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Help identifying 1950's Military Omega watch. Can any of the experts here help please?

  1. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 1, 2012

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    I fell in love and just bought this watch thinking it was a RAF53. However after much checking and searching around the net I cannot find another like it.

    I took these snaps before I put it into service today so it will be coming back all waterproofed and running like new soon as I plan to keep it as my daily beater for the future.

    Does anyone know exactly what I have and able to date the watch. I am guessing it is a mid 50's british military but am especially interested to know about the dial as it has the 'T' and military arrow together,

    All and any imput is greatly appreciated thanks,

    Steve.P

    Here are the snaps:
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/odial.jpg
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/omicb.jpg
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/oicb.jpg
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/omvt.jpg
    Edit: I already had an 18mm British Military strap that fits and suits like a beauty
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/wrisyO.jpg
     
  2. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Jul 1, 2012

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    Looks interesting, who's doing the service?
     
  3. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 1, 2012

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    I have my own watchmaker here in Bangkok. I am a Vintage Rolex collector and he' done all my work for the last 10 years. He'll take it apart, clean everything thoroughly and most importantly make sure it comes back waterproofed. Steve.P
     
  4. MSNWatch Ω 2

    MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member Jul 1, 2012

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    Looks like a put together to me. Case alone looks like a legit RAF '53 case. Movement is too early for this case reference. Dial is a repaint and hands are also incorrect for this case reference. While there have been some variations on the repaint done by the MoD on these watches, AFAIK none of them said Swiss Made or Swiss at the bottom so I my opinion would be this is a third party repaint.
     
  5. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 1, 2012

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    Thanks for you're input. What year would you date the movement? While even I think it looks very sloppy, under a loupe the white dial printing looks really very old, very cracked, and not out of place with the rest of the dirty old surface of the watch: certainly not like other re-lumes/prints I have ever seen.

    The things that I do not understand are:
    If it was re-printed why they would have created something completely different? Would they not want to follow the original design of the previous print to cover the clean areas? It would also mean whoever created this dial tried to create something of their own rather than follow a recognised pattern. These are the things ringing through my mind that make no sense.
    Many Thanks

    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/macro.jpg
     
  6. MSNWatch Ω 2

    MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member Jul 1, 2012

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    A low 10 million serial number dates that to 1944-1945 - too early for a watch issued in 1953.
    I understand your points about the dial. Lots of things bother me - the print quality is clearly substandard for what omega produced during that period - the omega symbol is not even properly centered in relation to the printed "omega" (it is a bit to the left). The lume is discolored in the way radium discolors (not tritium) which leads me to suspect it may have been applied at a later date. As to why repaint it in this way? - the likely reason is to justify charging a higher price for it claiming it is a "thin arrow" rather than a "fat arrow" or claiming it is a unique piece of which only a few were produced. I will see if I can find out more about the dial itself but the movement not belonging to this case is a certainty which by itself would immediately cast doubt on the rest of the watch.
    Here is an overview of the Omega RAF '53 and its basic styles if you haven't already read it:
    http://www.classicwatch.com/asp/articles/Omega53.asp
     
  7. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 1, 2012

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    Thanks again for your valuable and appreciated sharing of knowledge. I took a risky USD$2,000 punt on this watch thinking I was an old clever cloggs. That'll teach me not to do my research before I parted with my loot ::screwloose:: I think I'll just end up getting it waterproofed and wear this unloved hunchback as my whipping boy for a while.

    Thanks for the link also: do you know why mine might be missing so many of the C/B stores reference numbers seen on the others?

    many thanks again and besties. Steve
     
  8. ulackfocus

    ulackfocus Jul 1, 2012

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    Ooof, that hurts. :confused: Whenever I see the word "military" in the description of a vintage watch I prepare for the worst because it usually isn't kosher.
     
  9. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Jul 1, 2012

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    Any chance of the seller owning up to it?
     
  10. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 1, 2012

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    he'll take it back for sure and would not have been malicious- Let me ask you, I paid 2K, how far away from it's value as it is?

