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be.norm
路Hi all,
I'm looking to purchase my first Speedmaster and have been doing a lot of research recently trying to figure out the best way to go given all of the various references and the nuances of each. Ideally I'd love something with good character/history, but that still runs well as a near-daily wear. My budget is not huge, around $3k, which prices me out of the 321 calibers and seems to put me in the 145.022 spectrum. My other alternative is to get a near minty modern reference with the 1861 cal and put my own wear and tear on it (these seem to be plentiful at the $3K price point). Both options seem to have their pros and cons, but I think if I can find something with a nice bit of history that would be ideal.
The other day I came across this 145.022-74 on Chrono24, and it struck me as possibly "the one":
https://www.chrono24.com/omega/speedmaster-145022-74-s-e-r-lunga--id5394772.htm
As far as I can tell it looks to have the correct dial with a nice creamy fade to the lume, doesn't seem to be overpolished, etc., but to my dismay the bezel seems to be incorrect according to the article below, as it is missing the serifs on the 70/75.
http://speedmaster101.com/base500-bezel-identification/
That being said, with just a few articles worth of knowledge under my belt I am far from an expert, and I thought I'd pose the question to you guys - what do you think?
I have an email inquiry out to the dealer to ask about any known service dates/how the watch is running, and am waiting for his response. At $2900 I believe I should be getting pretty close to an all original 145.022-74, but maybe this is still an OK deal. Does the later bezel matter all that much (if it is in fact "incorrect"), and if so could I replace it later on down the line?
Also, I realize that this does not come with a bracelet, but I'm OK with that because I actually really like the leather strap it's on and there doesn't seem to be any shortage of period-correct bracelets on eBay to complete the package once my wife gets over the fact that I just spent the equivalent of a mortgage payment on something I'll be wearing on my wrist 馃槈
Anyways, that's my long what-am-I-to-do? post. Thanks so much for all of your help, I've really learned a lot combing through these forums, and am excited to continue my Omega education!
I'm looking to purchase my first Speedmaster and have been doing a lot of research recently trying to figure out the best way to go given all of the various references and the nuances of each. Ideally I'd love something with good character/history, but that still runs well as a near-daily wear. My budget is not huge, around $3k, which prices me out of the 321 calibers and seems to put me in the 145.022 spectrum. My other alternative is to get a near minty modern reference with the 1861 cal and put my own wear and tear on it (these seem to be plentiful at the $3K price point). Both options seem to have their pros and cons, but I think if I can find something with a nice bit of history that would be ideal.
The other day I came across this 145.022-74 on Chrono24, and it struck me as possibly "the one":
https://www.chrono24.com/omega/speedmaster-145022-74-s-e-r-lunga--id5394772.htm
As far as I can tell it looks to have the correct dial with a nice creamy fade to the lume, doesn't seem to be overpolished, etc., but to my dismay the bezel seems to be incorrect according to the article below, as it is missing the serifs on the 70/75.
http://speedmaster101.com/base500-bezel-identification/
That being said, with just a few articles worth of knowledge under my belt I am far from an expert, and I thought I'd pose the question to you guys - what do you think?
I have an email inquiry out to the dealer to ask about any known service dates/how the watch is running, and am waiting for his response. At $2900 I believe I should be getting pretty close to an all original 145.022-74, but maybe this is still an OK deal. Does the later bezel matter all that much (if it is in fact "incorrect"), and if so could I replace it later on down the line?
Also, I realize that this does not come with a bracelet, but I'm OK with that because I actually really like the leather strap it's on and there doesn't seem to be any shortage of period-correct bracelets on eBay to complete the package once my wife gets over the fact that I just spent the equivalent of a mortgage payment on something I'll be wearing on my wrist 馃槈
Anyways, that's my long what-am-I-to-do? post. Thanks so much for all of your help, I've really learned a lot combing through these forums, and am excited to continue my Omega education!
