Hi All,

This is my first post on these forums and I’m looking for some help in finding out more about this watch. I’ve spent a month or so looking online but I think I’m in need of some expert help. The watch belonged to my recently departed Step-Dad who has had this (as far as I can remember) from the late fifties onwards. From what he told me its an ex MOD (Air Force) watch and I’m presuming this was one of the many surplus examples that were sold off by the MOD. He always referred to it as a ‘pilot’s watch’.

My Step-Dad was in the RAF but was also a professional watch and clock repairer working directly for the trade – my feeling is he acquired this through the trade rather than via his RAF contacts but I could be wrong about this. He told me (and I hope I’m remembering this correctly) that the military markings on the rear of the case were removed as a condition of the sale.

ase size is 37mm, lug width is 18mm, lugs are fixed and lug to lug is 48mm. The case seems to be broadly in line with the 2777-1. There are, however, no internal markings on the case back. Internally the watch has the inner case and circular retainer. The movement is a 17 jewel 283 serial number 13060684 and is running around 40sec/day fast. The domed crystal is acrylic (no Omega logo) and the crown in unsigned. The dial has no doubt been refinished – but as far as I know my Step-Dad acquired it in this state. From the naked eye the dial looks pretty good but on the photos the minute track is slightly off centre compared to the lume pips. From my initial on-line research the dial is the biggest mystery – it is essentially the inverse of the 2777-1 RAF watch – i.e. black minute track on white dial but I haven’t come across any photos of white dial versions with the lumed positions. I’m not sure if this has the RAF ‘thick’ dial but it has the embossed recesses for the lume. The lume still glows.

My aim is to wear this, obviously not everyday, but certainly fairly regularly - for now I've done nothing except put the watch on a grey nato - so my reasons for asking about this are in terms of what I would be best to do in terms of cleaning, servicing and any restoration that owners of similar watches would recommend.

Any help with this would be very much appreciated.

Phil

 

Hi Phil, and welcome. I am certainly no expert, but I think you have touched on most important points. My bottom line would be: Wear it as it is.
The dial has certainly been reworked, as you noticed, and that is the most problematic part, because colours and design are all wrong. There seems to be an original 53 RAF 2777-1 dial underneath all that paint though. The hands also seem to be correct, though relumed (and repainted as to the seconds hand, not sure if that hand fits sizewise BTW), the crown, I think, is original, and you seem to have an original doohickey and dustcover. The case back is Ersatz, it never had the MoD markings IMO. Does the doohickey even fit the case back?
What you must do if you’re going to wear it, is fit the two missing screws securing the movement to the case and probably have the movement serviced.

 

Hi Aprax,

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

I'm guessing that getting the dial refinished to original military spec wouldn't be worth it?

The doohickey does fit the case back, it stays in place inside the back when the back is removed - but I'm happy to accept that the back is an unbranded replacement.

If anyone has any suggestions as to:

a) where in the UK I can get the two screws from, and
b) a reccomended watchmaker who could service the movement

..then that would be great.

Thanks again.

Phil