1953 RAF Pilots Watch with Military Issue Numbers on Case-Back 6645/101000/6B/542 British MOD “Fat Arrow” Tritium Dial Military Crown Fixed Bar Lugs Original Dust Cover and Spacer Ring

This is a superb and early example (one of the first) of this iconic military watch, an “Omega 53 Fat Arrow” RAF pilots watch. The movement is pristine and running perfectly (with its original soft iron dust cover and spacer ring) and the case is in superb original, unpolished condition. This watch is cased in soft iron to prevent magnetism from the aircraft instruments affecting the watches crucial performance during military operations . These watches were only made in 1953 when the British Ministry if Defence procured a limited number (5,900) of them in that year for their RAF pilots. They were originally made with “Thin Arrow” Radium dials but these proved to be dangerously radioactive when stock-piled, so the MOD recalled them and redialled them with the safer Tritium (hence the “T” in the circle) “Fat Arrow” dials. To find a fully serviced one of these with its original dust cover and spacer ring still intact is a real find. Many more high resolution photographs available upon requested.