# Omega Megaquartz F2.4



## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Hi all

Well, as you know there are a number of people on the Forums who collect early Omega quartz wathes and in specific the Megaquartz lines, although hugely under valued currently they were at the time the amongst the most advanced watches ever made and certainly amongst Omegas most expensive watches at the time.

Following Omegas launch of the Beta 21 caliber 1300 Electroquartz watch (the first commercially available quartz movement) the flood gates of quartz technology opened. Omega quickly produced a number of other quartz and electronic movements, including the F300 Tuning fork series (Keith T is the man in the know on these) and the famous Megaquartz series, they continued to dominate the quartz market with various ranges throughout the 1970â€™s and have without doubt made some of the most famous quartz watches of all time.

The Megaquartz watches were introduced in the early 1970â€™s and ran in one form or another for well over a decade. At the time quartz technology was a true revolution, providing accuracy of five seconds per month, far far greater than that of even the best chronometer watches. However, technology came with a price, early quartz watches were far from the cheaper option to automatic we have today, in fact they were considerably more expensive than other types of movement.

Singularly the most advanced of these (and some would argue most advanced wrist watch ever made) was the Megaquartz 2.4Mhz (denoting it resonated at 2.4 000 000 per second) calibre 1500 series of watch. Produced collaboratively between Omega and Batelle institute the 1500 elephant caliber was introduced at the 1970 Basel fair, this caliber boasted an accuracy of 1 second per month 5 times that of any quartz watch produced to that date and still hailed as the the most accurate watch ever made.

This prototype caliber soon evolved in to a series of three watches, two in Marine Chronometer guise using caliber 1511 and later 1516 and one using caliber 1510 branded as the Omega Constellation Megaquartz 2.4Mhz. Although launched in 1970 as caliber 1500 Omega informs in 'omega designs' that it was not commercially available until 1974 (although most production dates for cal 1510 date to about 1972)

What follows is my views and opinions, following a period of research on these very special watch, it is not a definitive guide but more designed to inform, educate (to an extent) and possibly even entertain, so here goes:

Following two failed attempts I bought my first Megaquartz 2.4Mhz in January this year (brown waffle dial above), I initially fell in love with the shape of the watch and the â€˜sparklyâ€™ 70â€™s dial, only to then discover that it was a very special thing indeed. When my watch arrived it wasnâ€™t running right so I took it to Swiss Time Services (UKâ€™s official Omega restoration centre) for a full overhaul, it took about 6 weeks and most of my bank account to get done (this is the first warning to potential owners, they are not cheap things to own or maintain). When I collected the watch I had a very enthusiastic conversation with the owner of STS who informed me they only made 1000 caliber 1510 watches (and that is a genuine 1000 unlike some other Omega â€˜limited editionsâ€™), 1000 1511 Marine Chronometers and around 7000 1516 Marine Chronometers, added to that they had an accuracy of 1 second per month, an achievement that has never again been rivaled, that was it I was hooked.










When my watch arrived back it looked utterly superb (see attached pics), it had a replacement Stardust dial (more on that later) and had been totally overhauled. The only thing that vexed me was the number on the back plate off the case 1006 which bore no relation to anything else on the watch (again more shortly).










What followed was a period of research from sources at Omega, fellow forum members and collectors, a few chance encounters, some excellent books and of course the wonders of the internet.

Having spoken to a well known Omega watch maker, I was informed that fundamentally the caliber 1510 and 1511 are the same watch, the only difference is the marking on the base plate (1510 and 1511). They share the same motor unit, circuit, basically everything. I have seen examples of both close up and can confirm this really is the case, both watches share an accuracy of 1 second per month and both share the same case (MC is slightly altered in design)

I spent some time researching on the internet, contacting Omega and looking in books, there was surprisingly very little information to be found on these watches, a few websites, a few links to the famous Jacques Cousteau (who owned a 1511 MC as a dress watch when he wasnâ€™t diving) but that was about it.

