
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Omega Military, RAF 6B/542, Radium Dial Thin Arrow, Caseback 6645 101000, 1953
- Maker / attribution
- Omega (maker)
- Date
- 1953
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 37 mm
- Stock no.
- vws2984
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws2984)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Omega Military - RAF 6B/542 - Rare Radium Dial Thin Arrow - 1953 - Caseback 6645 101000 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws2984), this is a wristwatch by Omega, made in Switzerland, dated 1953. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 37 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
British Royal Airforce Issued Omega Thin Arrow from 1953 with Original Radium Dial and Calibre 283 Movement Caseback Engravings 6645 101000 6B/542 - Official Model Reference, 2777-1 SC Omega is a Swiss luxury watchmaker that is well-known for its high-quality timepieces. While Omega is more commonly associated with its elegant and sporty watches, it has also produced military watches in the past. Military watches are designed to meet specific requirements for use in the armed forces, including durability, accuracy, and functionality. One notable example of Omega's involvement in military watches is the Omega Seamaster. The Seamaster line, introduced in 1948, was initially designed for civilian use but gained popularity among military personnel. The British Royal Navy, for instance, chose the Omega Seamaster as its official watch for some divers. Additionally, the Omega Speedmaster is another iconic model with historical significance. While it is more famous for its association with space exploration and being the first watch worn on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission, the Speedmaster has also been used by military pilots. What’s on offer This Military, British Royal Airforce, Omega 'Thin Arrow' has likely seen some action in its time but is still a great and original vintage watch with military significance. This watch was issued in 1953 to the British Military and has aged like fine wine. The original Radium Dial, originally black has almost completely turned a rustic colour discolouring the white numerals and logo. This ageing process is sometimes quite normal with radium dial watches and adds a nice historical feel to this Airforce watch. The lume plots and hands featured are a light green colour and contrast excellently against the multiple shades on the dial. Sitting at 37mm the stainless steel case is in very good condition and still has that factory finish it started with many years ago, only light signs of wear can be found. The lug bars are also fixed on this watch, this was to ensure durability in the field. Overall this watch is surprisingly in excellent condition considering its age and purpose and would be an excellent addition to any collection. We haven't had an original "Thin Arrow" Radium dial in a few years as they are extremely rare to find as most of the limited numbers produced to start with, were returned to stores to have the dials swapped for Tritium ones which are now known as the "Fat Arrows". Be quick as they never seem to be around for very long in our experience.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Military, pilot and travel watches
The wristwatch owes much of its adoption by men to warfare and aviation. Wristlets — small pocket watches soldered with lugs and worn on a strap — were used in colonial campaigns and became standard equipment in the First World War, with protective grilles over the crystal ('shrapnel guards'). Louis Cartier's Santos (1904), designed for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, is often cited as an early purpose-made pilot's watch.
In the Second World War governments specified watches in detail: the German B-Uhr observation watches, the American A-11, and the British 'W.W.W.' (the 'Dirty Dozen' set of 1945). After the war, jet travel brought GMT and world-time watches, which show two or more time zones at once — Louis Cottier's world-time mechanism and the Rolex GMT-Master (1955) are examples.
What to look for
- Military markings on the case back: broad arrow, issue numbers, 'W.W.W.', 'A.T.P.'
- High-legibility black dials with luminous Arabic numerals; oversized crowns for gloved hands.
- 24-hour hands and rotating 24-hour bezels or city rings on GMT/world-time watches.
- Wire lugs on early wristlets converted from pocket watches.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug wristlets: c. 1900–1925.
- Military specifications of the Second World War: 1939–1945.
- GMT and world-time wristwatches: mainly after 1950.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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