Gentlemen,
Probably the two main things I have learnt in my short time here are:
1: "Search" is your friend
2: "We like pics here :lol: "
So here is the result of my simple google searching (actually religiously, more times a day than I care to remember, for the past six months). Plenty of pics and better still (for me) she is real and on my wrist as I type :love4: This is the watch I posted about before and probably sounded like a complete muppet not knowing if it was a 321 or 861 that was winging its way on USPS. Well, not a 321 but I'm definitely not upset.
1968 Omega Speedmaster 145-022 "transitional" 861 movement (27324***) but older, applied logo, full length tritium dial. Bought new (originally) in the Virgin Islands and came to me from the original owner (worn sparing for special occasions) from Texas USA.
Before the (admitedly amature) pics - I understand that the chrono second hand isn't going to be what you are expecting, but it works, is subtle/doesn't stand out as an eyesore IMHO and I can live with it. I also know she needs a better clean than my lazy Arsenal can muster. Please feel free to be brutally honest though, I am new to this and have plenty to learn.
So fellow watch lovers without further ado, I present to you...
Beautiful Tritium - hardly any missing (benefits of being in a drawer for 40 years) :wink:
One of the cleanest dot over 90 bezels I have seen. Quick Q - why are they sometimes referred to as "disappearing numbers"?if stupid Q.
No toothpaste applied to the Hesalite yet. I think thats the Omega symbol you can just make out. Kudos to those others who've captured this so much better.
No service markings in caseback. Previous owner stated only ever had one lube/clean and never left his sight so adds to the mystery about the chrono hand :wink:
Nice clear (in real life anyway) Hippocampus
Can't get any closer I'm afraid.
A workmate who had the tool to remove the caseback when watch first arrived actually managed to find where the battery went :shock: :shock: :shock: :lol:
1039 No 13 stamped 1 69
I'm assuming that this is the full bracelet (?). 8 standard links each side, 2 expanding on one end and 6 on the other. Still got give but no loose play.
I'll never make it as a model.
516 end links do flap around a fair bit. I'm not brave enough to try and squeeze them tighter. Any thoughts?
And finally in respect of the late, great Wally Schirra. The first man to wear a Speedmaster in space onboard Sigma 7 on 3rd October 1962 and the only astronaut to have flown in all three missions; Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.
Wally's last mission, Apollo 7, splashed down on 22 October 1968 a day celebrated in history due to the birth of a certain forum member,
namely little old moi 8)
For this reason and due to the 145-022-68 stamped in the caseback, as well as prior agreement with the seller, the intention is that this watch is staying with me until death or the possible slightly earlier handing over to my Daughter.
After a very tentative first trip out to the movies two weekends ago, me and Speedy are now attached for weekends. She won't go to work as a daily wearer as I still have to muck in with the manual stuff and it's just too risky despite being plonked at a desk in a windowless bunker most of the time :(
Any road up.
Thanks for your time. I know it was mainly a picture thread. I may write up 'the hunt' later, which was for me how I imagine bringing in a Marlin is like.
Thanks also to Ed (the seller), Miss "X" (for loaning me the full purchase price), Eddie for this fantastic facility and all of you; although I did not consult you directly regarding this purchase there were countless posts, comments and links provided here that gave me the confidence to go ahead with this purchase so thank you all :salute:
Ian
RIP Wally.
Hi Ian,
I am new to the site, congratulations on your purchase which I can tell you are really happy with. I to was thinking of purchasing an Omega watch that was made in the year I was born.
I take it you will be looking to get the watch serviced and the crystal polished to remove the scratches.
Enjoy,
Brian
Thanks Brian. You could tell I'm excited :hello1: ?
To be honest the crystal doesn't look bad at all on my wrist. My pictures are pretty shocking.
I'm slowly building up the confidence to give it a polish myself.
Regarding the service I'm open to suggestions of the route I should take having never had a watch serviced before.
Is it possible to get just a lube done? Does service always mean being fully dismantled? I'm completely ignorant as to what to do I'm afraid.
To be totally honest from what I have read I'm scared of bits being replaced at a service and need to educate myself more about what to specifically ask a watchmaker for and what to insist is left alone.
At the moment it's just a matter of paying off what I've borrowed and then building up the fund for a service. Whatever that may be.
She's running accurately enough for me over a weekend at the moment. I'll keep up the morning ritual of winding and see where it's at next weekend.
Good luck with your search.
Ian
Great post and well done on finding one in such original condition :)
I have to say, that is one beautiful watch that you have aquired. I only have a 'current' Speedie, but they could be twins :lol:
Lovely watch, I will get one of these at some point! 8)
Great watch - and a great post.
Thanks for the read.
8) 8) just 8) 8)
A truly perfect and honest of an example i think i have seen in a very long time.
