Does anyone have a Flightmaster cal910 or 911?

[DonkeyApple]

I remember seeing these as a child in the family shop, forgetting about them and then seeing one about 15 years ago for sale in Burlington Arcade. More recently I've been pondering a new steel daily and have always been drawn to the slightly more weird 70s stuff and thinking a Flightmaster might be fun. A Geneve Bullseye makes more sense financially but it's the technical aspect of the Flightmaster that appeals. The question is whether servicing and repair is relatively easy so that one can be used and abused?

[benny.c]

I’ve owned both previously - very cool watches. For the 910 I purchased a movement/dial and case separately on eBay and sent it off to omega for a service. Back then it was a fixed fee whatever the condition (and missing parts) so it came back looking like new for something ridiculous like £500, with all new parts, even though some weren’t present when I sent it in. I’d imagine parts may be harder to come by now but only Omega can answer that.

The 911 I purchased was so worn that case was like a smooth pebble. I sent it Watch Works in Bristol who laser welded the case to add some material back. It was then lapped to give the correct factory finish. I kept the dial original on this one and just had it serviced.

I guess the only argument against using these daily is that the case is tall and any marks/scratches show up easily on the large, brushed areas. They can only be refinished a number of times before the crystal can no longer be held securely in place without laser welding to build the metal back up again. You’d really have to be beating on it hard to get to that point though if the case was reasonable to begin with.

[DonkeyApple]

Much appreciated. From what I can see, we've reached the point where parts are quite difficult now. I have a few electroquartz Omegas from the same era and they're worrying enough. Being mechanical, I hope one of these might be less of a on issue.

[AnotherHamster]

Maybe consider a Speedmaster Pro Mark 2? Has similar 1970s vibes but more common and probably easier to get parts for.

[DonkeyApple]

AnotherHamster said:

Maybe consider a Speedmaster Pro Mark 2? Has similar 1970s vibes but more common and probably easier to get parts for.

Is that the one that gets called the Jedi?

[Blink982]

I own both a Flightmaster 911 and a Speedmaster MK2. The Flightmaster was bought more or less as a bag of bits and fully restored by Omega. I have started wearing the Speedy more often these days but the Flightmaster is worn only very occasionally. It’s too nice to wear and I’m always scared of scratching the case and knackering the polishing.

[BrokenSkunk]

DonkeyApple said:

Much appreciated. From what I can see, we've reached the point where parts are quite difficult now. I have a few electroquartz Omegas from the same era and they're worrying enough. Being mechanical, I hope one of these might be less of a on issue.

Do you really mean an Electroquartz, as in Omega's Beta-21 powered watch, or do you mean an F300?

The former is, from a servicing and repair standpoint an absolute nightmare. Officially Omega ran out of parts for Beta-21s last century. Unofficially if you look hard enough stuff pops up from time to time. But the real problem is finding someone to take on the work. Most watchmakers experienced enough to service anything with a tuning fork style drive* are also experienced enough to politely and insistently decline to work on a Beta-21. I am not a watchmaker, but I am reliably informed that working on the movement is one of the most unpleasant things a watch maker could choose to do.


On the other hand, Omega's F300 watches use a ETA/ESA 916x (9160=no date / 9162=date / 9164=day & date). These are true tuning fork movements and there are quite a few options for getting them serviced. Getting hold of donor movements to strip for spares is easy and inexpensive. They're still not something that a standard watchmaker will take on, but they're not something that make watchmakers reach for the crucifix and garlic.

• In a standard tuning fork (accutron) movement, the tuning fork hums away at 300Hz driven by a pair of electromagnets. The frequency of oscillation is actually controlled by the dimensions of the fork itself and it is this that sets the watches timekeeping. The oscillation from the fork drives a tiny ratchet wheel which in turn drives the hands.

In a Beta-21, there is a quartz oscillator. The a frequency divider chip steps the 8KHz quartz oscillation down th 256Hz. The 256Hz signal drives an electromagnet which makes a torsion bar vibrate at 256Hz. The torsion bar then drives a ratchet wheel in the same manner as the Accutron. But with the Beta-21, timekeeping is controlled by the quartz oscillator, not the torsion bar.
Annoyingly, the torsion bar still needs to be adjusted so that it naturally vibrates at 256Hz. If you don't, the electromagnet uses more energy trying to force it to run at 256Hz and the watch chews through batteries.


