Advice on replacement of lost Speedmaster 105.012

Hi, I’d appreciate advice from the community. Here’s my story.

In 1996 I lost the Omega Speedmaster 105.012 that my father had given me a few years earlier. It was in Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK during the sailing Regatta. Too many beers drunk etc. I was heartbroken, and nothing ever got handed in to the Police with whom I registered it list. He’d originally purchased it new in Gstaad, Switzerland in Jan1967. At the time my Insurance Company got me a new Speedmaster which I still have.
Fast forward 25 years and I’ve decided I want to replace I with something as near as very possible to identical. Money is no object (within reason). I have the original Papers still and the Serial Number is 2400462*.
My questions are
1)How do I verify the Omega Extract of Archives without the watch itself(I need to know the watch actually existed after all!)including build date, bracelet, country shipped to etc
2)Where is the best source to find replacement- looking at eBay, Chrono24 etc. Advice gratefully received.
3)If I offered a finders fee bounty of say £2k + fair market value for the watch, what do you think are the chances of anyone coming forward?
Many thanks James

1. I guess the only way would be taking a photo of another 105.012. They don’t ask for a movement shot so this would suffice. I would email the team at the archives first to see whether they can assist first. I’m sure they will be open to helping if you talk to them.

2. There are plenty of avenues to purchase a watch. I generally avoid Chrono24 as I find prices to be a little high. There’s a private sales section on this forum which often has Speedmasters listed. eBay and Craigslist (or whatever it is in your country) is always fun but you must be willing to take a risk for the “right” watch.

3. I don’t think so. Maybe use these additional funds to pay a dealer premium for a nice example instead?

All the best with your search and do report back if you find something 😉

Honestly, would advice to choose one that already has the extract. And then post it here to get it appraised by the many specialists of this forum.

that was a very special 105.012 indeed. 25 years after and the memory made you still dream of having it returned. wishing your dream come true or at least with a replacement 012.👍😉

Very touching story and I hope that you are successful in your search. Much good advice above, definitely I would re-iterate the advice about going through the details with great care and the providence. My own 105.012 has a serial number not too far from your one and is a real treasure (to be clear, not for sale):

You waited 25 years, so a bit longer should be ok.....I'd get the police record of your loss first. With that and your papers, ask the Omega factory, if that speedy turned up in their records( service/excerpt from the archive) . If it was there or any records exist, that it was requested, you can prove ownership with the police report. Long process, but they will give you name and address in the end. From there it is just detective work to find it now..... Parallel i' d look for suited example here or other Fora. There are registers of stolen watches . There are UK antique dealer sites . A request might help to find, what you want. Worldwide search is a good starting point here on the forum. Other members will chime in. You will find, what you need. Good luck from down under. Achim

Doesn’t the watch belong to the insurance company now?
I’m sure it will be still out there somewhere and might be in the hands of a honest person who bought it legitimately.
I have reunited 2 uninsured lost watches with the original owners that I had bought from a auction house and a dealer in good faith so hopefully the owner of the OPs watch will do the same, seems like a good offer from the OP.

Having the box and papers for a watch does not prove ownership, but if there is a police report from way back when it was lost I guess that is a good thing but if the insurance company has paid out doesn’t the watch then belong to them?

Cheers, Michael