Omega

chippytime
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Pilot watches

I question the quoted number of these Omega watches produced for the RAF. Was it really that few? In the 1950’s and 1960’s there must have been more pilots requiring 5,900 new Omega watches in the RAF. Not just those in the front line but also all those under training, their instructors and those officers of senior ranks who still had to maintain flying standards. Many of the larger aeroplanes carried two pilots. There was also the additional stock of pilot watches held in stores around the UK and at many overseas bases. Other aircrew (navigators, flight engineers etc) were issued with smaller diameter military issue watches.

Before my 1962 pilot training I was issued with one of these watches and was told it was accurate to within 10 seconds per day. If the daily rate exceeded that limit, I had to exchange the watch. I did exchange mine twice during my military flying career that finished in 1971.

My pilot watches had a rough time. They were dunked in the cold sea on air-sea rescue exercises and at the monthly dinghy drills held in local swimming pools. They were knocked about on survival training and lengthy escape-and-evasion exercises.

We often considered these watches as crude and bulky, especially when their straps were canvas ones after the Bonklip bracelets were withdrawn. Many of us did not wish to be identified as officers and pilots while in a civilian atmosphere, especially when abroad or just socialising “off base”. It was the “cold war”.

Many of my colleagues in the long range air transport role bought our own watches where it was considered very useful to have a date function. We became used to the 10 seconds per day expected accuracy and often bought mechanical Seiko watches from foreign dealers. I still have my Seiko 5 day/date with its lovely gun-metal blue dial bought in Singapore in 1969. It was very accurate at that time but now lives in its original box with little wrist-time and needs a service.

Sadly I had to hand back my pilot watch when I retired from the RAF in 1971. I had grown to like it, especially when I replaced the canvas strap for a steel bracelet. It prompted my love of Omega watches at a young age such that I bought a used calibre 561 Constellation in 1973 from an impoverished colleague. I cherish my (one of the special 100,000 on its original BOR bracelet) Constellation, but that is another story.

With good wishes to vintage Omega lovers.

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