Ollech & Wajs salutes a rare Vietnam-era military watch and the longest-serving combat aircraft in history.
The M-52B AF is a salute to the exceptionally rare Ollech & Wajs B-905 US Airforce – a watch that was custom made more than half a century ago for airmen serving in Vietnam.
The dial of the new M-52B AF bears the unmistakable silhouette of the most iconic combat aircraft of all time, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. A stark symbol of the Cold War conflict and, in engineering terms, a symbol of longevity and dependability.
Three generations of US military aviators have flown the 750 planes, built between 1952 and 1962, 70 of which remain in service today, making them the longest-serving combat aircraft in history.
When professionals place their trust in equipment, whether it’s a 220-tonne aircraft or a mechanical wristwatch, reliability is prized above all else. The M-52B, as all OW watches, is built around this prerequisite.
The new watch features a robust 39 mm M-type case and a PVD-coated chamfered-edge bezel, modeled on the streamlined nose cone profile of the B-52.
Intermittent cream lume on the bezel, dial indexes, and hands add warmth to the overall monochromatic scheme. Vintage enthusiasts will appreciate the red numeral date wheel, in keeping with the original B-905. The engine of the M-52B AF is a customized, Swiss made, Soprod caliber P024, chosen for its robustness, reliability, and serviceability. A gently domed, thickened sapphire crystal helps ensure an impressive 300 m water resistance, which has become a characteristic of all Ollech & Wajs modern pilot’s watches.
The launch of the M-52B AF coincides with the 70th anniversary of the 1954 maiden flight of the first B-52 production model.
Though not quite as hard to come by as the vintage watch that inspired it, availability of the M-52B AF will be limited. There will be just 56 engraved crown numbered editions at launch. Thereafter, a limited production provision of non-numbered watches will be made available each year. The reserve for the numbered editions opens on Friday, January 12th. The M-52B AF is presented a military-grade black nylon RAF strap and is priced at $1,472. A bespoke M-Heritage 20 mm medium gauge, stainless steel mesh bracelet with hand-brushed OW engraved thorn buckle can be ordered additionally for $147.
Technical specifications
Case
39.5 mm × 12.5 mm; 47.5 mm lug to lug, brushed 316L stainless steel, screwed bottom, screwed crown, rotating steel bezel; made in the Swiss Jura
Bezel
60-minute bidirectional friction bezel
Glass
Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment
Dial
Hands and indexes in Super-LumiNova®
Water resistance
300 m/ 30ATM
Movement
Automatic, bespoke Soprod P024; date-only calendar, with semi-instantaneous changes and quick adjustment using the crown; stop seconds; 4Hz 28,800 vibrations per hour; 25 jewels; 38-hour power reserve; lncabloc. Bespoke OW Zurich 1956 rotor, OW-engraved platine, custom screws, assembled for OW and adjusted in three positions
RAF strap
20 mm military-grade black nylon; finished in Switzerland; with a brushed stainless steel thorn buckle, signed “OWZ 1956”
M-Heritage bracelet
20 mm medium gauge, stainless steel mesh bracelet, hand-brushed, reinforced ends, with an OW-engraved thorn buckle.
Origin
Handmade in the Swiss Jura
Photo by Ollech & Wajs.
