Wow. That's beyond a steal. Congratulations and well done.

 

Congrats on the watch, @coronado
Did you have any luck looking into the previous owners of it?

 

Lots of references, but generally not with those end links. Google the 1069 bracelet number and you will get tons of hits I’m sure.

 

Will do, thanks. Bracelets and end links add an additional level of complexity to the murkiness of discerning the finer points of Speedmasters. Thanks to this forum, I'm slowly learning the important details.

 

Not yet, but it is something I plan to work on soon.

The purported original owner led an amazingly adventuresome life as a young man which gained him some widespread notoriety in the 1940s, and led to a career in the public eye in the 1950s and 1960s. Sadly, he died much too young. He would have acquired the watch very late in life, and wouldn't have owned it very long before he gave it to a friend... if the info I have is correct.

Ideally, I'm going to try to get the history behind the gift directly from the recipient. And photos of either of them wearing the watch would be awesome. Could be a really interesting story.

 

So wait, you paid $800 for the watch to the dealer who beat you to it, and he still made a profit on it??? How much did he buy it for? $300? And from who? a Caveman with no internet access??

 

It was sold by my very angry wife whom just pissed that her husband left the toilet seat up for the 3rd time this week.

I would like to collect that back please. Sending you a $850 check now...

 

Beautiful watch, congrats !

My 145-012 came on the same bracelet, I'm told the original owner purchased it that way. I was trying to find similar info when I first created an account here on OF some years back, thread can probably be found.

If I recall correctly the forum felt it was for a Seamaster, and not correct for a Speedmaster, but that back in the day people had the option of buying whatever bracelet they wished, and perhaps just selected this one.

I was a bit torn about keeping it with the watch, since it was "original" but the main issue for me was that it was 1mm too small and the gap bothered me. I ended up selling the bracelet and endlinks quite cheap I think.

Don't have great pics from back then but here's a few...

 

Mmm chocolatey goodness. What's better than a lovely patina? A bargain lovely patina, from two people who should have known better.

 

The first guy paid $800, I bought it 30 seconds later for a little more.

Funny thing, the first guy made the seller a lower offer, which was refused. I was standing there patiently and quietly hoping he would set it back down on the table. Obviously I would have happily paid $800 without negotiating.

The first guy barely had the $800. He paid some of it in $5 and $1 bills.

 

I’m interested in the provenance..........keep us posted.......love the stories