Latest Vintage Piece

1977 Omega Marine Chronometer 198.0082 **RARE**. $5,700.00 CAD. 510-00032

The Omega Marine Chronometer was, and is to this day one of the world’s most accurate watches despite the fact it’s 50 years old. Today you can buy some pretty inexpensive, incredibly precise quartz watches that get a signal from an orbiting satellite to stay synchronized. These watches are globally compromised as some locations on earth can’t receive these celestial signals. The Omega Marine Chronometer doesn’t require any external influence to keep time within 1 second per month. It achieves this rate without the use of any thermal compensation circuitry. This level of accuracy is roughly 10 times better than a basic quartz watch. The remarkable ability to keep such accurate time is the amazing Omega calibre 1516. The quartz crystal contained within this 13 jewel movement vibrates at an incredible frequency of 2,359,356 Hertz. Nearly all quartz watches rely in a frequency of just 32,768 Hertz. That automatic Rolex on your wrist runs at just 8 Hz. (no wonder it doesn’t keep great time). Back in the 1970s quartz technology was very expensive and no one knew exactly where this curious new space age technology was going. Some manufacturers virtually abandoned traditional mechanical watches in favor of this electronic science. Omega invested considerable money into quartz technology that today many luxury watch brands hardly use. Our example has two factory applied model numbers inside the case back of 198.0082 and 398.0832. Not only did this watch hold the title of world’s most accurate watch for decades, it also was the first watch with a jumping time zone feature. This complication allows the changing of the hour hand without affecting the minutes or seconds; a useful feature for any world traveller. It’s a chunky watch measuring 44.25mm X 32.5mm and 11.75mm thick. The slightly curved rectangular case is very comfortable and the bracelet links are quite flexible. If your wrist size is any larger then 8 inches we’ll have to source out and extra link or two. Omega’s Marine Chronometer is a hugely important part of watchmaking history and this is only the second example we have ever been able to offer through our estate department. Even when we were Omega authorized agents in the 1970s we never sold a single example of this watch. This could be due to the fact it cost about 3 times the cost of most other Omega models. We believe our example to be a one owner example that was originally purchased in Hong Kong. It was fully serviced by our master watchmaker in 2022. To our knowledge the case and bracelet are in original condition looking practically unworn, showing virtually no wear. The watch comes with a period correct (not the original) vintage inner and outer box. Including a one year Bill Le Boeuf Jewellers warranty the watch is estate priced at $5,700.00 Canadian. Stock #510-00032.

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