Hi,

I own a couple of vintage Speedmasters but have recently taken purchase of this 105.003.64 Ed White, while it is beautiful watch in my eyes I would like the opinions of the forum with regards to condition and originality.

The watch itself looks in very good original condition to me for a 1965 but I feel the case may have had some restoration work in the past, I only think this due to the reasonably clean case sides. It has extract of archives which dates it to November 1965 and delivered to Germany, apparently it was purchased new by a Lufthansa pilot and later years made its way to a collector over here in the UK.

Watch was serviced in 2015 by SwissTec (have receipt) and apparently Simon Freese said it was one of the most honest Ed Whites he has come across, this I have been told so I'm not saying this is fact!

Bracelet is the 1035 with 506 end links and has the 1-69 so slightly later? this is in really great condition as it was restored by Michael Young in Hong Kong but does have a few small dings, crown has 24 points but I'm yet to measure it. The case back has marks, someone who doesn't know how to open a watch has attacked it..

It came with inner & outer box and a folder of information, so what do you think as I would like honest opinions, pictures below are taken today.

 

Really a nice find. Congrats!

 

Lume on the dial could be a bit cleaner but the watch looks very good otherwise, congrats!

 

Is it definitely a -65 and not a -64?

Is it's a -65 the case has certainly been re-cut.

 

Hi, the case is 105.003 -64 but serial dates it to 65 on the archives.

 

Nice and honest Ed White

 

Great thread about -64 and -65 cases:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/the...-lug-speedy-thread-show-us-your-facets.61910/

 

Thank you, that is interesting.
I never knew the 64 case was a one year only production, hence my sharp lug tops and not rounded, this forum really is excellent.

 

Hi David

Could you pls elaborate this post? Thanks

 

The case finish is not original anymore.
Looks like the profile on the non-crown & pushers side is partially gone and the chamfers on the horns are gone.
Nothing to worry though if you ask me. the same happened to my ed white and almost all I have ever seen before.

Overall condition is not too bad. Love the bezel!

 

Looks like the facets have been polished which is why the sides look high... 64 and 65 have different cases. Neither unpolished look like this. Having said that, its an old watch! I think its a nice piece

 

Hi Martin

Everything I've seen points to the -65 case as always having a small chamfer on the edge of the lugs. Mine is worn and has surface scratches but was never serviced prior to my ownership and I believe it to be the original finish. This design seems to be replicated in all original-65 cases.

Research by @Tom Dick (https://omegaforums.net/threads/spe...designs-calling-all-64-ed-white-owners.45695/) suggest The -64 on the other hand often (always?) has a slightly different profile with no chamfer/facet and looks much more like the watch in the OP post.

Based on this it looks to me like the OP watch is a -64 mid case.

 

Thanks David, this is new to me and like I mentioned before the case back does say -64.

When I got it I thought a lot of the case had been ground back as there was no radius's visible, @Tom Dick thread does make sense now, even though my case may have been refurbished this tells me not much material has been removed,

If its a one year production version of case would anybody have an idea of how many there could possible be in that run?

 

A lot. I'm sure there's a partial answer in MWO.

There are plenty of one year only runs in Speedmaster history. The -65 case is a unique maker, as is the -66CB. There's the transitional dial in -68, the 220 bezel in -69 etc etc.

 

I was confused here:

You posted " Opinions of my 105.003.65 Ed White."

But as it seems now, you have a 105.003-64 "the case back does say -64."

So -as I see it- you have a 105.003-64 and not a 105.003-65

The reference number must be seen apart from the production year of the movement or the EOA, what counts is the reference number!!

For a -64 the case shape is correct

 

Sorry about that, the extract says 105.003 and the the production date of 1965, this is where the confusion has come from, I’ll update the title and appreciate your knowledge.

 

Did the former owner gave you pictures of the 2015 service?

If yes look at the inner caseback, there is the reference number...

If you don't have pictures (and especially if you got more Speedies) contact @Pahawi

and get yourself the ultimate Speedie opener:

 

Looks a good tool, I’ll have a look into it.

Yes, I have a folder with service images and more recent sales images to confirm its a -64, I have a case back tool and taken several backs off in my time so it’s no problem for me to do it.

 

Looking at the OP pictures again, I noticed that the hands look a bit funky.
The lume cut outs on the hour and minute hand are very narrow. They also appear to be unusually white.
Maybe they were repainted?

 

It's beautiful, just a few things stand out to me but nothing serious: First is the lume in the central seconds hand is a different colour to the rest of the lume, suggesting it could be a service part or a re-lume? Second is that it has a modern service crown. But it's a really nice example anyway