1972 Omega DeVille "Andrew Grima" Blue Dial Manual 511.0383

Here we have an exceptionally rare configuration 1972 Omega De Ville "Andrew Grima" Blue Dial 511.0383, a striking representation of Omega’s transition into the bold, experimental aesthetics of the early 1970s. Part of the highly celebrated, avant-garde "Emerald Line," this reference leans into the era's love for mid-century modern asymmetry and sculptural luxury, offering a genuinely artistic alternative to the classic dress watch. Designed by Andrew Grima, who was a prominent figure in the world of jewellery design, especially recognised during the 1960s and 1970s. He owned an exclusive boutique on Jermyn Street, located in the heart of London’s Mayfair. Grima specialised in high-end, bespoke jewellery and counted British royalty among his clients, including Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. His significant contributions to the field of jewellery are so well-regarded that his work is included in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Featuring a 38mm unusually elongated case profile, it possesses a distinct "Horizontale" presence that sits elegantly low with a thickness of just 9mm. The integrated lug design leads to a compact 28.5mm lug-to-lug length, allowing the watch to drape smoothly across the wrist with a seamless, jewellery-like flow. On the right, a signed Omega crown sits purposefully integrated into the clean geometry of the flank. The defining centrepiece is its unique faceted crystal, which mimics the intricate cuts of a gemstone to evoke a sense of architectural depth. Beneath it lies the deep blue dial, which shifts beautifully in tone and is kept intentionally restrained to respect the watch's clean aesthetics. Hour markers are printed directly onto the dial surface, keeping the profile flat and letting the architectural lines speak for themselves. Slender white-painted sword hands sweep across the centre, contrasting sharply against the blue backdrop to ensure effortless legibility. True to Omega's minimalist execution for this elite series, the dial carries only the minimalist Omega script and subtle De Ville branding at the 3 o'clock position. On the reverse, a solid snap-on case back protects the ultra-slim, manually wound Omega Calibre 625 movement. This refined, 17-jewel movement beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour and is a testament to Omega's mastery of thin mechanical watchmaking during this golden era of design. The watch comes paired with a 20mm premium leather strap secured by an Omega pin buckle.

This watch is sold as ‘Watch Only’ and therefore comes without its Omega box or paperwork. The watch comes paired with a 20mm premium leather strap secured by an Omega pin buckle. The watch is from Circa 1972 and is in worn, vintage condition, but overall is in fair, clean condition, as you can see from the photos. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

Andrew Grima is one of those designers whose name carries enormous weight in the world of jewellery, yet somehow remains underappreciated by many watch collectors. That's surprising when you consider his clientele included British royalty, and his work is now displayed in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Very few designers ever achieve that level of recognition. What I love about this watch is that it isn't simply an Omega with an unusual case, it's a genuine piece of wearable design. Every element, from the sculptural case to the remarkable faceted crystal and the blue dial, reflects Grima's architectural approach to creating beautiful objects. For me, that's what makes this such a special watch. It's not just rare; it's the product of one of the greatest designers of the twentieth century applying his vision to watchmaking. Pieces like this don't come along very often, and they're becoming increasingly appreciated by collectors who value design just as highly as mechanics. I would not hesitate to add this wonderful example to your collection today!

Reference : 511.0383
Movement : Manually Wound Omega Cal. 625
Age : Circa. 1972
Year : 1972
Case Size : 38mm
Case Thickness : 9mm
Lug to Lug : 28.5mm
Lugs : 20mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Formerly known as the La Generale Watch Co., founded in 1848 by Louis Brandt in La Chaux-de-Fonds. When he died in 1879, his sons carried on his dream. In 1880, they moved to 96 Rue Jakob-Stampfli, where they remain today. The brothers produced their first mass-produced calibre, the Labrador, in 1885. Just a few years later, in 1892, they produced the first minute-repeater. In 1903, they renamed the company Omega until 1982, when they officially changed their name to Omega SA. During WW1, Omega watches were used as official timekeepers for the Royal Flying Corps and the US Army. In 1930, Omega and Tissot merged together to form Société Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogère (SSIH). In 1931, another group was formed - Allgemeine Schweizerische Uhrenindustrie AG (ASUAG). Where SSIH was primarily French-speaking, ASUAG was founded by the more German-speaking members of the Swiss watch industry. In 1948, they introduced the first edition of one of its most symbolic watches: the Seamaster. Omega first introduced the Constellation in 1952. At the time, it was Omega's flagship timepiece. The first models had a Cal. 354 bumper movement in them. Later in 1955, Omega introduced the Automatic Cal. 50x, followed in 1959 by the Cal. 55x (no date) and 56x (date) versions. Many of the Constellations came with pie-pan dials, diamond indexes, and fancy lug configurations. All the gold Constellations of that time have the Observatory of Geneva hand-engraved on the back. The stainless steel and stainless steel/gold versions had a gold medallion on the back with the Observatory of Geneva. The eight stars above the Observatory stand for the many exploits of Omega in the world Chronometer competition. Celebrating the fact that all Constellations are Chronometer Certified. In 1962, when astronaut Wally Schirra wore a Speedmaster on his Mercury Sigma 7 Mission, making it the first Omega watch to enter space. After rigorous tests, NASA used Omega for all their Apollo missions, including the 1969 Moon landing of Apollo 11. Today, Omega is still an astronaut's first choice. In 1969, President Nixon famously said it was “too valuable” and turned down the first-ever all-gold Speedmaster Professional Deluxe. As a response to the ever-growing threat of electronic watches to the manufacturers of mechanical watches, Omega and many Swiss brands, such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, formed Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH). Prototypes began to appear in 1967, with their production starting in 1968. Then, in 1972, Omega introduced the reference 198.030, which included the Omega calibre 1250, a ‘tuning-fork electronic movement which was made under licence from Bulova. Later, we saw a merger of SSIH and ASUAG into SMH, or Société de Microélectronique et d’Horlogerie. This merger took place in 1983. In 1992, the company acquired Blancpain, and in 1998, they officially rebranded themselves from SMH to the Swatch Group. Then, in 1999, they purchased and integrated Breguet into the Swatch Group.