Dad's old 105.012-65. 60 years and still keeping good time.

Davidt

Nice to see you back @nonuffinkbloke

I wouldn’t be in a huge hurry to get it serviced again. It must have only been done around 3-4 years ago?

noelekal

Yea nonuffinkbloke!

Hi! Great to see you looking in and nattering about your dad's watch. Great to see updated photos of it on its strap.

My dad was not a watch guy. He must have gravitated to Gruen. He must have run them until they failed then put them in his dresser drawer and bought another. I remember seeing several Gruens when I was young and have a couple. Also have his last watch which is a Timex Expedition.

I seem to recall you talking about being near the Beatles "rooftop concert," but not going over because you were in school. You said you would have sagged off from school and gone over to Savile Road if you'd known about it and I remarked that I would have played hooky and accompanied you if I had lived there rather than in Texas. We were apparently about the same age.

How did our age get to be so old?!

Vinz Clortho

The story makes the watch and definitely a cool pic! Back when most watches were small the Speedmaster was a beast comparatively.

And remember, you might be cool, but you'll never be that "70s tinted sunglasses, a deep v button shirt, and a 321 Speedmaster which was a few years old at the time" cool!

F Freedom7

I'd say you're quite lucky. Your old man must've been a very cool guy (and looked to me a bit like a mix between James Coburn and Willem Dafoe). Do you recall why he chose a Speedmaster as his watch of choice? Not that I have my dad's watch, but I believe he wore a Timex. A Boston jeweler friend of mine once recommended looping a piece of polyester (not cotton), thread through the back of a watch bracelet and around your wrist, secured witrh a slipknot, so that a collectible watch would have a nearly invisible lifeline in the event of a springbar failure. I haven't tried it and don't know how practical that would be if the watch is your daily wearer. I'm super low on the totem pole in terms of watch knowledge, but if I were going to wear a Nato strap against the back of the case, I'd at least get these: https://www.amazon.com/Line-Watch-Caseback-Protection-Stickers/dp/B015BR3HVA

nonuffinkbloke

Hello everyone. Hope you're all well.
I thought it would be nice to get Dad's old Omega Speedmaster Professional 105.012-65 out of it's red pouch for the summer.

The old 1970s 1171/633 service bracelet, that my Dad had fitted, is worrying me a bit, so I've put it on a NATO style band. It just feels a bit more secure.

I love this photo of my Dad wearing it, on the 1171/633, replacement service bracelet, some time in the early to mid 1970s. The dial was still black back then, 50 years ago. Dad's been gone over 20 years now and it's such a lovely thing, that I can wear it in 2025.

It's probably due another trip over to Simon Freese, but that'll have to wait for now.
It's ticking away quite nicely, for a 60 year old 321. Pushers are starting and resetting the chrono hand back to 12, so nothing dreadful happening so far.

It's still the only watch I own, so I'm looking forward to enjoying some wrist time with it over the summer. Thanks Dad.

nonuffinkbloke

It wasn't new, when he got it, (probably bought at Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium)