1953 Omega 'Fat Arrow' 6B/542 RAF issue
Omega Cal. 283 movement
£2350.00
Out of stock
The Omega 6B/542 'Fat Arrow' also known as the Omega '53', was issued only in 1953. 6B signifies aircrew equipment and the watch was procured under an RAF contract for issue to aircrew. When originally issued the dials were marked with the more familiar 'thin arrow' version of the pheon, but the watches were later re-dialled with 'Fat Arrow' tritium dials. Original thin arrow versions are now extremely rare and command very high prices. The Fat Arrow Omega 53 is still a a relatively rare piece with only around 5000 having been issued, and a great addition to any military watch collection.
Powered by the excellent Omega cal. 283 centre seconds movement, the watch is capable of a high level of accuracy and is a reliable, high grade movement.
At 36mm diameter, it may seem like fairly small watch, but the longer lugs give it the impression of being bigger and it wears very well. Overall a beautiful watch and a quality timepiece.
The watch is supplied on a new open-ended black leather strap - similar to the black pigskin leather straps often originally fitted to issued watches of this era.
The condition of the watch, cosmetically and mechanically, is good, with the watch having been the subject of a recent service, as described in the condition report.
The watch mid-case is in good condition with general minor signs of wear. The case back is in good condition. The dial is in good condition, but has some scuffing which shows us as a darker area on the dial noticeable in certain light. The lume plots are a pale yellow colour and in good condition with some aging. The hands are in very good condition with undamaged polished frames and nicely aged tritium lume. The inner antimagnetic dust cover and doohickey are both present. The case parts and back have been ultrasonically cleaned.
Please assess the cosmetic condition of the watch yourself from the images. The images form an important part of the description.
The Omega cal 283 movement was fully stripped, cleaned, serviced and regulated in July 2025, including new mainspring, and is running well. Images from the service are included in the listing, including an image of the watch on the timegrapher machine showing the readings. Amplitude is at 280+ degrees, beat error is 0.0ms and accuracy running inside +/-5 seconds per day (on the bench - this may differ in use).
The watch is absolutely suitable for everyday use, but it is a vintage watch so is not recommended for sports or use in extreme conditions. The watch has not been pressure tested and should not be considered water resistant. This watch is covered by our non-waterproof 6 month guarantee.
Issued: Yes
Issue details: UK, Royal Air Force
Date of manufacture: 1953
Rarity: c5000 issued
Movement: Omega cal. 283
Diameter: 36mm
Lug width: 17mm
Hacking: No
Case back: Screw down
Screwdown crown: No
Omega quality watch
RAF issue
5000 issued
Omega cal 283 movement
Recently serviced
Great condition
Supplied on open-ended black leather strap.
6 months non-waterproof guarantee
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