Evening,

New to the forum and wanted some help identifying this watch that I have recently acquired.

I'm no watch expert and thought this would be a good place to start.

I've taken this watch to 2/3 jewellers/watch repairers but they all have refused to take the cashback off. They keep advising that it has to go to Switzerland, which I believe is ridiculous. I know its no £50000+ watch!

All I need is someone to be able to take the case back off and identify the serial numbers on the case back.

Would love to get your advise and see if you can identify it from my images without having the caseback removed.

 

Nice watch. Congratulations and consider yourself lucky they did not touch the watch.

Here is a great place from which to start to do your homework: https://speedmaster101.com/

 

At a guess, 145.012 (-67 or -68) or 145.022-68 Transitional, you can't really tell them apart externally. The 1171 bracelet suggests the latter to me, but it may have been fitted later to the former I guess. If you are wondering that the difference is, read up but in short the first uses the 321 movement and the second the later 861. The spear chrono hand seen there is more typically seen on 321 movement watches though so who knows!

 

Congratulations! That watch is going to clean up really well.

Tell us where you’re located and someone will suggest a safe watchmaker or two that you can entrust this piece to. It’s very special and the wrong ‘repairs’ can destroy the value and originality of it.

 

Thanks! Yeah hopefully gonna spend some time cleaning it up making it look nice! Its in really good condition considering its a 50+ year old watch.

I'm in the Bedfordshire area.

 

Nice watch. Hope it’s a 321 movement. Send to Simon Freese Watchmaker. I just got mine back from him and sending two more pieces. He was recommended by OF members. Would be worth ordering an Extract from the Archive assuming you don’t have documentation and once you have the serial number from inside.

 

I'm hoping its the 321 movement too. Thanks for the details, Ill try and get in contact with Simon to get the caseback removed.

Would definitely be interested in ordering an extract from the archives. This was my grandfathers watch and he purchased it new from Italy back in the 1960's

 

Please update when watch has been to Simon and if you get the extract. Nice watch with great history. Will be great when you can wear it.

 

For a quicker turnaround on taking the caseback off you can try bond street watch servicing in Luton. My Planet Ocean is currently with them. Their head watchmaker was at Patek Phillipe for 12 years and is L3 Omega certified. His workshop is in a large outbuilding of his house just south of Caddington. Richard is his name.

 

As mentioned above, all things considered, the odds are on it being a 145.012, but there are other possibilities if parts have been replaced. Any competent independent watchmaker should be able to open it for you. If you took it to an Omega AD, I can understand why they might suggest sending it to Switzerland, but it's hard for me to imagine an independent watchmaker suggesting that.

 

Hi,

Finally managed to get the back open on the speedmaster.

I've added some images, let me know what you guys think

Movement No. 2500965 321 movement


Thanks

 

Nice! that's what you are hoping for. Any image of the caseback? Would look to date to March 1968

 

That would seem to be an incorrect caseback unfortunately. That model has an 861. You are likely a

• ST145.012-67,-68 (Caliber 321)

 

I did think that after a little research, not to sure why.

Would this effect the value ??

 

Anything that isn't correct effects value, but not your own enjoyment!

Finding a correct caseback would be tricky and expensive though.

You can get an idea of value here https://www.ilovemyspeedmaster.com/productiondateprediction/

 

This watch was my grandfathers, from what I know he brought it in Italy in the late 60's. Unfortunately I don't have any paperwork

 

Very nice.. you should be proud to own it. Where are you based? It does look to certainly need a service.

 

The gentleman who took the caseback off can replace the seal for me so might be looking to get that done.

I'm based in Bedfordshire.