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Extract from the Archives is ... Wrong? (Yes! Correction Issued)

sathomasga
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Because I'm either foolish, obsessive, or both, I decided to order an extract from the archives for my HS↑8 Fleet Air Arm watch.

IMG_0719.jpeg


And here's what I received

IMG_0754.jpeg



Everything looks good except the production date. Based on the movement serial number, the correct year would be 1942, not 1948. And, of course, by 1948 the war was definitely over. (I did pay at least a litte attention in History class.)

I guess everyone can make a typo, but it's still disappointing.

Updated to add:

Received the following message:

Thank you for your message and we apologise for the delay in responding.

We are sorry to read that your archive extract mentioned an error, we have informed our brand heritage department and they have re-issued the document with the corrected production date of 20 August 1943.

Screen-TenJkL96@2x.png
Edited:
 
JwRosenthal
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Well, it’s garbage now- I’ll happily dispose of your disappointment so you don’t have to be reminded of this trauma.
 
TheGreekPhysique
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ugh that is so frustrating! I have never reached out to Omega to obtain an EOA. Hopefully others will chime in and there will be some course of reconciliation!
 
Omegafanman
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sathomasga sathomasga
Because I'm either foolish, obsessive, or both, I decided to order an extract from the archives for my HS↑8 Fleet Air Arm watch.

IMG_0719.jpeg


And here's what I received

IMG_0754.jpeg



Everything looks good except the production date. Based on the movement serial number, the correct year would be 1942, not 1948. And, of course, by 1948 the war was definitely over. (I did pay at least a litte attention in History class.)

I guess everyone can make a typo, but it's still disappointing.

Interesting it does not list a case reference - just the movement. Does the inside case back have a serial number?
I have always had a good experience with EOA. I would certainly contact them to query the movement production date.
I also thought they usually listed a case serial number, but I am not sure for HS8. Lovely watch by the way.
 
bigtriangle68
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sathomasga sathomasga
Because I'm either foolish, obsessive, or both, I decided to order an extract from the archives for my HS↑8 Fleet Air Arm watch.

IMG_0719.jpeg


And here's what I received

IMG_0754.jpeg



Everything looks good except the production date. Based on the movement serial number, the correct year would be 1942, not 1948. And, of course, by 1948 the war was definitely over. (I did pay at least a litte attention in History class.)

I guess everyone can make a typo, but it's still disappointing.

Don't they charge $150 for those? I'd ask them for a full refund, plus a corrected document.
 
Davidt
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What am I missing - how do you know the extract is wrong and not perfectly accurate?
 
kaplan
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Omegafanman Omegafanman
Interesting it does not list a case reference - just the movement. Does the inside case back have a serial number?
I have always had a good experience with EOA. I would certainly contact them to query the movement production date.
I also thought they usually listed a case serial number, but I am not sure for HS8. Lovely watch by the way.

How do you contact them? I’ve had no luck through the forms
 
efauser
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Is this watch different from all other Omegas in that the EOA is considered the correct date because movements have a habit of sitting around before assembly?
 
Dan S
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kaplan kaplan
How do you contact them? I’ve had no luck through the forms

Some OF members apparently have a phone number to call.
 
w154
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Davidt Davidt
What am I missing - how do you know the extract is wrong and not perfectly accurate?
I think the serial number of the OPs example is in the expected range for these, and 1948 does look too late. These should be around 1943.
 
w154
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efauser efauser
Is this watch different from all other Omegas in that the EOA is considered the correct date because movements have a habit of sitting around before assembly?
Isn’t the date on the extract the production date of the movement ?
 
efauser
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w154 w154
Isn’t the date on the extract the production date of the movement ?
Now that you mention it, you may be right. However, there are a lot of examples where the production date on the extract is far different from the tables.
 
kaplan
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It should be when they complete the watch I think, and ideally when they deliver it - but for special watches the difference could be quite high as far as I've observed
 
Foo2rama
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w154 w154
Isn’t the date on the extract the production date of the movement ?
Shouldn’t be.
 
Davidt
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w154 w154
I think the serial number of the OPs example is in the expected range for these, and 1948 does look too late. These should be around 1943.

Im still not clear. Are you saying 1943 based purely on the (approximate) serial number charts online or are these watches known to be produced in a short time frame around ‘43 only?
 
sathomasga
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Davidt Davidt
Im still not clear. Are you saying 1943 based purely on the (approximate) serial number charts online or are these watches known to be produced in a short time frame around ‘43 only?

These watches were produced for the English Ministry of War as part of a procurement for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. (They're very close cousins to the 6B/159 watches produced for the Royal Air Force.) After the war ended, the remaining (not yet issued to airmen) Royal Navy versions were sold as surplus to Bravingtons, who added their own engraving signature to the caseback. This particular watch has only the Royal Navy engraving on the caseback (it's also on one of the lugs in very small type).

IMG_0705.jpeg


There's a full chapter in Wesolowski's book Military Timepieces and a pretty good overview on the AF0210 site. Even the Omega vintage database shows a production date of 1942, though there are a few things wrong with that entry. It seems pretty conclusive to me that the watch was manufactured in 1942 or 1943.
 
sathomasga
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mac_omega mac_omega
They do mention a reference-number: UK 2292

Yep. And that's what's inside the caseback.

IMG_0708.jpeg


Note that it's UK2292 instead of CK2292 because the cases used a special alloy differing from Omega's civilian watches. I've heard different stories about the reason for this request: steel was in short supply during the war, or the Navy wanted something less reflective. Not sure I buy either of them. The case material is described correctly in the Extract.
 
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