Maybe you just inherited a vintage Omega watch from within the family. Maybe you were gifted a vintage Omega by a loved one. Maybe you were lucky enough to find an Omega watch while hunting for vintage treasures. Or maybe you simply acquired a vintage Omega for yourself, because you deserve it. Whatever the reason, owning a vintage Omega, is like owning a piece of history. Thanks to the strict documentation in the Swiss watch industry, you can uncover some of its secrets by studying your watch more closely.
There is a lot of different ways to find out when your Omega was likely produced when closely studying your watch. You could look at the style of the dial, the type of case or the model name. Sometimes you have the full set available, which makes it even easier, and allows you to simply check the paperwork. In some instances you can even look at individual parts, like the hands or crown to give you clues. However these are all advanced methods that would mainly yield results if you have studied a lot of comparison material.
One method will almost certainly work, and we focus on vintage Omega for this purpose. When you open the case back of your vintage Omega, part of its history will be uncovered to you. First of all, you will find several markings in the inner case back of your vintage Omega. Usually you would find some sort of Omega logo punched into your caseback, an Omega reference number and in case you have a precious metal watch, a case makers hallmark (Poinçon de Maître). Sometimes you would just find a french case makers hallmark. These Omega watches are known as French cases and have a rich history of their own. All of the topics above will at some point be discussed in separate articles regarding Omega history. For now we will focus on the serial number you find in your Omega watch. For the purpose of accessibility we will first post a list of Omega serial numbers by production date. We will go into further detail later in this article.
| Omega serial number range/Omega movement number range | Initial production year | Your Omega’s production date |
| 1,000,000 – 1,999,999 | 1894 | Your Omega was produced between 1894-1902 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 2,000,000 – 2,999,999 | 1902 | Your Omega was produced between 1902-1906 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 3,000,000 – 3,999,999 | 1906 | Your Omega was produced between 1906-1910 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 4,000,000 – 4,999,999 | 1910 | Your Omega was produced between 1910-1915 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 5,000,000 – 5,999,999 | 1915 | Your Omega was produced between 1915-1923 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 6,000,000 – 6,999,999 | 1923 | Your Omega was produced between 1923-1930 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 7,000,000 – 7,999,999 | 1930 | Your Omega was produced between 1930-1934 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 8,000,000 – 8,999,999 | 1934 | Your Omega was produced between 1934-1939 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 9,000,000 – 9,999,999 | 1939 | Your Omega was produced between 1939-1944 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 10,000,000 – 10,999,999 | 1944 | Your Omega was produced between 1944-1947 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 11,000,000 – 11,999,999 | 1947 | Your Omega was produced between 1947-1950 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 12,000,000 – 12,999,999 | 1950 | Your Omega was produced between 1950-1952 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 13,000,000 – 13,999,999 | 1952 | Your Omega was produced between 1952-1954 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 14,000,000 – 14,999,999 | 1954 | Your Omega was produced between 1954-1956 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 15,000,000 – 15,999,999 | 1956 | Your Omega was produced between 1956-1958 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 16,000,000 – 16,999,999 | 1958 | Your Omega was produced between 1958-1959 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 17,000,000 – 17,999,999 | 1959 | Your Omega was produced between 1959-1961 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 18,000,000 – 18,999,999 | 1961 | Your Omega was produced between 1961-1962 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 19,000,000 – 19,999,999 | 1962 | Your Omega was produced between 1962-1963 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 20,000,000 – 20,999,999 | 1963 | Your Omega was produced between 1963-1964 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 21,000,000 – 21,999,999 | 1964 | Your Omega was produced between 1964-1965 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 22,000,000 – 22,999,999 | 1965 | Your Omega was produced between 1965-1966 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 23,000,000 – 24,999,999 | 1966 | Your Omega was produced between 1966-1967 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 25,000,000 – 25,999,999 | 1967 | Your Omega was produced between 1967-1968 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 26,000,000 – 27,999,999 | 1968 | Your Omega was produced between 1968-1969 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 28,000,000 – 31,999,999 | 1969 | Your Omega was produced between 1969-1970 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 32,000,000 – 32,999,999 | 1970 | Your Omega was produced between 1970-1971 