Hi guys,
I am admittedly a noob about Speedmasters but have gotten bit by the bug and now have been looking at cal 321s. I have been educating myself through the forum and web.

I came across this example of a 105.012 and wanted to know your thoughts. It seems correct to me. The tritium on the hands doesn’t really match the plots but it all seems aged appropriately and the dial seems original to me. Serial number looks correct according to speedmaster101.

There’s no information about it like service history or anything so it would be a gamble for sure. I am sure I would need a service and I suppose there could be surprises there. Still, it intrigues me!

any thoughts?

 

An owned, correct, tired example that will come up better with sympathetic service, which it could do with immediately.

I can see nothing to scare me off, so it’s all down to price.

At the right level this is a good watch, and if it is on open auction it might attract an over valued price as it looks like a single ownership watch.

That neglected look which some of us like so much will immediately be lost once serviced and cleaned, but that’s the nature of the Barn Find phenomenon. The buyer has to hope that once serviced the watches attractiveness shows in different areas to balance the price paid. So the style of service, or more accurately, restoration, is crucial in preserving the value. Less is more here, and I do think it will work out.

Depends on price, and your willingness to gamble the end result looks good

 

From the first picture alone. I really like it.

Looks all original, unmolested, correct and attractive (at least after a sympathetic service).

 

Very nice watch indeed, a simple, professional crystal polish will do wonders for this watch.

 

This seller has a lot of “barn finds”, and a lot of people have noticed and started following his auctions, so don’t expect it to go low.

 

This is the seller who dumps 100 watches on eBay in no-reserve auctions a few times each year. The majority of the watches are legit, with a few fakes and frankens thrown in. The photos are poorly lit, so people often report that watches look better in person.

 

Wow thanks guys it is certainly enticing but I also fear it will go for top dollar despite barn find status. I will probably get scared off in the end but am eagerly following along. I would not buy to flip or sell, but to restore and keep for the long haul.

 

If you like it, just put in a bid at what it's worth to you. Don't get emotional about it. If you win, you win. If not ... on to the next one.

 

it's going to go for top dollar because of its Barn Find Status not despite of it.

if you really are keeping it then you should over pay, rather than end up with some trade POS tarted up for sale by someone who doesn't know (or care) what they are doing.

 

in that unkept condition, with no service records or history, i'd say that's a fine and potential nice example. yes, down to the price.

 

Ah yes this time he got a barn find Paul Newman daytona too. No idea how this seller sources his vault

 

it looks really nice, but why does the case more iike a straight lugged watch until the last profile pic? strange

 

Yeah, I've bought a watch from this seller in the past - there were just a few photos in the auction and the watch looked pretty rough. In person it was not as bad as it had appeared and I was happy with how nicely it cleaned up.

 

Just the effect of taking pictures at close range rather than from a distance and cropping.

 

Estate sales I believe. He also puts out mailers 2x a year to major Canadian cities. The typical cash for old watches, coins, collectibles etc.

 

His sizing is also all over the place. He lists some 37mm at 33mm and some 40mm watches at 43mm. It’s almost like why list it at all?

 

is this 321 on ebay? i might be interested.

 

You and everyone else on this thread

 

lol
the fine line between respecting an inquisitive fellow forum member, poaching and honest bidding...

 

Well it does seem like I generated some interest on this eBay find that may hurt my chances. Still, glad to have the opinions here as I decide what I’m going to do. In any case I do hope if I’m not the winner that it goes to someone on this forum who will lovingly restore it and document it on OF!