I've just realised I bought my first Speedmaster, a 105.012-66 CB, 5 years ago in January.

It made me think how much this hobby has changed in the last 5 years (at least for me). Prior to buying it I spent several months reading every article, web page and forum post I could find on vintage Speedmasters. At this point SP101 was not on the web, Moonwatch Only has not even been mentioned and in general, the interest, research and knowledge what not where it is today.

Most of my research and learning centred on the movement, bezel, dial and hands. However, for a rookie like me, the publicly available info wasn't nearly as sophisticated as it is now, so it involved a lot of leg work just to find the basics. I don't recall going into fine detail about the spacing of the T's, the font in Speedmaster or even considering blue/soleil dials. I was simply looking for long indicies and an applied metal logo.

For the bezel I needed a DoN. No thought to where the dot was on the 70 or even the slightest worry about fake DoN bezels.

Where the movement was concerned I wanted a 321 within a rough serial range, but this wasn't very specific and the coupling yoke being (a)symmetric didn't even figure. Same with the crown and pushers.

I jumped on the example below from this very forum and have worn it frequently over the last five years and will continue to do so.

As our hobby has evolved I now know the crown is a service replacement, the pushers I had installed at service were the correct short/wide head ones, but differentiate from the originals by way of their skinny neck.

Luckily I bought this from a respectable member here and as research evolved I confirmed the case, dial, serial etc were all perfectly correct. If I were to buy this now, I'd be going crackers searching out a flat foot crown, wide neck pushers etc etc, but this one reminds me that when I first started I was just interested in the major parts being original and the importance of the overall look. The minutiae was irrelevant to me and so this one will be staying exactly as it is.

Let's see your pre MWO/SP101 purchases!

 

No ... too embarrassed.

 

My first Speedmaster ever and the one acquired before MWO etc.



Also the only pre-mwo-sp101 one to still be with me today. Later, I found out that steel and gold end-links do exist

 

My first (pre MWO/SP101) Moonwatch....and still in the collection...

 

Vintage? When I bought I did not even know there were vintage Speedmaster watches, let a alone tritium, super luminoiva, straight lugs, twisted lugs, DON bezels, etc. I was even wondering why some Speedmasters were half the cost of others. Then I figured out that the less expensive ones had AUTOMATIC on the dial. Back then they all looked the same to me (much like they all look the same to my wife today). Bought mine on eBay back in May 2012 from a re-seller in Japan. I have serviced it twice since purchase. Given I had no clue when I purchased, it turned out well. Also, while I had no idea when I first had it serviced to state DO NOT POLISH, I now make sure none of the Speedmaters are polished at service.

It is a 3572.50 with tritium dial/handset and from the year 1997 according to Ilovemyspeedmaster.com. It has a peeling red box, but no papers. Only a blank International Warranty card, and I have no idea why it is blank.

 

It was a pleasure to sell that one to you David. It found a good home

OK, the crown is a replacement, and the pushers maybe needs some adjustments, but look at that gorgeous dial, bezel and case! I think you did very well for being your first attempt!

 

Hi Martin. It was a great first buy. I think a mixture of good research and being lucky with an honest seller helped. I knew I wasn't really ready in terms of my knowledge, but equally I loved the look of the watch and knew I wanted it so took the plunge. It turned out to be the right choice!

I remember bombarding you with messages within an hour or so of you posting it and thankfully I managed to get there first. Unfortunately it set me up for 5 years (and counting) of addiction to this hobby!

 

My first vintage Speedie attempt did not go well at all.
I joined OF in December 2014 but was reading, not very much evidently, as a guest in November. This was just as MWO was coming out but I hadn’t bought it yet. If I looked at Speedmaster101 it certainly didn’t sink in very quickly.

So, in November 2014, as the proud owner of a brand new Speedie 3570.50 (35% off of retail BTW, I decided I was ready for Speedmaster Vintage Prime Time and purchased, for about $7,000, a Ebay 2998-1 that had SOME issues.



The issues, most of which were (sort of) disclosed but not understood by Newbie Me were Incorrect bezel, dial, pushers, chrono and sub hands to start. Luckily, the sale had a 2 week return period so that after I realized what an idiot I was, I sent it back for refund. I didn’t help my ego when I stumbled on the OF thread regarding this watch and members were laughing at the foolish buyer.

So back to Britain went the Franken 2998-1 and the seller was nice enough about cancelling the deal. He did have some advice that perhaps vintage watch collecting was not for me.

