When buying a watch, especially a antique watch, vintage, the question is often asked about the year of manufacture. Many factories use the serial numbers to ensure the authenticity and the follow-up of their watches, allowing also to deduce the year of production. This is indicative information, as some productions may have lasted several months, or even more than a year.
Omega is one of the few companies to have kept track of its heritage since its birth.
Knowing the year of production of your Omega watch can be useful in several contexts:
you wish to acquire a watch of your birth year
you want to confirm that the components coincide with the year of your watch (e.g. whether the hands are the right ones, the dial etc.), as components are only produced from a certain time onwards
you are curious
All Omega watches are equipped with a 7 to 8 digit serial numbers depending on the year of production, which can be found engraved :
At the lanyard visible with a magnifying glass (for recent models)
At the inside the box on the movement or the case back (for vintage models)
The model number can also be found on the bottom of the box inside.
You will find below 2 tables: a table to distinguish the year of production of Omega watches before 2008, and a second for the Omega Speedmaster until the 90s.
| Année | Numéros de série |
|---|---|
| 1884 | 1,000,000 – 1,999,999 |
| 1902 | 2,000,000 – 2,999,999 |
| 1906 | 3,000,000 – 3,999,999 |
| 1910 | 4,000,000 – 4,999,999 |
| 1915 | 5,000,000 – 5,999,999 |
| 1920 | 6,000,000 – 6,999,999 |
| 1923 | 7,000,000 – 7,999,999 |
| 1934 | 8,000,000 – 8,999,999 |
| 1939 | 9,000,000 – 9,999,999 |
| 1944 | 10,000,000 — 10,999,999 |
| 1947 | 11,000,000 – 11,999,999 |
| 1950 | 12,000,000 – 12,999,999 |
| 1952 | 13,000,000 – 13,999,999 |
| 1954 | 14,000,000 – 14,999,999 |
| 1956 | 15,000,000 – 15,999,999 |
| 1958 | 16,000,000 – 16,999,999 |
| 1959 | 17,000,000 – 17,999,999 |
| 1961 | 18,000,000 – 18,999,999 |
| 1962 | 19,000,000 – 19,999,999 |
| 1963 | 20,000,000 – 20,999,999 |
| 1964 | 21,000,000 – 21,999,999 |
| 1965 | 22,000,000 – 22,999,999 |
| 1966 | 23,000,000 – 23,999,999 |
| 1966 | 24,000,000 – 24,999,999 |
| 1967 | 25,000,000 – 25,999,999 |
| 1968 | 26,000,000 – 26,999,999 |
| 1968 | 27,000,000 – 27,999,999 |
| 1969 | 28,000,000 – 28,999,999 |
| 1969 | 29,000,000 – 29,999,999 |
| 1969 | 30,000,000 – 30,999,999 |
| 1969 | 31,000,000 – 31,999,999 |
| 1970 | 32,000,000 – 32,999,999 |
| 1971 | 33,000,000 – 33,999,999 |
| 1972 | 34,000,000 – 34,999,999 |
| 1972 | 35,000,000 – 35,999,999 |
| 1973 | 36,000,000 – 36,999,999 |
| 1973 | 37,000,000 – 37,999,999 |
| 1974 | 38,000,000 – 38,999,999 |
| 1975 | 39,000,000 – 39,999,999 |
| 1977 | 40,000,000 – 40,999,999 |
| 1978 | 41,000,000 – 41,999,999 |
| 1979 | 42,000,000 – 42,999,999 |
| 1979 | 43,000,000 – 43,999,999 |
| 1980 | 44,000,000 – 44,999,999 |
| 1982 | 45,000,000 – 45,999,999 |
| 1984 | 46,000,000 – 46,999,999 |
| 1984 | 47,000,000 – 47,999,999 |
| 1985 | 48,000,000 – 48,999,999 |
| 1986 | 49,000,000 – 49,999,999 |
| 1986 | 50,000,000 – 50,999,999 |
| 1989 | 51,000,000 – 51,999,999 |
| 1991 | 53,000,000 – 53,999,999 |
| 1993 | 54,000,000 – 54,999,999 |
| 1995 | 55,000,000 – 55,999,999 |
| 1998 | 56,000,000 – 56,999,999 |
| 1998 | 57,000,000 – 57,999,999 |
| 1998 | 58,000,000 – 58,999,999 |
| 1998 | 59,000,000 – 59,999,999 |
| 1999 | 60,000,000 – 60,999,999 |
| 2000 | 61,000,000 – 61,999,999 |
| 2000 | 62,000,000 – 62,999,999 |
| 2000 | 63,000,000 – 63,999,999 |
| 2000 | 64,000,000 – 64,999,999 |
| 2001 | 65,000,000 – 65,999,999 |
| 2002 | 66,000,000 – 66,999,999 |
| 2002 | 67,000,000 – 67,999,999 |
| 2003 | 68,000,000 – 68,999,999 |
| 2003 | 69,000,000 – 69,999,999 |
| 2004 | 70,000,000 – 70,999,999 |
| 2004 | 71,000,000 – 71,999,999 |
| 2005 | 72,000,000 – 72,999,999 |
| 2005 | 73,000,000 – 73,999,999 |
| 2005 | 74,000,000 – 74,999,999 |
| 2005 | 75,000,000 – 75,999,999 |
| 2005 | 76,000,000 – 76,999,999 |
| 2005 | 77,000,000 – 77,999,999 |
| 2006 | 78,000,000 – 78,999,999 |
| 2006 | 79,000,000 – 79,999,999 |
| 2006 | 80,000,000 – 80,999,999 |
| 2007 | 81,000,000 – 81,999,999 |
| 2007 | 82,000,000 – 82,999,999 |
| 2007 | 83,000,000 – 83,999,999 |
| 2008 | 84,000,000+ |
| Année | Numéros de série |
|---|---|
| 1957 | 14,000,000 – 14,999,999 |
| 1958 | 15,000,000 – 15,999,999 |
| 1958 | 16,000,000 – 16,999,999 |
| 1960 | 17,000,000 – 17,999,999 |
| 1961 | 18,000,000 – 18,999,999 |
| 1962 | 19,000,000 – 19,999,999 |
| 1963 | 20,000,000 – 20,999,999 |
| 1963 | 21,000,000 – 21,999,999 |
| 1964 | 22,000,000 – 22,999,999 |
| 1966 | 23,000,000 – 23,999,999 |
| 1967 | 24,000,000 – 24,999,999 |
| 1967 | 25,000,000 – 25,999,999 |
| 1968 | 26,000,000 – 26,999,999 |
| 1969 | 27,000,000 – 27,999,999 |
| 1970 | 28,000,000 – 28,999,999 |
| 1970 | 29,000,000 – 29,999,999 |
| 1970 | 30,000,000 – 30,999,999 |
| 1972 | 31,000,000 – 31,999,999 |
| 1973 | 32,000,000 – 32,999,999 |
| 1975 | 33,000,000 – 33,999,999 |
| 1976 | 34,000,000 – 34,999,999 |
| 1977 | 35,000,000 – 35,999,999 |
| 1977 | 36,000,000 – 36,999,999 |
| 1978 | 37,000,000 – 37,999,999 |
