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Importe de Suisse British Military Aircrew Watch?

T
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Following on from the Fab Suisse Discussion, I've got a very unusual Omega I have just been given by my fiancé for Christmas.

It's a 6B/159 Omega White faced mechanical watch.

After a short amount of research, I believe it to be a 40s/50s era Air Ministry watch.

Oddities however:

It doesn't seem to have a full serial number on the back, only the pre-cursor 6B/159 - missing the following numbers giving details of year of manufacture.

And more strangely ( and the connection with this article) IMPORTE DE SUISSE below the 6. Why would a British military stamped aircrew watch have a French law imposed expression on its face?

It was purchased from a small antique shop in my village in Suffolk where I live. The home of the Allied Air Forces during WW2.

Any comments or thoughts would be great. It was purchased for me as I'm a military aviator myself and it's history is very interesting!!
image.jpg image.jpg
 
Tire-comedon
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What is the diameter of the watch and do you have a picture if the movement and inside of the caseback? This would help giving some info.
 
mac_omega
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Sadly it is missing the center second pinion and hand and friction spring...
 
omegastar
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Typical ! RAF watch with the missing center wheel module. I am interested in that crown, can you show more please?
 
Syrte
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Hi Terry,
I hate to disappoint concerning a present which you should rightly cherish considering it comes from your fiance.
At the same time if we tell the truth in response to your query, this is not a British military, RAF or Air Ministry watch.

it is a civilian Omega watch from the 1930s-1940s and from the French market whose back was later engraved to make it look miltary.
It differs from a genuine military watch in several key aspects.

1: You rightly noted that the engravings are missing some of the required markings, which must include below the 6B / 159 markings a serial number and a year of issue, for example XXXX/ 42;
2/ you also rightly noted that it does not make sense for a British military watch to have "fab. Suisse" marked inside the case back (as it is a French market inscription), and that is a clear giveaway.

The dial, hands, crown, and case are not the ones found on the military watch (with famously long curved lugs) this one seeks to emulate (you will find several examples posted on this forum, like the one below which is mine).

However it is a pretty watch and so you should feel free to enjoy it as a present from someone you love. It's all that really matters.

Best regards,
S
Edited:
 
IMG_0817.JPG
T
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Syrte Syrte
Hi Terry,
I hate to disappoint concerning a present which you should rightly cherish considering it comes from your fiance.
At the same time if we tell the truth in response to your query, this is not a British military, RAF or Air Ministry watch.

it is a civilian Omega watch from the 1930s-1940s and from the French market whose back was later engraved to make it look miltary.
It differs from a genuine military watch in several key aspects.

1: You rightly noted that the engravings are missing some of the required markings, which must include below the 6B / 159 markings a serial number and a year of issue, for example XXXX/ 42;
2/ you also rightly noted that it does not make sense for a British military watch to have "fab. Suisse" marked inside the case back (as it is a French market inscription), and that is a clear giveaway.

The dial, hands, crown, and case (with famously long curved lugs) are not the ones found on the military watch this one seeks to emulate (you will find several examples posted on this forum, like the one below which is mine).

However it is a pretty watch and so you should feel free to enjoy it as a present from someone you love. It's all that really matters.

Best regards,
S
 
T
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Syrte,

Thank you so much for all the information. It's nice just to know it's history. I do love it either way, so not disappointed. Plus, it's nice that it's a bit different. Haven't seen that many that say Importe de Suisse in the 6 o'clock position.

The only other thing is you said it's missing the second hand and mechanism. Obviously this is different to when it was made, but do I risk damaging it, using it as is. Currently it works and keeps time well without.

Thanks again for all the information.

Omegastar, here is the crown... unmarked:
image.jpg
 
Syrte
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Glad you feel positive about it, others will probably know more, whether about this particular watch model or the technical question.

(Omega and some other brands did not mark crowns in the 1930s and early 1940s.)
Cheers,
S
 
François Pépin
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T Terrymusgrove
Syrte,

Thank you so much for all the information. It's nice just to know it's history. I do love it either way, so not disappointed. Plus, it's nice that it's a bit different. Haven't seen that many that say Importe de Suisse in the 6 o'clock position.

The only other thing is you said it's missing the second hand and mechanism. Obviously this is different to when it was made, but do I risk damaging it, using it as is. Currently it works and keeps time well without.

Thanks again for all the information.

Omegastar, here is the crown... unmarked:
image.jpg

You can use it as is - it is an advantage of the indirect central sec. But if you want to add the missing parts, they are not difficult to find - with a donor movement - except maybe the correct hand.
 
T
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That's great news. Oh I am pleased. I shall continue to wear and enjoy it. No doubt is well due a service so in a few months will send it off for a check over. Are Omega direct the place to go when it comes to vintage servicing?
 
T
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That's great news. Oh I am pleased. I shall continue to wear and enjoy it. No doubt is well due a service so in a few months will send it off for a check over. Are Omega direct the place to go when it comes to vintage servicing?
 
François Pépin
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T Terrymusgrove
That's great news. Oh I am pleased. I shall continue to wear and enjoy it. No doubt is well due a service so in a few months will send it off for a check over. Are Omega direct the place to go when it comes to vintage servicing?

Short answer is no!

Omega will charge you huge money, probably polish the case and change vintage external parts such as the hands. Even if your watch is not a collector piece,
I guess you prefer to keep it as original as possible or to control what must be changed. So a good local (or non local!) watchmaker is usually better.
 
Syrte
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T Terrymusgrove
Are Omega direct the place to go when it comes to vintage servicing?

Absolutely not, it would cost you an arm and a leg and as Francois said they have no respect for original vintage watches.
Independent watchmakers will be much better, there are plenty in the UK, and one of the members here (Rob Horan @Horlogerie) is a British Institute of Horology certified watchmaker who has British clients even though he's established in France.
 
T
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Thanks for the heads up! In that case I shall start looking into my local specialists. I will touch base with Rob Horan and see if he is interested in servicing mine.
 
T
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Rob Horan has kindly agreed to conduct the service work required. I’m thoroughly looking forward to receiving the time piece back. Thankyou very much for all the advice.

I had hoped to re-instigate the second hand part to the movement however Rob was unable to source due to being absolete parts. Is there any other source I could potentially try to bring the watch back to its former glory?
 
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