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 33,000,000 – 33,999,999 | 1971 | Your Omega was produced between 1971-1972 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 34,000,000 – 35,999,999 | 1972 | Your Omega was produced between 1972-1973 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 36,000,000 – 37,999,999 | 1973 | Your Omega was produced between 1973-1974 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 38,000,000 – 38,999,999 | 1974 | Your Omega was produced between 1974-1975 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 39,000,000 – 39,999,999 | 1975 | Your Omega was produced between 1975-1977 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 40,000,000 – 40,999,999 | 1977 | Your Omega was produced between 1977-1978 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 41,000,000 – 41,999,999 | 1978 | Your Omega was produced between 1978-1979 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 42,000,000 – 43,999,999 | 1979 | Your Omega was produced between 1979-1980 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 44,000,000 – 44,999,999 | 1980 | Your Omega was produced between 1980-1982 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 45,000,000 – 45,999,999 | 1982 | Your Omega was produced between 1982-1984 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 46,000,000 – 47,999,999 | 1984 | Your Omega was produced between 1984-1985 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 48,000,000 – 48,999,999 | 1985 | Your Omega was produced between 1985-1986 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 49,000,000 – 50,999,999 | 1986 | Your Omega was produced between 1986-1991 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 53,000,000 – 53,999,999 | 1991 | Your Omega was produced between 1991-1993 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 54,000,000 – 54,999,999 | 1993 | Your Omega was produced between 1993-1995 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 55,000,000 – 55,999,999 | 1995 | Your Omega was produced between 1995-1998 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 56,000,000 – 59,999,999 | 1998 | Your Omega was produced between 1998-1999 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 60,000,000 – 60,999,999 | 1999 | Your Omega was produced between 1999-2000 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 61,000,000 – 64,999,999 | 2000 | Your Omega was produced between 2000-2001 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 65,000,000 – 65,999,999 | 2001 | Your Omega was produced between 2001-2002 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 66,000,000 – 67,999,999 | 2002 | Your Omega was produced between 2002-2003 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 68,000,000 – 69,999,999 | 2003 | Your Omega was produced between 2003-2004 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 70,000,000 – 71,999,999 | 2004 | Your Omega was produced between 2004-2005 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 72,000,000 – 77,999,999 | 2005 | Your Omega was produced between 2005-2006 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 78,000,000 – 80,999,999 | 2006 | Your Omega was produced between 2006-2007 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 81,000,000 – 83,999,999 | 2007 | Your Omega was produced between 2007-2008 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 84,000,000-87,000,000 | 2008 | Your Omega was produced between 2008-2009 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 87,000,000-90,000,000 | 2009 | Your Omega was produced between 2009-2010 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 90,000,000-93,000,000 | 2010 | Your Omega was produced between 2010-2011 according to its unique Omega serial number |
| 93,000,000-? | 2011 | Your Omega was produced after 2011 according to its Omega serial number |
Usually Omega serial numbers can be found on the top movement plates of your movement, so they are easily visible when your watch is open. On newer Omega watches, the serial numbers can sometimes be on the outside case. For this article we will focus on vintage Omega however. Whenever you have succeeded in finding your Omega serial number, simply compare it to the table above, this will give you a very good indication of when your watch has been produced. Some serial number ranges span several years. In that case you can make a guess about the exact year based on where in this range your watch is located. Now that you have found your unique serial number, do not forget to take a picture of it. This would save you another round of opening and closing your case back whenever you need the information. For example if you would like to sell your vintage Omega.
It used to be possible to have your watch officially dated by Omega, but the service is now temporarily unavailable. This service was called the Omega extract from the archives. You would have to send in some pictures of your Omega watch, and if all the information concerning your Omega checked out, you would get an extract which would provide you with the following information. The reference number of your watch, the caliber number of your watch (to be discussed in a separate article), the movement number of your watch, the metal your watch was produced in, the case number in your watch, the date of production and where your watch was originally delivered. The most important information such an extract would provide is whether your case and movement are a matching set.
