I am looking for a grail watch. I would like to find a 1966 Speedmaster. Prefer excellent condition with all original bits. Prefer to have an extract dated 1966. Box and papers would be a bonus. I know this is a long shot, but this has been on my todo list for over a year and life got in the way.

Thanks,

Tom

 

Welcome back Tom! Haven't seen you around for awhile but good luck with your search.

 

Thanks! I downsized to 4 watches and got the itch for a birth year Speedy.

 

bumpers. I am tempted to buy a modern Speedy and a 1966 Rolex, but I think a '66 Speedy would scratch both itches.

 

Anyone have a nice 1966 Rolex Sub or GMT they want to sell?

 

I'm sure you're probably well aware of this already, but I'll just put it out there again, just in case you miss out on a real nice Speedy due to fixating on that one year, 1966...

Like Rolex of the same era, certain parts were often made some while apart, by that I mean movement, case, case-back, bracelet etc, and that's before you even go into distribution anomalies and how long the thing sat in an AD's window before finally finding its first owner.

My father's old Ed White is a case in point. It's a 105.003-64 with a 'production' date of March 1965 (should probably read assembly date really), with a bracelet clasp code of April 1964 (original 7912 that was on the watch when dad bought it new from Brufords in Eastbourne ... in the summer of 1966...).

 

Good luck for your hunt, there still are nice examples from 1966 available in the wild, can’t wait for mine to be back from service

 

Tom am I right in thinking that a 105.012-66 is going to have a 1967 extract that is too late for your birth year? If that's so, are you looking for either a 105.003-65, a late 105.012-64 or an early 105.012-65 with a 1966 extract from Omega? I ask this because I'm waiting for the extract for my 105.012-65 to arrive and I'm assuming it will show a production date of either 1966 or 1967.

Jonathan.

 

Jonathan,

You are spot on! I am not sure which way to go with this one. I would like to have 66 on the case back, but I the ones I have found with a 66 case back are all 67 production according to the archives.

 

Chances of finding a -66 that was produced in '66 are pretty slim. I have tracked these for a while, and they all seem to be produced in '67.

 

Or 1968 if it's a late production.
The other thing to bear in mind is that the serial numbers in the 105.012-65 range are perfect for a watch to celebrate the Moon Landing anniversary. You get to scratch 3 itches mate.

It makes me laugh that my Dad got a 105.012, the same watch as Neil Armstrong, to wear as he drove his van around London. (Here is yet another shameless picture of it)

 

Well, do you want a watch made on 66 or a watch sold on 66?

 

Just go for the reference you'd fancy the most, because: The Extract Date can mean:
1. Production: the date when just the movement itself came to Stock at Omega (e.g. December 1966)
2. (Possible) Production, real assembly Date (somewhen the following months, in this case most likely in 1967 already)
3. ..hence, the real delivery date of the Watch to its destination can be in between these two, you can only guess.

So..it's even tougher than you think, a "66" in the caseback might be the best solution

 

Unless he wants to walk around with a "pahawis" case back opener, he needs an Omega extract of the archives with 1966 on it, that he can whip out of his pocket along with his birth certificate!

 

Are you sure about your points 1&2? Anything to back this information ?

 

Absolutely sure. Backup available.

 

Don’t know what confused me but I got this confirmed and stand corrected

 

I see. took some time to reach out, hence your late reply

 

Just go for the reference you'd fancy the most, because: The Extract Date can mean:
1. Production: the date when just the movement itself came to Stock at Omega (e.g. December 1966)
2. (Possible) Production, real assembly Date (somewhen the following months, in this case most likely in 1967 already)
3. ..hence, the real delivery date of the Watch to its destination can be in between these two, you can only guess.
EDIT: or of course after 2.!

So..it's even tougher than you think, a "66" in the caseback might be the best solution

 

My 105.003-65 is an early one, one of the very first if the serial range on MWO and SP101 is to be believed but is from April 1966 according to the extract, of course -65 was the last EW iteration. My 145.012-68 is dated to mid 1968 so it is possible on some models...