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105.003 Ed Franken on The Bay

lucreative
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Seen this "Ed White" on eBay for a loooong time and surprised me that no one on OF has brought it up. Even a newbie like I could tell it's a franken. But when I talked to the seller (trying to see if it's cheap enough as parts), he gave me all these references how Omega had QC issues and these were "seen" before etc., and a true Omega Speedmaster "master" told him that it may be correct that I even started to question myself. The big giveaway to me is the dial (thanks to my new arrived MOW), the lume indexes are too short and wide for Ed Whites, 105.012s, etc....and only seen in the 145.022s and later, so that at least must be a replacement. But what else? The DON bezel and dial, for a 145.022 actually look really nice.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/226487807130

s-l1600.webp
 
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Dan S
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In what way is this an Ed White? It has curved lugs and a professional dial.
Edited:
 
Dan S
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So the case-back is from an Ed White? And that makes it an Ed White? 😵‍💫
 
Donn Chambers
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It’s a 105.012 with the old model caseback. Might have left Omega that way because they were using up old casebacks — I do recall reading about a few cases of this. But that doesn’t make it an Ed White.
 
lucreative
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Donn Chambers Donn Chambers
It’s a 105.012 with the old model caseback. Might have left Omega that way because they were using up old casebacks — I do recall reading about a few cases of this. But that doesn’t make it an Ed White.
What about the dial? Replacement from a 145.022?
 
lucreative
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Scarecrow Boat Scarecrow Boat
Based on the stores name, maybe their just having a laugh…

::rimshot::

IMG_6062.webp IMG_6064.webp
Actually when I spoke to him one the phone...it's pronounced "Lauder". Serious.
 
Dan S
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lucreative lucreative
What about the dial? Replacement from a 145.022?
It has an applied Omega and it's attached to a 321, so what makes you think 145.022?
 
boogedyboo
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It is probably unsold because if the seller insists that it is a correct for a late 105.003, who knows what else he is wrong about regarding the watch.

Also, the starting bid is $7500 so it is unlikely he would accept an offer below that...
 
Fallout Boy
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another theseus-transitional 😀

ed white dial proof 1m.webp
do you agree on the shown feature??? I am unsure...
 
Donn Chambers
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Taking another look at this and noticed the tall pushers (although pics are not great). I’m thinking now it is a 145.012 with the wrong caseback. Did the seller ever reveal the serial number?
 
padders
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Donn Chambers Donn Chambers
Taking another look at this and noticed the tall pushers (although pics are not great). I’m thinking now it is a 145.012 with the wrong caseback. Did the seller ever reveal the serial number?
It's mostly visible in his eBay pics, looks to be 26.44m. There is no great mystery here that I can see. It's just a bog standard 145.012-67 with the wrong caseback and a seller with a creative line in bullsh*t. I am surprised he didn't claim it was an Ultraman or some other rarity. Personally I think the chance that it left Bienne like this is zero, and the chance the back was swapped along the way a certainty.
Edited:
 
lucreative
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Dan S Dan S
It has an applied Omega and it's attached to a 321, so what makes you think 145.022?
Short and wide lume markers. But yeah, didn't see the applied Omega logo. The attached 321 doesn't mean anything to me if it's replacement. Should a 25 serial be in that case anyways?
 
Dan S
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lucreative lucreative
Short and wide lume markers. But yeah, didn't see the applied Omega logo. The attached 321 doesn't mean anything to me if it's replacement. Should a 25 serial be in that case anyways?
Those lume markers go all the way to the edge, the only 145.022 that would use a dial like that would be the transitional -68, IMO. That's possible of course, but there's no way to know except by seeing if the dial feet have been modified. Overall, for me it's overwhelmingly likely that it's a pre-moon cal 321 professional dial from a 105.012 or 145.012.

Read @Donn Chambers's post above.
 
lucreative
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boogedyboo boogedyboo
It is probably unsold because if the seller insists that it is a correct for a late 105.003, who knows what else he is wrong about regarding the watch.

Also, the starting bid is $7500 so it is unlikely he would accept an offer below that...
If anyone here is interested in this "project", i.e. selling the case back and buying a new case back for the 145.012, I was able to get the seller to drop the price to $5868 net to him. Or else he would be taking a "loss" on it. I'm thinking he misevaluated this watch as well and is trying to push what was told to him. I told him that at least "something" was mismatched on this watch, either from Omega or during previous ownership.
 
J
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I bought a Seiko 6139 from this dealer, that was obviously a mix of parts, but attractive to me and was low enough priced, that i was good with the transaction. What was a concern was that it ran horribly, after being assured it had been serviced. He refunded me some, but the final service was more that the original price of the watch. Buyer beware.
 
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