Manufacturer: Omega Year: 1959 Reference No: CK 2914-4 Movement No: 16'941'226 Model Name: Railmaster "FAP" Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. 284, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Omega bracelet, endlinks stamped 6 and 506, max length 200mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Omega deployant clasp Dimensions: 38mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Omega Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch on November 18, 1959 and delivery to Peruvian Air Forces.
Catalogue Essay
Omega experimented with anti-magnetic wristwatches as early as 1924 and up until 1952, but it was not until the release of the Railmaster in 1957, alongside the first iterations of the Seamaster and the Speedmaster, that the manufacture serially produced an anti-magnetic watch incorporating the culmination of their research and technical advancement. The Railmaster had relatively little success, in part due to its niche target market as well as strong competition from contemporaries like the Rolex Milgauss or the IWC Ingenieur reference 666. This resulted in both lower production numbers and a narrower production run of only six years (1957-1963), making original Railmaster watches from this era especially rare.
The first Railmaster was manufactured with the ability to withstand between 900 and 1000 gauss, specifically for those in professions required to withstand magnetic fields beyond what is considered normal. According to advertisements of the time, the Railmaster was targeted to “scientists, technicians, electricians, etc., who worked in close proximity to electrical currents.” Additionally, the Railmaster was water-resistant to 60 meters, or 200 feet.
The present timepiece was delivered to the Peruvian Air Force, or “Fuerza Aérea del Perú", whose initials FAP are engraved on the caseback and confirmed by Omega's Extract from the Archives. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Peruvian Air Force commissioned brands such as Omega and Rolex to create watches for their personnel.
The overall appealing condition, rare military provenance, classic "broad arrow" hands, sharp, dagger-like luminous indexes, and dial that is turning a pleasing chocolate brown color are elements that tick all the boxes for collectors of vintage watches.
Omega's rich history begins with its founder, Louis Brandt, who established the firm in 1848 in La Chaux de Fonds. In 1903, the company changed its name to Omega, becoming the only watch brand in history to have been named after one its own movements. A full-fledged manufacturer of highly accurate, affordable and reliable watches, its sterling reputation enabled them to be chosen as the first watch company to time the Olympic Games beginning in 1932. Its continued focus on precision and reliability ultimately led their Speedmaster chronograph wristwatch to be chosen by NASA in 1965 — the first watch worn on the moon.
Key models sought-after by collectors include their first, oversized water-resistant chronograph — the reference 2077, early Speedmaster models such as the CK 2915 and 2998, military-issued versions of the Seamaster and oversized chronometer models such as those fitted with their prestigious caliber 30T2Rg.
Ref. CK 2914-4 An extremely rare and very attractive stainless steel wristwatch with brown "tropical" dial and Broad Arrow hands made for the Peruvian Air Force
1959 38mm Diameter Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed