area so that he could get acclimated to the area. His plan was to spend the first semester with his new host family and move into his own housing once he met some friends. It turned out that his host father was a NASA scientist and had help various high level jobs at NASA for years. My father intrigued by this (he was a finance accounting major, so science was completely foreign) and curious ended up staying with his family for two years. He said the daily conversation was the most stimulating he ever had and he could not leave. Anyway, on the day that he graduated from Business School, his host family threw him a party and a number of people from NASA were in attendance and it was during this party that his host parents gave my father Speedmaster as a graduation present (pre moon).
My father was touched by this as his own father had given him an Omega Seamaster when he left India to come the US and when he asked why an Omega, his host father said because you now have one father in India and one in the US. Not to get too sappy, but since then my father has picked up Speeedmasters when he came upon them and gave them out as gifts. He is no watch collector but an admirer, and loves the mechanics of a fine watch.
Anyway, to mark the birth of his three boys, each year of their birth he bought each one a Speedmaster and kept them wound an in shape until our graduation from college. It was this day that each of us get our own Speedmaster from the year we were born, mine a 1967.
I recently asked my Dad about this over dinner and he said that he really did not know anything about the Omega Speedmasters, but mentioned that if they were good enough for the folks at NASA they were probably good enough for his family and so he decided a little history and tradition should come together. I decided to learn about these fine watches to share stories with my Dad and brothers and hence I found all of you.
I recently decided to lay down my Speedmaster after almost 15 years of on and off use and it still looks beautiful and one day hopefully I will pass it on to my son. I told my Dad this and he pulled out another Speedmaster handed it to me and said wear this. I am, but here is where my question comes in.
The watch is great, but the case is from 1966, the movement from the serial number seems like from 1968 and the dial looks like from the early 70's? I asked him about this and he can't remember what if anything the watch went through, but I was wondering if Omega ever put new movements in old cases. The dial could have very well been replaced during a servicing since he sometimes bought things in horrible shape. I was just curious. I love the watch since it has replaced my birth date watch and I am more at peace that if something happens, it is a "rental".
Thank you for reading and sorry for the long drawn out story, I just wanted to share and say thank you for all that you have taught me already. I look forward to the continued education.
Regards,
P.S. How the story comes full circle is his host sister, who was the youngest, is now the Assistant Deputy at the US Embassy in Bombay (Mumbai) India. They still see each other once a year.
Anyway, I am a first time poster, too anything, so please indulge me while a tell a story of how I got to this site.
My father immigrated from India in the early 1960's to pursue an MBA in the US and he landed in Houston, TX of all places since the U. Of Houston offered him a scholarship. He did not know anyone so he applied for housing at a host family in the area so that he could get acclimated to the area. His plan was to spend the first semester with his new host family and move into his own housing once he met some friends. It turned out that his host father was a NASA scientist and had help various high level jobs at NASA for years. My father intrigued by this (he was a finance accounting major, so science was completely foreign) and curious ended up staying with his family for two years. He said the daily conversation was the most stimulating he ever had and he could not leave. Anyway, on the day that he graduated from Business School, his host family threw him a party and a number of people from NASA were in attendance and it was during this party that his host parents gave my father Speedmaster as a graduation present (pre moon).
My father was touched by this as his own father had given him an Omega Seamaster when he left India to come the US and when he asked why an Omega, his host father said because you now have one father in India and one in the US. Not to get too sappy, but since then my father has picked up Speeedmasters when he came upon them and gave them out as gifts. He is no watch collector but an admirer, and loves the mechanics of a fine watch.
Anyway, to mark the birth of his three boys, each year of their birth he bought each one a Speedmaster and kept them wound an in shape until our graduation from college. It was this day that each of us get our own Speedmaster from the year we were born, mine a 1967.
I recently asked my Dad about this over dinner and he said that he really did not know anything about the Omega Speedmasters, but mentioned that if they were good enough for the folks at NASA they were probably good enough for his family and so he decided a little history and tradition should come together. I decided to learn about these fine watches to share stories with my Dad and brothers and hence I found all of you.
I recently decided to lay down my Speedmaster after almost 15 years of on and off use and it still looks beautiful and one day hopefully I will pass it on to my son. I told my Dad this and he pulled out another Speedmaster handed it to me and said wear this. I am, but here is where my question comes in.
The watch is great, but the case is from 1966, the movement from the serial number seems like from 1968 and the dial looks like from the early 70's? I asked him about this and he can't remember what if anything the watch went through, but I was wondering if Omega ever put new movements in old cases. The dial could have very well been replaced during a servicing since he sometimes bought things in horrible shape. I was just curious. I love the watch since it has replaced my birth date watch and I am more at peace that if something happens, it is a "rental".
Thank you for reading and sorry for the long drawn out story, I just wanted to share and say thank you for all that you have taught me already. I look forward to the continued education.
Regards,
P.S. How the story comes full circle is his host sister, who was the youngest, is now the Assistant Deputy at the US Embassy in Bombay (Mumbai) India. They still see each other once a year.