Omega 690

Description

A really rare and extremely tiny movement, which is hardly referenced in literature, is the Omega 690, a movement in baguette shape with a size of only 7.2 x 18.6mm, which was probably used for fashion watches. Its red-golden tone supports the great visual appealing of that masterpiece of micromechanics.

Video on YouTube

The size comparison with a 10 cent coin shows, how tiny this movement, which can only be wound from its back side, is.

On the side view, you can easily show the baguette-type shape.

The escapement of this, in two positions adjusted, movement can be seen here in detail (the piece of dust is removed in the meantime…): The lever is not only mirror-polished, but has also got very cleanly rounded edges. This way, it looks massive and fragile the same time.

Another speciality of the anchor is, that it’s made as a lateral type, what means, that it hasn’t got the standard fork shape, but the connector to the balance is one extended arm.

The four-leg ring balance (typical for omega) is yellow-gold toned and beared by two Kif Flector shock protections. The hairspring is fixed to the balance cock and can be adjusted in its effective length by a prolonged regulator arm only because of the lacking space.

On the two pictures below, you can see, that most of the gears, fourth and third wheel, are below the balance assembly. Only the escapement wheel takes the complete height of the movement, since it “connects” the escapement with the gears.

On the dial side, you also can watch the gears, and if you look closely, you can spot a part of the dial side Kif Flector shock protection between fourth and third wheel.

The hands settings mechanism (top right on the picture) consists of a gear, whose height is set from the backside of the movement. In the pushed (seen from the back of the movement) state, it has no connection to any gear, but in the pulled (also seen from the back of the movement) state, it connects to the silver-toned gear, which has got beveled teeth to “snap” in instead of takeing damage.

Technical data

Usage gallery