Name: Seiko RAF issued chronograph
Brand: VAT FREE
SKU: VW106
Price: 995.0 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

Price

Worldwide shipping

Secure payments

In stock, ready to ship
Backordered, shipping soon

The Seiko chronograph was issued by the Royal Air Force from 1984 until 1990 and replaced the mechanical chronographs that were issued to pilots from the 1940s (initially these were supplied by Lemania although later a variety of companies supplied suitable watches). The watch is referred to within military watch circles as a Seiko RAF Gen 1 to denote it from the later Gen 2 watches which were issued after 1990.

Seiko was the first company to develop an analog-quartz chronograph in 1983, prior to this all chronographs were either mechanical or used a digital LCD display. Technically the movement (the 7A28) was a great achievement and they have a reputation for being well made and, with regular servicing, long-lasting timepieces (I wrote a piece about servicing the movement here)

One very nice feature is the 1/10th second dial next to the 3 o'clock marker - this files round at an extraordinary rate, so fast and smooth that it looks unreal!

As with all British military-issued timepieces the watch follows stipulations laid down by the Ministry of Defence, generally this makes for a very legible and sober design. The case of the watch is different from any that Seiko offered to civilian customers - it has a matte sand-blasted finish and the overall impression is of a very nice well balanced watch (I like the size and evenness of the three sub-dials).

The watch is a good size at 38mm and the case, hands and dial are all in very good order - you’d be hard pushed to find a better example. The case back markings show the watch was issued in 1988 (5069 is the issue number /88 means issued in 1988), 6649-99 was the specification for a quartz, pilots or navigator’s chronography wrist watch.

Case diameter (excluding winding crown): 38mm
Case material: stainless steel
strap width: 18mm
time keeping: grade A+

Order processing

We aim to dispatch all orders within 2-3 working days.

When your order is dispatched, your tracking details will be updated.

If you have opted for a custom engraving please allow an additional 1-2 working days.

If you are purchasing during a sale or a limited edition release, you can expect an email update with an estimated dispatch date if there any changes to the timeframe.

If you are in a hurry for your order, please email us. We'll try our best to prioritise your order.

Shipping guide for watches

UK: FREE DPD shipping, 1-2 working days
United States & Canada: FREE DHL shipping, 1-3 working days
The EU: FREE DHL shipping, 2-4 working days. To order to The EU, please visit our Euro website here (duties and taxes are included in the price of your watch).

Click here to see the full shipping guide for watches

Shipping guide for t-shirts

Our t-shirts are printed by us and shipped from our workshop in London. This means if you place an order for both a watch and t-shirt(s), they will be shipped together via an express service. Delivery times for these can be found here.

If you order a t-shirt without a watch, it will be shipped via a Royal Mail tracked service which usually takes a little longer. You can see an estimated timescale when you input your address at the checkout.

Shipping guide for watch straps

If purchased separately from your watch, watch straps will be shipped with Royal Mail 1st Class / International tracked shipping.

This takes 2-14 working days depending on location. You can see a more accurate timescale when you input your address at the checkout.

These delivery times are a guide based on the carriers terms of service, products may, in some unusual cases take longer to arrive. If this happens, please get in touch.

Return your watch for an exchange

We are happy to exchange unworn watches.

Fastening the watch will cause damage to the leather. If this is the case, we charge for the watch strap (or we can put the worn strap on the exchanged watch for free).

Please email us directly if you think your watch is faulty.

Return your watch for a refund

To return for a full refund, you have 30 days if purchased online. After this time we can offer an exchange if your watch hasn’t been worn.

If you purchased your watch in-store, we can offer an exchange or store credit only. This is because you’ve seen the watch in person and had the opportunity to try it on. Please let us know if you’re purchasing as a gift.

T-shirt returns and Exchanges

We recommend checking the measurements of our t-shirts on our size guide before placing your order, you can also check them here

However, if your t-shirt is faulty, we can offer an exchange or a refund. In this circumstance, please email us within 30 days of placing your order, with a photograph of the problem, as well as your order number.

To return other products (such as straps) please email us: info@mrjoneswatches.com to arrange this.

UK returns

1) Generate your free returns label here.

2) Print it off and stick it to your original packaging.

3) Take it to your local post office. Find your closest here.

(If you no longer have your original packaging, please ensure your watch is securely wrapped in bubble wrap / something similar to protect it in transit).

NB please include a short note describing the issue with the watch and your contact details.

EU and International returns

Please send the watch to this address:

Mr Jones Watches (repairs)
61 Dartmouth Road
London SE23 3HN
United Kingdom

Ensure the watch is securely wrapped in bubble wrap to protect it in transit.

Please include a note stating:

- the reason for the return
- a detailed description of the problem with your watch (if sending for repair)
- your email address and your order number
- remember to include your return delivery address, (so we know where to send the repaired watch)

We recommend you use a tracked service.

As the UK is no longer in the EU, you will have to fill in a Customs Declaration form (usually a CN22).

Please write in the description field "wristwatch, return for factory repair / refund , no commercial value."

This is essential otherwise an import duty will be levied which you will be liable for (there is no way for us to reclaim this charge).

Please note: we do not cover shipping costs for unwanted items, returned from outside of the UK. If you are returning a watch that is faulty we may be able to reimburse shipping costs if your watch is within warranty, please contact us ahead of sending in this instance.

Seiko RAF issued chronograph