Please note: This Watch is on Consignment and my Consignee would prefer that the details of the Watch and the price to remain private. Therefore the Price is on application and serial numbers on the Watch have been altered to respect their wishes.
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We also have this guys Elder Brother, the Lemania 1872 available from the same Consignee available: here.
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The Watch
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The Lemania 5012 was a full military issue watch that was only made for South African Air Force and the RAN (Royal Australian Navy, albeit in a slightly different configuration, with a different movement). There were no civilian versions of this watch made.
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The first Lemania 5012's were delivered in mid 1979 in the form of a prototype (1 or 2). When the specs were finally settled on and signed off the SAAF put in an initial order for 800 Lemania 5012's that arrived in 2 separate batches of 400 units. I can't establish whether they were purchased directly from Lemania Watch Co. The first batch of 400 were delivered between the 19th March 1980 and the 5th May 1980. The second batch of 400 was received and sent for engraving by SAAF stores between the 6th June 1980 and the 23rd July 1980.
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Information above taken with permission from our friend Matthew Taylor, you can visit his encyclopedic knowledge on South African Issued Lemania 5012's: here
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The Specs
Age: c.1980.
Movement: Automatic with 60 min Chronograph and Hacking Sub Seconds.
Calibre: 5012. You can view the Technical Docs for this Calibre: here
Timekeeping: Very Good.
Service History: Full Serviced 2023. Fully Inspected Feb 2026.
Dial: Original Lemania Tritium Dial.
Case: Stainless Steel.
Measurements: 38mm. 41mm with Bezel. 41.5mm with Crown. End to End: 43.5mm.
Bezel: Original Bidirectional Aluminium Bezel.
Water Resistant?: No.
Hands: All Original.
Crystal: Original.
Crown/Pusher: Original Crown and Pusher.
Strap/Bracelet: On a new Split Military Style strap with brushed steel fixtures.
Lug Width: 20mm with Spring Bars.
Box and Papers: No.
Getting Acquainted
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Bits that stand out:
- Rare Find. 1 of a batch of only 800 delivered to the SAAF.
-Crisp Military Markings.
-Lume has aged beautifully.
- Supreme Quality Movement.
- It's been on the wrist of a SA Pilot in the Sky!
Nitty Gritty:
- Some marks and scratches to the Case and Bezel and some faint marks to the Matt Dial.
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Overall this Pilots Watch is in very nice condition.
The Dial is in good condition with some faint scratches and markings that can only be seen in certain lights.
Stainless Steel Case is in good order with some age related marks and scratches.
Original Crystal in good shape.
Original Crown and Pushers are in very good order.
The hands are all original and in good order.
The Case has Spring Bars.
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Photographed on a 7 inch Wrist.