Help on Speedmaster 145.012

[NYNJ3006]

Hello everyone. I’ve been an avid reader here for some time, but have refrained from posting (largely because I’ve yet to learn enough to have anything to contribute). I have an opportunity to pick up a Speedmaster 145.012 for roughly $10k. Pics below. I’ve been staring at watches online for so long and disqualified so many for various reasons, this one is striking me as maybe too good to be true. That said, all the obvious (to me) stuff I’ve learned to look for checks out. What says the experts here? I sincerely appreciate any help.

 

[ibis888]

Clean looking watch, amazing bezel.

I’m no expert but here goes: tough to see the color of the lume with the glaring light and looks a little polished if that matters to you.

I would personally ask to see a photo of the dial in normal lighting conditions to make sure the lume color was something I could be comfortable with.

Has it been serviced recently? If not, need to factor in a service and finding someone to service a 321 is not always easy.

Speedmaster 101 (spacefruit) has some great assessment videos on youtube that are very helpful.

 

[ortope]

Nice watch.
The crown and the trotteuse could be not original to the watch.
The band has been replaced, right ref. 1039, but wrong date.
Furthermore the end links should be #516 not #16.
An EotA would be helpful.

Cheers

 

[Spacefruit]

I wouldn’t be spending 10k on this without some in focus, correctly exposed photos

(Edited!)

Edited: Feb 21, 2024

 

[Aludic]

Spacefruit

I would be spending 10k on this without some in focus, correctly exposed photos

You would or wouldn't be spending 10k...? Personally, I would not. Going by the limited pictures available, I am forced to conclude that the lume is not exactly pleasing and it appears as if the chrono seconds hand has a lighter colour. It could be better in real life, but that is something I cannot tell based on these overexposed photos.

 

[ecarpino]

It’s not easy to judge with these photos but it looks like the case has seen quite some polishing. The lume is also not attractive and with nowadays declining prices plus what was mentioned before (wrong end links and bracelet date) I would never spend 10k USD for it

 

[hansaboy]

I've written it before to people who have asked:

Have you looked at the private watch sales here on the Forum??

😀

 

[befobe]

Okay it is a 321, looks clean, ok with the nice bezel, ok you have a 1039 (as already said, wrong end links wrong date), but with what seems to be a poor case, a poor lume, I would prefer spend 10kUSD in another 145.012-67, with a much better case, a much better lume, a coherent combo {serial/crown/chrono hand}, and without a 1039.
That's a personal opinion...

 

[Davidt]

It’s a nice watch at the right price but I don’t find the dial particularly attractive- it seems a bit pale and washed out (although this could be the ridiculously overexposed pictures). The case has also been polished so in the current market $10k is too strong imo

 

[Dan S]

I am seeing some lume loss on the dial, which is not appealing to me. It's hard to judge the case from those photos.

 

[140dave]

16 end links are not correct but who cares?!? 16 are harder to find and usually a bit more $$$ than 516 so that would worry me zero, actually borderline a plus. There are other concerns, and $10k is too much IMO, but I wouldn’t worry about the end links personally.

 

[pitbos]

Why, in the name of everything that is sacred, do people takes these highly overexposed washed out photos!?! My immediate reaction is that the seller is trying to cover something up. Perhaps they are I guess.

It's really difficult to offer any substantive feedback given the photos. I would like to say the bezel looks nice...but it's so hard to see the font clearly. The lume on the dial looks to have some dark spots - could be indicative of some moisture infiltration. I also see some pure white areas on the lume plots - usually indicative of lume loss. The movement, while it does seem to have undamaged screw heads, doesn't look very clean. I don't see any watchmaker markings on the inside of the caseback, but someone has replaced the gasket and the inside pusher stems look much too clean for an unserviced watch. So why have these parts been changed without any service markings? Lots and lots of unknowns. For me, resolving each of these questions is a time intensive proposition and unless i really like the aesthetics of the watch, I usually won't invest the time to resolve them all. It's up to you how far you want to go with this.

 

[Dan S]

pitbos

Why, in the name of everything that is sacred, do people takes these highly overexposed washed out photos!?! My immediate reaction is that the seller is trying to cover something up. Perhaps they are I guess.

You can't really see the lume loss in the overexposed photos. 👎

 

[befobe]

? I can:

 

[Dan S]

befobe

? I can:

That photo is much better than the rest, and really how I noticed the lume loss. Afterwards, when I went back to the overexposed photos, I could see it if I looked really carefully. 👍

Edited: Feb 21, 2024

 

[Spacefruit]

I would want to see focused shots of that bezel in real light before taking another step

 

[Spacefruit]

Op watch:


One of mine:




At the very least, the op bezel is not one I would value highly.

 

[Omarrye]

$10k? Pass

 

[befobe]

Spacefruit

Op watch:

One of mine:

At the very least, the op bezel is not one I would value highly.

Well spotted. Too fat. Agree!

 

[ibis888]

The OP appears to have disappeared.