Omega LA 708 AD aluminum case “Signal Corps”

Hi folks. Just wanted to see if anyone had any detailed information on the aluminum LA 708 ADs. All made in 1918 in a very tight movement/case number band. Interesting watches to be sure!

All the best, Hurley

(Zaf has already posted the extract online himself)

I'm not 100% sure , but I think there is one of these for sale near where I live .I wasn't sure if it was a fake that was made to look old but it looks extremely similar to the one posted by Hurley.I won't be able to check its the same model or get further detail until Friday or Saturday , it's on sale for £300.00 . I have no idea of value on these vintage watches ,so don't know if that's a fair price or not .I will take some pictures & hopefully someone may be able to identify it correctly.

You should grab it! One sold at Omegamania a few years back for 13,000CHF. They are quite uncommon. Zaf’s went for 3K in 2006. Best, H

Someone just sent me this. Price seems a bit ambitious (aka nuts!!).... Pics are good.

http://watches-for-sale-online.com/sale.php?id=136545

Thanks H , I will definitely be checking it out now . I will be doing some homework on these before I visit the shop , it's been in the window for well over 6 months . Maybe it's been waiting for me to rescue it .

Obviously the aluminum three piece case is the key attribute. H

It was lot 88 in the Antiquorum "Omegamania" sale in 2007 (it really was Omegamania judging by the prices achieved).

The same watch sold for 13,800CHF -- about $11,000 then.

I'd love to know a bit about their history -- mine is pictured above.

Here was the catalog blurb:

Omega, “Signal Corps U.S.A.”, No. 5271257, case No. 5948233, Ref. AR 709 Ad. Sold on September 3, 1918. Very fine and exceptionally rare, aluminum military wristwatch. This watch is sold with a box, Certificate of Authenticity and 2-year Omega guarantee.

C. Two-body, solid, polished, screwdown bezel, wire lugs attached to the movement ring through the case. D. White enamel with bold luminous Arabic numerals and outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Luminous blued steel “skeletonized” hands. M. Cal. 13’’’, frosted gilt, 15 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, indx regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 35 mm. Thickness 11 mm.


Estimate: 5,000 CHF - 7,000 CHF(EUR 3,000 - 4,400) (USD 4,200 - 5,800)

From the Alcoa history page. Alcoa was the principal supplier of aluminum in the US at that time:

1917
World War I

As the U.S. enters World War I, 90% of Alcoa’s aluminum production is used by the U.S. military for mess kits, canteens, helmets, gas masks, identification tags and other applications. Today, U.S. defense still relies on strong, lightweight aluminum for use in structural components, equipment, armor and many other applications.

Just got the archive extract on the 3rd known example of LA 708 AD.- the one pictured here in. Good news is that case and movement were born together (unlike Zaf’s). All descriptive details the same as Zaf’s extract included below. Intriguing news is this: While the case number on my watch is very very close to Zaf’s watch, it is actually 130 units higher. The movement is also close, but 20,000 units higher. However, the watch was delivered 10 months *earlier* than Zaf’s watch (on November, 1917). So my surmise is that Omega built a few of these at once and then sent them out, in random order, as needed/requested. Mine is the earliest documented and Zaf’s is the latest (in what is admittedly a very small data set) suggesting a small number of cases - the current spread is 130 as noted and there were doubtless many other case designs mixed in there. Given that only 3 have surfaced, it may have been an experimental design. The intriguing question, especially considering the tiny production numbers, large gaps in delivery dates and wartime context (all were delivered during the war and mine just 6 months after the US entry) is whether they were a special purpose watch. If so, what purpose?? Remember, it’s not just that these odd watches are made of aluminum, the case design is totally unique and it has a discrete Omega reference number. A mysterious piece to be sure! H

PS. Can anyone tell me if the reference number means anything - is there a code? Any similar reference numbers?