The watch worn by Thomas Edward Lawrence, otherwise known as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’
Lawrence of Arabia and the 1915 Omega Aviator Chronograph
The Omega aviator chronograph in question was worn by Thomas Edward Lawrence, the British archaeologist, military strategist, and writer, known as Lawrence of Arabia. He wore this watch throughout his famous Arabian campaign in the early 20th century and it was revived by Omega just a few years ago...
Thomas Edward Lawrence was born in North Wales in 1888. Medieval military architecture was his first interest, which he pursued and studied throughout Palestine, Syria, and France. He later published a thesis on the subject, for which he received first-class honours in history from the University of Oxford in 1910.
While studying at Oxford and working as a protégé to Oxford archaeologist D. G. Hogarth, he was awarded a travelling fellowship from Magdalen College and went on to join expeditions throughout Asia and Africa, particularly the Hittite settlement of Carchemish on the Euphrates, which he worked on from 1911-1914. It was while living in Cairo in 1914, he really came to appreciate the culture, history, and environment of the region.
During this time, when World War One began, experts on Arab affairs, in particular people who had travelled the Turkish-held Arab lands, were few and far between. As such, Lawrence was assigned to intelligence work for the British military, with an emphasis on interviewing prisoners, creating maps, receiving and processing data from agents behind enemy lines, and studying and producing a handbook on the Turkish army.
In 1916, he joined Sir Ronald Storrs on his mission, where became a spy and informant. He would learn of the inner workings of the Ottoman Empire and their occupation of the Middle East.
With his work and insight, and his partnership with Arabic rulers, but also with the English, he was able to help free these Arabic states from Ottoman rule.
Thomas Edward Lawrence, Jordanian ruler Emir Abdullah, and British General Edmund Allenby pose together after relieving Palestine of the Ottomans
The Omega watch that he wore was produced in 1912, with a certificate of authenticity issued in 1933 for the timepiece. The name written on the certificate? T. E. Shaw. The alias Lawrence used during his time in the British military.
On the caseback, it has the two symbols, an “A” and a ‘broad arrow’. These symbols are from the British army, with which Thomas served in 1914, as well as in 1922 when he returned from Arabia. Although his second service was a little different than his first - he was now under the ‘guise’ of John Hume Ross and served as a mechanic for the RAF. On his third enlistment in the British Army, in 1923, he used another alias, T.E. Shaw. This is the name that is officially found on the certificate of authenticity for the Omega chronograph.
The Omega is manual winding, housed in a 46 mm case. It is a solid silver military mono-pusher chronograph, with the pusher at 6 o’clock. This chronograph is powered by the Omega Cal. 18”” CHRO, which has 17 jewels, a lever escapement, and a Breguet balance spring. The dial included hollow Arabic numerals, with inner numerals written in red (13-24) for a 24-hour clock. The small seconds are located at the 9 o’clock sub-dial and a 15-minute equalizer is at the 3 o’clock sub-dial. The sterling silver case has the chronograph’s only pusher located at 6 o’clock.
The original Omega aviator chronograph worn by Lawrence of Arabia, now at the Omega Museum in Switzerland / Credit: Omega Forums user
The movement has the serial number 4’428’513 on it, which identifies the chronograph as having been ordered on September 23rd, 1915 by France or one of its colonies. It also has the serial number 4’789’732 on the caseback, which points to a standard 17” hunting pocket watch ordered in September 1912 by Omega agent Joseph Sewill.
The inside portion of the caseback had to be re-designed in order to fit the size of the chronograph. The original dust protected double back had been replaced in order to allow the re-designed case to snap when closed. The two distinct features of this watch still remain a mystery though. How could a British army agent acquire a watch supplied to France or one of their colonies? And why replace the original caseback?
The symbols are themselves a bit of a mystery. Why aren’t the official symbols of the RAF engraved? The official symbol would have been “AM” with a crown on top, which stands for ‘Air Ministry’. Instead, it was the Royal Flying Corps designation, which was established in 1913 and replaced by the RAF in 1918.
Nonetheless, Omega commemorated this model by creating eighteen replicas or homages of the watch 105 years later, in 2018. These homages used actual 18‴ CHRO chronograph movements from 1913. Moreover, in 2000, Omega purchased the original timepiece during an Antiquorum Genève auction for 86,000 CHF. It is now proudly displayed at the Omega Museum in Switzerland.
The original Omega aviator chronograph and the homage released in 2018, an almost perfect replica
By: Eric Mulder
Read more:
“The Omega Chronograph Worn by Lawrence of Arabia.” Master Horologer, May 14th, 2010, https://masterhorologer.com/2010/05/14/the-omega-chronograph-worn-by-lawrence-of-arabia/.
IDGuy. “‘Lawrence of Arabia’ Omega Chronograph: The Watch That United A Nation.” Youtube, April 28th, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78-Hzi66lyE.
Weintraub, Stanley. “T.E. Lawrence.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/T-E-Lawrence.