Hands updated! Custom Project Omega Speedmaster “Engineer”

Deafcon · Jul 4, 2020

Some shots from custom project. I had a spare 861 movement out of a 1970’s Mark II that had a junk case. I sourced a NOS case, German market dial, and some hands. The sub dial hands are form the original watch. I went with a Decimeter bezel. I also used a Custom Watch Concepts case back, and a Leather strap on an Omega deployment clasp. Complete service, a little dynamic posing, casing and testing and it was done!
Various shots during disassembly:View attachment 1020637
View attachment 1020639

One cap jewel had a divot worn into. The end of the balance staff needs to be slightly burnished. I’m going to do that when I’m at the staffing and timing class next month at the AWCI.

Some dynamic posing was needed to correct a high delta in the verticals.

The results after removing a very small amount of weight from the underside of the balance.

The Pac-Man tool and tiny hand drill use while removing weight for the heavy spot

The end results: I call it the “Speedmaster Engineer” View attachment 1020645

Watet resistance testing passed:

BatDad · Jul 4, 2020

Really nice! How long did it take you to put together?
One sitting or spread over a few days?

JimInOz · Jul 4, 2020

👍

My only suggestion, minute hour hands should be black.

Davidt · Jul 5, 2020

Agree with @JimInOz black hands would look better. Apart from that it looks great. The white dial + decimetre bezel are a good combination

Deafcon · Jul 5, 2020

BatDad
Really nice! How long did it take you to put together?
One sitting or spread over a few days?

A few days or longer, as this isn’t my full time job. I maybe have 2 evenings a week that I can spend some time on watches, plus longer blocks over the weekend.
My normal process is taking the hands and dial off, then pre-cleaning the movement. I then disassemble it, make all the checks and inspections. Everything then gets pegged, and I switch the jars over on my cleaning machine and perform the final clean. That’s a couple hour process on the 861 for me. Usually on another day, I build and oil the base movement and make sure it is running good enough to continue. Again that’s a couple of hours. I typically let the base movement run for at least a day, but usually longer, checking on it each day. After all if well with the base movement, the rest of the movement is built and lubricated, performing all the controls and adjustments. This one needed some dynamic poising. Dial, hands and casing plus final timing checks, water resistance checks are next. Usually all the above takes me about a week with the little chunks of time I have for watch stuff. If it’s my own personal watch, I QC the watch by wearing it for a week and recording the time keeping each day. I also have a watch “windmill” I can use for basically the same purpose.

Deafcon · Jul 5, 2020

JimInOz
👍

My only suggestion, minute hour hands should be black.

The Hand selection was largely a byproduct of what I had. I do agree some black hour and minute hands would look better. I’ll see if I can turn some up. The question would be solid black or black with the center part polished?

ChrisInParis · Jul 5, 2020

Personally I’d go for solid black as per the chrono second hand you’ve mounted.

Can you tell us a bit more about the dial: I’m surprised by the lack of lume at 12 3 6 and 9 and the lack of the usual pair of balls at 12?

Deafcon · Jul 5, 2020

ChrisInParis
Personally I’d go for solid black as per the chrono second hand you’ve mounted.

Can you tell us a bit more about the dial: I’m surprised by the lack of lume at 12 3 6 and 9 and the lack of the usual pair of balls at 12?

The dial was for a German market Speedmaster Teutonic, 345.0803, made in 1982. I don’t personally care for that watch, but the dial is nice.

JimInOz · Jul 5, 2020

Deafcon
The Hand selection was largely a byproduct of what I had. I do agree some black hour and minute hands would look better. I’ll see if I can turn some up. The question would be solid black or black with the center part polished?

I'd go with solid black, as per the Teutonic if you can get them. Second choice would be polished centres.

Badwolf · Jul 6, 2020

Good work. Love a custom speedy!

tumbler · Jul 6, 2020

Very cool. I can't imagine how satisfying it must be to put that all together and watch everything kick into motion.

machamp6650 · Jul 6, 2020

Have you considered trying some solid black stick hands, like on the Apollo XI 1980 LE? Could go great with this dial.

Here's another recent speedy custom with a similar look, photo courtesy of @phrede

mzinski · Jul 6, 2020

Excellent project! Although I agree with the comments about the white hands.

killer67 · Jul 6, 2020

You guys are giving auction houses the next “prototype” idea. Great project

Tobimat2000 · Jul 7, 2020

What I really like with this project is that it is clearly a custom project and not a marriage or any kind of "lookalike" rebuilt Speedy. Kudos to you!

Sidreilley · Jul 9, 2020

Very nice! Glad to see a good watch brought to life from the parts drawer. I’m surprised that one doesn’t see Omega offer a wider variety of bezels given the wide variety of Speedys they have offered.

lando · Jul 9, 2020

Nice. Really like custom Speedies in general. Had a go at it last year myself:

31a_omega_speedmaster_custom_(1929)_squared.JPG

31b_omega_speedmaster_custom_back_(1924)_squared.JPG

Sidreilley · Jul 10, 2020

lando
Nice. Really like custom Speedies in general. Had a go at it last year myself:

Nicely done! I wish I was smart enough to “customize” these things.

Deafcon · Jul 19, 2020

The new hands arrived and have been installed.

Badwolf · Jul 19, 2020

That looks much better. Are they the black or grey ones? I have the black snoopy ones for my silver dial project.

Hands updated! Custom Project Omega Speedmaster “Engineer”

Deafcon

BatDad

JimInOz

Davidt

Deafcon

Deafcon

ChrisInParis

Deafcon

JimInOz

Badwolf

tumbler

machamp6650

mzinski

killer67

Tobimat2000

Sidreilley

lando

Sidreilley

Deafcon

Badwolf

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