Hello, I owned three Omega Speedmaster which were buyed new and of course unpolished within 1 year (with foil on the watches). The SNs are on two nears on the third it is a bit higher -> 77x, 77x and 87x. I found a long time after I owned two at the same time that all three has different cases. Here are some examples with pictures - the lug is on one older modell rounded at the end, on the other it is straight - on the bottom you can see this good. One has a round area where the other has a flat part - the polished edges are different in size - this is two times the same picture but I want to descripe the difference with a picture. On the newest modell the crossover from the polished diagonal area to the very small brushed area on the top which you will hardly see is not very clean. On the older modell the crossover is very sharp. The last difference is the brushing. In the older one it is "deeper" and it looks like the brushing lines are longer and not so many short lines. Did somebody noticed similar differences on NEW Speedmasters? Did someone of the Speedmaster experts know if there are still different case suppliers? I read that in the past "Huguenin Frères" and "Centrale Boites" (partly a US case maker (star)) did manufacture cases for the Speedmaster. But I thought this is history and Omega produces the cases by itself today.
This is fascinating. I wonder if this is variance from craftsman to craftsman, or the same guy but a function of hand-finishing each piece at the factory.
It is fascinating. My watch is both an 87million, and was delivered in the new box with the accessories. It has the "new" configuration as described above.
Thanks for the replies guys. An additional information. On all pictures the second one (the right or bottom) is the new modell (87xx). I forgot to mention it. Also I forgot to say that the serial number on the 87xx is lasered so you can read it if the crowns shows up. The SN in the older Speedy is bottom up and the font is a bit bigger. @g-boac I think that the variance is not because different persons are finishing the cases or the same person has a tolerance. For example, the lug is on the newer modell 87xx flat. Someone had grind the bottom. On the other modell the bottom of the lug is curved and has definitely no flat area. This are in my eyes different standards. Another example, the polished edge on the side without the crown. Here you can easily see the difference. I think if somebody polishes this area the decrease of material is very small. My assumption is that the case maker has changed or more than one like in the past produces the cases. @STANDY The 87xx is the new reference with the huge box. One 77xx was the new reference with the huge box also and the other one came in the new wooden box. @duc Good to know. So my new one is definite not polished from the vendor and is in the original condition different than the older ones..
This is very interested. I think that also the cases delivered in 1989/1990 were less high. If you see the cases' side of XX ANNIVERSARY special edition you can note what I am saying. What do you think?
87 million has the new bracelet too, right? STZ004194/5/6 ? This is what mine is and has the flat lug ends. Wonder if there's a new manufacturer for the steel components on the scene. Quite a few subtle differences that have largely gone under the radar. The cynic in me says China as the new bracelets don't explicitly state Swiss made like the old ones. That's based on no actual evidence though.
@milhouse Look on that Speedy XI: http://s271.photobucket.com/user/bayerischemotor/media/9ae5cc75.jpg.html Here are the lugs less rounded from the side. At around the 90s the Speedy has in my eyes the most different case. @jroam82 I read about China parts to, the braclets. I am not shure if this can be applied to the cases but I would not wonder if this is the case.