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  1. Rob D May 6, 2019

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    Hi all, I have been looking at the threads ref the 1953 RAF watches and have questions about my watch. All seem to have either thin or fat arrow on the dial whereas mine has this one. My father left this to me and I am trying to find out why the difference in dial and anything else.
    The dial was cleaned several years ago but that's it, I remember this as the dial the watch had back in the early 70's when I first remember seeing it.
    Any help gratefully received, thanks.
    Rob
    20190506_195319.jpg 20190506_195305.jpg
     
  2. w154 May 6, 2019

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  3. Joe K. Curious about this text thingy below his avatar May 6, 2019

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    As you noted, there are the TA and FA versions of the dial. Your father's watch has a version I have only seen once before, so probably very uncommon. How did it end up with a dial this style? Your guess is as good as mine.
     
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  4. shishy www.hpmor.com May 6, 2019

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    I was going to say it's an MoD re-finished dial... but comparing the example Dave posted in MWR vs. yours, the "Omega" text looks different. Wonder if there was some other tinkering that happened later by someone else, or if that was the MoD too. Not 100% sure.

    That watch belonged to your father/was issued to him?
     
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  5. w154 May 7, 2019

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    Yeah I wasn’t sure about the text and logo either. If the provenance is good then I suppose it’s very likely to be a MoD dial, but hard to be certain. If it is it’s legit, but I’m pretty sure less valuable than a FA. I’ve got one of these style MoD dials on an Ebel but I’d be much happier with an original one.

    8B823210-F9DA-4699-9E11-8C58D1D01257.jpeg
     
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  6. Rob D May 7, 2019

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  7. Rob D May 7, 2019

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    It belonged to him. He purchased it in the 1960's as surplus.
     
  8. watchyouwant ΩF Clairvoyant May 7, 2019

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    no, was never a MoD Dial. it has the correct luminous wells, but unfilled. so, was scrapped out and some UK re dialer has reprinted with something, that was on Hand...... will de-value the 1953 a lot....... kind regards. achim
     
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  9. Syrte MWR Tech Support Dept May 7, 2019

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    Hi Achim, I didn’t know about those dials but are you saying the other examples attributed to MOD in the MWR thread are attributed by mistake?
     
  10. watchyouwant ΩF Clairvoyant May 7, 2019

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    no, just the omega 1953. i`ve seen a few Longines like that. Ebel i do not know a lot about. Cyma i have my doubts, but i have to admit, it looks pretty good...... kind regards. achim
     
  11. w154 May 7, 2019

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    I always thought that these type of MoD dials were redials using the original dials. I don’t think I read that anywhere, or researched it in anyway, somehow it was just the impression I had. Is that wrong ?

    @watchyouwant do you know whether all these MoD dials made with new dial blanks ? I thought it was MoD watchmakers redialing the original.
     
  12. watchyouwant ΩF Clairvoyant May 7, 2019

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    except for the Omega 1953. the AMAG thick soft iron dial is a part of the AMAG qualities. new dial blancs would destroy the AMAG specs. and the dial / movement / soft iron cage would rattle inside the case. that`s why some of these redialed examples hav esomething like rubber rings inside to make up for the height difference and press the whole setup into the case , when the back is screwed in. kind regards,. Achim
     
  13. Darlinboy Pratts! Will I B******S!!! May 7, 2019

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    For me, the dial is not one of the four generally acknowledged variations for this reference - Thin Arrow radium, Bienne, Fat Arrow, and Circle T. I have learned to avoid absolutes, as we're always learning. But in this case unlikely MoD-issued with this dial.
     
  14. w154 May 7, 2019

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    But there’s loads of watches around with these very similar Breguet/Italic redials. It seems unlikely that they were sold off to the public, scattered all over the country, then by chance all redialled in very similar patterns. My personal feeling is there are two possibilities. Either a) they were redialled by the MoD at some point during service, or b) they were redialled at the exact point they were decommissioned and sold to the public.
     
  15. watchyouwant ΩF Clairvoyant May 7, 2019

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    add c)...... when auctioned off to the public, many parts were auctioned as well. from all brands. most were bought by dealers. everything there, but quite often watches without dials ( many IWC MK 11 were in parts, but no dials.....) these UK dealers had dial blancs made and re printed to finish the parts watches for sale. that is the reason, there are white dialed IWC MK 11 around with a non IWC font. search google for the white dial IWC MK 11 story; that was the case for many other Mil. watches auctioned off. i should have a spare dial somewhere.... kind regards. achim
     
  16. w154 May 7, 2019

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    Yes your “c” is certainly a possibility. Not for the OPs watch though if it has the correct lume wells.
     
  17. Dan S May 7, 2019

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    The OP indicated that his father had the dial "cleaned".
     
  18. watchyouwant ΩF Clairvoyant May 7, 2019

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    No. as you can see, it was printed over. the printed white colour is in parts of the luminous wells. so, lume removed first and then re printed. Badly. kind regards. achim
     
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  19. Dan S May 7, 2019

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    Yes, good observation. I didn't look that closely.
     
  20. Rob D May 8, 2019

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    Interesting stuff, thanks to all for the info. Ideally I want to get this back to working perfectly - the seconds hand jumps slightly and therefore the watch can lose time of a few seconds over several hours and I believe the dust cover spring may be missing. Knowing not a great deal about this watch or similar watches of this date would you suggest these are worth getting sorted or more cost than the watch may be worth in the long run and therefore just keep it as is?