# Unusual Omega DeVille



## Guest

Has anyone ever seen a DeVille with no crown? This watch has a small hole(actually a switch) into which a ball point or other instrument, is inserted. This apparently operates a motor that moves the hands. Is this for real or is it a fabrication? Thanks


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## Eeeb

johndozier said:


> Has anyone ever seen a DeVille with no crown? This watch has a small hole(actually a switch) into which a ball point or other instrument, is inserted. This apparently operates a motor that moves the hands. Is this for real or is it a fabrication? Thanks


I think there is both a crown and a hole/switch... but there is someone on the forum that has one and they can provide a definitive answer. I understand you have to find the instructions every time you want to use the switch...

... I too have devices where the manuals weigh more than the device ;-)


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## RPF

Yes I've seen an Omega like that on display at a 2nd hand shop before. It's original but I don't remember if it is a de-ville. 

What I don't know is how that watch is set.


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## Guest

Thanks Gentlemen, at least now I know it is legit. I am bidding on one and wanted to know how far to take it. I like the concept of high tech applied to horology. I consider myself a technologist, but am also concerned with aesthetics. The lack of a crown makes for a clean contemporary, yet traditional look. Thanks again.


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## watch-watcher

As it would happen I have a ladies version of such a watch sitting on my desk. My purpose was to put in a new battery, but it proved to have greater problems (it works but isn't even close to accurate). It is a nice looking watch but is a pain to set. I have tossed in a couple of shots of the watch and movement.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/watch-watcher/IMG_0349.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/watch-watcher/IMG_0350.jpg


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## George [UK]

I have a c.1980 gent's DeVille which just has the 'pusher' to set - no crown.

The pusher sits just below the case, so face on is invisible. Holding the pusher down for less than 3 secs advances the hands by 1 min. Holding it down for more than 3 secs, advances the hands by exactly 1 hour.

I am not sure exactly how one synchronises the watch ... at what point (the push or the release) the time is changed is not clear to me. The hands only actually move on release of the pusher, not depression, so I am guessing the release point is the set time.

It is easy to advance by one hour for the daylight savings setting - after 3 secs both hands start whizzing round and come to rest exactly 1 hour on. When setting back the hour ... holding the pusher down starts the hands whizzing round and you wait for '11 hours' (the hands move fast of course!) and then make sure you release the pusher at the right point, allowing the hands to come to rest an hour early.

On the case back, I expect there will be a 4 digit calibre number, from which you can find the history of the watch on Omega's web site.


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## dwjquest

johndozier said:


> Has anyone ever seen a DeVille with no crown? This watch has a small hole(actually a switch) into which a ball point or other instrument, is inserted. This apparently operates a motor that moves the hands. Is this for real or is it a fabrication? Thanks


I have such a watch. One of the first quartz watches I purchased. Uses a calibre 1365 movement. This is a small dress watch that weighs only 23 grams including the strap. You can find instructions for setting the watch at the following web address:

http://www.old-omegas.com/

Look up the Omega 1350 manual. The setting is the same as for the 1365 movement

Here is a scan of my watch.


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## Eeeb

Now that I see the pic, I realize I saw one before. Nice looking like all the DeVilles, IMHO. |>

I now remember passing up buying one because I have enough watches that require me read a book to use them... at the time the beauty of the watch just couldn't overcome that antipathy.

Looking at your pic, I now regret the decision! Especially since the arrival this week of a Megaquartz 32K got me back into reading manuals mode... :-d


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## Eeeb

Ah, I was confusing this with the Megaquartz 32K... it has a crown and two 'holes'... Thank goodness OldOmegas.com has the manual!!!


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## norml

I have just been given the same watch pictured below except the face is cream coloured as shown.










I have no ide as to what its value may be, I would consider the condition to be pretty rough as seen in the picture, would anyone be willing to put a rough price on it, I have know idea of the value of a watch like this. 
Thanks norm ​


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## Eeeb

Evaluations depend on many variables... it is probably in the low hundreds somewhere.


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## norml

:thanks Eeeb
Norm


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## norml

I'm still trying to learn more about this watch, if anybody has any relevant links I'd be very appreciative.
Setting isn't as mentioned above, when the button is stepped the minute hand steps 1 minute at a time but when the button is held in the whole movement advances until the desired setting time is reached, not as convenient as being able to step the hour hand.
Norm


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## jagass

Never seen before...Sorry...Let me try to look...