I know nothing about Flightmasters. But in my 'umble opinion if you don't own / haven't owned a first generation Bullseye Dynamic, your collection isn't complete. They are superbly comfortable and they're real lookers. I think they punch way above their weight. Whether or no you pick a Flightmaster for me the Dynamic is a must have. Clearly not everyone will agree, but if you're tempted - go for it.

[DonkeyApple]

Thanks. I have both. Actually buggering about with a couple this morning.



The other f8192 which is a matched pair is kaput. And I'm aware of the issue as my father was an actual watch maker as was my grandfather and neither of them attempted to fix that one! . I'm waiting for a working steel one to come up for sale within a sensible travelling distance to be a movement donor.

The reason for the interest in the Flightmaster is that I like the chunky, ugly 70s Omegas but you can't really wear the ones that I have any longer as dailies and the Flightmaster being steel, mechanical and chunky, ugly 70s seems like a nice fix but it's the 910 Caliber I like the most and I've been reading that keeping them working today is also difficult.

Agree re the Geneve bullseye. It's actually the wiser choice but I have no connection to them whereas the Flightmaster I remember as a child and being fascinated by it.

[BrokenSkunk]

A gold Electroquartz?
Wowsers!

Before they released that watch, the Speedmaster was the most expensive thing in Omega's lineup at ~ $100USD. The steel Electroquartz retailed for three times the price of the Speedmaster and the gold one was three times as expensive as the steel.

I suspect if you own one you know all that.

[DonkeyApple]

BrokenSkunk said:

A gold Electroquartz?
Wowsers!

Before they released that watch, the Speedmaster was the most expensive thing in Omega's lineup at ~ $100USD. The steel Electroquartz retailed for three times the price of the Speedmaster and the gold one was three times as expensive as the steel.

I suspect if you own one you know all that.

They're certainly odd watches. The first one was my grandfather's daily from 1972 onwards and the other was my father's treat to himself when I was born in 73 and he gave another one to my grandfather but that one has a broken movement and was on a leather strap. I think he'd bought that one for himself and not liked the strap so bought one with a bracelet.

[BrokenSkunk]

I have a steel one. Wore it to a watch show a couple of months ago. Only one person appeared to know what it was, a chap manning the Baltic stand. He was practically beside himself. He owned a broken one, but had never seen a working one.
I bought mine as a runner from Fellows. It did go, intermittently. Took two years to track down the required parts and get it fixed.

I also have a bunch of f300s and a Spaceview.

[DonkeyApple]

BrokenSkunk said:

I have a steel one. Wore it to a watch show a couple of months ago. Only one person appeared to know what it was, a chap manning the Baltic stand. He was practically beside himself. He owned a broken one, but had never seen a working one.
I bought mine as a runner from Fellows. It did go, intermittently. Took two years to track down the required parts and get it fixed.

I also have a bunch of f300s and a Spaceview.

Thanks. It's nice to hear that it might fly under the radar. For me, part of what has spoiled watches is how some have become so well known. The parts issue is my primary concern as I'd like to just be free to use the watch.

Currently mulling over whether the Speedmaster mk2 reissue might be the smarter move for the purpose I have in mind?

[HarmeetJohal1]

I have one, had it about 10 years and I love it 🥰
You can wear it anywhere and with anything
Highly recommend

[DonkeyApple]

HarmeetJohal1 said:

I have one, had it about 10 years and I love it ?
You can wear it anywhere and with anything
Highly recommend

That looks great. It's the exact reason I'm looking at them. I like the weird 70s stuff but can't wear the ones I have on an every day basis any more.

I'd started to think that the logical watch to buy would be the 2014 Speedmaster reissue but the case shape lacks that 70s silliness and I was over at a friends the other day when he handed me an absolutely mint 911 like yours and it definitely confirmed that the 911 or preferably 910 Flightmaster is what I want.

The key now is to find one that isn't an over polished wreck but also isn't a garage queen you'd feel guilty using as a daily.