I would guess around 1940. The "Medicus" from 1937, a cal. 23.4sc was the first center mounted sweep second hand. It could also be a little newer, perhaps even a 30scT2 from the early 1940's. Yours looks very nice with beautiful hands and perhaps a replaced crown. Can you show us more? A shot of the back and best of all, a shot inside the caseback and of the movement. Hopefully, Gentlemen named Yann, Evan or Adam will be along to shed more light.
Looks like a 30T2 RAF Pilot/Navigator watch 6B/159 from the early 1940's to me. Does it have any markings on the back?
I wasn't thinking Military Issue with those hands, but Omega is good at confusing me. Griffiths, don't take this wrong, but "Show Us Your Backside!"
Looks like the RAF 30T2 ref 2292 (2000 ex ordered in 1944) but it hasn't got the light alloy case. As the lugs of the alloy case broke quite easily some have been recased in full stainless steel cases. A lot has also been recased in stainless steel cases and sold to civilians by Denison. Maybe that's one of those. Ref 2292, all three in original Omega alloy case : this one has the back engraved with its HS8 military reference Thse two others don't have military markings, maybe they have been deleted, or more probably they were not among the 2000 ordered by the RAF :
Yann is the man, this is the guy you needed to hear from. Hello, are you there? Do you care? are you a dealer looking for an evaluation ? Trying not to be negative but we are collectors, preservationists, not looking only for monetary value but for historical and artistical significance. What is your goal? Who are you? As Waters said: Is there anybody out there? Just nod if you can hear me ? Is there anyone at home? Yann, you are the pre-war man !!! Thank you for your knowledge.
That's great guys, That answers a few questions, still a few more to be asked ? Am not a dealer, just a collector, this one i liked so thought id have it. Here is the back case, anyone make something out?
Those look like the remains of some British military markings. So all of the above makes sense. gatorcpa
I agree with Gator, it looks like the british military marking. Is the ref number Inside the caseback 2292?
Gosh, my last post reads so harsh, I apologize. Griffiths, you certainly have found a nice piece of history there! Don't you wish it could talk? Enjoy in good health!
haha that's okay, it would be pretty cool if it could talk, I haven't had the back off yet, did they make many for the raf an some never got used? Or was they all used what was produced? Thanks
They did make some for the civilian market. However, the markings on the back mean that the watch was issued for military use. Thousands of these were sold off by the British government as war surplus in the 1960's. Very nice watch, gatorcpa
Thanks for that information then, I need to get the case back off to see inside, so the british goverment sold them off, was there a number of how many was made ? Also I haven't seen many about, that might be because I haven't looked for them,are they a common one? Thanks
These are fairly common due to the sell-off. I think you can always find one or two on eBay at any particular moment. I know that the aluminum case versions are rare, but I don't know how to tell them apart just from internet pictures. Also, many of these watches have been broken or abused over the last 70+ years, so nicer examples are truly scarce. A good watchmaker maker should help to narrow some of the mysteries. gatorcpa
Aluminum case are easily recognisable, they have longer an thinner lugs and the colour is more grey and not shiny (see the pics I posted above). A lot of them have broken lugs and some have been repaired by shortening the lugs. Aluminum case also have fixed bars and not springbars for the strap. The caseback is always in stainless steel, the rest of the case is made of aluminum based alloy. I read that the RAF order was for 2000 watches, but I think that ref 2292 was also produced and sold to other customers by Omega, this is probably why we still can find a lot of those watches. Out of the three aluminum 2292 I have, only one is marked with RAF engraving (HS8), and that's more difficult to find, especially with an original dial in good condition.
Thanks again gives me some more information on my watch, what do they averagely go for on price? As i think I might of paid a little over what I expected to got it for thanks again.
The only way to tell for sure is place on auction and let run til the end. Your dial and hands are nice and I bet there is someone out there with a redial or damaged dial that would love this. If the movement is nice, that 30t2sc also adds some value. I'm afraid as it is with the steel case and the RAF connection so badly damaged (it looks like they used 80grit sandpaper!), most collectors would view this as a parts watch, at least I would. Evan(gatorcpa) and Yann(tire-comedon) are the experts, so go by what they say, but with a good movement and good pictures I would estimate it's worth $150-$250. Enter Omega 30t2 in ebay and then search sold listings and you will find 3 pages of stuff. Nice ones sold in the $250-$450 range, some special ones for more. Some dude sold a case and back, maybe he needs you! I still think it's a cool watch.
Thanks for that, I know why would you want to get the raf numbers off, only thing I can think of is they took it without asking and tried to get rid of it, or it was going to the scrap heap, an with the raf you can't take anything, so maybe they tried to rub it off, why would it of been re cased? And thanks again for the prices.