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hansaboy
·Dear Forum friends,
I have been looking for this reference for a looong time, maybe not so much the reference itself,
but that it had to be produced in the 1980....
Yes - I know how some of you thinks this is stupid…
Everything started a couple of years ago when I finally convinced my younger brother to start with vintage watches.
He loves watches, but only the new models, and wants to shop these at the retailers and boutiques.
And the only way to lure him in, was to say that a Birth Year watch is the coolest thing on earth!
He has a few modern Speedys, so the natural way was with a vintage Speedy.
Using the MWO book, searching the web, and also reading here on the Forum,
I nailed the reference to a 145.022-78.
And the search began…and continued....and continued...
To be certain that the watch was produced in 1980, an extract would be the perfect solution.
The problem here was that not many watches with this reference, that are for sale have an extract.
A perfect watch showed up, but it was in Israel, and that would have been a looooong stretch maybe.
I started searching info regarding extracts on watches that where sold or for sale,
and also using Eugene´s (Ilovemyspeedmaster.com) wonderful site, thanks @eugeneandresson ,
and started building a small chart.
My conclusion was that the serial nr should start from 44820xxx (Jan 1980)
and end around 44821xxx (Sept 1980) to be safe.
And I didn't have extracts after September.
But it was really hard to find a watch with a decent condition (Good and above) combined with the
serial nr that we where looking for.
I even placed an ad here on WTB section last year, and I got some help (Thanks Guys!),
but nothing that turned out correct.
I was even tempted to buy Davids lovey 71, trick my brother, and call it a day!
But Lo and Behold!
A few months ago, I might have found this reference at an auction house!
The auction house could not open the watch (so no serial/movement nr or reference nr).
It had the original document with the serial nr. and the reference ST145.0022.
And with my homemade chart - I got the production year 1980, and August!
I have to of course understand that nothing is rock solid without an extract - but this is as good as it gets (for me)!
I looked at the fonts on the dial, and the fonts of the case back, and they were correct for a 78.
The condition was not bad, and to be honest -
it could have been a beaten up, relumed, frankenwatch, whatever…I would have placed my bets on this one…
I was starting to get pissed over my brother hearing his questions every time we had a family gathering.
And my wife was starting to asked if this was worth all the fuzz…
I started the normal stuff with a watch that is on an auction, and made up my Gameplan.
But this time I had to take into account how seldom these Bastards come up!
It had some papers, a nice bracelet and extra links.
And guess what - I won the auction!
(No Shit Sherlock...)!!
The watch was shipped directly to Simon Freese, without me playing with the watch, for his love and care.
And since Simon has an amazing and huge workload,
I might have to wait to go to London until the end of the summer/beginning of autumn?
Attaching some pictures that I got from Simon.
Some comments though:
The movement - some of the copperplates have the look that somebody tried to clean away rust or decay?
The screw heads looks nice, and there is no watchmakermarks on the inside of the caseback?
Hmmmmmm??
Enjoy, comment and have a nice Sunday!
Yamas!
I have been looking for this reference for a looong time, maybe not so much the reference itself,
but that it had to be produced in the 1980....
Yes - I know how some of you thinks this is stupid…
Everything started a couple of years ago when I finally convinced my younger brother to start with vintage watches.
He loves watches, but only the new models, and wants to shop these at the retailers and boutiques.
And the only way to lure him in, was to say that a Birth Year watch is the coolest thing on earth!
He has a few modern Speedys, so the natural way was with a vintage Speedy.
Using the MWO book, searching the web, and also reading here on the Forum,
I nailed the reference to a 145.022-78.
And the search began…and continued....and continued...
To be certain that the watch was produced in 1980, an extract would be the perfect solution.
The problem here was that not many watches with this reference, that are for sale have an extract.
A perfect watch showed up, but it was in Israel, and that would have been a looooong stretch maybe.
I started searching info regarding extracts on watches that where sold or for sale,
and also using Eugene´s (Ilovemyspeedmaster.com) wonderful site, thanks @eugeneandresson ,
and started building a small chart.
My conclusion was that the serial nr should start from 44820xxx (Jan 1980)
and end around 44821xxx (Sept 1980) to be safe.
And I didn't have extracts after September.
But it was really hard to find a watch with a decent condition (Good and above) combined with the
serial nr that we where looking for.
I even placed an ad here on WTB section last year, and I got some help (Thanks Guys!),
but nothing that turned out correct.
I was even tempted to buy Davids lovey 71, trick my brother, and call it a day!
But Lo and Behold!
A few months ago, I might have found this reference at an auction house!
The auction house could not open the watch (so no serial/movement nr or reference nr).
It had the original document with the serial nr. and the reference ST145.0022.
And with my homemade chart - I got the production year 1980, and August!
I have to of course understand that nothing is rock solid without an extract - but this is as good as it gets (for me)!
I looked at the fonts on the dial, and the fonts of the case back, and they were correct for a 78.
The condition was not bad, and to be honest -
it could have been a beaten up, relumed, frankenwatch, whatever…I would have placed my bets on this one…
I was starting to get pissed over my brother hearing his questions every time we had a family gathering.
And my wife was starting to asked if this was worth all the fuzz…
I started the normal stuff with a watch that is on an auction, and made up my Gameplan.
But this time I had to take into account how seldom these Bastards come up!
It had some papers, a nice bracelet and extra links.
And guess what - I won the auction!
(No Shit Sherlock...
)!!The watch was shipped directly to Simon Freese, without me playing with the watch, for his love and care.
And since Simon has an amazing and huge workload,
I might have to wait to go to London until the end of the summer/beginning of autumn?
Attaching some pictures that I got from Simon.
Some comments though:
The movement - some of the copperplates have the look that somebody tried to clean away rust or decay?
The screw heads looks nice, and there is no watchmakermarks on the inside of the caseback?
Hmmmmmm??
Enjoy, comment and have a nice Sunday!
Yamas!
