Hi everyone,

relatively new to this awesome forum.
If ok, I would like to open this thread with my speedmaster including a question:

My speedmaster is a 345.0808 with a serial 48.3xx.xxx.
The "mystery" I have been trying to solve is that my watch does not have a serial engraved into the lug.
If I am right serial numbers start appearing upwards of 48.260.xxx (tho not every info of 861 speedmasters can be transferred to 863 speedmasters, right?)
Two more things:
I have no intention and reason to question the watch itself. Got it from very well regarded collector and friend.

A few months ago I found a fellow collector selling his 345.0808 with a very similar serial (also 48.3xx.xxx)
his watch dated back to 1996 and also had no serial engraved into the lug. Plus, he was the original owner and had a extract which said case number not applicable.

Does anyone know why? Did they use old cases, simply did not laser them?
Been trying to find out why over the last months but could not figure it out completely.

Looking forward to a great time on this forum

for the fun of it a few pictures

 

As for your question - I don't think that Omega engraved a serial number on Speedmaster Pro cases at the time that yours was built. On Speedmaster automatics they put the serial number on the outside of the case-back, not on the case, and their serial numbers were in the 54-56 million range for the same years as the Pro models that were in the 48 million range. If I recall, you have to look on the movement to get the serial number back then.

Also, from what Archer told me recently, the 345 0808 is a case number, but not the watch reference number, and 145 0808 was an earlier case number according to him - I asked about this when we saw that my early 2000's reference number/model number 3572.50 with sapphire case-back had the numbers 145 450 0808 stamped inside the case-back (which I took to mean the case-back would be appropriate for both case numbers).

You definitely have an 863 movement. I'm not sure of your model number, whether a 3572.50 from the late 90's with an 863 before they upgraded to the 1863, superluminova, and jumped from 48 million serial to 77 million (they exist http://forums.watchuseek.com/f20/pr...er-professional-3572-50-cal-863-a-843351.html see jmsrolls post #2).

Some people used to claim that the 3572.50 only came with the 1863 movement, but your 48 million serial would put it right before the 1863 came out. A 3592.50 from prior to the early or mid 90's with 863 would have a lower serial number than 48 million.

 

my apolloXI has the serial engraved on lug AND on the movement wich is a 863 with 18 jewels but still engraved 17.
serial starts with 48271xxx it came with box and corresponding papers, so no doubt about that.

 

Service case?

 

why would they engrave SN on case for a service case ?

 

Thanks for answering and helping guys.
I know that most 3592/345.0808 from that time have a serial engraved into the lug.
I just found a few that do not have the lasered serial. That’s why I am trying to find out why that could be.

Very interesting if model or casenumber. On the omega website the 345.0808 is shown as modelnummer. The other collector that I talked about has a extract from the archive which says under watch ref. St. 345.0808 - pic 3592.50.00

 

They won’t. Maybe OPs has a service case.

 

Thanks for answering!
I do not think I have a service case.
1. because the collector from whom I got the watch said so (super well regarded collector)
2. I found a few other watches of that ref and from that time period without engraved serial. (One just a few months back from the original owner who told me that his lug was never lasered)

 

Maybe it’s the ‘random bin theory’ in action, using up old parts first and/or they made this SN-on-lug change during the production run of this reference/the-other-LE...for example.

Watch looks honest/great, I wouldn’t sweat it...

 

Thanks!

No I really do not sweat it

Just think it is very interesting to find everything out about my own watch.

 

I had thought watches from that era didn't have the SN on the case yet, but you seem to have evidence that is not correct. I was then trying to figure out if it had anything to do with it either being a service case (you say no) or with the switchover from 3592.50 to 3570.50, where maybe a few early or transitional cases didn't get the SN engraved.

Does anyone know when they started to apply the SN to the cases back then?

 

According to my knowledge they started to laser serialnumbers upwards of 48.260.xxx
But that information is for 861 speedmasters and not everything from 861 speedmaster can be transferred to 863 speedmaster 100% (please correct me if I am wrong)

Sorry, missunderstood you the first time. Could be that mine is a switch from the 3572 to 3592 and has no sn engraved because of that. I just ordered a extract a few days back. Will know what reference it is for sure then.

But still very interesting in my point of view. There are for sure 3450808/3592 from that time without laser engraving.

 

I can't answer your question but your watch looks great. Wear in good health.

 

they started around 1990 lasering

 

Lol, I remember this discussion

 

Omega does engrave service cases if you let them service a watch. At least they did this on a Bond SMP service replacement case. The originaI case had no serial number engraved. I am not sure about Speedmasters though.

 

‘They’ in context are the other XXXXX watchmakers who service Omegas and have parts accounts - won’t have lasers so won’t do this. assumption is that most folk won’t service their Speedies at Omega, as it’s an ‘old’ well known movement that can be serviced cheaper anywhere.

 

Yeah. My 3570.50 is at the local watchmaker getting serviced as I type, and he did a wonderful job on my 145.022-74 previously.

 

I have an identical model serial 48.3xx.xxx that I purchased new in 1996 from Jim, an AD in Washington DC, my first and only Omega until last October. I recently got the extract that gives a production date of June 20, 1996, a "watch ref" of ST 345.0808 - PIC 3572.50.00, and "Case No. - not applicable."

Mine has the serial engraved onto the lug, but I took it to Jim in 2004 for service, and I assume that he sent it to Omega, so the serial may have been engraved onto the lug at that time.

 

I decided not to MOD my 3570.50 since it’s a proper hesalite crystal Moonwatch with steel back, and it’s running so well, So my watchmaker and I decided to wait until next year to do the service. It’s nice that I don’t have to send it to OMEGA and can get it done for significantly less when it comes time.