225 - Omega - Electromechanical Observatory Cal.

Omega - Electromechanical Observatory Cal. (*) An electromechanical wrist chronometer movement in an aluminum case designed for observatory testing—with three excerpts from the chronometer archives by Andreas Hidding Movm. No. 25000060, Cal. 30mm Diapason, Dimensions 50 x 50 mm, circa 1969, Weight 555 g, Origin: Switzerland Case: Aluminum. Dial: Silvered. Movement: Precision tuning fork movement. This Omega chronometer movement was tested in the “Chronomètres à Résonteur Acoustique” category in 1969, 1970, and 1971 at the Neuchâtel observatory. There, it placed 7th (out of 10 participants) in 1969, 9th (out of 9 participants) in 1970, and 9th (out of 14 participants) in the “Chronomètres de poche” class. The movement was adjusted by André Brielmann, one of the most famous regleurs at Omega. This wrist chronometer movement is the Diapason caliber (tuning fork caliber) from the final precision chronometer record in Omega’s history in 1971. It was developed by Max Hetzel, the creator of the famous Accutron caliber launched in 1960 by Bulova, and was again adjusted by André Brielmann. This “Swissonic” prototype, with its heart-shaped high-frequency tuning fork (the later 1220 Megasonic), won the last precision competition held by the Neuchâtel Observatory. Although small in size, this caliber was entered in the “pocket chronometer” category, as the “wrist chronometer” category had already been abolished in 1968. The Diapason shattered all previous records set by non-quartz watches. Source: “Omega” by Marco Richon, Bienne 2007, p. 199. Case: very good. Dial: very good. Movement: very good, needs restoration.