Omega Speedmaster 145.022-78, the Hunt is finally over!!

Posts
166
Likes
208
Good for you! Congrats on finding what you've been looking for. 👍
 
Posts
16,307
Likes
44,935
Thanks Dave!

When we started this adventure, we agreed on the condition of the watch.
He didn't want a perfect/minty watch, since he would use it often.
So a Speedy with some battle scars would be perfect!
I showed him Williams website (Speedmaster101.com), and forced him to read everything!
He came back to me the day after, and said that the vintage watch world is amazing, but also crazy!
He had never thought that there was so much work and effort with this.
Some people love the path, some just want the goal- nothing wrong with either but collectors seem to be all about path.

My brother called me and said he was looking for a fun car that he could commute the 3 miles to work with daily (and maybe have fun on the weekends) since his 17 year old son was driving his Subaru daily. I asked his budget and he said around $6.5k. I spent 2 days going through listings in his area and probably sent him 30 viable cars from late 00’s BMW’s, VW’s, a couple of sporty Hondas, a vintage VW Beetle, a Ford pickup truck, a couple Jeeps- I even found a Porsche for a little more than his budget.…so many options if you have a little imagination and can turn a wrench for stupid stuff.
I think he got overwhelmed and decided to use über.
 
Posts
457
Likes
458
Congrats Hans! Me too still on the hunt for a birth year watch.
 
Posts
1,063
Likes
1,963
Lovely watch Hans, very happy foy you that you have found a nice example that will make a great watch for your brother !
 
Posts
2,056
Likes
4,183
Great watch and awesome sleuthing!

Help me find a march 1976 now! 😁
 
Posts
1,998
Likes
4,030
Some people love the path, some just want the goal- nothing wrong with either but collectors seem to be all about path.

My brother called me and said he was looking for a fun car that he could commute the 3 miles to work with daily (and maybe have fun on the weekends) since his 17 year old son was driving his Subaru daily. I asked his budget and he said around $6.5k. I spent 2 days going through listings in his area and probably sent him 30 viable cars from late 00’s BMW’s, VW’s, a couple of sporty Hondas, a vintage VW Beetle, a Ford pickup truck, a couple Jeeps- I even found a Porsche for a little more than his budget.…so many options if you have a little imagination and can turn a wrench for stupid stuff.
I think he got overwhelmed and decided to use über.

Don't get me started with help regarding cars… That a big Nono for me!
Even if I only help them with what color the car should have,
It gets thrown in my face a few months later - Why do black cars get so dirty…bla bla bla…😵‍💫
 
Posts
1,998
Likes
4,030
Lovely watch Hans, very happy foy you that you have found a nice example that will make a great watch for your brother !
Thanks Ron, but what a loooong journey!
But you do know how stuff can take some time!
 
Posts
1,998
Likes
4,030
Congrats Hans! Me too still on the hunt for a birth year watch.
Thanks Todd,
We can go cruising in New York for your watch!
😉
 
Posts
1,219
Likes
5,319
Congratulations on the find, Hans. What a double win for you brother having a you as brother and now this new Speedy.
 
Posts
1,998
Likes
4,030
Congratulations on the find, Hans. What a double win for you brother having a you as brother and now this new Speedy.
Yepp....You know the feeling of the hunt Ratana..😀
I got one Happy brother now, but another brother breathing down my neck....!

Take care!
 
Posts
1,063
Likes
1,963
Thanks Ron, but what a loooong journey!
But you do know how stuff can take some time!

Yes i know 🤬 and just off the phone with him and another "promise" to 100% start the rebuild on Monday and hopefully finished next Thursday, as he is off on Wednesday..... Between the long wait and enormous invoice i totally have fallen out of love with this one....🤔
 
Posts
219
Likes
176
What a lovely watch. For me the best part of collecting Speedmasters is seeing a newly restored and serviced watch. The fun of the hunt and tracking down the necessary parts is also a large element. Taking something which has probably been neglected, lying in a box or drawer, or even a safe and appreciating it makes it all worthwhile.
 
Posts
219
Likes
176
145.012 - 67 with 26,5xx,xxx movement (last of the 321's) aught to get your brother a 1968 Speedie. Problem is you pay 2 x 145.022 -78
 
Posts
1
Likes
0
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!

A great post. I’m also hunting for a 1980 one. So very useful. Any places to look would be greatly appreciated. Thanks