Hi, just wanted to share some pictures of a Speedmaster 145.012 from 1967 I just worked on, very nice example of original dial and hands​

Rare to see dial and hands in untouched condition, hope you collectors enjoy the pics although it's from my iphone​

Cheers

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Question-
I take it you are a watchmaker.
My 145.012-67 has the hour and minute subdials
both with a "sealed" spindle where the hand attaches.
The watch you show has only hour spindle "sealed".
Both my watch and this one have an open hole in the
seconds subdial spindle. All mine look as if they have never
been touched(no paint missing, seal) The watch you show looks as
if the minute subdial hand may have been removed and replaced
as the "sealed" look is missing and the paint there is not
as white. So, my question is, IU have always wondered if
this is a "tell" that the hands have never been removed(the sealed look)
And both watches look as if the seconds subdial hand has never
been removed, but they both have a Hole.
What can the you and the community tell me about this?

 

No Mike
I want to know about the sealed appearance of the spindle
the hands connect to. And whether that is the way they came
from the factory. Or do watchmakers seal them as normal practice during
service. etc. etc. etc. Why doesn't the seconds hand subdial spindle have
that "seal" I have noticed this as a possible pattern in watches I have seen.
Just trying to learn the why's and wherefores of what I have noticed.

 

Maybe a visual-

 

So why does the OP's hour counter have a covered over center
and the top picture I posted, and lots of others I have seen?
Anyone know? Maybe a watchmaker will know

 

Possibly. Possibly a different type of fastening.
On the OP's post it doesn't look like paint.
Looks like a little dome.
Maybe at service many watchmakers touch up the
rivet with paint after removing the hands. Just
wondering. I have seen many like this.
Many with broken paint on the rivet.
Since the OP was a watchmaker-

 

I believe I agreed with Mike saying Possibly

 

Fantastic thread and images!

 

There is no "seal" from the factory - I think every new Speedy hand I have ever seen has some hole in it. Also, all these hands are friction fit onto their respective posts - there is no alternate way of fastening them on a wrist watch at least.

I can think of 2 possible reasons for these "capped" hands:

1 - If someone does not install the hands correctly at service (misaligned) some watchmakers will push on the hand and turn trying to line the hand up properly - not a good way of doing things and often why hands have paint missing on them. Of course the hand should be removed and reset to correct this. So someone may be touching up the hands after damaging the paint.

2 - Another reason is a hand where the rivet has come loose. The hand is made in 2 parts - the flat portion of the hand is revited to the tube that fits over the post. Again that "push and turn" style of mounting hands can cause the rivet to come loose, so the hand flops around even though the tube is tight on the post. Some people will glue the hand and tube together, rather than fixing it properly (pull the hand and tighten the rivet). I have seen hands with glue that was mixed with paint to hide the repair as much as possible.

If anything IMO this "cap" is an indication the hands were removed and replaced, not that they have never been removed.

Cheers, Al

 

Just to let you all know, there is no cap on any Omega Speedmaster hands and the hour counter hand also got a hole in it but it isn't the best picture quality so it's hard to see. Of course these hands have been taken off and refitted serveral times but seams to be all original not replaced at any time, maybe I shouldn't have used the term untouched but for me as a watchmaker untouched condition is when the original parts are still intact and not been replaced but hey I just wanted share some pictures of a nice watch that i like. Thank you for all your nice comments

 

Al
Thank you for replying. This expalins another little nuance of the watch hobby.
We all learned something today. Your input on this forum is invaluable. This
explanation was exactly the answers I was wondering about. Another piece of
the puzzle to determine the history of a watch. Thanks for taking the time!