Offered up for sale is a 1972 Omega flightmaster reference 145.026, which was produced January 7 1972, and delivered to the US Army PX Exchange System for Japan and Korea via Siber Hegner in Hong Kong on June 10 1973, and sold on October 30 1973 to Robert Allan Maya, a Special Forces Medic, who served in Vietnam. I bought this watch in 2019 as a project from someone who signed up to the forum and claimed to be Robert's Son - which turned out to be a lie - and then eventually tracked down and spoke with both of Robert's daughters in 2021, and was told the truth. It emerged that this is one of many items that had been removed from Robert's trailer after his death by someone who was selling things in pawn shops and online to fuel a drug habit. This individual had keys, access and seemingly permission from Robert before his death, to enter Robert's property. Robert's daughters have confirmed that their father's estate did not leave anything to this man, and that he appeared to be helping himself without permission, but that knowing what was gone was difficult to prove. Both of Robert's daughters painted a picture of a man who in later life was not necessarily taking best care of himself, and both have said that finding anything/knowing that anything had gone missing from his trailer would be very challenging. I am the only person to come forward who had bought anything that this person had sold, and was able to provide Robert's daughters with evidence to take to the local police - which I understand they did in 2022 and the person was arrested. Robert's eldest daughter advised that this flightmaster was serviced in 2014/15 through a local jeweller at a cost of $600, and was very much in one piece when their father died... today, as you will see, it is in not such a great state. Renee and Roberta have put in writing that they do not want return of the watch, particularly as it is now in need of costly repairs and that they do not want payment for it, they feel that I bought it "fair and square" and I think are a little stunned that someone would buy a watch in this state, and then put the effort in to tracking down its provenance (they clearly don't know any watch collectors) - they have asked that should I decide to sell it at any point, that I donate $500 to the Special Forces Association chapter 1-18 in Robert Maya's name - which I will do. My intention had been to restore this watch, but it's been sat in my safe since 2019 and frankly I think it will continue to sit there for the foreseable future - so letting it back out into the wild for someone else to take on. So, on to the flightmaster. It is is a 146.026, which has lost a crown and suffered some dial side water ingress. It was assessed by Swiss Time Services in 2022, who advised: - full service - new dial - new hand set - new chronograph hand set - new full set of crowns (3) and pushers (2) - new internal bezel It has the paper guarantee card and a PDF copy of the EoA (the paper one never showed up). It comes on a correct 1162 bracelet which will need disassembly, cleaning and reassembly - it is not full length. This watch is, I think, an interesting project for someone, with two distinct routes that could be taken: 1 - Bring it back to life as a well loved original looking vintage watch: source a used set of dial, hands, bezel, have it serviced with a new genuine crystal/crowns and pushers 2 - Go for a full "as new restoration" a.k.a the "Bienne Route": send it to Omega, STS or similar and have it worked over to look brand new With a third option based off of 2, where you get a modern dial/hands/bezel, but leave the case alone. Photos taken today, in daylight, no editing: I have additional images of Robert's service record, which will be shared with a buyer (I don't think it is appropriate to have those floating around on the internet). Watch and I are located in London, UK. Shipping is possible at the buyers cost, but as always face-to-face prefferable. Asking £1,500 - with $500 of this being donated to the Special Forces Association chapter 1-18 in Robert Maya's name. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Many thanks Chris
SOLD - staying in the UK with a fellow forum member. Thanks to him for taking it off my hands, and to the mods for providing this platform for us nerds. Will post up a receipt from the $500 donation once it is made.
Little update here - the local SFA chapter were not able/willing to take a donation online. I messaged Renee and asked what they would like me to do, she suggested the local VFW chapter. They were also not able to take a donation online. So with Renee's agreement, I have made a $500 donation to the VFW at a national level, in memory of Robert Allen Maya. Frustrating from all sides that Robert's flightmaster ended up how it is, but a decent outcome for a charity that helps veterans like Robert.