Hi,

I have an extract of archives for my Speedmaster 145.022-69 that shows delivery was to Guam. Anyone can shed some light if this was a possible delivery to an Omega AD or a PX purchase ? Thanks.

 

If it was PX they sometimes mention that it was shipped to the PX system not as a military issue. I'ts been awhile since I have seen one, but they more often than not are Navy if it was for the US. As @dsio said that era its almost unheard of to see sale to a PX marked on an extract. Does it list anything about delivery besides Guam?

 

Thanks guys. Nothing other than Guam.

I think probably private purchase from PX, don't think there is a thriving tourist industry in Guam in 1970 like it is today.

 

Hey guys what does PX mean?

 

It is short for Post Exchange. In the US it is short for any store that is run by the military on the base. They offer a range of goods from house goods, to watches and more. Often its the only place to get American-made goods and food in the area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_exchange

 

Thanks I have heard of this just did not know the abbreviation.

I watched a YouTube on a guy that bought a Rolex from a PX before he left to go home after the war and it was a 50's watch I think. HE took the watch to get appraised, he still had all the papers and boxes and receipts.

It was very interesting and they value his watch for a lot of money.

Thanks

 

In addition to Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam, there was also a NASA Apollo tracking station there at the time.
And as the OP says, not exactly a ton of tourists. So while military provenance can't be ascertained, it's not a bad bet.

I have a Straight Writing delivered to Guam, very close in production to the OP's as well.

Cheers,
-GW

 

Interesting to see that both our watches are less than 2 months apart in production and was delivered to Guam ! Here mine..also straight writing caseback !

 

New to the forum, but how crazy, my straight writing has the exact same production date and Guam also. I'm trying to find a period correct bracelet and box for it. Really cool stuff reading about the PX info you guys are saying. I never thought of that, but I was born in the mid-80's so awesome to learn some of this history.

 

Show us you speedmaster

 

Guam has a pretty big PX also…. But the Main Street does have a few big jewellery stores that all watch brands were available.
Has always been a little Hawaii and is a huge honeymoon place for Japanese and Koreans.

(Had a work trip there many years ago and was put up at a pretty big hotel….think I was the only person of the 200 odd room hotel not getting married. Hotel had about 5 wedding chapels. One night I ended up in a wedding party dinner as I was eating by myself and was roped into the celebrations by a few guests )

 

Also my 145.016 was delivered to Guam in 1969!

 

One of the pushers fell off, thank goodness I didn't lose it. I need to get it repaired this week. Here's a photo tho...

 

Looks like a batch of speedmasters was sent to Guam over a period of a couple months....

 

I was station on Guam right out of boot camp in 1980 on the USS Proteus AS-19 at the navy exchange you could special order stuff from watches to even a Harley motorcycle if they did not have it. My guess special order. I shipped my stereo piece by piece home one each payday no sales tax at the navy exchange.

 

Many a high end watch was bought at those South Pacific US bases back in the day. The Clark US air base in Angeles City Philippines was the largest US military base in the world and we have gotten countless watches from there. Mostly Rolex, Tudors and Seikos. Many of those US servicemen never left town and still live there from the Vietnam era. Quite a few of those "POW's" and "MIA's" were in fact holed up with some pokpok in town

 

I’ve had a Speedy 145.022 76 that was bought at a PX for $210 in Jan ‘79 - a significant discount on the $395 retail price. I presume the discount is part explained by there being no tax payable.