The county of Kent, in Southern England, is synonymous with natural beauty and a lush green landscape, earning it the well-deserved title of the “Garden of England.”
I’ve always found Kent to be a particularly alluring destination. It is home to Sir Winston Churchill’s idyllic country estate, Chartwell, and is where the renowned artist J.M.W. Turner found inspiration for many of his greatest and most celebrated masterpieces.
Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Kent to meet with a gentleman who wished to discuss the sale of his watch collection.
The gentleman began collecting watches over thirty years ago, acquiring many of his timepieces by placing “wanted to buy” advertisements in his local newspaper and convenience store.
Among the varied selection of vintage watches was a rare and special Omega RAF “Thin Arrow” c.1953.
At the beginning of 1952, in the midst of The Cold War and ongoing hostilities in Korea, The British Air Ministry ordered 5,900 wristwatches from its long-standing London supplier, Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Ltd. They in turn contracted Omega to manufacture the watches to the precise specification of The Air Ministry. The original order was issued to Omega on 27 June 1952 and delivery of the watches was to be made in May 1953.
These watches were designed and manufactured to a very high standard. They were originally made to be waterproof and the 283 calibre shockproof movement was finished in rose gold. The inner casing was constructed from soft iron to make the watch anti-magnetic. This ensured that the aircraft’s instruments did not affect the watch’s crucial performance during flight operations.
It is believed only around 5,900 of these watches were ever manufactured and issued to the RAF in May 1953. Consequently, they are rather appropriately referred to today as the “53 Omegas”.
It is common for the original iron dial of an Omega “Thin Arrow” to show considerable wear and rust spotting. Fortunately, the dial on the newly acquired example is in excellent condition and remains remarkably well-preserved.
Apart from its rarity and excellent overall condition, I was particularly drawn to the watch by the curious hair-like growth sprouting from the lume on its hands and dial. This rather unusual anomaly, resembling newly spun cotton, is something I have seen before with other vintage watches.
The Omega “Thin Arrow” was initially issued with radium-luminous material applied to the dial and hands. However, due to the risk of stockpiling large quantities of such watches, the radium dials and hands were later replaced or re-lumed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with safer tritium lume.
According to our expert horologist, Simon Freese, these cotton-like fibres most likely formed due to the replacement lume being excessively wet when applied by the MoD.
While a purist collector may be horrified by such a strange phenomenon, believing it detracts from the watch’s desirability, I do not share this view. I feel such quirks merely add to the charm and character of a watch. Imperfections are intrinsic to a vintage timepiece’s appeal and can often help to confirm its history and originality.
The watch is powered by Omega’s robust and reliable Calibre 283 rose-gold movement. Fortunately, it is complete and correct and retains its original crown, dust cover, and famous “doohickey” retainer ring.
The watch will be serviced before being sold, and the new owner can decide whether they wish for the fibres on the lume to be removed. Naturally, we will leave the decision to the eventual purchaser. However, as a devout sentimentalist, I hope its new custodian will choose to preserve and enjoy the watch as it is—furry lume and all!
This rare and special Omega RAF “Thin Arrow” c.1953 is available for sale on our website.
Thank you for your interest.
