18k Omega Megaquartz Star Dust.

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

I have collected LED's for over 15 years, but have fallen in love with a watch with hands. This is something that i thought i would never do. But im sure you would agree this is a spectacular watch. It makes the P-1 look like chicken feed in 18k gold weight. Its difficult to photograph the sparking star dust dial. A thing of true beauty.

Does anyone know how many where made ?

[gjlelec]

WOW !! Fantastic and seriously rare in 18K with "Stardust" dial.Interesting section on this calibre on Piotr "crazywatches" site. The beautiful Aventurine dials are all individual and came in varying colours,blue,grey,green,orange,yellow,gold/brown, often suffering from stress cracking. Bracelet looks the same ref as the 18K TC1 ??
Regarding numbers produced (18k only), Omega usually only release figures for calibre production not individual variants, my guess 100-200 units. Omega were in the habit back then of producing the first of a new calibre in 18K only, and for some strange reason used to produce in batches of circa 50 units - usually entrusted to Fontana in Italy, not Star as you might expect (some sort of prohibitive tax,import problem perhaps ??)( 18K TC1 initial order =60 units, 18K Electroquartz -the predecessor to the Megaquartz, initial production =42 watches,all 42 sold before the end of the 1970s Basel fair at 5,400CHF ea ) Also keep in mind, vibrating at nearly 2.5 million times a second, compared to a standard quartz watch ,this was like a race between Usain Bolt and Stephen Hawking
Here's how spectacular the dial can look if you catch it right

[bucko170]

Cracking watch , I can see why you have fallen for this particular watch although I don't expect it to be enough to convert you into an analogue man!
I remember an auction for a 18K Pulsar which had been converted to an analogue display, one of the calculator models if I remember correctly?

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

Cracking watch , I can see why you have fallen for this particular watch although I don't expect it to be enough to convert you into an analogue man!
I remember an auction for a 18K Pulsar which had been converted to an analogue display, one of the calculator models if I remember correctly?

Oh yes i forgot about that one. I bought that watch last year and use it as my daily wearer. So i do have two watches with hands

[bucko170]

Cracking watch , I can see why you have fallen for this particular watch although I don't expect it to be enough to convert you into an analogue man!
I remember an auction for a 18K Pulsar which had been converted to an analogue display, one of the calculator models if I remember correctly?

Oh yes i forgot about that one. I bought that watch last year and use it as my daily wearer. So i do have two watches with hands

Can we have a photo of that one too?

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

Here you go. I thought it was quirky when i bought it, and i found it interesting that someone had it converted and saved it from the melting pot back in the early 80's. I forgot who the conversion was performed by.... their logo is on the case back.

[bucko170]

Cheers Lloyd

I did not know that it was you who purchased that one, I quite like it although (just judging it by the photo's) I think it might look better with a different coloured dial to give it a bit of a contrast.

Thanks for sharing the photo's.

[Kasper]

a real Pimp watch , but a nice one.

the Omega Megaquartz Star Dust watch is still on my list to purchase before i die , incredible watch. When i look at it, i always wonder why manufacturers can't make
these beauties again.

incredible shots..thx

[azimuth_pl]

Approximately 100-200 pieces of the Omega 1510 in 18K gold were made out of which approx 100 with aventurine dial.
The aventurine dial was only made in dark blue with metallic particles. The other variants were painted blue or black or navy with wafer pattern.
The orange or brown variants are poorly aged examples of the navy wafer dials.
Tom Dick aka dickstar from the TZ or WUS forums is the lucky owner of many 1510's Omegas and there is a very useful summary of this calibre in those forums.

[gjlelec]

This one doesnt appear to be blue. Or have the colours been messed with ?? The only other Omega i've seen with Aventurine dial is the Dynamic.And always in this brown/gold mix

[azimuth_pl]

Omega only used aventurine on the 1510 Stardust. The Dynamic is something else or maybe even special paint.
Aventurine is a blue-ish crystal (or rather mined rock) turned into dust and mixed with epoxy and a layer of about 0.5mm applied by hand on a metal and fibre-glass dial.
Each dial is different and ranges from dark blue, violet to dark navy blue and the same watch can look different depending on the angle and light applied when taking the picture.

[gjlelec]

So the Dynamic dial isnt Aventurine ?? Wonder what Omega have applied then ?? Very striking affect whatever it is

[azimuth_pl]

the 1510 was their most expensive watch made at that time so they would never use aventurine for any other model. what the Dynamic has I have no idea, a close up inspection would be required.

[gjlelec]

My own recent foray into cal 1510 world is this stainless version. Due to go into Omega sanctioned repairer STS in the UK. Will have case and bracelet rebrushed, bezel polished, new seals, new crystal. Luckily, the dial and the movement appear perfect.In the one week i've owned this watch, i set it against a Junghans Mega 1 and in that time its lost one second only

[azimuth_pl]

nice piece in very good condition. yours has a dial from the solid gold version but the difference is not that visible.
I'd wait with spending some 600 pounds with STS until you beat it up a bit more. talk to Tom Dick (dickstar) from TZ and WUS forums for a direct contact, he has serviced dozens of watches with those guys at STS and he is a very nice fellow.
still it keeps time so you don't need a full overhaul. you might apply a drop of oil in every bearing but there is hardly any friction in the motor nor the gear train so even if dry it will not result in damage...unless worn every day for another 10 years.

[BENRUS]

Those Star Dust dials are...
Here's part of a neat ad that shows both Megaquartz and LED

MegaLED.JPG

[gjlelec]

I did a bit of checking and Piotr was right, i was wrong. The dial on the Dynamic is painted. Apparently also quite a delicate dial also as many survivors are damaged.

[azimuth_pl]

the aventurine dial is scary to work with, super thin and yes...not many survivors in perfect condition

[gjlelec]

Case, bracelet rebrushed, bezel polished, new winder/pusher, all bracelet pins replaced, new glass crystal, all new seals

[azimuth_pl]

what was the bill?
did they replace the pins on the clasp or every link? these are almost impossible to remove without damage so they must have a smart tool

[gjlelec]

Christ knows how they got those pins out, coz i tried and gave up straight away.Every bracelet pin renewed.Total was £575