Then by pure chance I had a conversation with a retired Omega service centre owner whilst admiring some vintage Omega watches in an antiques centre in Bath. Following a chat on the proâ€™s and conâ€™s of my Ploprof our conversation turned to Omega Megaquartzâ€™s, to my total surprise he informed me that the caliber 1510 was initially intended to be a Marine Chronometer and was planned to be released with a Marine Chronometer certificate. It was then decided by Omega that in order to increase exposure of this very expensive watch that two variants, standard dress MQ2.4 and Marine Chronometer would be released. He told me that the numbers inscribed on the back of most 1510 Megaquartz f2.4Mhz watches relate to the Marine Chronometer certificate at the Batelle Institute, and that if I contacted them with the watch reference, serial number and case back reference I should be able to get an MC certificate for my stardust.

I have contacted Omega to ask for further clarification but am waiting to hear back, as soon as I do you will be the first to hear. If this is indeed the case (which would make total sense) the common myth that the Marine Chronometer is the only Omega with MC rating is actually false, it would also make sense that the inscribed numbers on 1510 case backs bore relation to the MC certificate and the fact that other than a few cosmetic changes the Megaquartz 2.4 (1510) and Megaquartz 2.4 Marine Chronometer (1511) are basically the same beast in slightly different clothes.

The same chap also informed me that the dials on the Calibre 1510 were extremely rare and hard to produce. The â€˜Stardust dialâ€™ as it is know is made up of aventurine crystal laid by hand in to the painted dial (hence you will never see two identical dials). This Crystal was sourced from one single mine and was laid in to both the 18K gold and SS versions of this watch.










Picture courtesy of keith T

Both the 1510 and 1511 variants of these watches were astronomically expensive and far more than any other (with the exception of 18 solid gold) watches at the time. The Marine Chronometer cost approximately 1/3rd more than the standard MQ2.4 but both watches were enormous amounts more than any other period Omega.










image sourced from www.old-omegas.com

The caliber 1510 Megaquartz f2.4Mhz was produced in 1000 units, mostly Stainless Steel with a few examples in Solid 18K gold, the caliber 1511 Megaquartz f2.4Mhz Marine Chronometer was produced in 1000 units and preceded the up rated caliber 1516 Marine Chronometer produced in 7000 units.

Both the MQ2.4 1510 and the 1511 MC had an accuracy of 1 second per month (as reinforced in the period sale brochure). As there we only 1000 of each produced, with the exception of special editions and one offâ€™s this makes them amongst the rarest Omegas ever made Further more they were the most advanced and accurate wrist watches ever made by the company and without doubt one of the most accurate watches ever made (we have to recognize to Citizen Mega4 and Junghams 4Mhz) the technology has still not been surpassed.

It is a common myth that the Megaquartz f2.4 (1510) is some sort of poor relation to the Marine Chronometer (1511), in fact it is simply not true, fundamentally it is the same watch, with what some would say (by this I mean me) is presented in a much more attractive format. The later 1516 Marine Chronometer did have some subtle differences in the movement, although minor this probably did improve overall accuracy. I will continue my quest for information on this and write more shortly, the downside of the 1516 MC is that they produced some 7000 of them, making them 7 times more common than either the 1511 MC or the 1510 MQ (I would still love to own one).

I hope this short article has given some further food for thought to current and potential owners. I personally have fallen in love with these watches (I now own three 1510â€™s), not only because of what I feel is their cosmetic beauty but because of their rarity, relative undervalue and most importantly because they represent a seminal point on watch making history. Like the McLaren F1 in the car world they were the realization of technological advancement, occasionally imitated and often revered. Unlike the McLaren they fell in to the ether (of watch making), forgotten until recently and often cast aside as yet another quartz watch, there is no doubt in my mind that they should hold a place in watch making history to rival the moon watch or the Rolex Submariner.










Cheers Tom


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

More pics

Original Marine Chronometer certificate as provided with Marine Chronometer but possibly available for cal 1510 also:










My original Brown Waffle dial before restoration:










1510 movement:


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

And finally, the original Omega 1970's sales catalogue from the UK :










Please feel free to add your comments and pictures, this is not as I said a definitive guide, more a summary of my observations and information gathered so far

Cheers Tom


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Great topic Tom, very interesting indeed, how cool would it be to get the MC cert!


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Cheers Jason

I am working on the MC certificate as we speak! will keep you updated.