| 1979 | 38,000,000 – 38,999,999 |
| 1979 | 39,000,000 – 39,999,999 |
| 1980 | 40,000,000 – 40,999,999 |
| 1980 | 41,000,000 – 41,999,999 |
| 1981 | 42,000,000 – 42,999,999 |
| 1982 | 43,000,000 – 43,999,999 |
| 1983 | 44,000,000 – 44,999,999 |
| 1984 | 45,000,000 – 45,999,999 |
| 1985 | 46,000,000 – 46,999,999 |
| 1986 | 47,000,000 – 47,999,999 |
| 1990 | 48,000,000 – 48,999,999 |
For watches after 2008, it is preferable to contact the manufacture directly, or ask for an archive extract.
An archive extract contains detailed information from the factory's internal documentation indicating the conditions under which the watch left the factory in Biel, as well as its exact date of manufacture. The archive extract is not a certificate of authenticity and does not guarantee the authenticity of a watch or its components.
Recipe : CHF 120.00 (rate at the beginning of 2023)
Deadline : 15 working days
You can request an archive extract directly from the Omega website:
With privileged access to production records and maintenance histories, you can learn more about your vintage Omega watch. If the expertise is conclusive, Omega will be able to send you back a certificate of authenticity of your watch, with detailed information on the latter (movement, year, components...).
You can request a certificate of authenticity for watches older than 30 years.
Recipe : CHF 800.00 (rate at the beginning of 2023)
Deadline : 2 months minimum
You can drop off your watch at any Omega boutique and send it in for appraisal:
Why know the year of production of your watch?
It can be important to know the year of production of your watch to help determine its authenticity and/or value. Some watches produced during specific periods may also require special replacement parts (such as radium/tritium indexes that were replaced by luminova in the 1990s).
When was Omega founded?
Louis Brandt et Frère was founded in 1848 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by Louis Brandt. It was not until 1903 that Louis Brandt et Frère was renamed Omega in reference to the world's first successful wristwatch movement, the Omega caliber (released in 1894). Today, Omega is one of the best-known and most respected companies in the watchmaking world.
Are Omega watches reliable?
Yes, Omega watches are considered very reliable in the watch industry. Omega is a Swiss watch company known for its precision, quality manufacturing and long watchmaking tradition. It is also known for its technological innovations such as its Co-Axial movement, introduced in 1999 and considered an important development in the watch industry.
Is it worth investing in an Omega?
Omega is a prestigious and quality brand with a long history in the watch industry. Omega watches tend to hold their value and may even increase in value over time, especially vintage or rare models.
About the author
Mathieu CeliPassionate about timepieces, and everything that revolves around them for many years, my ambition is to share my watchmaking adventure, and help you to enlighten yourself on this world that seems so inaccessible, and yet, is not. Every watchmaking story is initiated by encounters, and continues with an endless curiosity, a real addiction to the very embodiment of time.
Discover our selection of watches and watchmaking accessories for the festive season. You'll find models with a wide range of budgets, designs and features, enough to satisfy your fellow enthusiasts.
Published - by Maëlle DettonThe eco-responsible Swiss watch brand ID Genève has just announced the closing of its fundraising campaign and the participation of American actor and producer Leonardo DiCaprio as a shareholder. Find out more about the commitments and innovative projects of this activist watch brand, which has won over one of the world's most environmentally committed stars in our article.
Published - by Maëlle DettonFor the past few weeks, the 2023 edition of the charity auction has been facing what could well be the most difficult episode in the history of the Only Watch project. Following the withdrawal of one of the most important houses from the catalog, the watchmaking community has been left wondering why. Let's take a look at the reasons behind this controversy, and shed some light on recent events.
Published - by Maëlle DettonThe French watchmaker YEMA is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, an opportunity to look back at its history, the cult models that have forged its reputation over the years, and discover its new technical innovations, the fruit of long-term research and development work.
Published - by Maëlle DettonMarketed in 2015, the first Apple Watch has just been announced as "technologically obsolete" by the American company.
Published - by Maëlle DettonThe prestigious Only Watch charity auction returns for a highly anticipated 2023 edition for watch enthusiasts. Find out all about the date and venue of this not-to-be-missed event, as well as the participating watchmaking houses and their exceptional pieces on display this year.
Published - by Maëlle Detton