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## Eeeb

norml said:


> I'm still trying to learn more about this watch, if anybody has any relevant links I'd be very appreciative.
> Setting isn't as mentioned above, when the button is stepped the minute hand steps 1 minute at a time but when the button is held in the whole movement advances until the desired setting time is reached, not as convenient as being able to step the hour hand.
> Norm


Omega experimented with several schemes for setting their early quartz watches. If it were not for the manuals on oldomegas I would never get some of them set... some of the schemes are not obvious.


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## reverendkb

That's super interesting. Never saw anything like that before. And I grew up in New Jersey--the land where anything and everything takes place.


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## norml

It puzzles me that with all the resources of the internet I can't find reference to this watch, it was my fathers, he has just past away so I can't ask him and my mother doesn't remember too much about it.

Found a very similar ladies model on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200308864496&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123 but still having trouble finding any information about my watch.
















Norm


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## Eeeb

This is a fairly rare early quartz. It does everything via one pushbutton. Omega made this movement and called it the Calibre 1350. HERE is an instruction manual.

I hope this gets you started!!


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## norml

Hi Eeeb the movement is 1365 and sets a little differently as I described in a post above, the hour hand cannot be stepped when the button is held in the time advances quickly both minute and hour hand.
Cheers Norm


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## Eeeb

norml said:


> Hi Eeeb the movement is 1365 and sets a little differently as I described in a post above, the hour hand cannot be stepped when the button is held in the time advances quickly both minute and hour hand.
> Cheers Norm


Ahhh... the thread is getting convoluted. That is the problem of having more than one watch in a thread.

I do not see a 1365 manual on old-omegas.com.


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## norml

I only posted here Eeeb because the black faced watch above looked so much like mine. Perhaps I should have started a new thread, but probably a bit late now.
I've searched and searched but can't find any reference to to the darn thing.
Sad part is some idiot has really scratched up the back trying to remove it to change the battery, I feel like polishing it with my dremel but that may not be a good idea I'm not knowledgeable about watch collecting, this may be considered just as bad as the scratches.
Norm


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## Eeeb

I use a dremel... but my watches are cheap and many so I can afford to learn. Actually, its been quite successful overall... but there is that occasional slip.


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## John MS

johndozier said:


> Has anyone ever seen a DeVille with no crown? This watch has a small hole(actually a switch) into which a ball point or other instrument, is inserted. This apparently operates a motor that moves the hands. Is this for real or is it a fabrication? Thanks


Yes, I've seen this feature on Omega watches. It seems to be part of a design that emphasizes dressy minimalism. It's not unusual for such watches to be very thin - 6mm, maybe 35mm diameter, no day or date and many times no seconds hand, a very narrow bezel and no crown or a hidden crown.


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## soniqwatch

*Re: I actually own such a watch*

Hello!

Just surfing on the web, I came across this interesting thread. My De Ville has a ROUND dial, and the dial has this gold flake like finish. It is a very classy watch and so very thin and light. You can absolutely forget that you are wearing this as there is no sharp angles or weight. But people do notice it, especially when they look for the crown. I have often been asked ''where is the crown?'' ''how do you adjust this thing?'' *I happen to like the time adjusting feature*. Simple: keep the button pushed-in, and when the minute hand advances *close *do 20 minutes BEFORE the precice time, RELEASE THE BUTTON. Then simply tap on the button to advance the minute hand one minute at a time to your final destination. Because the motor moves the minute hand it so quikly, you need to stop it at this distance so as to go pass the final adjust time. If this happens, your up for a 12 hour rotation as you cannot go back, the motor only moves the hands forward.

It's really child's play and it's a cinch to get the hang of it. This watch is so precise you never have to touch it, unlike my Seamaster where it's a weekly thing, and a real pleasure at that so I'm not complaining!

I own 3 Omega watches (the other two are an old De Ville automatic, square dial, I think it's a 40's or 50's model, not sure, and a recent Seamaster automatic) a Tag and a Movado. And other, more ordinary watches. I am not a watch collector by any means. Just happen to like watches, and especially Omega. I also wear all of those watches in rotation, they all get to see some action.

I have never come across this Omega ''crownless'' watch again. Just that one time in the jewelry store when I bought it back in '79 or so (maybe a bit later cannot recall). It is a solid design, has worked flawlessly for almost 30 year now, and still going strong. I think this watch is the quintessence of minimalism (no numbers, no date, no seconds hand, no crown) and purity in an Omega dress watch. My humble opinion of course.

Hope this was somewhat interesting !

Regards,

Mike
​


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## Eeeb

*Re: I actually own such a watch*

Omega came up with a number of innovations along similar lines. I have a Seamaster multifunction chrono that has nothing but a crown. Everything is controlled by pushing, pulling and turning the crown. I love it. (I have the Longines encasement of the same movement too.)

