H. H. Curtice would end up retiring from GM in 1958 (they had a mandatory retirement age at the time), but just before he ascended to the GM presidency, this perfect replica Omega was given to him by the company in 1952. And judging from the overall condition of this super clone watch, still fitted to its original strap and buckle with the gold foiled “OMEGA” logo pressed into it, he likely never wore it.
A shame, as this was an incredibly handsome luxury fake Omega Automatic, not to mention a technical marvel of the time. Why? Because the movement inside – an OMEGA Cal. 351 – was a bumper automatic that could be chronometer certified. Plus, at the time, Swiss made replica Omega literature touted the 351 as using the wartime technology from the brand’s WWII watches for civilian use.
These high quality replica watches were designed to be “one-watch collections,” bridging the gap between something you can wear with a suit and tie yet still be robust and waterproof enough for any activity. Fun Fact: They were water resistance to 30 meters – not bad for the late 1940s.
The idea of the “one-watch collection” is still something we find today in best 1:1 fake Omega’s Seamaster Aqua Terra line (which is one of their most popular models). Indeed, from the boardroom to the beach, the demand from the general public for versatility has always been there. However, prior to this moment in time, there were tool copy watches for sale in steel and dress watches in gold, but not many timepieces bridged that gap.
It’s a concept so obvious today that it’s hard to believe it was ever revolutionary!