RAF Issue
Mark XI 6B/346 — RAF Issue
RAF watches with the broad arrow on dial, case and movement and a caseback issue number ending in the order year, e.g. “/48”. The maker stamped the markings, so their style differs from the IWC’s.
Four batches identified in JLC records, totalling 2,950 (JLC internal ref. 161).
Identifying details
- Military caseback engraving
Issue markings on the caseback, e.g. stock number, broad arrow, issue number and year.
- Military issue
Issued to armed forces.
- Broad arrow on dial
British government-property broad arrow printed on the dial (also struck on case and movement).
- Soft-iron inner case
Variants of 6B/346
Reference overview →| Variant | Production |
|---|---|
| RAF IssueCurrent | 1948–1953 |
| RAAF First Series (1950) | 1950 |
| RAAF Second Series (1953) | 1953 |
Case & movement
- Reference
- 6B/346
- Production
- 1948–1953
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case diameter
- 35.3 mm
- Movement
- Manual winding
- Date
- No
- Caliber
- Jaeger-LeCoultre 488/SBr
Dial, bezel & hands
- Dial colour
- Black
Unknown attributes are left out rather than guessed.
Movement
Jaeger-LeCoultre 488/SBr
Chronometer-grade hand-wound calibre with hacking seconds, made in small runs only for the Mark XI and never used in civilian watches. Lacked shock protection. Its design led to the P478/BWSbr of the 1958 Geophysic.
Read more
- Just Because: Two Original Mark XI Pilots Watches, From Two Different ManufacturesRead more at HODINKEE (opens in a new tab)
- Time Spec: The Mark XIRead more at Worn & Wound (opens in a new tab)
- ‘Man is Not Lost’ – an Account of the Mk 11 Navigational WristwatchRead more at Horological Journal (British Horological Institute) (opens in a new tab)