An antique Omega Estrella del Norte, Levy Hermanos pocket watch

We begin the year 2023 with a watch. It is the only pocket watch in my collection and my personal Christmas gift (i.e., gift to myself).  This is an antique Omega issued by Estrella del Norte, which was the exclusive seller of Omega watches in the Philippines during the Spanish period until the American period. I had learned about this prior to the pandemic but could not find good, working specimen of this pocket watch until a couple of weeks before Christmas 2022.

I took this photo the first time I got hold of the watch, which I acquired via eBay from a local seller.

The watch features a sub dial and roman numeral hour markers.

The features spade hour and minute hands.

Close-up of the dial showing the cracks and stains. There's a noticeable damage between the 7 and 8 o'clock markers. Estrella del Norte was a jewelry store in Escolta that was owned and operated by the Levy brothers (Levy Hermanos). I read somewhere that they were the distributors of Omega in the Philippines.

The case back is quite pristine. Others will have a dedication or name etched on this.

Inside, there is another protective case for the movement. The watch also functions as a locket and you can have a photo here.

Inside the back cover, there is the Omega mark, a serial number and 11K (indicating this to be 11K silver). The serial number indicates this to have been manufactured between 1906 - 1909, making this watch easily more than 100 years old. This makes the watch an antique and not just a vintage piece.

A view of the movement under 2 covers. Beside the watch is a tool I use that is from my Swiss knife.

The inside cover of the watch that protected the movement bears the same serial number as the main cover. This is also made of 11K silver.

I have to research on the caliber of this movement.

Close-up of the movement

Close-up of the crown

The watch works well for something that's about 115 years old. I've timed it several times and recorded 20 to 21 hours on a full wind. Not bad at all for an antique! I now have to find a nice chain for the watch.

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