For sale is my Seamaster 145.016-68 chronograph from 1969, serviced by my watchmaker just this month (please don’t tell him I called him “my” watchmaker or he’ll do a Charlie Watts on me). The watch runs great and the chronograph stopwatch functions well. Everything is original. The case appears unpolished and is in good shape despite being lovingly worn a fair amount (by me). The movement is the 861 of Speedmaster fame and indeed, this watch has been dubbed the poor man’s Speedmaster (again by me). I am asking US$3100 or best offer plus shipping (around $30 wherever Japan Post EMS delivers) for this watch, head only. I can accept PayPal or Wise transfers as well as a direct bank transfer in USD or JPY. I and the watch are in Japan. Shipping times vary wildly depending on where you are in the world—USA and Europe take less than a week, Canada and Oceania considerably longer. I’ve had some success speeding things up by going through an intermediary in the US. I can also arrange shipping via FedEx, which is pricey but certainly secure and insurable for the full value of the watch. I have a few testimonials on this site and unanimous accolades on Japan’s Yahoo! Auctions. https://omegaforums.net/threads/krogerfoot-is-a-great-seller.149917/ https://omegaforums.net/threads/great-transaction-with-krogerfoot.145970/ https://omegaforums.net/threads/welldeservedrest-is-an-excellent-buyer.144761/#post-1974479 https://omegaforums.net/threads/krogerfoot-is-a-wonderful-buyer.119478/ https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/show/rating?userID=grace_5330
Bumping this thread with some photos modeling the watch on a different strap. I am motivated to sell this newly serviced 861-powered Seamaster chronograph in great condition. Make an offer if you’re interested!
Price down, as we say in Japan: $3100 means the recent service is on the house. Cannot seem to edit the original post, but the new price is $3100 plus shipping from Japan.
Many nibbles but no takers yet. I am motivated to sell this watch before, and in part because of, an upcoming and long overdue reunion with relatives abroad in mid-December. For the benefit of interested potential buyers, here are some additional details I have heard or spotted about the watch, both on the plus and minus side: - The lume is degraded, though there’s no indication that this is due to water incursion. I don’t know what caused this, but the recent service cleaned a fair amount of debris from the dial and inside of the crystal. - The big timer hand is set slightly off the 12 index. - The lower half of the seconds counter at 9 has a hairline ring, where the hand must have contacted it some time in the past. This seems to have been corrected before I purchased the watch in 2018. + The crystal is the original flat one, with the logo. + The case looks to be unpolished, with circular brushing visible behind the dings. + The full service in September 2022 makes the watch good to go for the rest of the decade, I’d say. Consider the watch as an excellent candidate for reluming to make the dial pop; after all, the cost would be significantly offset by the very recent service. I am leaning now towards keeping it, with an eye to finding the correct bracelet and eventually giving it a sympathetic relume. I lay out the foregoing to encourage anyone out there to make me an offer. There is an excellent research thread here to compare this watch against; I believe it holds up well at this price point, but again, I am motivated to consider any reasonable offer before paying to fly five family members overseas for the holidays. Please your consideration! Courage!
I keep coming back to look at this, it would look great in my watch box. If it was in the UK I would have snapped it up by now but VAT and sleepless nights tracking overseas shipping keeps holding me back. Let me know if you plan a UK visit anytime soon but if not then good luck with the sale.