A gentle clean will suffice..get her serviced...and most important of all....get her worn...she has spent far to long in a drawer already methinks.
K
A loveley post and a wonderful piece.. i am envious. well done and wear it in health.
Ian,
I know you are in Australia and therefore this link will not be of direct benefit to you. However, it will give you a better understanding of what is involved in watch servicing etc:
Michael Allen Watchmaker
Brian
PS Don't knock your photos
You should never let this one go :) Keep it in your bloodline, it's such a nice watch this one! :shock:
Wow nice find! Great condition, I love how your excitement is obvious in your post and really you have every reason for it. Great watch and post, thanks!
Great write up, congrats 8)
"I looked with pity not untinged with scorn upon these trivial-minded passers-by"
What a lovely watch! It's great to see and read about it; and share in your obvious passion and excitement for it!
Nice one! :thumbup:
A lovely original Speedy you have there, nice to see it on the original band too. I'd get it checked over by a watchmaker and get it serviced too. It seems like it's not had much tlc over the years so a clean and lubrication is a good investment imo.
Here's mine from the same year, also one of the 1st 861's.
Mine's on a later 1171 band but is otherwise original too. These seem to be rarer than 145.012-67's and 145.022-69's although this could be just my perception of course.
Cheers - Simon
lovely speedie, and to state the obvious a very rare transitional model, I think I have a caseback marked 145-012 68, so '68 must have been a change-over year, (in the '60's there were many). have you a copy of Omega Time Capsule? well worth searching for one, should have pictorial reference of most speedies.
anyway heres my 103-003.
Well mate, THAT was worth the wait 8) 861 + applied logo, what a mix! Don't know how you feel, but since getting my '66 321:D no watch seems to do anything for me :| I've put a post on re 'Post grail' syndrome!
Don't go mad with it, its as it should be with all the signs of its life bestowed upon it. We both hit the jackpot at the same time with ours both having their original 1039's :D Theres a boxed, mint NOS 1039 on the bay at the mo, for £1250 :shock: Just get the sweep hand sorted [I think these would have had a 'fantail' or arrow bottomed hand] and a light going over of the hes.
Wear it [carefully, and only at weekends as you say] in good health. Mine sez G'day :)
Thanks so much to everyone who's posted.
I really am enjoying this one and it's so nice to be able to share it with others who appreciate it. Trying to talk to anyone in my small circle of acquaintances just results in glazed over faces. At least until that brief moment when they ask the price and then they are disappointed that it wasn't actually one of THE watches that was worn to the moon for that sort of money. :cry:
Thanks for the link Brian - it's great when someone puts that extra bit of effort into their site and shares some of their knowledge and passion
Lovely watch Gurmot. Nice to see the "fantail" (?) chrono second hand on an 861. I thought I might have to go with the flat end eventually but would prefer one like yours.
What do people think of the replacement hand from Otto Frei? Doubt I'll ever find a genuine period replacement.
Explorer 1 - Straight lugs pre pro is a step too far for me. Enjoy yours. I have just got the Japanese book by Kesaharu Imai (I think it's the Time Capsule one) plenty of photo references as you say and a fair few articles in English throughout. I just need to stay away from TZ-UK for a few hours - gotta fight the addiction but clicked over 25 posts yesterday so lots more opening up :twisted:
Bongo. That pic of yours is a favourite. You've just captured something special there. I agree about the 1039, both very lucky. They're probably not for everyone and I was scared it would be too lightweight but I just can't fault it. I have been keeping an eye on them on the bay :shock: big money BIN and reserves not met but then again sections of 5 or 6 links plus part of a clasp were fetching silly money around Christmas.
Cheers, Ian.
Absolutely lovely!
A Speedie is going to be my next watch. I'm currently deciding whether to go pre-moon, birth year, or nearly new. I'm enjoying making up my mind, but get desperately impatient to actually buy one when I read threads like these!! :D
Deciding on that 1st speedy, eh.........? Remembering these have been around since the late 50's.......
New one.....
T-SWISS MADE-T......70's-late 90's
Pre 1970/smooth Hippo' caseback
861/321/transitional.........
Ed White
teardrop hands............... I could go on, and these ARE addictive :wink:
Choose wisely, Grasshopper :) You are on the path to enlightenment.
Ian,
glad you have a copy of 'Time Capsule', this book is becoming as collectable as the watches themselves, do you have a copy of the Moon Landing newspaper from last year, well worth having too. here's the link for the online version.
http://issuu.com/niekl/docs/180gen0033_ ... 11may09/16
btw was in Brisbane last year, lovely city - especially liked the City Beach and Breakfast Creek Hotel!
