Top Quality Omega Originally Made For the British Army
To be honest, there’s no mistaking the military roots of this replica Omega, from the broad arrow on the dial, to the engravings on the caseback, all the telltales are there. The Omega replica was actually designed for the British Royal Air Force after World War II, with 5,900 pieces delivered from 1953 onwards. So, its lume was originally radium, which was replaced by the RAF with the less harmful tritium in the end (therefore, the circled T on the dial). As you might expect for a military watch, the 37mm case comes with fixed lugs, and its double caseback offers protection against magnetism (as does the thicker dial).
The engravings on the caseback are very much precious, and not only certify to the military provenance; they really tell the story of each cheap replica watch. For this specific example, we can see that it was number 790 of the 1953 delivery, while the long “6645 101000” indicates the NATO stock number for that type of watch. “6B/542” marks the service number within the RAF Service Management. Inside, the manual wound caliber 283 is said to have been recently serviced, and one can expect excellent time-keeping, as it is part of the well-known Omega 30mm family of hand-wound movements.
Audemars Piguet Ultra-Thin Pocket Watch, With -Signed Dial
Thinness was one of the biggest challenges faced by pocket watch manufacturers – a thin watch was considered desirable so as to not ruin the lines of a suit. This makes this fake Audemars Piguet quite an accomplishment; it was made in 1959, at a time where Piaget was a serious contender with its 9P caliber (used in pocket and wrist replica watches). The dial shows the coveted , and therefore the movement exhibits the AYP import code as it should for any AP watch sold in the US at the time.
The condition of the case and dial is consistent with a watch that spent the 40 last years in a safe. Indeed, there are no noticeable aging marks on the dial at all, and the 46mm yellow gold case shows only light oxidation that could be easily polished out (but I would not recommend it). As you may notice that the finishing of the movement is completely stunning, although it is described as being in need of a service. My favorite feature still remains the beautiful design of the bow to which you would attach the chain connecting the watch to your jacket – a reminder of a bygone era.
Breitling AVI, With Digital Minutes Counter
Generally speaking, the first iteration of any vintage model is always the most attracting and amazing, at least if you leave aside things like unbelievable provenance, or rare configurations such as a double-signed dial. In the case of the replica Breitling 765 AVI, I have to say that this does not solely explain why this watch is the holy grail for any Breitling collector (and you can count me in on that). To tell the truth, this watch proves once again that Breitling was not joking around when it comes to chronographs: it simply looks like no other, in a very good way. What you might assume to be a “regular” date aperture at 3 o’clock is actually an indication of the elapsed minutes of the chronograph. This peculiar display makes total sense, since this AVI was particularly designed to time the 15-minute pre-flight check of an airplane, where every minute counts.
Though the replica watch is a very contemporary-looking piece, this watch was actually launched in 1953, ahead of its competitor the Breguet Type 20, which features a fairly similar chronograph seconds hand. Therefore, we actually get the very first iteration of the 765 AVI, as you can tell by the absence of the “Geneve” line under the Breitling name. The chronograph indication is obtained from modifying a standard Venus 178, something Breitling was not shy about doing. The case and dial are in fairly spectacular condition themselves; even the smooth bezel does not exhibit many signs of aging.