Omega

• cal. 1002 automatic lever movement, 20 jewels • blue dial, luminescent baton indexes, aperture for date, large orange minute hand • oversized asymmetric case, black bezel calibrated for 60 units, screw down and locking crown, large red pusher to adjust bezel • case, dial and movement signed • stainless steel Omega bracelet 

Movement running at the time of cataloguing. Hands and bezel adjusting, date advancing. The dial in good condition. The large orange hand has changed colour and faded to yellow. Dial has been likely changed at service and retains its luminescence. Case and bracelet with scuffs and scratches throughout, consistent with significant use. Bracelet ref. ref. 1162/162. The watch has not been tested to determine the accuracy of its timekeeping. Please note that Sotheby's does not guarantee the future working of the movement and that a service may be required at the buyer's discretion.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping."

Accompanied by an extract from the Omega Archives confirming this watch as a prototype.

With the technical advancements that were made in the scuba diving in industry during the 60s and 70s came the need for better designed equipment.  Watches in particular were important tools used by professional divers and were heavily relied upon.  This new demand for precision timepieces that could tolerate the stresses of prolonged, deep-water, submersion sparked a period of significant innovation within watch manufacturer.

Omega, who had just recently provided watches to NASA for the astronauts that went to the moon, naturally embraced this new challenge with similar vigour.  And so, working in collaboration with COMEX (the Compagnie Maritime d’Expertise), the Omega Seamaster Professional 600 was born.

The Plongeur Professional nicknamed ‘PloProf’ was marketed as being able to withstand depths of up to 2000ft, comfortably enduring Omega’s "Seabed-to-Everest" torture testing. Tests conducted later by Ocean Systems Inc., a diving research centre operating out of the United States, concluded the watch was ‘more watertight’ than a submarine.

Released officially in 1970 after 4 years of continuous research and development, the ‘Ploprof’ has many distinguishing features. Its large asymmetric case forged from a single piece of stainless steel, the red or orange pusher to the top of the case, bi-directional bezel and oversized broad arrow hands provided optimal functionality for divers while, at the same time, producing an aesthetic synonymous with the 1970s - an aesthetic that is as attractive now as it was then. 

According to the consignor this watch was purchased by his grandfather from a diver who worked for Comex (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertise) and who worked in the oil industry offshore in Aberdeen in the 1970's. As its condition demonstrates, the watch was used by the diver as a tool of his trade and has been used while he was diving in the North Sea. During that period, companies started installing oil field platforms. The work carried out by these divers was an ideal environment for watch companies such as Rolex and Omega to test their watches in extreme conditions.

The family still remembers today how their grandfather approached the Comex diver seeking to purchase the watch from him, and eventually the diver agreed. Very proud of his purchase, he wore it constantly.

This prototype watch is a fascinating artefact from a significant period in the diving history. This example was, until today, unknown to the market.