Dr No[Moderator Omega - Wristscan]
34913
One January evening, three years ago . . .
Feb 15, 2019,14:33 PM
. . . I was on eBay searching for interesting Omegas. Not much came up.
"Why not try Craigslist?", said I to myself. "After all, the Seamaster Calendar was discovered there. And that was a bargain and a half."
So I switched to Craigslist. I typed in my location, Ventura County, and then, thanks to their navigation system, started searching nearby counties.
Then I said, "Let's go further afield." So I started searching counties in Central and Northern California.
Then Oregon. Then Washington (and Vancouver). Then Idaho. Montana. Wyoming.
And then, Arizona.
Bingo!
A Flightmaster. A 910, to be precise, with cadmium yellow hands - the most desirable reference. And, judging by the photos and text, original, down to the paint on the crowns and pushers.
This was ~ 3 AM.
I sent the seller a message asking for a call at his earliest convenience. It came before 9 AM.
"Hi, this is Gene. I bought the Flightmaster in the PX in Thailand when I was stationed there during the war. I wore it for maybe six years while I was a commercial pilot after leaving the Air Force. What would you like to know?"
I asked about its service history, his service history, and how it was currently running.
"It's been in my desk drawer since '83, when I stopped flying. I've taken it out a few times every year to wind it, but haven't worn it since."
That was the icing on the cake. Original, running well, and untouched for over three decades.
It had to be mine.
Now.
So I drove to Arizona two days later, met Gene at the bank, and ten minutes later withdrew the cash he was asking for in full. Voila!
And then turned around and drove home. 900+ miles, roundtrip, in just under 24 hours.
Today, Gene's Flightmaster . . .
. . . is one of the most valuable members of my vintage Omega collection. Not in financial terms . . . personal.
Art