Vintage Seamaster 30 Military

Hello all,

My name’s Greg and I’m a long time lurker and occasional poster here at Omega Forums. I’ve been collecting Omegas for a couple years now and it’s really been a great hobby for me.
Anyway, like most of you, I do a little buying on ebay. I do my best to make informed decisions and build my collection with fine examples but I’ve just recently bought well, a junker. Not an out and out junker but a franken to be sure.
Sure this old Omega has some appeal for the parts enthusiast but i wanted to get an opinion from the forum on what exactly you think happened in terms of why this watch is well, the way it is.
Here she is. A sickly 1958 Omega Cal 284 (#16840xxx) with a 2996-1 case marked PNS. 1964 Omega Seamaster 30 dial. What do you make of it?
Here’s a cousin, for sale over of Chron24. According to the owner, PNS is short for Pakistan Naval Service. I find that somewhat dubious. Has anyone heard of that before? Lastly, the Seamaster 30 dial is a military style dial but never issued as such. Of course the 2996 came as a Ranchero and a regular Seamaster as well but that dial wouldn’t be available for at least 5 years. And those hands? They’re not from either.
Well, I have yet to receive the watch but I would appreciate your thoughts whatever they may be. Good hunting and Happy Thanksgiving.
Greg

An extract from Omega ought to tell the tale

Definitely a franken watch as you state. Ranchero case and later Seamaster 30 dial.

Never heard of PNS. Some Omega watches from that time, including the 2996 (with Seamaster script) and the later Seamaster 30 were issued to the P.A.F. (Pakistan Air Force), however.

I was thinking that given the low opinion of Rancheros at the time someone requested a change of dial right about it’s first service(1964). Seamaster’s were prized in the military and Rancheros were not. Given that the Seamaster Ranchero dials were specially made for PAF there would be a lack of replacements and this 30 dial was the next best thing? Or it could have been a routine replacement on a similar Seamaster like the one below?

I’m very confused, I got a watch from my grandfather, an omega 2996 61 SC. It’s also got PNS engraved on the back but I believe it has the PAF dial. The serial number was 187XXXXX and it has a caliper 285 movement.