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145.012-67 (26554XXX) Drop or Batton chrono seconds hand?

Aludic
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Hi all,

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to purchase a nice 145.012-67. As it needed a service, I brought it to a watchmaker today. Whilst chatting away on it and noticing that it has a somewhat whiter and 'fresher' chrono seconds hand, we found ourselves wondering whether it might actually be a later replacement.

One thing led to another and brought us to the question whether a drop hand might actually be more 'original' than the currently mounted button hand. MWO does indicate both are supposedly correct for this reference, where my watch sits more towards the end of the serial number range (26554XXX).

A search on this Forum and Google did not lead to any more detailed information, which to be fair might not exist.

Still, I would like to attempt finding an answer to these two questions:
1. Does anyone know the 'cutover' point (if any) for these hands? And more empirically:
2. Does anyone own a 145.012-67 in the same serial number range and if so; which hand set is mounted on it?

Appreciate your input! And as a thread is incomplete without pictures... Here we go.

WhatsApp Image 2019-07-26 at 18.48.32.jpeg
 
gdupree
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I’m not aware of a firm, known date of the hand transition. But your handset doesn’t alarm me.

I have noticed many times that the chrono-seconds hand on late 60’s speedmasters are often whiter than the other hands and have aged very similarly to yours in some ways. My -69 is much this way. of course I can’t know for sure that my handset is original, and it’s still a different reference, even though a similar era - but it seems to match up with some I’ve seen in other watches from around this time.

1D4803C4-C160-4D97-B19E-3810CF1122E0.jpeg
 
Dan S
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MWO says that the C2 hand-set (flat bottom sweep hand) appeared "in 1968", and that the C1 and C2 hand configurations "were seen to coexist for about a year". Interestingly, the book even includes the 145.012-68 in the references that were produced with the C1 hand-set.
Edited:
 
ICONO
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Serial number 26552565.… Date of manufacture, October 31st 1968

60994880-D335-4BD9-BA41-7C368A63ADDF.jpeg
 
Aludic
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Thanks all!

Especially based upon @ICONO's watch, which is a really close predecessor of my own, I am going to go with the conclusion that the way mine currently looks is most likely original. Consequently, its batton shaped hand is probably of the correct type. The lighter colour remains a bit of a question mark.

I will likely leave it as it is at the moment...
C4BC493B-4629-43A3-A5BD-BD3466742E63.jpeg
 
ndgal
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Generally straight bottom at this serial range.
I looked through all of my pictures and archives and the latest 145.012-67 with "Tear drop" chrono hand I have on file is 26.553.6##
 
ICONO
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Aludic Aludic
Hi all,

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to purchase a nice 145.012-67. As it needed a service, I brought it to a watchmaker today. Whilst chatting away on it and noticing that it has a somewhat whiter and 'fresher' chrono seconds hand, we found ourselves wondering whether it might actually be a later replacement.

One thing led to another and brought us to the question whether a drop hand might actually be more 'original' than the currently mounted button hand. MWO does indicate both are supposedly correct for this reference, where my watch sits more towards the end of the serial number range (26554XXX).

A search on this Forum and Google did not lead to any more detailed information, which to be fair might not exist.

Still, I would like to attempt finding an answer to these two questions:
1. Does anyone know the 'cutover' point (if any) for these hands? And more empirically:
2. Does anyone own a 145.012-67 in the same serial number range and if so; which hand set is mounted on it?

Appreciate your input! And as a thread is incomplete without pictures... Here we go.

WhatsApp Image 2019-07-26 at 18.48.32.jpeg


Incidentally the Speedmaster belonging to Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 Command Module pilot, had the serial number …26 552 506

So you are also close, to a ‘flown watch’
 
Ed Black
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FWIW, my (earlier) serials for 145.012 -67, both with drop chrono hand:

26.073.0XX
26.075.4XX
 
Ed Black
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ICONO ICONO
Incidentally the Speedmaster belonging to Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 Command Module pilot, had the serial number …26 552 506

So you are also close, to a ‘flown watch’
Forgive me for posting OT, but is there a place where you can find the flown serials? The list I found is blurred.
 
repoman
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My 26.548.xxx says hello, also with flat bottom chrono.
 
Dan S
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ndgal ndgal
Generally straight bottom at this serial range.
I looked through all of my pictures and archives and the latest 145.012-67 with "Tear drop" chrono hand I have on file is 26.553.6##

For what it's worth, I have a tear-drop with 26,553,7XX, delivered in November 2018.
Edited:
 
Civic4982
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ICONO ICONO
Incidentally the Speedmaster belonging to Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 Command Module pilot, had the serial number …26 552 506

So you are also close, to a ‘flown watch’

Wow I never knew that was the number!!!

Sorry, off topic but my 145.012 is only around 7000 away. I know thats super far but still, in my mind it feels so close

I’m 26,545,2xx and have a flat bottom hand.
 
Aludic
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repoman repoman
My 26.548.xxx says hello, also with flat bottom chrono.

Hi @repoman, thanks for your note! I am sure it would look even better with a picture... 😉
 
Ed Black
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Just a thought - could the Ultraman at 26.077.XXX be the transition from drop to flat bottom sweep hand..
 
Aludic
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Ed Black Ed Black
Just a thought - could the Ultraman at 26.077.XXX be the transition from drop to flat bottom sweep hand..

I like that thought... 😀

Only small issue with it is that there are at least two examples in this thread of a drop hand on a watch with a serial higher than the known Ultraman range. Being the ones mentioned by @ndgal and @Dan S. It doesn't fully rule your theory out, though. We will probably never really know for sure as movement numbers weren't always given out in successive order of numbering, so it could be true.

Then again, with the delivery dates mentioned here: https://www.watchbooksonly.com/omega-speedmaster-moonwatch/watch-reviews/omega-speedmaster-ultraman/ for the Ultramans all ranging over summer 1968, it is close...
 
repoman
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Aludic Aludic
Hi @repoman, thanks for your note! I am sure it would look even better with a picture... 😉

Doh! My apologies, I've been a rather lazy OF lurker of late, dropping in on threads and making off hand remarks. Let me correct that here, the '67 is the one on the top

2B822A19-D1CC-4EE3-BE17-874894C681EB.JPG
 
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