Vintage Omega Cal. 26.5 Sub Seconds 14K Gold Watch Two Tone Dial 1920’s.

Description: This is not only a rare and beautiful Omega but it’s also a remarkable piece of XXth century history.It’s a Cal. 26.5 Sub Seconds movement in a 33mm Budapester 14K yellow gold case.The so called Budapester cases were hand made by master jewelers in the post war Budapest.Here is the background story:During WWII in Hungary -just like most other war torn countries- everything lost its value other than solid gold. Everything, including human life.Those, who had some gold jewelry or gold watches, could trade the gold for food.Some people used gold to bribe police or other authorities to escape prosecution or deportation, to get a passport, to flee the country.During the siege of Budapest in the winter of 1944-1945 there was no escape for anyone any more. And gold was the only valid currency.When it came to trading gold watches for food, the presence or absence of the movements made no difference at all.Those, who still had gold watches, such as this beautiful 1923 Omega (which was only about 21-22 years old at the end of WWII) would often remove and save the movements.Survivors of the war would eventually get these high grade watches re-cased when life normalized in the post-are era.Skilled goldsmiths and jewelers in Budapest made “Budapester” cases for these movements.We still see these watches occasionally. They are still with us to remind us of the hardship our grandparents had to endure in the XXth century.Movement is fully functional.Dial is a beautiful and unmolested original.Solid 14K yellow gold case measures 30mm without crown.Case has got fixed lug bars with gold hallmark stampings.

Price: 800 USD

Location: Budapest

End Time: 2025-01-19T21:40:35.000Z

Shipping Cost: 30 USD