Hello all, been a while since I put up my one post. I plan on being more active here, as this is clearly a great community.

I have had custody of my grandfather's beautiful stainless steel 33.3 Chro chronograph, which near as I can tell, dates back to the late 40's. I am planning to get the archive extract for it. I would like to acquire a Speedmaster 145-022 from my birth year, which is 1974, and then probably add a modern piece like a 1957 co-axial reissue or a MK II reissue.

I have done a ton of online searching, read articles from this forum and others, fratello's guides, looked at the various charts and lists etc. I have looked at many watches from past and current sales and talked to their dealers or owners.

The advice I seek is really just confirmation of what I think I know, as stated below:

The 145.022-74 case back reference indicates that the watch would have been put together and sold no earlier than 1974, but the serial # on the movement could indicate a movement manufacture date from 1971-1976. Correct?

A 145.022-71 case back could possibly have a 1974 movement, such as a late 32xxxxxx, which would essentially make it a 1974 watch, though possibly assembled later. Correct?

Bracelets are kind of all over the place, possibly even added to the watch at the distributor or dealer, which is why you see 1039's on a 71 caseback with a 328xxxxx movement. Correct?

I know that ultimately the only way of getting the actual manufacturing and delivery date is to get an archive extract, which I will do, but I'm just trying to get as close as possible to a 1974 all the way around as I can. Thanks!

Raf

 

Hi I was born the same year and had the idea of getting a 1974 Speedmaster as well. I simply think I'd just get a 145.022-74 with a correct serial number range 31mm - 39mm. Somebody more knowledgeable will help confirm the case back date, the movement year and the bracelets. Good luck finding!

 

What do you define as a birthyear watch?

Date of release by Omega (as defined by extract)
Date of sale by retailer (Often years after release)
Date of case back (Which is more like a model year in car manufacture)
Date by movement number (Most unreliable)

For me, if you were born in 1974, I would choose a -74 case back - and not get an extract.

 

If you're looking for a watch produced in 1974, you'd probably be best looking for a 145.022-71, though you might have to go through a couple until you found a late one. Or as has been suggested, you could go with a 145.022-74 and consider the caseback to be its year.

The years of production were these:
145.022-71from 1971 to 1974, usually 32m serial
145.022-74 from 1974 to 1976, usually 32-39m serial

 

Can we see a picture of your granddad's 33.3 chrono?

 

I definitely followed your advice here. Born in 1971, found a 145.022-71 in incredible original condition with a 31xxxxxxx SN. The cherry on top is that is was a "No NASA" caseback, so I know it was very early in the -71 production run. That is good enough to be a "birth year" watch for me. Still probably going to get the extract, but I'm not so fixated on the year of production/sale that I'll commit hari kari if it turns out to be 1972 or something.

To the OP, my advice is to spend your time educating yourself on exactly what a -74 reference is supposed to have, then go through the exercise of evaluating examples you can find for sale anywhere for condition and originality. If ANY part of it seems off to you, then pass. Another will show up. Don't compromise just to get one of the reference. Honestly the hunt was great fun and I learned a ton (primarily from Spacefruit and his speedmaster101.com)

 

I agree this hits the nail right on the head. There are so many steps involved in making and selling a watch that it is difficult to really define what a "birth year" watch really means; particularly since Omega seem not to have placed movements into cases in an entirely systematic way during this period. It reminds me a little of the "ship of Theseus" problem.

OP - you're lucky (as am I) that there is a sub-reference that corresponds with your birth year. I chose to regard the sub-reference as my "birth year" watch (coincidentally, also 74) since, when it's all said and done, it has my birth year stamped right there in the metal of the case-back. Good luck with the hunt

 

Fwiw... I have a -71 (case back) with a 33.000.xxx serial

 

That is unusually high, falling outside of generally accepted limits for this reference.
http://speedmaster101.com/serial-quick-reference-to-78/

It may be original, but it would be the highest I have ever seen in an original watch.

 

Lots of great feedback here. Thank you so much!

Spacefruit, I think that is the most important part....asking myself what exactly I want. Like Grandpa's watch, I plan on making this a permanent part of my collection. It's for me, not for flipping. That being said, I think I would like something that hasn't been a safe queen, but that has decent cosmetics, is historically correct and has some patina. I think that I would be fine with a 74 case back. Though movement number does seem to be difficult to pinpoint, I would probably give it some credence in my final decision. If a nice 71 came up with what seemed like a plausible movement number, I'd be up for that as well. Either way, I'd skip the archive extract on it. I'll just try to find the nicest one possible, that speaks to me....and as Neek suggests, enjoy the search. It'll be an exercise in patience for me, which is probably a good thing, given the variability in pricing that I've seen online. There's a nice 74 with 328xxxx serial at one online dealer (who I think is chronically overpriced) at $6700, which is about 2.5K more than I'd like to pay. There's a cosmetically nicer 71 that has a 316xxxxx serial (so likely not a 74) at a local dealer with the only thing amiss being luminova service hands for $3950....and all matter of pricing inbetween.

Thanks again for the help!

 

Separate post sir, coming up!!

 

Hi Raf. Allow me to give you some different advice: look for a watch that ISN'T a Speedmaster. Why be another sheep in the flock?



There are some very cool Omega dive watches from that era, or you could check out the Flightmaster too.

 

I'd go for a 74 Mk II, but I really like the Speedmaster Pro. I'd also consider a cosmic diver, do you know if they were made in 1974?

 

Getting the extract seems to take 6-8 weeks. If you decide that release from Omega is what makes it a '74, you might have to go through several cycles of buying a watch, getting the extract, discovering that it was released from Omega a year earlier or later, and flipping it. Also the extract is $150, not a whole lot maybe but if you have to do it a bunch of times it adds up.

You picked a good year to be born Speedmasters from those years are not so ridiculously priced as the pre-moons.

 

Yeah kkt, no interest in buying, extracting, flipping and repeating. I will get an extract ASAP for that 33.3.

 

Just my 2c, I don't believe on getting hung up on birthyear watches, I buy the best example of a reference I can afford...