2 x 2998-1 coming up for auction ! One from original owner who next turns 100.

Posts

343

Likes

3,367

Vulffi

·Mar 6, 2018

Story in Finnish...

http://www.iltalehti.fi/kotimaa/201803062200792598_u0.shtml



He won the watch in a timetrial (early Rally) event in 1959 and wore it daily until 1983 when he retired and got a new watch as a present. As his 65 year old son did not want the watch, the 99 year old veteran wants to sell the watch and live comfortably for the rest of his life 😀.

More info should come during the weekend on the auction site: https://www.annmaris.fi/

The auction is on the 18 this month.

As I am not going to bid on the watch, I have not done my due diligence, but does the very knowledgeable forum
have any thoughts on the watch from the only pictures I found so far ? According to the text it is the original bracelet and it has a few service markings inside the back cover and the local watchmaker says that it is in good working order :

Vulffi

Edited: Mar 7, 2018

 

Posts

2,678

Likes

9,835

CajunTiger

·Mar 6, 2018

Love this!

 

Posts

333

Likes

359

Seacow

·Mar 6, 2018

Great condition for 24 years daily wear....

 

Posts

7,353

Likes

33,970

cristos71

·Mar 6, 2018

It looks like somebody semi-relumed the dial markers at some point

 

Posts

5,033

Likes

15,458

eugeneandresson

·Mar 7, 2018

Vulffi

As his 65 year old son did not want the watch,

what is wrong with the youth of today

😁

 

Posts

1,699

Likes

5,179

Screwbacks

·Mar 7, 2018

Wow! still lost for words.

 

Posts

1,838

Likes

3,546

Dash1

·Mar 7, 2018

Interesting watch, should do very well. Does the hand lume look square ended? Usually a sign of replacement hands, although perhaps we still have more to learn about 2998 hands.

 

Posts

221

Likes

371

Psych

·Mar 7, 2018

Is it the photos or just me? I didn't think it looked attractive at all.

 

Posts

3,772

Likes

20,184

ahsposo

·Mar 7, 2018·Most fun screen name at ΩF

Psych

Is it the photos or just me? I didn't think it looked attractive at all.

But it's a Speedmaster!

 

Posts

1,883

Likes

1,552

Drawarms

·Mar 7, 2018

very cool story!

 

Posts

103

Likes

120

DesignerV

·Mar 7, 2018

Wow, We should hope to be in as good of shape as this fellow (and with presence of mind to bother on watches) when we reach his age!

 

Posts

11,623

Likes

37,342

abrod520

·Mar 7, 2018

That guy is 99 ?!?!

 

Posts

358

Likes

1,025

nixf6

·Mar 7, 2018

Its got history.

 

Posts

1,690

Likes

7,322

bazamu

·Mar 7, 2018

That guy looks amazing for 99 year old.

Also, my hunch is that the watch looks better in real life than in those pictures. You can tell from the "blackness" of the dial that the contrast has been amped up in post-processing (or just poor lighting out of the camera).

 

Posts

200

Likes

405

AnotherDon

·Mar 7, 2018

Here's the part that got me...

"...the 99 year old veteran wants to sell the watch and live comfortably for the rest of his life "

Even if his watch doesn't bring absolute top dollar, he should have plenty to tide him over. Or so it seems to me.

 

W

Posts

1

Likes

5

WatchroomPietilä

·Mar 9, 2018

I've just heard that the Co-Driver of Mäkinen got one 2998-1 also. He had passed it to his son, who just yesterday read the article from Iltalehti and contacted the auction house. He confirmed just now that he likes to put his fathers Speedy also for sale on the same auction!!!

I'll have pictures soon... It's factory serviced 20y ago and at least the bezel got changed then. There's only one digit in between these two Speedys. OMG, vhat a thrill we are having here in tiny Finland 😀

Also we have some interesting peaces in this auction too. I think that this near-NOS Golden IWC Beta 21 can be quite something also for some electronic watches collector(s)...



Or this silver Mido Verynew "Bugatti Wheel" travel watch to 20's Bugatti owner 😀



Actually, can anybody tell me, who's engravement there is? "Lappi" is what Northern Finland is called and at that date there was finals of one car race in Hamburg, where I think at least one Bugatti team raced. Also there are info that at that year in Finland was only one Bugatti, but I haven't more info on this.

Maybe this is again one very interesting peace of watch and racing history, but I can't figure it out on my own.

 

Posts

343

Likes

3,367

Vulffi

·Mar 10, 2018

Video of one of the two Speedmasters coming up for sale, hope you like the language 😀

https://httpcache0-80682-cachedown9...own9/ncode/2018-03-09/KELLO_360p_afd2dabc.mp4

or story from the local Citys paper with pictures:

https://www.aamulehti.fi/uutiset/jo...lmallakin-naita-on-vain-kourallinen-200794679

According to the story, local Omega watchmaker says that everything is correct and matching numbers except the clasp and crown.

Vulffi

 

Posts

343

Likes

3,367

Vulffi

·Mar 10, 2018

From the auction house website:

At auction we will sell an extremely rare pair of early Omega Speedmaster watches model 2998-1 from 1959. Watches are originally won from a rally car racing contest (ST-Pohjoispäijänteen 10-year celebrating contest 1959), one for driver Martti Mäkinen and another to navigator Yrjö Paalanen. Both watches are coming from the original owners - driver is now 99-years old gentleman. Serial numbers for watches are from one step next to each others! (Drivers serial: 17301957 - Navigators serial: 17301959)

Both watches, after almost 60 years apart, now side by side. Picture borrowed from local watch group (posted by WatchroomPietilä):

Navigators watch which was serviced twenty years ago, as can be seen by the changed parts...

More info on is promised on Monday at the auctioneers website:

https://live.annmaris.fi/auctions/1-P9OG9/watches-jewelry

Vulffi

P.S. I have no connection at all with the seller or auctioneer, I just hope that the watch (es) find a good home and that the 99 year old WW2 Veteran gets a decent price so that he can live comfortably for the rest of his life 😀 althoug he has chosen a small local auctioneer.

Edited: Mar 10, 2018

 

Posts

9,217

Likes

24,048

oddboy

·Mar 10, 2018

Dial from the navigators watch on the drivers watch would make for a killer watch.

😁

 

Posts

1,838

Likes

3,546

Dash1

·Mar 11, 2018

Yes that dial from the navigators watch is stunning!