1984 Precista G10 6BB RAF issue field watch

Following the last contract for mechanical 'W10' watches, CWC supplied quartz 'G10' watches to MoD from the transition year, 1980, through to the final year of issue in 2006 (although G10s were not supplied every year during this period, and the post-2000 contracts overlapped with the new Pulsar G10).

However, during the period when CWC were supplying G10s, two contracts were also let for G10s supplied under the Precista brand name, which was owned by the Southern Clock and Watch Company. 'Southerns' offered timepieces via a mail order catalogue but were a long-standing MoD subcontractor carrying out watch servicing and repairs. Their first foray into supplying watches to MoD appears to have been what has become known as 'the Lost Navigator' - a monocoque W10 watch with an AS 2160 movement. A small number of these were supplied in 1976 for the RAF (with 6BB service code marked on the back), but were unsigned and their provenance a mystery until it was recently unravelled. In 1981 a batch of Precista 'Fab 4' Valjoux 7733 mechanical chronographs were supplied, again under an RAF contract.

Following this, in 1982, during the Falklands campaign, Southerns supplied a Precista divers watch for the Royal Navy and a batch of Precista  'Fatboy' G10 watches, which were all but identical to the CWC Fatboys.

Southerns were called upon again in 1984 to supply a G10 specifically for the RAF, and the watch they supplied to meet this requirement is unique among the G10s - the 1984 Precista 6BB G10. 

The unique features of this G10 variant include the thinnest G10 mid-case of all - thinner even than the 'thin case' CWC G10s. The outside lugs also have a more pronounced, sculpted curve. This ultra-thin mid-case is paired with the same case back design used in the 1980-82 Fatboy watches snaps on quite tightly and includes a screw-in battery hatch so that when the time comes the battery can be changed without removing the back. The hands are the other characteristic feature of the Precista G10, having polished frames rather than the matte finish frames of the CWC version, and of course, the lovely cursive script dial signature. 

There are a few other subtle differences, including the bead-blasted crown, and the ETA 555.112 movement. The movement is almost identical to the other 555 series movements but itself has a couple of very small and unique characteristics - it has a gold positive battery contact and one of the circuit board screws is gold (all silver on other 555 movements) and it has a date disc - but none of the calendar works to advance it.

The back is marked with the NATO stock number, serial number and year of issue, as well as the service code 6BB, indicating that the watch was purchased under an RAF contract, which numbered only 1691 units, making this quite a rare G10 variant.

This example has been subject to a recent full service and is it very good condition all round as described in the condition report.

The watch is supplied on a new grey cotton NATO strap.