THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: OMEGA
MODEL: 165.024
YEAR: 1967
BOX/PAPERS: NO/YES(PROVENANCE)
CASE DIAMETER: 41MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: NATO
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
As you have probably heard me (Stef) say before, part of the allure of owning a vintage watch is knowing the life it has led before you—putting the faces to the wrists and finding out the adventures the watch has experienced. Well, with this watch, we have all of the above and more.
Staff Sergeant Alan Blackburn re-enlisted in the British Army in 1955. By this point, he had already served 3.5 years during the Second World War in both the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment and the Parachute Regiment, gaining three medals in the process. Between 1948 and 1955, he worked as a plater in a local factory but wasn’t entirely fulfilled. At the age of 28, he decided to return to the military and joined the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) in 1955.
The RAOC is responsible for supplying and maintaining equipment and ammunition for the entire British Army, from bullets to tanks. They are the teams that deliver everything a regiment needs, worldwide and at any time. This role, as you can imagine, took Alan around the world. But where was he when he acquired this incredible Omega Seamaster? The RAOC was tasked with helping to recover a significant amount of ammunition and equipment towards the end of the Aden Emergency, which concluded in the middle of 1967. Alan was deployed in January of that year and returned the following January. He spent the year-long deployment at the Muharraq airfield in Bahrain—now run by the US Navy—surrounded by water. The RAOC not only had to load equipment onto aircraft but also onto large aircraft carriers, which was one of the reasons Alan was given the watch.
When discussing British military-issued SM300s, the first things that come to mind are often sword hands and the 'Circle T' logo. However, the first and less common version of the military SM300, as we see here, actually has the standard early 165.024 dial configuration. The small triangle 'Type C' dial and the acrylic insert remain in fantastic condition after 57 years. The caseback engraving denotes the use of the screw-down crown at production—we know this from the "A/" before the watch number. Omega also made running upgrades to SM300s at the time to add these crowns; however, in such cases, the "A" is usually in a different font, and the "/" is often omitted. The lume on the markers, hands, and insert has all gained an attractive, rich, creamy patina. Under UV light, they glow brightly and fade quickly afterward. The 'lyre lug' case is very strong, and the fixed bars and the W10 marking on the caseback proudly demonstrate its military heritage. The early small Omega logo glass is also present and still bears its marks.
The watch comes with an archive of paperwork documenting Alan's 29 years in the Army, alongside a selection of military paraphernalia, including his ceremonial uniform and bugle (yes, it still works), an RAOC-stamped Zippo lighter, photos, his Certificate of Service, and other certificates he earned during his service. The watch has been freshly serviced and is running perfectly at +5 s/d, 330 amps, with 0 beat error. This is a truly special watch, made even better by knowing the man behind it. It has been a real privilege to prepare the watch for sale and to get to know Alan and his life along the way.