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tritto
路Hey guys, I've got myself a 145.012-67 and I'm wondering about the scope of work I should specify to get it on the wrist.
When I'm ready I'll get it touch with Adam at Lewis Watch Co, but in the meantime I'd appreciate your thoughts.
First, how did I come by it? My watchmaker (a small one room family set up) showed it to me 18 months ago. A lady bought in a box of junk watches to see if it was worth anything. Her deceased husband apparently collected scrappy fake Rolex! Well I said I'd be interested in buying it and made an off-the-cuff offer. Some months later she came back and collected the Speedmaster and said she'd think about selling it. Another year passed and finally she bought it back and asked them to sell it for her. They showed it to regular customers and solicited offers. Another fellow and I got into a frustratingly slow bidding war and eventually he topped out at $4k AUD. Another few hundred and it was mine. Here's what I was bidding on (photos taken 18 months ago when I first saw it).
Some might be happy to leave it as is and let a watchmaker clean up the case, but that's not me. I've stripped down a speedmaster case before so I couldn't resist cleaning it up.
Here's a closeup of some of the dirt between the bezel and the crystal.
Anyway, bezel off and gently cleaned off the caked on filth after a soaking, crystal polished - a pity it's generic, but at least I can see the dial now, pushers dismantled and case and pusher parts into the ultrasonic etc.
I put it back together yesterday with some grease on the pusher gaskets, crown, and caseback gasket.
It runs, but stalls at about 57 seconds when the chrono is activated (obviously needs a service). The chrono reset doesn't work and it appears to be missing a part that links the pusher screw to the reset mechanism (operating lever for hour hammer?).
Here's a movement shot.
Crown and caseback before cleaning.
Case appears sharp, if well used. Brushing on the sides and top is still visible.
Here are some photos of the dial. The lume work appears to be rather sloppy. What do you reckon, has it been relumed in the past?
The paint on the centre of the minute hand looks like it's been touched up too.
The pusher tubes seem to have suffered from years caked in dirt. They've lost most of their steel plating.
So, full service and replace crystal.
What to do about the dial? If it's previously been relumed then have Adam do a better job? I don't mind it as is. Hands, given they've already been touched up, do we leave them as is (some lume has already dropped out) or go for a repaint and relume to match the dial? They're not particularly attractive.
Pushers - pushers for this model are the same dimension as modern pushers, replace the whole lot, replace the tube but retain the heads if possible, or leave as is but see if Adam can replace the gaskets and springs?
The crown seems a snug fit so perhaps it's still good enough to repel atmospheric moisture, if not water.
Obviously, keeping from destroying value is important, but I'd also like to be able to wear it safely (water resistance) and look at a dial that isn't ugly.
I'd be pleased to hear your thoughts.
Edit: Sorry, I can't seem to delete the last two photos.
When I'm ready I'll get it touch with Adam at Lewis Watch Co, but in the meantime I'd appreciate your thoughts.
First, how did I come by it? My watchmaker (a small one room family set up) showed it to me 18 months ago. A lady bought in a box of junk watches to see if it was worth anything. Her deceased husband apparently collected scrappy fake Rolex! Well I said I'd be interested in buying it and made an off-the-cuff offer. Some months later she came back and collected the Speedmaster and said she'd think about selling it. Another year passed and finally she bought it back and asked them to sell it for her. They showed it to regular customers and solicited offers. Another fellow and I got into a frustratingly slow bidding war and eventually he topped out at $4k AUD. Another few hundred and it was mine. Here's what I was bidding on (photos taken 18 months ago when I first saw it).
Some might be happy to leave it as is and let a watchmaker clean up the case, but that's not me. I've stripped down a speedmaster case before so I couldn't resist cleaning it up.
Here's a closeup of some of the dirt between the bezel and the crystal.
Anyway, bezel off and gently cleaned off the caked on filth after a soaking, crystal polished - a pity it's generic, but at least I can see the dial now, pushers dismantled and case and pusher parts into the ultrasonic etc.
I put it back together yesterday with some grease on the pusher gaskets, crown, and caseback gasket.
It runs, but stalls at about 57 seconds when the chrono is activated (obviously needs a service). The chrono reset doesn't work and it appears to be missing a part that links the pusher screw to the reset mechanism (operating lever for hour hammer?).
Here's a movement shot.
Crown and caseback before cleaning.
Case appears sharp, if well used. Brushing on the sides and top is still visible.
Here are some photos of the dial. The lume work appears to be rather sloppy. What do you reckon, has it been relumed in the past?
The paint on the centre of the minute hand looks like it's been touched up too.
The pusher tubes seem to have suffered from years caked in dirt. They've lost most of their steel plating.
So, full service and replace crystal.
What to do about the dial? If it's previously been relumed then have Adam do a better job? I don't mind it as is. Hands, given they've already been touched up, do we leave them as is (some lume has already dropped out) or go for a repaint and relume to match the dial? They're not particularly attractive.
Pushers - pushers for this model are the same dimension as modern pushers, replace the whole lot, replace the tube but retain the heads if possible, or leave as is but see if Adam can replace the gaskets and springs?
The crown seems a snug fit so perhaps it's still good enough to repel atmospheric moisture, if not water.
Obviously, keeping from destroying value is important, but I'd also like to be able to wear it safely (water resistance) and look at a dial that isn't ugly.
I'd be pleased to hear your thoughts.
Edit: Sorry, I can't seem to delete the last two photos.
Edited:
