Vintage Speedmaster Opinion
Discussion
I'm very tempted to by a(nother) Speedmaster.
The watch in question is a 1965 Speedmaster with matching case and movement numbers. Its in nice original condition, not overly polished and is the 103.005 model (before the crown/button guards came in). It is from the year of the Gemini 4 space mission which is of particular interest to me. This was before the watch was officially branded 'professional'.
Now, the dilema...
The watch in question has had a replacement dial and hands - sometime in the late 1960s (or later, but for a 1960s dial). This normally wouldnt bother me but the dial is significantly different, in that it had the Omega logo painted on (rather than a 3d badge) and also has the 'Professional' wording. I doubt I'd ever find an original dial, although modern reproductions are easily available (which are 90% correct, but look new and are slightly different).
How much would you let this dial change worry you? What kind of discount from the market price for a 100% original watch should I expect? Currently the watch is maybe 25% below what a 'proper' one would sell for.
Help... Arrrg...
The watch in question is a 1965 Speedmaster with matching case and movement numbers. Its in nice original condition, not overly polished and is the 103.005 model (before the crown/button guards came in). It is from the year of the Gemini 4 space mission which is of particular interest to me. This was before the watch was officially branded 'professional'.
Now, the dilema...
The watch in question has had a replacement dial and hands - sometime in the late 1960s (or later, but for a 1960s dial). This normally wouldnt bother me but the dial is significantly different, in that it had the Omega logo painted on (rather than a 3d badge) and also has the 'Professional' wording. I doubt I'd ever find an original dial, although modern reproductions are easily available (which are 90% correct, but look new and are slightly different).
How much would you let this dial change worry you? What kind of discount from the market price for a 100% original watch should I expect? Currently the watch is maybe 25% below what a 'proper' one would sell for.
Help... Arrrg...
It would bother me too.
Is it impossible to get one with the correct face? IF I went for it I'd try my hardest to then get the correct face for it.
If it is impossible to get one with an original face I'd get your one and then the best reproduction face I possibly could.
I wouldn't enjoy having that watch with a "professional" face on it.
Is it impossible to get one with the correct face? IF I went for it I'd try my hardest to then get the correct face for it.
If it is impossible to get one with an original face I'd get your one and then the best reproduction face I possibly could.
I wouldn't enjoy having that watch with a "professional" face on it.
No, I could pick one up with the right face tomorrow but at a 30% premium over this one (at least) - 50% from a dealer in London. The repro dials look great, but also look 'new'. They are 90% correct but don't have the 't' lume markings (and the lume would glow like a new watch). I'm not a fan of repro watch parts, especially dials and hands (movement parts are a little different if it keeps it running) and do feel a bit of the 'history' of the watch is lost.
I think I'm going to pass
. Its still a lot of cash - I'd probably be happier in the long run finding one which is totally correct, even if it means paying over the odds. The other thing is if I end up selling it in the future then I'd probably struggle for the same reasons I'm wrestling with now.
If it wasnt a 1960s redial I probably wouldn't be thinking too hard about it. At what point does an alteration of something vintage become vintage itself?
This is a near perfect 'proper' example
This is the one I'm thinking of - notice the dial differences..
I think I'm going to pass
. Its still a lot of cash - I'd probably be happier in the long run finding one which is totally correct, even if it means paying over the odds. The other thing is if I end up selling it in the future then I'd probably struggle for the same reasons I'm wrestling with now.If it wasnt a 1960s redial I probably wouldn't be thinking too hard about it. At what point does an alteration of something vintage become vintage itself?
This is a near perfect 'proper' example
This is the one I'm thinking of - notice the dial differences..
Edited by Maxf on Thursday 6th November 20:47
el stovey said:
Yet again, I'm loving Max's brilliant speedmaster obsession. 
I'm still looking for a good speedy movement or case from the year I was born.
It's daft isn't it? I met Dave Scott (the Apollo 15 Astronaut) and ended up just talking about his Apollo 15 Speedmaster (modern spec edition one), rather than driving on the moon, riding a Saturn 5 etc! I'm still looking for a good speedy movement or case from the year I was born.