Dan
Ok. I wasn't going to post what I paid for this one but...
a) I hadn't seen that 1039 bracelet :shock: on the bay that Bongo mentioned (as it's not available to Australia) but had seen one from Peru for US$900
b) Having just got access to SC (viewing only) I can now understand the debate over leaving prices up rather than changing to $sold
c) Having started posting and getting excited about receiving replies I've realised that the vast majority of readers don't post. We could call them lurkers but until a very short time ago that's what I was. So there's plenty of us here educating ourselves/each other.
d) I'm not going to cause a Speedmaster price crash with one historical purchase price :bom: :twisted: :roll:
e) Having spent the whole day taking photo's / loading / resizing and worrying about c) I've been clicking through old threads again and there are plenty of guys thinking of buying speedies and being unsure of going 3570 / sapphire / reduced / vintage and for the main part they are warned off of, or deny themselves the vintage option because of perceived price
f) Frankly I'm proud of the effort and hours upon hours I put in trawling through dozens of websites, forums and associated links and tracking down what I wanted. I'm sure it does add to the pleasure I'm feeling right now - there's plenty talked about the hunt or the chase but "the thrill of the kill" in this particular instance is honestly amazing and I'd like others to chase it.
This isn't my first Speedmaster. I bought one from Japan off the bay just before I was accepted onto this forum back in October. I'd been 'lurking', thought "I'd like some of that" and blew every single cent I owned on a bid for a cal 321 105-012-65 and won at very close to that maximum. What with me "c*cking up the exchange rate side of my PayPal payment I really struggled for a bit. I thought I'd done my research. It had a 1039 bracelet and inner and outer box (according to the listing). Anyway it didn't have any boxes when it arrived and the bracelet was seriously short and the expanding links looked really manky and I actually thought they were cheap links off of something else tacked on. My mistake on the bracelet
I just wanted to illustrate to fellow newbies the polar opposites of emotions that I felt with, what boils down to two very similar watches.
Do your research. Work out what you really want. Search out physical examples, even if they aren't in your price range, and get a feel for if this really is what you want. Don't buy the first example you see. Get your funds ready and clear in the correct account for PayPal or whatever you use.
And then just put the hours in. Catalogue what prices you do see. There are countless online dealers, watch forums, sales threads, local papers online, auction sites and you need to work out a system of regularly checking them.
I found my 861 on a new (to me) sales site that I had found on the first page of a google search for a "6105-8110". The ad declared that it had been up for over a week and the seller had already reduced the price by $250 from his original listing to allow for a clean and lube.
I paid the asking price US$1,740.05 (21 Feb 2010) shipped and fully insured to Australia. Equivalent conversion on today's rates is £1,160.00 - equivalent of 45% off list for a UK 3570 ?
Ok I got "lucky" but I went out there and really searched for this one (albeit that it turned up on a search for the Seiko :roll: :lol: )
Get to it. Do the hard yards. It's only sitting at a computer :wink: and more productive than surfing porn
You really want some of what I'm feeling right now :happy7: :hello1: :happy7:
Here endeth the lesson.
Amen :wink:
Cheeky Sunday :bounce: back to page 1 for those that didn't get to read my sermon :roll:
For your troubles here are some quick/nasty shots (2 minute light box from one of those plastic storage containers and some black paper from my Daughter's art stuff!) with the 105-012-65 cal 321 as well. She will get some love.
There is a 1171 bracelet in front, undated but has the raised Omega logo (rather than sunk in the square) on the clasp so period looking.
Not sure about the other bracelet. Unnumbered but has Omega stamp on back and again the raised logo. Possibly similar to No 12? I bought it as it was the flatest bracelet I could find that looked similar to the 1039 but stronger. We'll see about that one later.
Also picked up a dot over 90 bezel for the 321 as it currently has a replacement.
Latest thinking is that I may go leather for the 321 as a decent easy alternative to the 861. Di-modell rallye or something tan /chestnut perhaps.
Omega box was also picked up off the bay for approx US$100 which seemed to be going rate for a while. Also was the refund I got from 321 seller for the "boxed" listing error.
PS. To Dan. I do have the 'paper' but thanks for the link as that's handy too. Brekky Creek Hotel is a great spot! We went up Mt Cootha today for breakfast at the Summit restaurant and had the panoramic view of the city. Got to do something like that every now and then as you do tend to take your 'home town' a little too much for granted. We're heading over to Strabroke Island for a long weekend next week to celebrate my Daughter's 13th birthday. It's a beautiful spot and only 45 minute ferry ride from Cleveland (45 minute drive out of town). Feels like a million miles away though. Hopefully a return to some good old fashioned family holiday fun. Even if the family is broken :lol:
This kind of (excellent!) post is exactly why I keep spending money I should be saving :evil:
"A man of little significance"
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