Hi there, I'm in urgent need of a speedmaster authority, wondering if it would be ok to ask everyone here a few questions? I have stumbled upon a speedmaster ref 145.003, which I know to be relatively rare. It's probably got replacement parts including the dial and it's definitely got a DN90, sadly the hands do seem to have been replaced as well, due to how white they are. Good (or bad?) news is that the whiteness of the hands matches the dial as well. Key also is that it's got an internal dust cover, and the inside of the case back is marked 2998-2. I have read that the 145.003 usually has the 105.003 caseback, but not sure if it's ok for a 2998 caseback! The movement is signed with 321 and what seems to be a serial number of 25447166. The case has straight lugs and looks to have been polished to some degree, while as the hippocampus looks ok, the speedmaster is slightly faded from the master onwards So my question is - is this worth the purchase? Seems a bit franken, but this reference is fairly rare, wondering if I should bite he bullet and go for it? It does seem to be reasonably priced, around 145.012 pricing (Is it within forum topmost prices?)
I don't understand, what has the ref 105.003/ 145.003 to do with that Franken watch? IMO it's a movement likely taken from a Seamaster chrono, and put into a 2998 case. Then they finished off the creation with modern/ much later serviceparts, dial, hands and bezel/ tachy insert It's worth the sum of the value of the parts. As a collector, I shouldn't touch that "watch" even with a long stick...
It's clearly an assemblage. It's worth the price of a worn movement plus a worn case, and a couple of hundred for the bezel dial and hands, although if offering I would base my price only on the movement and case.
Hey marturx, my thoughts exactly! I'm not an expert on speed masters, is there anyway to glean that it's a sea master chrono from the movement shot? Id love to learn! Hi spacefruit, thanks for the info. I think we have many people in agreement on this so I'm gonna pass on the watch. Thanks guys!
The serial number might make sense for a 145.003.. it's just a smidge above the last one listed on speedmaster101 for a -65. But yeah, that's a put-together for sure! And interesting assembly of parts, all which might be useful in their own right, but definitely don't belong together.