What year are you looking for? I'm still looking for a 1965 105.003 (obviously) and also a 1968/69 105.012.
I'd also like to find an ASTP from the mid 1970s - no idea what they fetch though. And I want an Alaska project, and a Missions Apollo 13 and a....
I'm also working on my flux capacitor to go back and snag this:
It is the actual watch used by Ed White in the first US space walk and *only* fetched about $35k in the 1999 auction. That seriously makes some of the prices for vintage watches today seem insane.
Edited by Maxf on Thursday 6th November 22:37
Maxf said:
I'm very tempted to by a(nother) Speedmaster.
The watch in question is a 1965 Speedmaster with matching case and movement numbers. Its in nice original condition, not overly polished and is the 103.005 model (before the crown/button guards came in). It is from the year of the Gemini 4 space mission which is of particular interest to me. This was before the watch was officially branded 'professional'.
Now, the dilema...
The watch in question has had a replacement dial and hands - sometime in the late 1960s (or later, but for a 1960s dial). This normally wouldnt bother me but the dial is significantly different, in that it had the Omega logo painted on (rather than a 3d badge) and also has the 'Professional' wording. I doubt I'd ever find an original dial, although modern reproductions are easily available (which are 90% correct, but look new and are slightly different).
How much would you let this dial change worry you? What kind of discount from the market price for a 100% original watch should I expect? Currently the watch is maybe 25% below what a 'proper' one would sell for.
Help... Arrrg...
Very interesting dillema. The watch in question is a 1965 Speedmaster with matching case and movement numbers. Its in nice original condition, not overly polished and is the 103.005 model (before the crown/button guards came in). It is from the year of the Gemini 4 space mission which is of particular interest to me. This was before the watch was officially branded 'professional'.
Now, the dilema...
The watch in question has had a replacement dial and hands - sometime in the late 1960s (or later, but for a 1960s dial). This normally wouldnt bother me but the dial is significantly different, in that it had the Omega logo painted on (rather than a 3d badge) and also has the 'Professional' wording. I doubt I'd ever find an original dial, although modern reproductions are easily available (which are 90% correct, but look new and are slightly different).
How much would you let this dial change worry you? What kind of discount from the market price for a 100% original watch should I expect? Currently the watch is maybe 25% below what a 'proper' one would sell for.
Help... Arrrg...
After a lot of searching a few months ago I found this lovely 1966 105.012 with corresponding numbers. I thought the background from an omegagmania page suited it......
In the course of my search I came across all kinds of bitsa examples (I think you'd call it a frankenwatch?) - there is nothing wrong with that in principle as long as dealers/sellers say so but I saw some which were for example being sold by reputable dealers as pre-moon professionals (which is exactly what I wanted as I knew these actually DID go to the moon) but some with 861 movements, or re-dialled or both! And with a price tag to laugh at.
Finally I found exactly what I was looking for in the States, even the hesalite appears to be a correct original one with the tiny omega logo and small scratch patination. I'd be interested to know how much they should go for but I paid in Sterling equivalent (at that time!) about the same as the RRP for a brand new boggo speedy with leather strap. Bargain I thought
MaxF, you agonised over this decision for precisely the reason someone else would....you will always love a proper example and always be less than satisfied with less than exactly that. Get the right one, it will always pay if you ever re-sell anyway because it's what everyone will want. Every time I look at mine I get the satisfaction of knowing it is exactly what Armstrong, Aldrin, Shepherd, Cernan and all the rest will have looked at. The chrono second hand looked different to many of the period...but in 'a time capsule' the original worn by thomas stafford on Apollo 10 is identical to mine, so everything fitted...phew. Maybe MaxF you know more.
Next year will be the 40th anniversary of the moon landing and one imagines interest in all matters relating to the moon shot will for a time at least blossom. It will be cheaper to buy now than later...particularly in these turbulent times.
Buy now not later
Best of luck in your search MaxF. Let us know how you get on.
Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff