Authenticity of a 1989 Speedmaster

illicit · Jul 18, 2025

I recently purchased my birth year watch. A 1989 20th Anniversary Speedmaster. It didn’t come with box or papers but generally looked good. My concern is from the research I’ve done online the serial number doesn’t lineup with Speedmasters from 1989? But from my understanding LE don’t necessarily follow the ranges on lots of the sites and data bases online. My serial number is 4829xxxx.

Any way to know for sure if this is a real 20th anniversary model? Any advice would be appreciated!

YY77 · Jul 18, 2025

Looks like it's been polished as the engraving on the side is not really centered of it was added later, see this one:

https://www.fratellowatches.com/speedy-tuesday-houston-tranquility-base-eagle-landed/

Wasn't the serial on the lugs introduced somewhere in the late 90's?

ibis888 · Jul 18, 2025

YY77
Looks like it's been polished as the engraving on the side is not really centered of it was added later, see this one:

https://www.fratellowatches.com/speedy-tuesday-houston-tranquility-base-eagle-landed/

Wasn't the serial on the lugs introduced somewhere in the late 90's?

No, I have a Speedie from the early 90s with a serial on the lugs. Not sure when it was introduced though, the 20th anniversary models don’t seem to have lug engravings. Maybe with the 3590.50? My 3590.50 serial is 4827xxx and is early 90s.

OP - Here’s a 20th anniversary with a 48259123 serial:

https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/speedmaster-20th-anniversary-box-papers

There’s another at CW Watch with a 485xxx serial and no lug engraving.

Your dial is a later dial (with the “short” S) and your bezel is a later bezel as well. Although interestingly, you still have a movement labeled “seventeen jewels.”

With the engraving off center like that as well, unfortunately it looks like you may either have a newer speedie with the engraving added or a 20th anniversary with a replacement dial and bezel.

Are the hands tritium? Tough to tell in photos.

ibis888 · Jul 18, 2025

Ok edit from above!

Here’s one with the lug engraving and the newer dial and bezel:

https://valueyourwatch.com/shop/ome...h-anniversary-apollo-xi-145-0022-us-numbered/

Perhaps these were made over a longer tome frame?

Let’s wait for those more knowledgeable than me to chime in before I pass false judgement!

illicit · Jul 18, 2025

ibis888
No, I have a Speedie from the early 90s with a serial on the lugs. Not sure when it was introduced though, the 20th anniversary models don’t seem to have lug engravings. Maybe with the 3590.50? My 3590.50 serial is 4827xxx and is early 90s.

OP - Here’s a 20th anniversary with a 48259123 serial:

https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/speedmaster-20th-anniversary-box-papers

There’s another at CW Watch with a 485xxx serial and no lug engraving.

Your dial is a later dial (with the “short” S) and your bezel is a later bezel as well. Although interestingly, you still have a movement labeled “seventeen jewels.”

With the engraving off center like that as well, unfortunately it looks like you may either have a newer speedie with the engraving added or a 20th anniversary with a replacement dial and bezel.

Are the hands tritium? Tough to tell in photos.

So that was my concern as well. With the engraving off center. But I wasn’t sure that was a thing people engraving later speedies? The seller just told me that this was a 20th anniversary but produced in 93? Is that possible? I thought these were all produced 89-90. The polished now makes sense I was wondering why the lug engraving seems light. I saw another image where it’s much darker?

I believe the hands are tritium. Here’s another image.

illicit · Jul 18, 2025

ibis888
No, I have a Speedie from the early 90s with a serial on the lugs. Not sure when it was introduced though, the 20th anniversary models don’t seem to have lug engravings. Maybe with the 3590.50? My 3590.50 serial is 4827xxx and is early 90s.

OP - Here’s a 20th anniversary with a 48259123 serial:

https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/speedmaster-20th-anniversary-box-papers

There’s another at CW Watch with a 485xxx serial and no lug engraving.

Your dial is a later dial (with the “short” S) and your bezel is a later bezel as well. Although interestingly, you still have a movement labeled “seventeen jewels.”

With the engraving off center like that as well, unfortunately it looks like you may either have a newer speedie with the engraving added or a 20th anniversary with a replacement dial and bezel.

Are the hands tritium? Tough to tell in photos.

Also how can you tell the bezel is later? I thought later bezels had an accent on the e in tachymetre?

ibis888 · Jul 18, 2025

illicit
Also how can you tell the bezel is later? I thought later bezels had an accent on the e in tachymetre?

The earlier bezels have taller with more narrow letters.

Authenticity of a 1989 Speedmaster

illicit

YY77

ibis888

ibis888

illicit

illicit

ibis888

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