Mike, welcome and post some pics!


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## Bruce Reding

*Re: I actually own such a watch*



Eeeb said:


> Mike, welcome and post some pics!


I second the motion. :-!


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## norml

John MS said:


> It's not unusual for such watches to be very thin - 6mm, maybe 35mm diameter, no day or date and many times no seconds hand, a very narrow bezel and no crown or a hidden crown.


Just to add a bit more about the watch I pictured John it is 5.5mm thick and 30.5 across the dial from side to side extremely light but no scales to weigh something that lite and as you mentioned no date, or second hand.


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## soniqwatch

*Re: I actually own such a watch*

I did not realize my post generated interest, I will post pics soon...


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## JLeite

Yes that's right. My wife has a 1350 De Ville without crown. It was bought in 1978 and the backcase has the inscription "1350".


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## arcronis

Eeeb said:


> I think there is both a crown and a hole/switch... but there is someone on the forum that has one and they can provide a definitive answer. I understand you have to find the instructions every time you want to use the switch...
> 
> ... I too have devices where the manuals weigh more than the device ;-)


 Hi I have just found this very same watch.. I am trying to find a picture/name any info at all to establish that I have this very same watch Any info would be really appreciated, I have photos of my watch gold with a s/s back, it features quartz and 1365 on the bottom back
regards


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## arcronis

johndozier said:


> Has anyone ever seen a DeVille with no crown? This watch has a small hole(actually a switch) into which a ball point or other instrument, is inserted. This apparently operates a motor that moves the hands. Is this for real or is it a fabrication? Thanks


Hi i have recently found such a watch, it is in mint condition and am now trying to find any info on this watch, the face is gold,almost unused leather strap shape is not round and not square i would call it sqround new word I would be really grateful if any one knew anything about tis watcg it is very thin a really nice looking watch I have photos but do not knw how to send them any help in that area would be also very handy
cheers


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## Eeeb

arcronis said:


> Hi i have recently found such a watch, it is in mint condition and am now trying to find any info on this watch, the face is gold,almost unused leather strap shape is not round and not square i would call it sqround new word I would be really grateful if any one knew anything about tis watcg it is very thin a really nice looking watch I have photos but do not knw how to send them any help in that area would be also very handy
> cheers


If you remove the back you will discover which calibre movement is being used. http://old-omegas.com/ will probably have the user manual for that calibre.


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## Bannister

Hello evry boby,

I am from France and in the 80's my father offered me such Watche ...Omega Deville Quartz . The wache was purchase in Koweit in 1981/82 .On the back you can read 1365 .

I am looking for a idea of the value of this watch ...

Watting for your suggestions ;-)

Anthony


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## Eeeb

Bannister said:


> Hello evry boby,
> 
> I am from France and in the 80's my father offered me such Watche ...Omega Deville Quartz . The wache was purchase in Koweit in 1981/82 .On the back you can read 1365 .
> 
> I am looking for a idea of the value of this watch ...
> 
> Watting for your suggestions ;-)
> 
> Anthony


1365 is the caliber of the movement. As to value, send it to me so I can look at it. ;-)


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## stevenjamie

johndozier said:


> Has anyone ever seen a DeVille with no crown? This watch has a small hole(actually a switch) into which a ball point or other instrument, is inserted. This apparently operates a motor that moves the hands. Is this for real or is it a fabrication? Thanks


Its not a fantasy, I have one here at the moment .
Says on its back case 1365 which I assume is its calibre number


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## scififan

Just found this in an old box as I was cleaning out the garage. The back is plain, and just says 1365


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## handles63

Scififan, 
The watch you have found is a circa 1980s crownless model (cal 1365 quartz movement) I have been looking for just this watch as a replacement for a 21st gift given to me by my parents which was stolen/lost in a house move about 15 years ago. I have seen a couple come up on ebay recently but have been outbid. I have been doing a bit of research on value and cost of refurbishment and now feel a bit more confident about what I can spend trying to acquire on. I am also fairly certain that it is not a model that is particularly valuable (being a quartz movement and only gold plated) but I am prepared to pay a little over the odds for sentimental value (just seeing the very clear photo in your post gave me a lump in the throat) so if anyone has one of these that they would like to sell I would be very interested in talking to them.
Cheers


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## bobkids

Hi, 
I am a new comer to this forum ...!
It has been more than two years since your last posting on your Omega De Ville.!
I am interested in your vintage Omega and wonder if it is still around with you ?
Let me know please.
Thank you.
Bob Lee


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## ronalddheld

Bobkids, have you checked out our sales, Omega and Vintage fora?


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