Tom


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## Stuart Davies (Jan 13, 2008)

great post Tom. Seriously mate you should set up your own Omega electric information website


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## Faz 63 (Nov 27, 2007)

Stunning Watch i love the stardust dial i would love to get one.


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## KEITHT (Dec 2, 2007)

Great post Tom...hope it generates some serious debate..i for one am slightly fed up reading ill informed articles about the accuracy of the MC, whilst in the same breath dismissing the MQ....strange is it not, that in Omega's own literature ( as pictured on your post ) doesn't distingiush between the models...the text tells the facts...and both watches are pictured underneath....

My personnal thoughts are that certain owners/collectors have talked up the watches they own.....you know the type...its only rare/unusual/accurate/priceless when they have one...sod the facts...

You have my respect Tom....not only for the research and the time it must have taken you....but also the fact that you are a recently married man, and who will no doubt have to make amends to Esther for neglect... 

Regards Keith


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Lol

Thanks chaps;

Faz, you will never regret owning one, they are one of the best watches ever made (IMHO)

Keith, thanks for he kind words mate, I agree completely, IMHO the MC taking the limelight of the Megaquartz F2.4 family has gone on long enough! There is no doubt that the MC is one of the most accurate watches ever made, but so is the F2.4 stardust, it is time it got the same accolade. Thanks for the advice re Es, thankfully she is engulfed in her new job at the mo and didn't notice the hours writing this, lol

There are a great many knowledgeable people on the forums and I am sure (I hope) this post will pull out even more information lurking out there, I know for a fact that on this forum alone there must be 10 MQ24's of various guises with different owners.


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

P.S.

One last little thing the caliber 1510 came with three dial variations, Brown waffle as seen above, black waffle and aventurine 'stardust'. The waffle dials are prone to bad lacquer cracking (as JonW and I can testify to), although the stardust dials do have a tendency to hair line cracks, these are not easily noticeable due to the finish of the face:


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## seiko6139 (Aug 25, 2003)

Excellent post Tom.

I really enjoyed reading it!


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## Fulminata (Feb 23, 2008)

Very interesting to understand the relationship between these models. Thanks for posting.

Always evocative to see the old ads and catalogues too.


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## Fulminata (Feb 23, 2008)

sorry, double post for some reason.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Really great post Tom! I know just how hard is is to write this kind of stuff up when youre bomabded by facts from all over the place. Well done mate 

I also found out about the certification of these 1510s a while back and contacted the certificate issuing authority but they were restructuring at the time and deiciding wether to handle requests anymore. So sadly they would not honour my request to check for my movement number... were they to have come back with a cert this would be nice proof.  I will email them again, but I feel theyre unlikley to help...

Also the numbers on the back may well relate to the certificates, but its likley that when the decision was made not to prgresss the certification of the 1510 that the backs could have been mixed up, hence I wouldnt expect the certificates to match the back. The other downside is that the re issued certifcates do not use the numbering of the old certificate, they just say 'Duplicate' where the number goes.


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Cheers for the info Jon

I think it is a really interesting thing, the more I dig the more it, the more appears that the original Caliber 1510 Omega Megaquartz f2.4Mhz was fundamentally the same watch as the Caliber 1511 Marine Chronometer. Whilst there are obvious cosmetic differences between the two watches cosmetically that is about there the differences end.

There was some mooting the the number on the back related to the issue number within a series of 1000 produced but I have seen on with a sub 1000 number engraved on the back of the watch. I saw a german sales catalogue on ebay a few months back from 1976 which showed a calibre 1510 watch with Stardust dial but housed in a semi Marine Chronometer case, without the gold surround but with a plaque on the from with the word Megaquartz engraved on it, has anyone else seen this?

Jon, feel free to add some pics of your watches if you fancy?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Jon and Tom, if Omega wont research the certs on a individual customer basis, maybe going through STS would yield better results?

I think they owe you Tom


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

I was looking thru an old thread and found Tom was bagdering me to take a pic of my 2.4s earlier in the year, times dont change haha! 

This is my resp to that post.... since then Ive also got myself a Lapis dial verison... Tom should pick it up from STS this week, and hopefully do a pic for us  I cant wait to get it... Its one of my all time favorites. The dial and the shape and the movt... just superb!