Now you are probably all excited to find your Omega serial number. This is exactly how a lot of watches get damaged irreversibly. There is different case backs. For example screw down case backs, snap on casebacks, or no case back at all if your watch is front loaded or uses a monocoque case. If you have no experience opening watch cases, please do not try to do so yourself. I know from personal experience, things can get really bad. Just hold your excitement and find an educated watchmaker who specializes in servicing vintage watches. Do not just pick any ordinary watchmaker who put a battery in your quartz watch once. Vintage watches are to be treated by people with experience. Your watch can be up to 100 years old and it would be a shame for you to ruin it at this point. Any specialized watchmaker will likely be more than happy to open your Omega case back for you. Besides checking some of the information you are looking for, an educated watchmaker can also tell you if your Omega needs a service. If you do not service your watch for a long time, your movement might get damaged as it lacks lubrication. However it is also not recommended to over service your watch. But we will talk about this delicate subject in another article at some point.
If you cannot easily find the information you are looking for about your Omega, or would like to know something else about your watch, do not hesitate to contact us at perceptions. There is always exceptions to the rule and sometimes finding what you need can be difficult. This is where experience comes in. We have handled some of the most exclusive Omega watches around over the years and are more than happy to help. If you have a top condition vintage Omega you would like to sell, please get in contact with us trough the form on the website. We always ask you to upload some pictures of your Omega watch first, as this is the easiest way for us to judge your watch. We can then proceed doing a valuation of your vintage Omega, and potentially making you an offer. If you would like to know more about these services, please send us a message.
That is right, for the Omega Speedmaster watches a separate dating system is used. Lucky for you we also have a table here to date your Omega Speedmaster watch. Below you find a list similar to the one above but specifically to date an Omega Speedmaster. All of the rules above still apply, only the numbers are different.
| Omega Speedmaster serial number range | Initial production year | Omega Speedmaster production date |
| 14,000,000 – 14,999,999 | 1957 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1957 |
| 15,000,000 – 15,999,999 | 1958 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1958 |
| 16,000,000 – 16,999,999 | 1958-1959 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1958 or 1959 |
| 17,000,000 – 17,999,999 | 1960 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1960 |
| 18,000,000 – 18,999,999 | 1961 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1961 |
| 19,000,000 – 19,999,999 | 1962 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1962 |
| 20,000,000 – 21,999,999 | 1963 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1963 |
| 22,000,000 – 22,999,999 | 1964-1965 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1964 or 1965 |
| 23,000,000 – 23,999,999 | 1966 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1966 |
| 24,000,000 – 25,999,999 | 1967 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1967 |
| 26,000,000 – 26,999,999 | 1968 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1968 |
| 27,000,000 – 27,999,999 | 1969 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1969 |
| 28,000,000 – 30,999,999 | 1970-1971 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1970 or 1971 |
| 31,000,000 – 31,999,999 | 1972 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1972 |
| 32,000,000 – 32,999,999 | 1973 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1973 |
| 33,000,000 – 33,999,999 | 1975 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1975 |
| 34,000,000 – 34,999,999 | 1976 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1976 |
| 35,000,000 – 36,999,999 | 1977 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1977 |
| 37,000,000 – 37,999,999 | 1978 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1978 |
| 38,000,000 – 39,999,999 | 1979 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1979 |
| 40,000,000 – 41,999,999 | 1980 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1980 |
| 42,000,000 – 42,999,999 | 1981 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1981 |
| 43,000,000 – 43,999,999 | 1982 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1982 |
| 44,000,000 – 44,999,999 | 1983 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1983 |
| 45,000,000 – 45,999,999 | 1984 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1984 |
| 46,000,000 – 46,999,999 | 1985 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced in 1985 |
| 47,000,000 – 47,999,999 | 1986-1989 | Your Omega Speedmaster was produced between 1986 and 1989 |
Below we have some examples of serial/movement numbers by Omega. As a small assignment you can try to date these Omega watches yourself. If you feel comfortable using these tables with movement numbers, you are ready to date your own watch!
