hansaboy
·Hi everybody!
Just arrived back from a fantastic holiday in London, and I have to share my experience with you Guys!
But I will start from the beginning…😀
And sorry if my English is not the best!
I bought a nice 105.012-66 last December, and it was of course in need for a service and a clean up.
I did a post before regarding the adventures of that watch…
https://omegaforums.net/threads/speedmaster-105-012-66-recent-purchase-couldnt-help-it.153898/
I also managed to get hold of the 145.022-68 that I made another post about.
(I got a bit of flak on that one…🙁).
But I took a gamble, and thought the price was right..
Post on this one…🙄
https://omegaforums.net/threads/speedmaster-145-022-68-assessment-questions.153553/
I have another Speedy, a 145.022-69 that was in desperate need for a service, so I had 3 watches that where in need for service etc.
My problem was that there are not so many skilled watchmakers in Sweden that can handle a 321 movement.(part accounts, serious track record etc).
I talked to a few who had done this before, but since the watch is really nice, I was a bit worried if something might/could happen…
The 861:s where doable in Sweden....but both the 68 and the 69 had lousy hands that needed attention, the 69 had badly re-lumed hands, and the 68 had service hands.
Andy the 69 had a dial turning "brownish", but sadly with some water/oil spots...that could/might be corrected??
And this can't be done in Sweden with the results that I would like to have.
I had read a lot about Simon Freese here on the Forum, and on other places, and it felt like he is the Guy who can handle this kind of watches.
So after a couple of e-mails back and forth with Simon, I made up my mind going forward with him.
We booked a day and started planing everything.
I didn't have the nerves sending the watches with a shipping company back and forth since there might be customs/taxes involved,
and I also wanted to meet Simon in person and combine everything with a holiday!
So the date was set to the 31 March, and with the flight and further traveling to Simon, I should arrive around 16:00.
Everything had to work, since the next day was a Saturday, and Simon was free.
Fortunately, I only live an hour from Copenhagen Airport, with direct flights to London.
So the journey started 07:30 with my car, a 10.55 flight with British Airways, touch down on Heathrow,
then the underground to Liverpool Street, then the train to Simons workshop..
and arrived 15:45...
Pweeww..🤦
And finally meeting with Simon!
What an amazing person he is - so nice and kind, and really dedicated to his work.
We talked for almost an hour (not only watches), and decided what each watch needed.
The hands on the 68 and 69 where going to be adjusted/relumed by Simon.
The dial on the 69 will be so lightly touched with cleaning (I can although live with the spots..).
I had plan B, which would involve James Hyman who is a fantastic re-lumer, but that might have been to much for me with the logistics etc.
The 69 has tired lume plots, and the 68 had some loss on the lume plots also, but we decided not to touch them, once re-lumed, always re-lumed?😉
And service/cleaning on the 3 watches.
And I felt very confident with the discussions and choices I had with Simon.
Hopefully his work will be done in a few months, but I am not in a hurry.
I have attached a few pictures.
I was not really prepared to do this post, so the pictures are kind of random (not Instagram friendly) etc..
And I almost forgot this:
I arrived back in London at around 19:00, with my family waiting for me at a local pub, and that Pint I had there tasted LOVELY!
This is going to be very exciting, and I will keep you Guys uppdated.
Cheers!!!
Here is the 105.012-66:
Here is the 145.022-68 (with some Polywatch done...)
And the 145.022-69:
And finally, the watches with Simon:
Just arrived back from a fantastic holiday in London, and I have to share my experience with you Guys!
But I will start from the beginning…😀
And sorry if my English is not the best!
I bought a nice 105.012-66 last December, and it was of course in need for a service and a clean up.
I did a post before regarding the adventures of that watch…
https://omegaforums.net/threads/speedmaster-105-012-66-recent-purchase-couldnt-help-it.153898/
I also managed to get hold of the 145.022-68 that I made another post about.
(I got a bit of flak on that one…🙁).
But I took a gamble, and thought the price was right..
Post on this one…🙄
https://omegaforums.net/threads/speedmaster-145-022-68-assessment-questions.153553/
I have another Speedy, a 145.022-69 that was in desperate need for a service, so I had 3 watches that where in need for service etc.
My problem was that there are not so many skilled watchmakers in Sweden that can handle a 321 movement.(part accounts, serious track record etc).
I talked to a few who had done this before, but since the watch is really nice, I was a bit worried if something might/could happen…
The 861:s where doable in Sweden....but both the 68 and the 69 had lousy hands that needed attention, the 69 had badly re-lumed hands, and the 68 had service hands.
Andy the 69 had a dial turning "brownish", but sadly with some water/oil spots...that could/might be corrected??
And this can't be done in Sweden with the results that I would like to have.
I had read a lot about Simon Freese here on the Forum, and on other places, and it felt like he is the Guy who can handle this kind of watches.
So after a couple of e-mails back and forth with Simon, I made up my mind going forward with him.
We booked a day and started planing everything.
I didn't have the nerves sending the watches with a shipping company back and forth since there might be customs/taxes involved,
and I also wanted to meet Simon in person and combine everything with a holiday!
So the date was set to the 31 March, and with the flight and further traveling to Simon, I should arrive around 16:00.
Everything had to work, since the next day was a Saturday, and Simon was free.
Fortunately, I only live an hour from Copenhagen Airport, with direct flights to London.
So the journey started 07:30 with my car, a 10.55 flight with British Airways, touch down on Heathrow,
then the underground to Liverpool Street, then the train to Simons workshop..
and arrived 15:45...
Pweeww..🤦
And finally meeting with Simon!
What an amazing person he is - so nice and kind, and really dedicated to his work.
We talked for almost an hour (not only watches), and decided what each watch needed.
The hands on the 68 and 69 where going to be adjusted/relumed by Simon.
The dial on the 69 will be so lightly touched with cleaning (I can although live with the spots..).
I had plan B, which would involve James Hyman who is a fantastic re-lumer, but that might have been to much for me with the logistics etc.
The 69 has tired lume plots, and the 68 had some loss on the lume plots also, but we decided not to touch them, once re-lumed, always re-lumed?😉
And service/cleaning on the 3 watches.
And I felt very confident with the discussions and choices I had with Simon.
Hopefully his work will be done in a few months, but I am not in a hurry.
I have attached a few pictures.
I was not really prepared to do this post, so the pictures are kind of random (not Instagram friendly) etc..
And I almost forgot this:
I arrived back in London at around 19:00, with my family waiting for me at a local pub, and that Pint I had there tasted LOVELY!
This is going to be very exciting, and I will keep you Guys uppdated.
Cheers!!!
Here is the 105.012-66:
Here is the 145.022-68 (with some Polywatch done...)
And the 145.022-69:
And finally, the watches with Simon: