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I took a gamble on 2 auctions and ended up with a companion!

  1. Giff2577 Quick with the tools! Apr 20, 2016

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    So for my 500th post I thought I'd write about a project that I finished today. A few months ago I saw an auction listing for a group of Omega parts and saw a Speedmaster Companion dial! I could also spy a nice Seamaster Calendar dial. image.jpeg image.jpeg
    (Seller's photos). As you can see the parts are a bit mixed up as the calendar dial is in the box marked 344, and the box marked 601 has the main plate from the 503 calendar movement, but I was still very excited about this lot! I checked through the seller's many other listings and they had a lot of nice looking Omega cases up too. image.jpeg
    Hey now that is clearly marked 344... I bet these cases go with that movement lot. Sure enough the seamaster case goes with a 502/503 calendar but what about this middle case? They described it as a 135 01. Well that is very close to a 135.011 Speedmaster Companion! So I bid on both. I never like it when watches get split into separate lots but judging from the seller's other listings they were just unfamiliar with watches and not trying to drive up the price.
    Needless to say I won both lots but man was I nervous about getting stuck with winning only one. When they arrived I was most excited about the 135.011 and began the hunt for a donor movement as the 601 had a good deal of water damage, rust, and broken/missing parts. The case had a fair amount of rust in it. The inside of the missing crown was stuck on the case tube and part of the rusty stem was lodged in the case tube. I ended up drilling out the case tube on a drill press just to clear it out. It cleaned up nicely. Well here is the finished results: image.jpeg

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    The reflection on the dial is the gold cross on the church next door. Thought it looked cool.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg
    I enjoyed this project and look forward to the other projects awaiting me from these two lots. Thanks for looking!
     
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  2. DON Apr 20, 2016

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    Nice grab. Would you posting the link to the auction?

    Dial is a gem. 3 I owned had excellent dials

    I'm surprised I didn't see this as twice a day I'm searching for movements. Only way it might not have showed up on the main Ebay site is if was only listed on say the UK, etc sites

    By the way. I coined the phrase "Speedmaster Companion" when I bought my first one back in 2003

    Thanks

    DON
     
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  3. sky21 Apr 20, 2016

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    Very nice finished product, cool result from a couple of leftover parts auctions!!
     
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  4. Giff2577 Quick with the tools! Apr 20, 2016

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    I don't have the link to the listing right now. It was just a generic omega parts lot on the US eBay site. That is very cool that you coined the term Speedmaster companion! I have been looking for one for a while but when they turn up the dials are typically poor with heavy lume damage.
     
  5. Schmedsc Apr 20, 2016

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    Great project!! Cool looking watch!
     
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  6. ahsposo Most fun screen name at ΩF Apr 20, 2016

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    Very cool!
     
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  7. blacksharpie Apr 20, 2016

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    Very cool. Anything else you'll be able to cobble together from the other parts?
     
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  8. CdnWatchDoc Apr 20, 2016

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    Very cool final product! Good eye!!
     
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  9. DON Apr 20, 2016

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    Thanks for the link Matt, but way to high for what it is.

    When I bought my 3 - paid - $113.00 with some other Omega movements, $138 for the second and last was about $175

    Some I knew saw them, but laid off on bidding as they thought they were redials. Never seen before

    DON
     
  10. Joe K. Curious about this text thingy below his avatar Apr 20, 2016

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    Very nice and good eye. I love the dial layout on the companion. Unfortunately the watch was a bit too small for my wrist and I rarely wore the watch.
     
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  11. oddboy Zero to Grail+2998 In Six Months Apr 20, 2016

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    dibs! I want one!
     
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  12. Giff2577 Quick with the tools! Apr 21, 2016

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    I hope to bring both the Seamaster bumper and Calendar back to life.
     
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  13. cvera Apr 24, 2016

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    Cool that the auction worked out, nice watch


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  14. shawn.dww Apr 24, 2016

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    Looks great :)
     
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  15. ViaAppia Apr 27, 2016

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    Beautiful job
     
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