My wife offered me a Speedmaster a few years ago, and I am slowly realising that some elements do not match. Selling is not an option, so I am trying to "right" a "wrong" and make the watch what it should have always been. The Omega archives are saying 145.012 / 321 / July 1969 Pushers are the short type from a 105.012 Bezel (DN90) and caseback (145.022-69ST) are from a 145.022 1st step is to change the pushers. Problem: is the case a 105.012 or 145.012? Are there a physical difference? Including in pusher tubes' thread? If none, it is an "easy" one, change the pushers for new ones. Steps 2 (Bezel) and 3 (Caseback) are much simpler (but also much more expensive), and I'll keep an eye on both the usual trade places and my bank account to see when there is a match. My questions if you have time are the following: - Is a 145.012 case exactly identical to a 105.012? - Should (can) I keep the actual case, or I need to look for an other case as well? - Given my serial 26.541.xxx, I believe I should be looking for a 145.012-68 ST caseback. Sounds right? - See here and there mentions of SP pushers? How do I know which type is my actual case? - If my watch was born with a 145.012-68 SP (instead of ST), would it show on the Omega papers? (which means I would have to rethink my search) Note: The rest (321, hands (including square chrono hand which should be the case in 1969), crown) look right...
Looks like you have lots of concerns. Best place to start is more pics. Movement, caseback, omega docs, more angles of the watch. Is this a stepped or flat dial? It should be but more pics of dial from sides is needed to confirm.
It's a tricky one. The extract pulled indicates the movement was born in a 145.012 case. Likely 145.012-67 I do believe that the pushers are original to the case, which means it's a 105.012-66 HF case. What you need is then a whole 145.012-67 case. Also you need a correct chrono second hand for 321
Here is the Omega Archive. For more pictures, I'll need to get the camera out. the iPhone is struggling, especially with today's light. Regarding the second hand, I am a bit surprised. When checking speedmaster101's site (http://speedmaster101.com/145-012/), I see that the last 145.012 had a flat ended spear, and with a 26M number and a July 69 date on the extract, this one would qualify as "towards the end of production"
So, a few pics that could clearly be better... The dial is the stepped kind, the crown recent but I believe the right type for the model/year. The 1171 in ok shape appart from one main thing: hairline on the spring that could give anytime, so I wear the watch with a modern 1171-1 while waiting for a solution. Regarding the case, if I just change the pushers (can I?), do I then have the correct specs, or there are more differences I am not aware of?
I know some of these shorter pushers are compression fit, where-as I believe all the larger ones from '67 onwards are screw fit. Given that we can't be sure what case you actually have, you'll probably need a watchmaker to see which pushers your case can take. As Marturx says, it's very possible you'll need a whole new 145.012-67/8 case. These do come up occasionally. I'd also gather all the serial info you can (it might be in MWO) and see if your serial corresponds with a 67, a 68, or both. The 67 is more common so it will be easier to locate a 67 caseback.
Thanks a lot for the comments! Do you know if there is a way to know if you have compression pushers without removing them? Do they look exactly the same from the outside or even from the inside of the case?
As far as I'm aware, these shorter pushers can be both screw and compression fit. Unfortunately I don't know if there's a way to tell without starting to remove them.
What a terrific present. I'll be showing my wife this thread! I'd certainly take it to a Watchmaker and get him to look at it as the movement looks like it really needs a service. He could sort out the pushers at the same time. It also seems to have hour totaliser creep which I think these can suffer from (in your first picture, the seconds and 30 min totaliser are both at zero but the hour hand isn't) which he would also sort. I know this wasn't your question but I'm sure you want it to last a long time and that's going to help. I'd be careful if you're going to take the case back off as above. Give it a good clean before doing that and even then be careful not to get any dirt inside and read up on greasing the seal. Great watch anyway, even if some parts may not be 100% correct. The way these prices are going, I may never get a 321 Speedmaster... Regards, Chris
It is a lovely present, with some problems that will be corrected, but a lovely present. To answer your questions, yes it needs a service, but nothing too serious, and the hour hand reset will be taken care of then. It also lives with the sapphire caseback, not the 145022 as I love watching the 321 once in a while, so the dirty one does not go back on right now. Now I hope that the pushers are the threaded type, and fixing these will be dealt with during service. Of course if they are compression, I need to find a whole case :-( That should be the first step of putting back on track. Step 2 and 3 (bezel and caseback) will happen when I find the parts which could take some time, and of course only if my banker agrees
Note that I got it 5 years ago and that this is my daily driver, only replaced by a PO when I am away from home as I always remove the 321 before sleeping or showering and I always fear I might forget it somewhere. The PO does not care about water or dirt
Ah nice to know you realised about the service. You never know with the newer members. Makes me sound like an old hand which I'm not. Some of the Speedy guys (in particular) on here do go in for doing some tinkering with their watches but changing interference fit pushers would not be easy and best left to a Watchmaker. If you have a look through @Archer posts, you may even see how both these and the screw type are changed. Great that it's being used as intended. Cheers, Chris
I am new on this forum as I just moved to the UK from France. I used to be on a French forum before (Chronomania). But I will not do anything on the watch myself (appart from swapping bezel and caseback). For the rest, I need to find the watchmaker. Any recommendations around London anyone?