 

Did proving him wrong turn into your collecting raison d'être? If so, I think we know who came out on top there!

 

Ha. No, I just figured I couldn’t do any worse on my second purchase which was this full setup Ed White. The difference was I now had purchased (and devoured) MWO, studied every section of Speedie101 and begun to participate here.

Within a few months, I was able to correctly navigate my way through a second, more successful, 2998-1 purchase, shown below.

 

My first Speedy purchase in 2014 was total luck - I had been lusting after 145.022's because they were in my budget, but while vacationing in Copenhagen, I came across a vintage shop that had this Ed White in the front window. Trigger sweaty palms and an elevated heart rate! The store owner asked if I knew what an Ed White Speedmaster was and I pretended to know, but in all honesty I'd spent no time even researching them because they were out of my price range and my "research" had really just been limited to drooling at wrist shots.

He agreed to hold it for me since I was leaving for the US the next day, which was fortuitous because it gave me a chance to actually research Ed Whites, and I leaned heavily on William's brilliant site. In fact, the research started in a pub down the block just minutes after walking out of the store! While I got lucky with this one and the "crash course" in Speedmasters has helped me avoid any mistakes since, trust me...I made a handful of awful purchases before this one.

Oh, also - the price that required so much research and handwringing? $5,000. Ohhhh, to go back to 2014.

 

My pre MWO/SP101/#SpeedyTuesday/Raynald -69
Don’t even know that was a step dial. Seller told me the center chrono is replacement hand though.

 

Lovely pictures. Just purchased my first 321 from Kringkily... can't wait for it to arrive. Have a feeling I will be wanting more than one

Never paid any attention to the Speedmaster. Then, while looking for a Seamaster, slipped one on my wrist. It was an instant attraction like non other! Ever since that moment, it has been constantly on my mind. Not sure if purchasing one is the cure or the beginning of an addiction

 

Not only Speedmaster buying/collecting has changed. There are many people that are going to buy watches to earn money fast now. Prices are getting higer and higer and it is crazy what prices are reached for standard models now. Especially Rolex and Patek are ment but Omega is following. It is a watch with history and Omega is still affordable to "normal" people.

But when I see your pictures I can imagine, what prices are paid for them. Good old times. But I still love watches, even it is a crazy time to buy.

 

I know it's not vintage but where it all started for me.

Guess I got very lucky in 2012, having been collecting Apollo space memorabilia , came across this watch whilst scouring Ebay, box was signed by Buzz Aldrin which is why it showed up in my searches.

Instant love. Big risk bidding on watch in USA when I live in UK but was only bidder and now realise how lucky I was. This then led me to this site and then the books and then the collection !!!

 

Sadly sold my 105.003 Ed white to fund another financial obligation. here are a few pics.

 

And my first vintage speedmaster in tropical. Also gone but not forgotten...

 

My first Speedmaster came from a member here. MWO existed but I'd never read it. In fact, I'd never even seen a copy. I had expressed an interest in buying a Speedmaster and was appraoched by two members who were ready to sell but hadn't written ads yet. One of those watches spoke to me. The asking price seemed reasonable. I didn't barter, question ... just liked the look and made a payment.

I invested in a 1039 for it to live on. Like many vintage Speedmasters, it has aged in a way that has made it unique. I still own it. I am likely to own it until it's passed down to some lucky nephew or godson. When that kid comes along and says "my uncle left me this watch ... ", kick his arse. Tell him how lucky he is. Tell him I said I'll come back and haunt him if he ever sells it.

 

My pride and joy, bought back in 2007 when the great Chuck Maddox was still alive and was tirelessly trying to enlighten us with his experience, insight and wisdom.

If i could just manage to restrain my anxiousness to buy one as quickly as i could find the funds to do so and listened to his advice more carefully, but as my late father used to say "in order to learn something important in life my son, first thing to know is that you always have to pay. Either with money or with sentiments".



This was certainly the beginning of a wonderful journey that still goes on today, fueling the sparks of a passion that laid rather dormant before the purchase of this symbolic timepiece for me.
Of course i did not have even the slightest idea regarding how far i would have to go in order to finally being able to enjoy the watch it is today, but now i realize that even if i could do it all over again i would not change much...well almost...

To me this is exactly what the great Greek poet Konstantinos Kavafis pointed out, when he talked about the significance of the journey itself rather than of the actual destination.

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