OMEGA, FLIGHTMASTER, FIRST GENERATION,  TROPICAL REGISTERS

 REF. 145.013

 

ICONEEK price: 4’000.- CHF

 

 

Iconeek is proud to introduce here a nice stainless steel dual time zone pilot's chronograph wristwatch with tropical dial and bracelet: the Flightmaster Omega, first Generation, with tropical registers, made circa 1969. 

 

Ref. 145.013, such as the present watch, was produced from 1969 to 1971. Omega's celebrated "Speedmaster", launched in 1969, is unquestionably one of the firm's most popular models ever made, however in the same year, another iconic watch was born: the "Flightmaster", a manually wound dual time chronograph, designed as the ultimate pilot's watch of the time. Reference 145.013, Flightmaster, first generation with caliber 910, was introduced for pilots in 1969, the dial was fitted with a two-tone 24-hour indication at 9 instead of the running seconds counter. Dials were made by Singer. The second generation, Ref. ST. 145.026 was launched in 1971 and fitted with revisited cal. 911and modified case. The second generation is set with a constant second at 9, instead of the 24-hour.  The Flightmaster is regarded as one of the finest pilots watches ever made. 

 

Under the mineral slightly domed glass, we find a four-tone dial with three subsidiary tropical brown colored dials for the 24-hour indication at 9 with green zone, the 30-minute register at 3, the 12-hour register at 12, yellow chronograph hands, luminous white Baton hands, outer fifths of a second white division, bright blue luminous hand for second time zone, outermost black revolving ring bearing the decompression time. Over the years, the dial has very nicely patinated and took that highly attractive brown Tropical color inside the registers.

 

Inside ticks a caliber 910, mechanical movement, manual winding, copper colored, straight-line lever escapement, shock absorbers, monometallic 4-arm balance, self-compensating flat blued steel balance spring, index regulator, 17 jewels. The present model is fitted with a first generation cal. 910 (1969-1970), that belongs to serial no. between 29.130.000 and 29.138.XXX, in total accordance with our serial number 29.133.516.

 

 

The present model comes with a large tonneau-shaped water-resistant-type case, screw back with engraved airplane symbol, round chronograph buttons, and three crowns, one for winding and setting time, the two others in the left band to adjust the decompression time and set the second time zone. The main case is a type 1, early production, with a thinner profile than the later ones.

 The inside case back is engraved « DDE BR 2750/67 ». Trained collectors will notice that the case back is engraved with the number of the demand / the year for the patent of the system. Raison why the present case back is engraved 2750 / 67, it stands for Demand no. 2750 (for the patent n0. 487 449) in the year 1967. The patent was asked on February 24th, 1967 and finally delivered on March 15th, 1970. Patent CH487449 was delivered for a new kind of water-resistant case where the o-ring seal is compressed between the glass and a groove inside the main case.

 

The present watch comes with its original stainless steel Omega bracelet, Ref 1159, produced from 1969-1971/72, with deployant clasp. 

The overall length is 185 mm. The size between the lugs is 22 mm. The steel bracelet is removable, in order to wear it on a Nato strap for example. Dial, case and movement are signed. Similar watches are described and illustrated in  Flightmaster Only, by Grégoire Rossier & Anthony Marquié, Watchprint edition.

 

 

A great watch with a very typical 1970s look! 

 

 

 

Condition: 7.5/10, in good and original overall condition, unpolished, some signs of wear, small scratches and nicks in places, recently serviced, dial slightly spotted, however nice tropical color inside the registers, original pushers with miss of paints