Important Collectors' Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Mar 16, 2008

LOT 586

King of Denmark?s watch Omega, ?Centenary - Automatic, Chronomètre?, movement No. 10760553, case No. 10725323, Ref. 2500. The movement was made in 1947 and the watch was delivered on October 15, 1948 to the Danish Ambassy in Bern. Fine, rare and important, self-winding 18K yellow gold wristwatch.

C. Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, curved lugs, snap on case back engraved with the crest of the King of Denmark. D. Two-tone champagne with applied diamond-shaped, dart and Arabic indexes on a plain outer reserve, inner minute track, guilloché subsidiary seconds dial. Yellow gold dauphine hands. M. Cal. 30.10 RA, copper-colored, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring. Dial, case, and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 10 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Ref. OT 2500 Reference OT 2500 was made in 1948 to mark the hundredth anniversary of Louis Brandt Frères/Omega, and is considered by many collectors to be the forerunner of the Constellation. Cal. 30.10 RA PC JUB 30.10 = 30.10 millimeters ; RA = Self-winding (remontage automatique) ; PC = Shock absorber ; JUB = Jubilee or centennial. Frederick IX (Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg) (11 March 1899 ? 14 January 1972) Was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death. He was the son of King Christian X of Denmark and Queen Alexandrine, born Duchess of Mecklenburg. Frederick was educated at the Danish Naval Academy (breaking Danish royal tradition by choosing a naval instead of an army career) and the University of Copenhagen. Before becoming king, he had acquired the rank of Rear Admiral and he had had several senior commands on active service. The engraving on the back of the present watch is his crest, evoking his time in Danish Navy. During Frederick's reign Danish society evolved from an agricultural society into a modern country, which meant new demands on the monarchy. Frederick married Princess Ingrid of Sweden on 24 May 1935. They had three daughters: Princess Margrethe (born 1940), Princess Benedikte (born 1944), and Princess Anne-Marie (born 1946). Margrethe succeeded her father as Queen Margrethe II. Shortly after the king had delivered his New Year's Address to the Nation at the 1971/72 turn of the year, he fell ill. On his passing in 1972, King Frederick IX was buried outside Roskilde Cathedral near Copenhagen. King Frederick IX wearing the watch while making his New Year?s Eve speech to the nation on Danish National Radio in 1956.