    Have I been badly bent over?
     
  11. ulackfocus

    ulackfocus Jul 1, 2012

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    Can't answer the first question, but if it's returnable then there's no worries.
     
  12. MSNWatch Ω 2

    MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member Jul 1, 2012

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    Nice Fat Arrow is $1500. Nice original Thin Arrow is over $3k. Bienne replacement TA is $2500 to 3k. This one is worth less than half what you paid even if the dial turns out to be a variant MoD refinish. I would return it and instead search for a legit example. If you are serious about getting a good one - I would spend the dough for a nice original thin arrow. I suspect less than a hundred of the original examples survive in good original shape.
     
  13. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 1, 2012

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    That's exactly the advice I wanted to hear thanks. I shall do that and keep you posted on how I get on. Thanks everyone for your support and time ;)
     
  14. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 1, 2012

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    Watch has been returned and accepted back already - thanks everyone for your constructive help. When I have found the right watch I shall come back here and re-post.

    here are some nicer Omegas I have owned in the past.
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/OGL.jpg
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/OmegaPair2.jpg
    They were ultimately sold off to fund other watch purchases. Here are some nice ones owned by a friend along with my PG1802
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/pinks.jpg
    And here's a nice one alongside my RG1803
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/raredials.jpg

    Now the hunt begins for a RAF53 :)
     
    cicindela likes this.
  15. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Jul 1, 2012

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    You've got a Cloisonne dial Constellation?!? More pics of that one are mandatory!

    Edit: Just re-read, its the Rolex that's yours (very very nice too btw) is your friend a member on here, and if not, why isn't he?!? lol Make sure you invite him, we'd love to see those, that thing deserves a thread all to itself!
     
  16. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 2, 2012

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    Yep I wish that Connie was mine. My mate isn't really a forum poster type collector, in fact I find most are not. I've flitted between brands myself and found myself stuck on vintage Rolex. At the moment and for the last 3 years I went all out to find the very nicest vintage and interesting Day-Dates. I have all the metals, nearly all the references and most of the rarest dials and bracelets: I am still missing a couple of enamels to complete the set. I actually rip off the nasty Rolex cyclopse plexis and replace them with the OMG306 296. It is better than the original item and 10% the price Rolex charge for the tropic 21 and an absolute perfect watertight seal.
    When I am done and where I wanna be with this DD collection I am gonna start a gold Connie collection. The ones that appeal to me most are the Pie Pans - The early bumpers smacking back and forth are my favorite. When I decide to get started I will need you guys help as I will be an Omega nube and will need educating in my quest. I'll for sure be a regular visitor.

    Here's to Vintage Rolex & Vintage Omega - 2 great Vintage brands :)

    besties,

    Steve
    Edit:
    Latest snap
    http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o5/2wsxcde3/Goldcollection.jpg
     
  17. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Jul 2, 2012

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    Oh very very nice! Feel free to make an 180x Day-Date thread in the Rolex subforum sometimes with some more pics of your collection :)

    I actually wear a 1680 vintage sub most of the time and we have a lot of dual collectors (vintage Rolex sports watches and vintage Omega dress watches)
     
  18. Steve.P

    Steve.P Jul 2, 2012

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    I like subs but am focused on gold dress. I just posted some of my favorite and best vintage 18XX watches over there. I hope I wasn't too rude by posting too much. It's very easy to fall foul of forum etiquette which varies a lot from forum to forum. Cheers

    Steve
     
  19. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Jul 2, 2012

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    We're pretty open, free to link to ebay listings / threads on other forums etc and so on, nobody's going to complain about cool pics of watches
     
  20. MSNWatch Ω 2

    MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member Jul 2, 2012

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    Those omegas you pictured are top notch. Let me know if that cloisonne dial connie comes up for sale! ;)
    I too have a special interest in the RAF '53 and the early connie bumpers particularly the very first ones with the cal. 352 movement. If you decide to brach out in the connie direction I am sure we can be of help to your quest here.