This Watch

We have here one of our favourite Omegas from the late 1960s/1970s - the Dynamic!  The original two-tone, bullseye dial is simply beautiful!  The colour changes in different light from brown, chocolate or gold.  The outer minute track is like a bursting star with slim, white, painted baton markers that extend to the inner ring.  At 3 o'clock is the unusual date function on a gold ring and with push/pull date set.  At the centre of the dial are the stick hour and minute hands and are nicely complemented by the white central seconds hand.  

The 166.039 Dynamic's case was designed by the Italian casemaker Fernando Fontana and is a unique, ellipse shape, yet the dial and movement are both round.  The excitement doesn't stop there - the 41mm case is a monocoque, or one-piece, front-loading case.  It is one solid piece of gold-capped stainless steel.  The case also has a recessed crown, which gives it a sporty, aero...dynamic feel, despite it's ovular shape.  This is truly one of the best and sharpest conditions we have seen in gold capped.  There are some small marks, but there is no wear to the gold.

Inside the case is the automatic Omega caliber 565 with a calendar wheel and quickset date, fully serviced by us and running strongly.  We've paired the watch on a black leather racing strap, keeping its sporty feel but it looks good on anything.

Extra Points 

Founded by Louis Brandt in 1848, Omega started out as La Generale Watch Co., an unassuming, but international business. It wasn't until 1885, when the company had been taken over by Louis' sons, that the first mass-produced caliber, the Labrador, was released. By 1903, the company had renamed itself Omega and only two years later were they the official timekeepers at many sporting events across Switzerland. Omega stepped onto an international stage in 1932 as the official timekeepers at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the first of over 20 Olympic Games. Omega were one of the 12 companies, now known as the Dirty Dozen, commissioned to produce watches for the British Military during the Second World War. One of Omega's most iconic watches, the Seamaster, was introduced in 1948 to celebrate their 100th anniversary. Over 70 years later, it is still one of Omega's best selling watches. Omega made headlines in 1962 when Wally Schirra wore the Speedmaster as part of NASA's first crewed spaceflight programme, making the Speedmaster the first watch to enter space. It was only a few years before the Speedmaster became the official chronograph for the American space missions and was worn by Buzz Aldrin as well as the Apollo 13 crew. Omega are still involved with NASA and have been instrumental in creating vital pieces of equipment for space exploration. Omega's reputation continued to soar in the 1990s with Omega Seamaster worn by Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. As well as post-1995 James Bonds, Omega has been worn by the likes of Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy, Prince William, Rory McIlroy, Ringo Starr, Michael Phelps, Cindy Crawford and George Clooney. 

What we think

As a child of the 1970s, I've always loved a Dynamic - they are always a really comfortable wear on the wrist and have a great, sporty feel to them.  The two-tone, bullseye dial is probably one of my favourite Dynamic dials and this one checks all the right boxes!  The perfect watch for the vintage watch newbie, seasoned collector, Dynamic collector or 1970s lover. 

Spec Stuff