Community Stories

Modding a 60th Anniversary Speedmaster

arcadelt
Posts
1,040
Likes
1,337
Does anyone know or care to guess if the following would fit on a 60th Anniversary Speedmaster:

* A black DON or DNN bezel?
* A dial for a 3594.50?
* The hands for a 105.003?

I presume that since the dial and hands already fit on a cal 861/1861 they should be OK, but if anyone thinks something else might get in the way, that information would be appreciated. The bezel is a different a story and we may need to wait until the watch is in a watchmaker's hands to find out for sure.
 
w.finkenstaedt
Posts
680
Likes
754
Bezel will be tricky as I don't think there's a bezel that will accept a hesalite crystal; otherwise, the dial should fit no problem.

Hands should fit but will look funny with tritium vs SLN on the dial. Normal batons will look really close but will not have the teardrop counterweight that Ed Whites have.
 
Archer
Posts
27,572
Likes
70,178
w.finkenstaedt w.finkenstaedt
Bezel will be tricky as I don't think there's a bezel that will accept a hesalite crystal; .

Can you please explain this - not sure what you are referring to as the bezel has nothing to do with the crystal...
 
abrod520
Posts
11,723
Likes
37,871
arcadelt arcadelt
Does anyone know or care to guess if the following would fit on a 60th Anniversary Speedmaster:

* A black DON or DNN bezel?
* A dial for a 3594.50?
* The hands for a 105.003?

I presume that since the dial and hands already fit on a cal 861/1861 they should be OK, but if anyone thinks something else might get in the way, that information would be appreciated. The bezel is a different a story and we may need to wait until the watch is in a watchmaker's hands to find out for sure.

Do it to an FOIS instead, it'll be a lot cheaper

https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/4fk28n/omega_speedmaster_fois_sort_of_first_step_of/
 
arcadelt
Posts
1,040
Likes
1,337
w.finkenstaedt w.finkenstaedt
Hands should fit but will look funny with tritium vs SLN on the dial.

Unless the dial lume is changed to tritium.
 
w.finkenstaedt
Posts
680
Likes
754
Archer Archer
Can you please explain this - not sure what you are referring to as the bezel has nothing to do with the crystal...
Sorry, I thought the case would make a difference (as for the Pro there's a different case for the sapphire vs hesalite) and assumed that bezels would be individual as well, though maybe it doesn't make a difference?
 
Archer
Posts
27,572
Likes
70,178
w.finkenstaedt w.finkenstaedt
Sorry, I thought the case would make a difference (as for the Pro there's a different case for the sapphire vs hesalite) and assumed that bezels would be individual as well, though maybe it doesn't make a difference?

The case certainly makes a difference, but if you look at the regular Speedy Pro models, the bezel itself is the same for both plexi and sapphire versions. That doesn't mean I'm saying a regular bezel will fit this case, just that it's not really related to the crystal type.

Cheers, Al
 
abrod520
Posts
11,723
Likes
37,871
arcadelt arcadelt
Can't fit a hesalite crystal to an FOIS.

arcadelt arcadelt
You might also be missing out on the flat link bracelet.

Chances are with the money and effort you'd put into all this, you could find the real deal somewhere - for the $6500 that the 60th LE costs, plus the $3-5000 for the DON bezel, you could probably even get one with a flat-link bracelet of some sort (probably 1035, and many have 1039s that were shaved back in the day).

Frankly I wouldn't have expected this route from you, given your (rather harsh) opinion of modded watches!
 
alam
Posts
8,139
Likes
19,087
arcadelt arcadelt
Does anyone know or care to guess if the following would fit on a 60th Anniversary Speedmaster:

* A black DON or DNN bezel?
* A dial for a 3594.50?
* The hands for a 105.003?

I presume that since the dial and hands already fit on a cal 861/1861 they should be OK, but if anyone thinks something else might get in the way, that information would be appreciated. The bezel is a different a story and we may need to wait until the watch is in a watchmaker's hands to find out for sure.

..but, but why????? 😕 looks like the 60th is not your perfect watch, perhaps you should buy another watch??
 
arcadelt
Posts
1,040
Likes
1,337
abrod520 abrod520
Chances are with the money and effort you'd put into all this, you could find the real deal somewhere - for the $6500 that the 60th LE costs, plus the $3-5000 for the DON bezel, you could probably even get one with a flat-link bracelet of some sort (probably 1035, and many have 1039s that were shaved back in the day).

A mint one (collector grade) would be upwards of $20K, and this mod would create a new looking 105.003 replica, especially if you did without the DON - after all, there would be no stepped dial, so the illusion is already somewhat broken.

abrod520 abrod520
Frankly I wouldn't have expected this route from you, given your (rather harsh) opinion of modded watches!

