Watched this video of a Cal 321 CK2998 with a displayback doing its thing in full 720P on loop like 50 times without getting bored, even though the finishing of the Cal 321 isn't to the same standard as the Patek Philippe CHR 27 series movements, but in its own way, the less decorated but none the less elegant movement in the Speedmaster looks the part. So I'd decided on a 145.012-67 some time ago, I like the CK2998 and 105.0x references but for me the twisted lug, straight baton hands, "professional" script on the dial, and applied Omega symbol serves as both the swan-song of the Cal 321, and the final iteration of the column-wheel Speedmasters, that every Speedmaster from 1968 through to 2012 today is modeled on, and being the most common of vintage references gives a great deal more choice of examples. So I've been looking a long time, since this website was started in early 2011 in fact, I've been looking for my ideal 145.012-67 Speedmaster, I NEARLY bought one six months ago, which had a nice hand set, an ok case, no bracelet, a fair bezel, but a dial with the tritium lume all scraped off and re-lumed, for $3,000, which I thankfully passed on. Perfection wasn't quite what I was after, I don't mind being the first restorer of a piece as long as a dealer or as Hoi calls them an "eBay doctor" hasn't beaten me to it. So after consulting a couple of our resident Speedmaster experts I went and picked up this on off eBay for $2,200 USD (Around $2,100 AUD):
Cool watch. Something tells me you're going to love it. It's going to be a lot of obsessive fun getting all the way you want it.
I think I've got a hand set lined up Next decision is... for the displayback, do I want polished... or brushed finish?
At $185 these are pretty good value, the OEM Omega ones are almost $500 on eBay, and the writing around the edge about it being the first and only watch worn on the moon looks stupid on a pre-moon Speedmaster, which is why Fr John had the engraving polished off of his http://www.thomas-preik.de/epages/m...diaprodukte/Products/005/SubProducts/005-0002 The caseback also includes the correct spacer to fit against the movement
At some point someone's going to ask you to explain what makes a manual wind Speedmaster cool, being able to take it off and show them how a chronograph movement works while they watch it activate and deactivate is pretty cool, and would help people that don't really get why mechanical watches are so significant understand.
Only reason I'd considered polished was that the underside of the lugs is already polished but I don't even know if the normal Omega casebacks are polished or brushed, they're more concentric than anything else
There are, off the top of my head a platinum limited edition was made not that long ago with a skeleton dial and caseback
I see your point, but the lugs are semi shinny, with striations. That back is just too ultra bright. I would get the brushed back and then hand polish a little with a cloth until you got it just right.
Also got to find some black and brown leather straps that fit the OEM Omega deployant clasp... its one of the ones where the tang buckle end goes on TOP and the holed length goes under, so you need it to have no fixed keepers on the tang side which makes it slightly trickier. The OEM deployant is brilliant btw
it was solid. http://www.ebay.com/itm/17083590662...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2648#ht_4754wt_1410Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network