Omega

First, some confirmation regarding the issue of 5900 watches. Like Comex, when a watch is issued, it doesn't necessarily stay with the same person, but rather gets circulated around to a number of individuals over time. Not sure who to credit for the following;

Clearly states the issue of 5900.

It was easy to fit my Japanese made steel deployment bracelet, bought in 1960's and which I still have (I am a hoarder even though that bracelet is crude and will never be used by me). The ends are open and were placed around the fixed bars and the ends carefully closed with slim pliers. Unsophisticated and naïve but it did the job. The ends had to be forced open when the bracelet was removed from the watch and became a bit battered when refitted on another. Worth nothing now I ought to scrap that bracelet instead of leaving it for my son to do the same! 

The Bonklip steel bracelets were also open ended and closed by forcefully bending around the fixed bars. The RAF stores fitted the Bonklips when the watches were issued. Of course! I still also have my discarded original Bonklip, but that bracelet is far too long to be of much use today as I do not wear a watch over the top of thick flying jacket sleeves and gloves.

The Bonklip can be shortened by overlapping the patented segments when clipping it closed, but that makes it bulky to wear for a slim wrist.   The design was interesting but now a bit too narrow for my liking. My Bonklip's ends show signs of wear following the forceful opening and removal from the watch's fixed bars. Maybe I should sell on Collectors Market or donate to a museum. It would be authentic for a collector of 1950's RAF Omega pilot watches, I suppose, but I doubt if anyone should want to wear one when instead a good, fitted alligator strap looks superb. To me, so-called NATO straps look crude, uncomfortable and not authentic to the period. The original canvas straps looked cheap and awful.

in the world of military issued watches the actual numbers on the watch do not reflect the ordered numbers. the numbers on the watch reflect the issued watches in total in that year. ( omega;IWC;jaeger;smith...... name it) kind regards. achim 

not exactly : the delivery number in MOD watches is progressive and doesn't begin from zero each new year .
so for example 3456/74 means that a particular watch ( identified through his NSN or his own MOD code ) is the 3456th delivered from the beginning and has been issued in 1974.

that came from Mr. Diethelm from the factory. Bill Sohne and myself got it from him. many years ago........... kind regards. achim

.....great information on this watch.

Very discrete with a lot of "content", sure you will love it.

Enjoy

François

... military watches, and of course a lovely Omega you got.

Thank you for sharing all this knowledge friends!
Very cordially, Abel.