Omega Speedmaster 145.012 help

Gman77 · Fri. 10:11am

Hi,

Hoping to get some advice on whether this is a good deal. Found a 1968 145.012 for sale. Parts are all original, except the bezel is aftermarket and the bracelet is a 1171.

The condition of the watch looks good, but it has been polished. I can't really tell if it has been over polished based on the photos that were sent.

Watch was recently serviced by the "in-house watchmaker".

Asking 7.5k usd, which I think is a pretty decent price.

Thoughts?

Gman77 · Fri. 10:12am

Photo of the movement

LogDropper16 · Fri. 10:15am

I've been watching this one. No idea if its a good price but it is a pretty good looking example

SOG53 · Fri. 11:38am

Bracelet looks aftermarket- need to see inside caseback and endlink numbers.
Looks nice, but not a good price with AM bezel and polishing.

pitbos · Fri. 1:09pm

I’d dig deeper on the lume. Ask for some macro photos of the lume plots. Color of the lume plums and the off-white color on the hands is making me think you need to take a closer look. Condition of case looks decent from the photos to be honest. Would want some more photos to be sure. Whats the asking price?

Davidt · Fri. 1:56pm

I’d ask for some decent pictures full stop.

Those are nice pics if your posting on Instagram but not much use for actually assessing a watch for purchase

ZWD · Fri. 2:19pm

i saw this when it was first posted on reddit and the seller needed some convincing that the bezel was not a genuine DON. I would be mindful

Gman77 · Fri. 7:16pm

pitbos
I’d dig deeper on the lume. Ask for some macro photos of the lume plots. Color of the lume plums and the off-white color on the hands is making me think you need to take a closer look. Condition of case looks decent from the photos to be honest. Would want some more photos to be sure. Whats the asking price?

Seller said it wasn't relumed. Asking for 7.5k usd.

Gman77 · Fri. 7:17pm

Davidt
I’d ask for some decent pictures full stop.

Those are nice pics if your posting on Instagram but not much use for actually assessing a watch for purchase

What specifically am I looking for?

SOG53 · Fri. 7:22pm

Gman77
What specifically am I looking for?

Start your research here
https://speedmaster101.com/

You shouldn’t be buying a Speedmaster until you have been through this instructional site.

ibis888 · Fri. 7:31pm

As others have said, probably not a good watch to buy as your first vintage speedmaster. You will eventually wish you had a nicer example and have a tough time selling it.

For a similar amount, try to dig up a nice 145.022-69 from a trusted seller, there are even a few for sale right now in the private sales section.

3590.50s are great places to start as well.

Buy whatever correct very good condition Speedmaster your budget will allow.

WatchBreaker · Sat. 2:23pm

At $7.5k, you're not buying a $7.5k watch - you're buying a project wearing a good watch's price tag. Price the corrections: a genuine period bezel for a 145.012, when one even surfaces, runs well into four figures on its own - and as noted above, this seller already needed convincing that his wasn't a genuine DON. A period-correct 1039 bracelet with 516 end links - what this reference left the factory wearing, not the later 1171 - trades around $1,500–2,500, the end links carrying most of that. So the honest math is $7.5k plus several thousand in parts you'll hunt for years, to arrive where a correct example from a trusted seller would have started.

For balance: the movement photo looks right, and the serial in the 26.6M range sits correctly for a '68 delivery. It's not a bad watch - it's a bad deal, because every compromised part on a Speedmaster costs more to put right than it saved you at purchase, and the polishing can never be put right at any price.

Spacefruit · Sat. 9:56pm

Spectacularly unhelpful photos.
Just enough to be interesting and nothing to help evaluate properly
We cannot even see T marks.

It looks like a restored watch - doesn't mean dismissal, but I would want to see exactly what's going on. In view of the refinished sides, and the general parts replacement, I would be looking to see what I thought about the lume. That means close up photos of the surface of the markers, and the surrounding binder, or lack of it.

For a long time, I have thought a 321 Speedmaster movement with a number that fits a reference, is $2500-3500. So we look at rest of this watch for value. The case, we need to check - it could be a service case. although it has value, it is not something I want to buy. I reckon it around $1000 if service, more if a vintage 145.012, without corrosion. We cannot value the dial - until we know what it is. The bracelet is in the low 100's and a genuine replavement is the 1039, and if this were my watch I would wait until I fell accross one, rather than hunting.

We are in an area where someone without knowledge might loose a lot of money, and if this watch is offered for sale in public, a naive buyer will be competing with people who actually know what to look for and what the pitfalls are.

The only way to beat them, is pay more than the person who knows tha value and risks.

I suppose, thats what we call Newbbie Tax.

Gman77 · Sat. 10:24pm

Spacefruit
Spectacularly unhelpful photos.
Just enough to be interesting and nothing to help evaluate properly
We cannot even see T marks.

It looks like a restored watch - doesn't mean dismissal, but I would want to see exactly what's going on. In view of the refinished sides, and the general parts replacement, I would be looking to see what I thought about the lume. That means close up photos of the surface of the markers, and the surrounding binder, or lack of it.

For a long time, I have thought a 321 Speedmaster movement with a number that fits a reference, is $2500-3500. So we look at rest of this watch for value. The case, we need to check - it could be a service case. although it has value, it is not something I want to buy. I reckon it around $1000 if service, more if a vintage 145.012, without corrosion. We cannot value the dial - until we know what it is. The bracelet is in the low 100's and a genuine replavement is the 1039, and if this were my watch I would wait until I fell accross one, rather than hunting.

We are in an area where someone without knowledge might loose a lot of money, and if this watch is offered for sale in public, a naive buyer will be competing with people who actually know what to look for and what the pitfalls are.

The only way to beat them, is pay more than the person who knows tha value and risks.

I suppose, thats what we call Newbbie Tax.

Wow thank you for the detailed reply. Ive wanted a speedy with a 321 movement (with a nicely patina'd dial). I've been on and off with the search and thought this was a relatively good deal - turns out it's not. I'll keep looking but thank you and everyone for the words.

Spacefruit · Sat. 11:42pm

Not so fast.

All I tried to recommend is investigate. As a newb you are going to pay a tax somewhere.

Either by buying from a knowledgeable and trusted seller (few and far between), or buying a watch like this and paying for parts/ upgrades and seeing where it takes you.

There is a chance you find a bargain somewhere that no one else has seen, and find the courage and conviction to buy it, but that also requires time luck and perseverance-arguably all have a cost.

This watch has a good movement. Especially if it is reviewed by a real watch maker. What I said is check the case is a 145.012. Check the dial for signs of lume work. If those two check out, and then try an offer, there are far worse ways into a 321 speedmaster.

Start with as good a dial and case as you can. And haggle. Because you cannot compare this, or the end result to the value of an original in touched watch.

And enjoy the process

Omega Speedmaster 145.012 help

Gman77

Gman77

LogDropper16

SOG53

pitbos

Davidt

ZWD

Gman77

Gman77

SOG53

ibis888

WatchBreaker

Spacefruit

Gman77

Spacefruit

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