ABOUT THIS WATCH

Before the Speedmaster & Seamaster came to define the Omega brand for the last 60 years, the Geneve line was intended to be Omega’s flagship model. Although it was eventually repositioned as an entry-level watch, its overall design and quality is the perfect example of how Omega continually produced the most desirable timepieces across all categories.

My favorite thing about this watch, despite being from the late 1950’s is that it was designed with no lume, which is typically the feature that degrades first in any vintage watch. By the 1930’s the use of radium was popularized at first in military watches then throughout the 1950’s for almost all of them including simple dress watches. I can see how in that era being able to see the time at night was a very cool thing, but fast forward several decades later and it’s a feature I would prefer not to see on a watch like this. The lume’s activity died a very long time ago anyway and if I need to see the time at night I’ll just check my iPhone.

Short of the common light patina, we now have a watch that looks utterly immaculate after all these years and will continue to do so pretty much forever as long as it’s owner(s) treat it as I do my watches. With it’s two-textured dial, unique markers, dauphine hands and faceted lugs, it’s a style that gets to endure without that pesky radioactive material degrading everything else around it. Winner.

WATCH SPECS

Brand: Omega 
Model: Geneve
Reference: 2981 
Year: 1958 
Material: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 34mm diameter, 10mm thickness w/ crystal
Crystal: Acrylic
Lume: N/A 
Caliber: Omega Cal. 491 automatic movement
Bracelet/Strap: Custom French calfskin box stitch strap
Lug Width: 18mm