Oh, that was months ago. LOL.

These are just questions for something that would probably never happen. It's a bit like the "which $100K watch would you buy" or "would you bid on the Paul Newman 'Paul Newman' Daytona" questions. That said, the context in that other post was somewhat different, although I am not above admitting hypocrisy, or at best a softening viewpoint, on my part for entertaining the concept. However, as a weak defence, in that other post I was raising concerns about the implications of taking one modern watch and making it look like another modern watch that is indistinguishable from an original, so could very easily be used to defraud someone. That concern still stands. I don't think anyone would confuse this mod for a real 105.003. On the social media aspect of likes for mods, given my viewpoint I doubt I would ever display what I had done if I ever did it, but who knows what the future holds, so never say never - I'm certainly not perfect, and don't claim to be (well, at least until my next post anyway).
 
arcadelt
Posts
1,040
Likes
1,337
alam alam
..but, but why????? 😕 looks like the 60th is not your perfect watch, perhaps you should buy another watch??

It's just a question, although there is some motivation behind it that is a mix of wanting a birth year watch, but wanting it to look new and not cost $20K and not have a flimsy bracelet, but wanting it to be an accurate recreation like the 60th Anniversary Speedmaster, blah, blah, blah...

In the end, it's just a question.
 
abrod520
Posts
11,723
Likes
37,871
arcadelt arcadelt
A mint one (collector grade) would be upwards of $20K, and this mod would create a new looking 105.003 replica, especially if you did without the DON - after all, there would be no stepped dial, so the illusion is already somewhat broken.

Why not a wearable one then? There are perfectly attractive examples out there that while not collector-grade, are still very charming.

I understand about the new watch desire - I haven't seen an FOIS in person in awhile, but I can't recall the sapphire crystal being that bad. Considering it'd be a simple hands swap (that could easily be reversed) on a non-limited edition watch, I might start there and see how you feel about it. This could be done for less than $4k with a minimal potential loss if you decide you don't like it, reverse it, and re-sell it.
 
oddboy
Posts
9,217
Likes
24,049
I'd actually like to see this mod.

With no factual basis, I'd be somewhat surprised if an older bezel would fit, but if it did, we'll then that would mean the Base 1000 DON from the 60th would fit an older case.

If you do the mod, I'll swap you a bezel.. 😁
 
leetse2
Posts
415
Likes
495
I modded the FOIS with the 3594.50 dial, 1125 bracelet, standard Speedy hands, and 105.003 spear chrono hand. I only wish I could install a hesalite crystal... almost forgot, I didn't like how shiny the tops of the lugs were so I had them brushed.

FullSizeRender.jpg IMG_5829.JPG
 
yinzerniner
Posts
1,870
Likes
1,402
leetse2 leetse2
I modded the FOIS with the 3594.50 dial, 1125 bracelet, standard Speedy hands, and 105.003 spear chrono hand. I only wish I could install a hesalite crystal... almost forgot, I didn't like how shiny the tops of the lugs were so I had them brushed.

FullSizeRender.jpg IMG_5829.JPG
That looks pretty GD awesome, especially with the brushed lugs.
I think your route would probably be the best option, and there might be a way to custom fabricate a hesalite crystal to work with the case. I'm not 100% sure it would pass WR tests, but who's going swimming with their Speedy anyways?
 
Maganator
Posts
1,173
Likes
1,751
leetse2 leetse2
I modded the FOIS with the 3594.50 dial, 1125 bracelet, standard Speedy hands, and 105.003 spear chrono hand. I only wish I could install a hesalite crystal... almost forgot, I didn't like how shiny the tops of the lugs were so I had them brushed.

FullSizeRender.jpg IMG_5829.JPG
This looks great. Where did you source the dial?
 
2 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

shoota70

311.10.39.30.01.001 60th Anniversary Speedmaster Full Kit

shoota70 Watches For Sale
shoota70
shoota70
Posts
2
Views
3K
ninman

Modding a First Omega in Space

ninman Modern Omega Watches
M'Bob
M'Bob
Posts
14
Views
3K
shoota70

60th Anniversary Speedmaster 311.10.39.30.01.001

shoota70 Watches For Sale
shoota70
shoota70
Posts
0
Views
3K
Boony

Looking for a 60th Anniversary Speedy Poster

Boony Open Discussion
SouthernScot
SouthernScot
Posts
1
Views
587
Travelller

Speedmaster Caliber 321 "Ed White" - A Pictorial Review

Travelller Omega Watch Reviews
meravicci
meravicci
Posts
115
Views
51K
uwsearch

Got a 60th Anniversary Speedmaster poster... but I prefer Seamasters !!!

uwsearch Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
Pvt-Public
Pvt-Public
Posts
18
Views
4K