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OMEGA "Weems" RAF Pilots Watch Ref. CK2129 Cal. 23.4SC On Original Bonklip Strap

£7,250.00Price
OMEGA "Weems" RAF Pilots Watch Ref. CK2129 Cal. 23.4SC On Original Bonklip Strap
 
1940
 Omega 'Weems' 
Military Reference CK2129
 
Goldsmiths & Silversmiths 
MK VIIA
 
6B/159
5275/40
 
Royal Air Force - Pilot watch
 
Cal. 23.4SC
15 Jewels Manual Wind. 
 
The Omega Weems is one of the most iconic watches ever made for the Royal Air Force (RAF).

  • Full Spec

    1940
     Omega 'Weems' 
    Military Reference CK2129
     
    Goldsmiths & Silversmiths 
    MK VIIA
     
    6B/159
    5275/40
     
    Royal Air Force - Pilot watch
     
    Cal. 23.4SC
    15 Jewels Manual Wind. 
     
    The Omega Weems is one of the most iconic watches ever made for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
     
    A model delivered in 2000 units. (ref. CK 2129). And this is with some ease perhaps one of the nicest models we have ever seen, Incidentally, i don't even think the Omega Museum has a Weems.. 
     
     We could waffle on all day about condition and originality but in a collector's field defined by these two criteria Simply put you don't get better than this.    
     
     
    Military Omega 1940 RAF “Weems” Pilots Watch
     
    A note dated January 5, 1940 is an “urgent order by the sales subsidiary Omega Watch Co. London (client 1150) for 2000 watches equipped with a rotating bezel and intended for Royal Air Force crews. Delivery from the 10th of March 1940 to Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, purveyors to Her Majesty.” This is republished in the (amazing) Omega tome, A Journey Through Time.
     
     
     
    The “RAF” 1940 watch was a military watch for aviators. A Journey Through Time describes it as follows: “Steel case with lyre-shaped lugs with grooved rotating bezel with a screwed crown at 4 o’clock allowing for instantaneous reading of flight duration, case back engraved with the British crown and the inscription A.M. – Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd – Mk V11 A – 6B 159 – 3725/40. Calibre 23.4 SC with a centre second, special adjustment in four positions to within 10 seconds per day (the same as a chronometer), silvered dial, minute track, modern Arabic numerals, blued steel Poire hands and centre seconds with a counterweight.
     
     
     
     
    But why specifically the Weems? 
    At that time aeroplanes were not technologically complete as they are nowadays, and so the pilots needed to wear watches accurate enough not to make mistakes when they were flying in essence military watches were the original "Tool" Watches.
     
    A purpose tool watch for Navigators & Pilots that needed to make precision calculations in split seconds flying at 584 km/h (the max speed of a Spitfire) being out of time in a flying formation can be the difference between life and death. 
     
    It was important for pilots to synchronise time by the seconds, laterly this would be done through the use of a "Hacking" seconds, but the Weems predates "Hacking" technology in watches by roughly 10 years. Well, its 1940 remember it was not just planes that lacked technology we take for granted today.
     
    The Weems solved this problem by lining up the second's hand with the bezel and locking in for syncronised timing. 
     
     
     
    The Weems was designed by Philip van Horn Weems, who was a naval officer, who taught Charles Lindbergh and other air navigation pioneers new techniques of celestial navigation.
     
     
    AT A GLANCE
    Vintage 1940
    CASE
    Stainless steel  Ø33mm exc. crown(s) 36mm inc.
    CASE BACK TYPE
    Press In Hermetic Seal 
    DIAL
    Cream now aged creamy "Creme Brulee" Patina With Arabic Numerals Track Seconds & Geneve Blued Steel Hands. 
    CRYSTAL
    Acrylic 
    BRACELET
    Original Period Military British made "Bonklip" Watch strap
    MOVEMENT
    Manual winding (mechanical)
    CALIBER NUMBER
    23.4.SC
    15 Jewels
    Central sweep-second hand
     
     
    The Case
    For a genuine military piece, this case is in superb condition all brushed steel finish with circular brushed finish to the bezel, the case is 33mm in diameter excluding crown(s) 36mm inclusive 38.5mm lug tip to lug tip and a chunky 11mm tall. 
     
    This may be seen as a "classically" sized watch in todyas market but much like many of its military counterparts the omega Weems "Wears Big" and has a demanding presence on the wrist. 
     
    Both crowns are Original and the locking crown at position 4 operates perfectly. 
     
    The Case back inscription is deep and sharp with no evidence of overpolishing or refinishing. 
     
    A.M. (Air Ministry) 
    Goldsmiths & Silversmiths 
    Co. Ltd.
    MK VIIA
    6B/159 (Aviators Watch)
    5275 (Individual Watch Number) / 40 (Year Of Manufacture)
     
     
    The Dial
    Originally cream dial now aged to quite a handsome mottled "Creme Brulee" patina the Ivory dial supports Arabic numerals and quite classically Geneve blued steel hands. 
    Track seconds at perimeter at a 1/1 scale. 
     
    All other detail including the Ω Omega logo and name at 12 and "Swiss Made" at 6 in crisp black lettering, 
     
    The patina has done nothing to impact the crispness or legibility of the dial and is one of the best examples we have ever seen let alone sold. most importantly the dial is ALL ORIGINAL
     
    The Band 
    The Watch is fitted to an original period 1940s british made BONKLIP Steel bracelet a watch favoured by the Airforce for their military timepieces it can be easily and securely adjusted to a length that can either fit ob the wrist or over the cuff of a pilots jacket. 
     
     
     
    The Movement  
    Omega 23.4SC
     
    Features
    Bimetallic Screw Balance
    Breguet hairspring
    manual wind
    sweep second
    15 jewels
    f = 18000 A/h
    power reserve 43h
     
    Specs as always Courtesy of Dr Ranfft. 
     
     
     
    Lately the Ref CK2129
    Has seen a noteriaty as the watch worn by the Actor Tom Hardy in the 2017 film "Dunkirk" 
    Director Christopher Nolan’s attention to detail is legendary, and his latest movie, Dunkirk, has got watch lovers all up and excited. In the movie, Tom Hardy, who plays an RAF pilot, is seen periodically referencing his watch. Eagle-eyed watch lovers, have identified that watch as an Omega. Specifically, the watch in question is the Omega CK2129
     
    For readers who are unfamiliar with the 2017 film Dunkirk it tells the story of the Dunkirk evacuation during the Second World War. Dunkirk is the name of a beach in France where Allied Forces were trapped and cornered by the Germans in 1940.
     
     
     
     
     It’s not unusual for a watch to play a starring role in a movie. Often it’s the prop that shows a countdown in a race against time, or it’s a sentimental object or an indicator of personal style. Christopher Nolan mega-production that is Dunkirk it’s very much the former. Tom Hardy’s character, a Spitfire pilot in the Royal Air Force, must use his watch to calculate the amount of fuel he has left when his gauge is smashed by enemy fire.
     
    The repeated reference to the watch as the movie hurtles on clearly shows an Omega branded watch, that has been confirmed by an employee at Omega to be the Omega “RAF” 1940, ref CK2129, which was delivered to Great Britain’s Ministry of Defence in 1940. Hats off to Christopher Nolan for the research and then the task to source such an authentic watch for the role. Nolan has known for his obsessive attention to detail it’s brilliant to see his focus extends all the way to the wrists of his lead characters.
     
    However with only 2000 pieces produced for the Air Ministry and its anyone's guess how many still survive today, It would have been no mean feat for the production team to source the watch.