The hunt for my first vintage Speedy continues...

For your “expert” and “veteran” eyes. I welcome the critiques and judgments on this piece.

It’s a 145.022 - 69
Serial is 29116607
Movement photos to follow later today. Just waiting on the seller to send them.

Thank you in advance for your time and insights.

Initial thoughts are it looks pretty good. The hands seem a touch “too white”, but the lume seems appropriate.

It was recently serviced by Simon and comes with an 18 month warranty.

 

Have you research that all the parts/bezel/serial are correct?

 

I have a fair bit. According to Speedmaster 101 and Fratello via Jan and Chuck Maddox, everything appears appropriate.

The hands seem light, but upon reading that does sometimes occur. The lume seems to match. I hope to see the “guys” of the watch soon and can report back. With photos and my take.

 

The hands do look light but given the all around condition of the watch they could be ok.

The 2911xxxx serial is correct for a DON bezel and step dial. It is also associated with brown dials which it appears this has.

The case looks slightly worn but unpolished (better pics required to confirm).

Given the C24 watermark I'm assuming this is priced high.

 

See if you can get some sharper photos of the hands.

 

Good catch. I didn’t notice the brown until you mentioned it.

 

@Davidt Yeah It’s high on C24. The seller has it listed on his personal site as well. It’s less expensive via that route.

 

Will do sir.

 

I’m guessing the hands are service replacements, based on the way the tips look.

The case is nice (but I’d want to see more photos), as are the dial and the bezel. Nice watch.

 

Yeah I’m not as savvy on the “what a watch like this should go for” scale. I know there are a lot of variables. I’m also of the schoolmpf thought that there are intangibles such as how it looks to the beholder. Also, sometimes, more often than not, vintages watches are greater than the sum of their parts.

 

To a degree, but even vintage watches can usually be pigeonholed into a price range. A collector may well overpay for a watch because it speaks to them, but it doesn't mean it is worth that. Come reselling time it will likely slot back into the expected range.

That said, these brown dials are where prices can vary and it gets subjective. One needs to be careful as a) photographscan misrepresent how the watch looks in real life and b) sellers get ridiculous ideas about what premium a tropical dial adds.

To properly asses this dial, you need pictures in natural light.

 

@Davidt I requested some photos in natty light. Will post ASAP. And thank you for your time and insights.

 

So I received a few new photographs of the dial and movement and caseback.

Here they are for your eyes to critique. Again to me it looks pretty spot on. The hands match. The lume seems to as well.

 

Man... there's something about such "prepared" photos that just give me the heeby-jeebys (staged set up of the box and papers, hands set to 10:10, but he got it wrong and set it to 2:49). Probably evokes this reaction simply because these are the photos that every scammer from Peru steals for their ebay listings. But still, it seems like when a seller goes to all of those details to make the watch look so 'good', what does it really speak about the seller?

I don't see anything wrong, so don't take me too seriously. It might be fine. But at best it seems guaranteed that you're over paying when you see listing photos like that.

 

from the sales ad alone :

"...and most importantly the DON bezel and when you look at just the bezel on this piece I challenge anyone to find one in better condition ... 3000GBP ... " -> challenge accepted (just wondering where to post my photographic evidence). This one has a chip on the '80', a chip between '70' and '65', chips round '225'...so not perfect, not sure about 3k GBP though, but it is a nice bezel.

Watch out, price might get doubled with this kind of enabling ... the fact that this wasn't mentioned in the sales ad obviously means that either it is hard to see the brown and/or this 'fact' wasn't known (however in the studio pics I can see it, but in the daylight pic not -> daylight normally lends itself to brown dials). I can't think of a dealer who would see/know this and not mention this (and price accordingly) .

 

According to the seller in regards to the patina or lack there of,

“Brown dial -I am always wary on my descriptions over colour as "tropical " dials can carry such a huge premium for what is essentially a defect in the dials however you are correct this period does show the most dials having a shade of Brown which can vary .I enclose a picture as requested taken in sunlight today.”

 

This is the case whenever someone sells anything though. I used to be in real estate and “staging” was the norm. You make the “goods” look their best. If you are buying a car, they do the same. So I can’t fault him for using lighting and angles.

Maybe I’m wrong, but if I was selling something I’d want to take flattering photos. NOT deceptive, but flattering.

Hell I do that with myself when I take photos

 

From the extra photos I'd say it's not a £3k bezel, and in natural light the dial isn't really tropical, so I'd price it as a standard black dial.

Did the seller comment on the hands?

Either way, it's quite a nice example. All comes down to price.

 

Yeah it’s currently at $8.6k. I am thinking I can get a touch more off. In your opinion, what should a watch such as this be priced at to be fair?

Brooks

Ps. I’ll ask if the hands are service. He disclaims that another of his watches has service crown, pushers, and hands so I assumed that meant this watch did not since there was no mention. I’ll press him on it.

 

What?!!! That might be a record for this reference.