JonW said:


> Tom was badgering me to take some pics of my MQ collection... small tho it is... LOL. So here they are...
> 
> L-R - Cal 1510, Cal 1510 Prototype, Cal 1516 Marine Chronometer


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Interestingly Jase Omega will supply certs for newer watches... hmm...


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## Marky (Sep 29, 2005)

Excellent read Tom :thumbsup:


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Checked on the process of my enquiry with Omega today and it is now being dealt with, should have an answer back shortly!

Jon you are a terror, you put that prototype picture up to haunt my dreams! god I love that watch!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Great news Tom. Will be very interested to hear what they say. Ive pinged my contact at the observatory again but so far no response...

Hee hee... well what can I say... you asked for the photo  I had the Prototype out for a wear the other day. Its such a great handmade watch, really big and chunky and of course fully hand finished etc. It does need a better strap really... I wonder if it looks good on mesh! haha...


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Jon

NNNNNNNOOOOOOO you are doing this to tease me,  It's such a great watch, I can't believe you found it! I am still surprised the boys from Omega haven't 'visited' you yet to persuade you to give it back! lol


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Taking a few snaps of a friends MQ and snapped this shot of one of mine, thought it showed the dial off well!

Enjoy


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

Excellent and very informative read Tom, thanks very much for that. I really really must get one, one of these days, they're a truly stunning watch even if you discount there rightful place in horological history. I've been trying to convince Keith to donate one of his to the Bristol Omega Museum but no luck so far, here was me hoping that fatherhood had dulled his senses a bit .

Sorry a bit late in responding to this, been away for a week or so and lots of issues with family too, so I'm trying to catch up.

Email on it's way mate, PM box is full and I haven't the energy to sort it out tonight, feeble I know :bb:

Cheers,

Gary


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Looks great Tom! Whoever that lucky fellow is, im sure he has a nice watch... any pics of them together?


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## KEITHT (Dec 2, 2007)

JonW said:


> Looks great Tom! Whoever that lucky fellow is, im sure he has a nice watch... any pics of them together?


Yeah! who is the lucky fellow..?? :tongue2:


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

KEITHT said:


> JonW said:
> 
> 
> > Looks great Tom! Whoever that lucky fellow is, im sure he has a nice watch... any pics of them together?
> ...


Barsteward :cry2:


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

yeah basta... oh hold on... :tongue2:


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Ah ha

Before it take an intercontinental trip to it's new owner here is a quick pic of the pair together as requested:


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Jesus

I turned my back for two minutes and look what happened! They've been breeding! :


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## KEITHT (Dec 2, 2007)

dickstar1977 said:


> Jesus
> 
> I turned my back for two minutes and look what happened! They've been breeding! :


Now if only you had my two as well...would most likely be the most in one place since they were at the factory.....correction that would be my one and Gary's one....

Which reminds me Gary...welcome to a very exculsive club....


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

KEITHT said:


> Which reminds me Gary...welcome to a very exculsive club....


Thanks Keith - one down, 999 to go - cue evil laughter  .


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

front one is going for a little visit to our friends at STS tomorrow! mmmmmmmhhhhhhhh Megaquartz!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Wahooooo! Brilliant! That front one's dial must be amazing in the metal... It looks so sparkly....

Yes, welcome aboard Gary! I dont think you could ever be dissapointed with a 151x watch to be honest... such amazing bits of kit as well as a great size. I wear mine often


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

New addition to the Megaquartz fold, the mighty Omega Marine Chronometer! and an achievement of a grail for me!

Cheers Tom


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Wahoooo! Very nice indeed Tom!

And we know there are two versions of the MC... 1511 and 1516. The 1516 being slightly different in the movt and also the case is slightly shorter lug to lug, but whats interesting to note is that there are a few hand sets for these too....


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2008)

Cracking read ,lusting after one :cry2: :lol:


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## wilfmannion (Jul 26, 2008)

I've been after one of these for a while but have never seen one when I've had the spare cash unfortunately. One day....


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

Congrats Tom, I can't wait to see my 'Stardust Connie' and will continue to search for an MC...


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