Help identifying watch please

[Youngy]

Clearing out my mother's house I have found 2 Omega watches.

I remember my father wearing one, a Dirty Dozen, but not the other.

Google tells me it's a Seamaster but the hands don't look the same. If I Google the numbers on the back I find watches with numbers on the face which this doesn't have.

Any guidance would be appreciated as this one runs!

 

[cristos71]

Looks like a British Air Ministry watch that's had a completely different and period incorrect dial plonked into it.

Google "Omega 6B/159" and you'll find some info and the correct dial style

 

[Youngy]

cristos71

Looks like a British Air Ministry watch that's had a completely different and period incorrect dial plonked into it.

Google "Omega 6B/159" and you'll find some info and the correct dial style

Thanks what is the significance of A7303?

 

[sathomasga]

Youngy

Thanks what is the significance of A7303?

Not much, really. It's the issue number, which was basically a serial number that the Ministry of Defence would have assigned to the watch as a way of keeping track of it.

 

[Youngy]

sathomasga

Not much, really. It's the issue number, which was basically a serial number that the Ministry of Defence would have assigned to the watch as a way of keeping track of it.

Thanks. Much appreciated.

 

[DON]

Can also check the MWR OR Military Watch Resource forum. Maybe someone has a spare dial they can sell

 

[Youngy]

DON

Can also check the MWR OR Military Watch Resource forum. Maybe someone has a spare dial they can sell

Thanks I'll do that.

 

[Youngy]

I see a lot of 6B 159s with the AM marking on the back. When did the WD arrow mark cease and AM take over?

 

[padders]

Youngy

I see a lot of 6B 159s with the AM marking on the back. When did the WD arrow mark cease and AM take over?

In essence yours started life as the RAF/AM equivalent of the Omega dirty dozen.

It's the other way round I think, the earliest were AM (Air Ministry) and the later had the WD pheon (broad arrow). All the Duralumin alloy cased ones were made around 1943, with some recased in the mid 1950s so there is a lot of mix and match. There were a few made in 1942 in all steel, those seem to have AM hence my feeling that text is earlier than the arrow. It may be that some were for general, non aviation use so had the Pheon but I suspect it changed at a point in time.

These had fixed bars originally by the way. The hands on yours are right for a 6B/159 I note.

Mine, currently being fettled in the UK:

Edited: Apr 4, 2024

 

[Youngy]

padders

In essence yours started life as the RAF/AM equivalent of the Omega dirty dozen.

It's the other way round I think, the earliest were AM (Air Ministry) and the later had the WD pheon (broad arrow). All the Duralumin alloy cased ones were made around 1943, with some recased in the mid 1950s so there is a lot of mix and match. There were a few made in 1942 in all steel, those seem to have AM hence my feeling that text is earlier than the arrow. It may be that some were for general, non aviation use so had the Pheon but I suspect it changed at a point in time.

These had fixed bars originally by the way. The hands on yours are right for a 6B/159 I note.

Mine, currently being fettled in the UK:

Thanks that's interesting. I assumed AM was later as they seem to be dated in the 50s. They also appear to have a different style back, flatter with notches same as my www.

Would you mind telling me who is doing your fettling?

 

[padders]

Youngy

Thanks that's interesting. I assumed AM was later as they seem to be dated in the 50s. They also appear to have a different style back, flatter with notches same as my www.

Would you mind telling me who is doing your fettling?

The 1940s 6B/159 watches still in WO/MOD stores were recased in the mid 1950s into those steel WWW style cases you refer to. The reason for this may have been that the originals have zero water resistance and the Duralumin alloy mid case originally used is not as hard as steel though mine is in good nick so some have survived well. AFAIK they repeated the original 40s case markings onto the recased examples, hence you'll see both AM and pheon type. Well that's my take anyhow. My watch is with Mika who has had to replace the balance staff and do some other stuff, not too surprising on a watch 80 years old. That's his pic above.

Edited: Apr 4, 2024

 

[speedb]

Could be wrong on this one but the tip of the minute hand looks to be broken

 

[padders]

speedb

Could be wrong on this one but the tip of the minute hand looks to be broken

Could be, it's shorter than mine. Good spot.

 

[speedb]

padders

Could be, it's shorter than mine. Good spot.

Probably broken by the sloppy watchmaker that replaced the dial...