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Gosh - you can tell the time on that!
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Here’s one of my “gardening” watches. Actually it’s very useful for all sorts of activities and used to be my go-to watch when having to go camping with my daughter. It’s an early M-16 which is an Ollech & Wajs M4 modified by Westcoastime with a US Military dial and hands with Tritium vials for easy readability in low or no light. The mechanism is an ETA 2824 automatic movement.
This is one watch where you can easily tell the time even at 4am in midwinter. This one is getting on in years now and shows some knocks and scars, but I see that Westcoastime still offer a Mark 2 version of this watch even today. I hadn’t worn this in a few years but having dug it out of its box a few months back it has been working just wonderfully and keeping excellent time.
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As you know, this is the official Red Arrows watch. Yours looks fantastic.
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Thanks Rafael. It now has a bit of patina to it and the batons and lume pip have mellowed to a nice creamy colour. I didn’t know there was any Red Arrows connection. Can you tell me more?
The 1967 Red Arrows team had performed almost 100 displays to crowds all over the UK and Europe, and more than twice as many practice sorties. As the season was drawing to a close, six of its nine elite pilots were looking forward to a well-earned rest. Flight Lieutenants Terry Kingsley, Peter Evans and Derek Bell, however, had a very different plan. Formation flying at 500 mph, with wing tips often just inches apart, was not enough to satisfy their insatiable thirst for high-octane adventure. The trio had teamed up with British Motor Corporation (BMC) Racing and were planning to crew a modified Austin 1800 in the London – Sydney Marathon endurance rally – a gruelling 10,000-mile course covering 11 countries in 11 days. London, Paris, Turin, Belgrade, Istanbul, Sivas, Erzincan, Tehran, Kabul, Sarobi, Delhi, Bombay, Perth and Sydney.
Kingsley and Bell had competed in night rallies during their time together in the RAF. Evans was an accomplished motorcyclist, who had raced in the Isle of Man TT. But the London – Sydney Marathon would be an altogether tougher challenge. As well as some of the most treacherous roads in the world, the route would pass through several Eastern Bloc countries that were not considered friendly to British forces. Only the first 70 of the 100 starters to reach Bombay would earn a place on the ferry to Perth and the chance to compete in the final three-day sprint across Australia to Sydney. With this in mind, the Arrows knew they would require more specialist timing equipment than their standard RAF-issue wristwatches. As luck would have it, the UK’s leading chronograph supplier – also the biggest importer of Ollech & Wajs watches – was based just down the road from the Red Arrows base. Chronosport of Bath immediately recognised the commercial value of being associated with the Red Arrows and promptly equipped them with a number of OW watches. The watches had telemetric, tachymetric and slide rule scales and could be used to calculate fuel consumption, measure elapsed time and track time zones. Chronosport became an unofficial partner to all the Red Arrows extracurricular activities for the next few years, and the London – Sydney Marathon would provide the prefect initial field test.
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I found this in the Ollech & Wajs site, but it says “unofficial” watch. Sorry for the misinformation.
I remember this story from long time ago, when I was searching and learning about Breitling, which also has a strong connection with the Red Arrows.
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Those are some pretty nice watches and the prices are very reasonable it appears
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Indeed, with shipping, tax and customs included anywhere in the world.
Is that a Mark XVIII? I love the look of the white dial version but at 40mm it’s a little large for me. My Mark XV is 38mm and suits me better than 40mm. White dial XVs are very hard to find and about double the price of the more standard black version, which is a bit of a shame.
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If you’re after an easy to read watch of a similar style, look no further than the Columbia CL7335. Not that accurate, but nice quality and well made. 
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You are right HH, it is indeed a XVIII, my wrists are quite big so the 40 is perfect. Love your XV btw. Interesting about the white face version but annoying re the cost, would be great to have both versions to cover all bases. Maybe one day…
I’ve not posted here before because I couldn’t match the Naim bit of the title, then, I was given the CD.
It’s 62 years old, my first watch, still works, but sadly gains three minutes a day.
It’s easy to read, three minutes is near enough because I am aware of it and I still love it.
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Another mech show off…
Stunningly accurate. The Omega Co-Axial is by far the most accurate mech movement I’ve owned (incl. Rolex & JLC). I wonder if there’s some quartz hidden in there. 
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I’ve got one that looks like that from that angle. Agree, very accurate. Very good watch, and way more accurate than its 20 year old brother, the 2531.80.
Omega Seamaster Apnea. Bought this in Qatar in 2004. My first real watch.
Got really interested in watches in 2009/10.
Got the Minerva Pythagore as my first watch. And a Speedmaster mk2 I later gave to my brother.
The Grand Seiko is the watch I use the most. Quartz, 40mm and I love the design.
IWC gold watch (34mm) belonged to my fathers father. I looked horrible when I inherited it. Sent the dial to a company in Switzerland that refurbish dials. Looks perfect now. Had the movement serviced at a friend of mine that looks after all my watches.
IWC 36mm is an automatic from the 60s. Got it this summer.
Omega 32mm was my father fathers everyday watch.
The square Nomos Tetra is 27mm and I like it a lot. Been looking for it for some time now. Picked it up last week. Used, of course .
The Cyma is a classic from around 1930. Use it from time to time. Like the design.
Lemania chronograph is the real deal. Inside is a CH27 movement. Same that Omega used in their Speedmaster. This watch in 32mm and I love it.
The Chronograpie Suisse has a cool dial, but the watch is mediocre. It was a brand that were sold to foreigners. 18k case. Cheap movement.
A few watches are missing.
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Loving the look of that Lemania!
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Seiko SKX007 has to be the greatest value for money. Great comfort and sturdy. And cheap.
I got the Minerva for €15 this summer. The movement is cal 48, same as the Pythagore. Will fix this later.
Monitor is one of the many brands from the 50s. Bought is for €50 a long time ago, and use it once every month. Give or take.
I have a NOS Omega 30mm at my watch repair guy. And a Tutima Pacific that need a new crown.
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