104th Auction

2021/5/22

Lot 298

Omega
Seamaster

A highly attractive and extremely rare vintage pilot's wristwatch used by the Pakistan Air Force Pilots - P.A.F., sold on December 7, 1961. With original box and Omega extract from the archives, dated February 23, 2021. Only 277 examples of this "intermediate" reference were produced.

estimated
5.5008.000 €
Price realized
-
specific features
Case
Steel, screw back with engraved Seamaster logo and marking P.A.F., antimagnetic protection cap, "Omega" buckle.
Dial
Black, luminous indexes.
Movement
Manual.
Case no.20476983
Ref.ST135.004-63
Cal.285
Diam.38 mm
Circa1961
Ctry.Swiss


This pilot’s wristwatch is a very rare Seamaster model that is based on the unique Railmaster reference ST 135.004, which was designed specially for the Pakistani Air Force and signed with the Seamaster logo. It is part of a special edition of 277 timepieces which were all delivered to the Pakistani Air Force in 1960/1961, as confirmed by the enclosed extract from the Omega archives.
The Omega Railmaster was originally launched in 1957 together with the Seamaster 300 and the Speedmaster. The Speedmaster was designed as a wristwatch with a predominantly sporting purpose and the Seamaster as a diver’s watch; the Railmaster was designed for professionals such as scientists, technicians and electricians working within close distance of powerful electric currents. For this purpose the Railmaster was fitted with a special 1 mm (instead of 0.4 mm) thick matte black dial and an antimagnetic iron cover between the case back and the movement to protect it from magnetic fields.
Source: Marco Richon "Omega", Bienne 2007, page 221.
This timepiece has an original dial and original hands dating from the same year. The back of the case is correctly engraved with the number of the original calibre 20476983, the Seamaster logo and the marks P.A.F.. Only the original movement was replaced by the one present today, which is the correct one for this model and matches the production date stated on the extract from the Omega archives.