Omega W.W.W. watch

This is one of my favourite watch. I like the watch as it is simple and easy to read. It is the Omega W.W.W. watch. However, sad to say, I don't have one. The watch in this review is not mine. So here is a small review of the watch. 

A bit if history. In the 1940s, the British MoD (Ministry of Defence) put out for suppliers to supply watches to the British military. The MoD spelled out the specifications and a number of companies met these specifications. One of the is Omega. The other companies that became suppliers to the MoD are Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, JLC, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Record, Timor and Vertex. 

These watches share a common feature, in that the case back is engraved with the W.W.W. legend. W.W.W. stands for Watches Wristlet Waterproof.

Collection: Military

Manufacturer: Omega

Basic specifications:

Function: hours, minutes and seconds (sub-dial at 6 o'clock)

Case: stainless steel (?)

Crystal: Acrylic (?)

Movement: Omega caliber 30T2

Water resistant: ?

CASE

I believe that the case is made from stainless steel. However, I have read that this may not be the case (pun not intended). Some believe that it has a base metal and is nickel plated or is made of some type of metal alloy. Based on the watch in the review, I would say that it is made of stainless steel. Just look at the dents on the case and that it has no plating wear. 

The case is of the 2 part design. The body and the case back. The watch case has a brushed finish throughout. The case measures 35 mm in diameter and is 10 mm thick. Lug width is 18 mm and measures 46 mm lug to lug. Because of this, the watch does not look small when worn. 

The watch comes with fixed lugs, common feature in military watches. This provides for a strong hold for the strap, important in times when the watch is worn on the field. 

The case back is of the screw down design. It has six grooves to facilitate opening of the case back. The case back has all the marking associated with the watch and its military heritage. The case back is signed with the military reference number and the evocative broad arrow (pheon). It is important (for collectors) that the reference number on the outside of the case back matches the reference number on the inside of the case back. 

Here you can see the military reference (vocab) for Omega, the letter 'Y'. Each of the other 11 companies have their own reference letter (some shared), e.g. IWC - M, Longines - F, Cyma - P and so on. At the request for privacy, the reference number have been photoshopped out.

It is important to note that the crown fitted to the watch is not original to the watch. It is original Omega but not correct for the watch. The owner knows this and is sourcing the original crown for the watch. 

MOVEMENT

I did not have my tools with me when I took photographs of the watch for this review. As such I could not take photographs of the movement. It is fitted with Omega caliber 30T2. If you do a search on the Internet, there are a number of articles on the movement. It is a hand wound 15 jewel movement. 

DIAL

A bit of history on the watch before we get to the dial. The owner got the watch pre-loved at a very good price (really good). He subsequently sent it out to Omega Service Center for a service. The service center could not do it and had it sent to Bienne. While the watch was there, it has the movement serviced, the dial and hands changed. It was strange why the crown was not changed. 

The dial is matte black. It is devoid of marking except for the Omega signature at the 12 o'clock position, broad arrow just below it and 'T SWISS MADE T' below the 6 o'clock hour marker. Some dials just have 'SWISS MADE'. I just love the dial as it makes reading the time easy, important on the field.

The Arabic hour index are not luminous, but the pip at the hour index are (or use to be). The other reason I like the watch is the 'train track' minute markers. The seconds is indicated at the 6 o'clock position via a sub-dial.

For people who wants to buy the watch, please pay attention to the following:

1. Ensure the 'A' in Omega on the dial has a flat top and not pointed.

2. For the hour index, more so the number 7, there should not be a 'hook', it should look like the number 7 with Arial font (or something similar).

3. Make sure the second sub-dial is 'step down' from the main dial.

Please that there is another type of dial fitted to this watch, called the MoD dial, but I digress.

HANDS

The watch is fitted with 'sword' hands. I like the hands. How I wish Omega would reissue this watch. The minute hand extends to the minute markers and the hands are sufficiently different to enable time reading at a glance.

Both the hour and minute hands have a matte finish. The second hands are white and is not luminous.

CRYSTAL

I believe the crystal is acrylic. It is slightly domed. There is no anti-reflection treatment on the crystal.

STRAP

The original strap is long gone. The watch is currently fitted with a NATO strap. It was removed for the photographs.

I do like the watch. Perhaps one day I will get one. I am on the lookout for one (but no particular hurry to get one). I am winding down my collection and am looking a getting a few pieces to complete my collection. I did wear the watch and have to say that I do like the way it feels when worn. It is light but not too light that you forget it is there. It did not look small on my 7 inch wrist.

However, the caveat here is that although the watch is called W.W.W., of which one of the legend is water proof, I would not get it wet.