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  1. flyingout Dec 22, 2014

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    Hey folks.

    I thought I needed to reintroduce this guy to the world. Especially since I'm new here (though I have lurked for years) I'll mainly let the watch do the talking.

    I got this a little while back via my mother who received it and other items from a family friend who passed. Given the papers with case serial and an 11/1960 purchase date hand written inside, the condition it was in, my research, and watchmakers' comments, my assumption is that it had one owner and had never been serviced. More later. Though that was just my assumption.

    I finally had it serviced and it came back a couple of days ago. (ABC Watchwerks in L.A.; great guys to work with.) They replaced the crystal, tension ring (some water damage), and pushers (one had been missing). They left the crown alone partly due to it's rarity and presumed originality.

    The bezel is obviously well faded and scratched and the case shows lots of wear, but the dial is fantastic. I'm just as glad I could bring this rare watch back to life as I love wearing it.

    Comments on correctness and condition are most welcome, but I'm having the most trouble figuring out the bracelet and what it might say about the watch's history. It seems clear it's not the 7077 that a 1960 Speedy, I understand, should have come with. No model number or date stamp where they are normally seen although there's a 3 -73 elsewhere. So is this a 1973 replacement? Model? And if so, how most likely would this have occurred? Would it have gone in for service and had the bracelet swapped? Or were replacements commonly purchased back then?

    Cheers

    Before:
    IMG_0373.jpg

    After (shot RAW with white balance set in post via card seen in some shots):
    IMG_2604.jpg

    IMG_2600.jpg

    IMG_2607.jpg

    Inside pics courtesy of the watchmaker
    20141218_111211-1.jpg

    20141218_111517-1.jpg

    IMG_2634.jpg

    IMG_2633.jpg

    IMG_2651.jpg

    The instruction booklet has a 2915 pictured. Using up old stock?
    IMG_2628.jpg
     
  2. jud Dec 22, 2014

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    Wow.
     
  3. RCAFBuster Dec 22, 2014

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    Bloody WOW!!
     
  4. Barking mad Prolific Speedmaster Hoarder Dec 22, 2014

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    Stunning, from a fellow fan. :thumbsup:
     
  5. flyingout Dec 22, 2014

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    Thanks. I should also credit the strap to Rover Haven. I believe Myron introduced himself around here earlier this year. Great working with him too.
     
  6. Davidt Dec 22, 2014

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    I absolutely love that. The bezel looks wonderful.

    Congrats on a great job.
     
  7. MSNWatch Vintage Omega Aficionado Staff Member Dec 22, 2014

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    The best thing is it has a tropical/chocolate dial. Nice piece to have!
     
  8. ICONO Dec 22, 2014

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    Bloody Hell ! ..................There is a God somewhere
     
  9. bill5959 Dec 22, 2014

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    Well....Dibs

    I love how these continue to surface. Congrats!
     
  10. Myron Dec 22, 2014

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    Absolutely fabulous, Paul, and welcome to Omega Forums. My vintage Speedy came with the same mystery bracelet with the same No. 12 mark on it but no other identifying information. The conclusion I cam to, with the help of this forum, was that it was an 1175. From what I understand the 1175 was specific to the 145.022-69 only, however, so that is a dead end as far as your watch goes. I am not an expert, but there are some folks here who are who hopefully will comment.

    Congratulations again on this fine watch. I am honored to have been a part of your project's success.

    Best regards,

    Myron
     
  11. Spacefruit Prolific Speedmaster Hoarder Dec 22, 2014

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    I am curious no one has mentioned the pristine hands.

    My guess would be it was serviced, hands replaced and a bracelet added, around or after the 1970's.

    I could easily be wrong, often am, but the appearance of the hands would bother me as they do not seem to be in keeping with the rest of the (very beautiful and highly desireable) watch.
     
    richardew likes this.
  12. flyingout Dec 22, 2014

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    Wondered how long that would take. ;) I plan to keep it. Besides being a special piece, it fills several holes in my collection all at once.

    You could be right. I appreciate the thought. The lume looks about the the same as the dial though. Or are you focussing on the white hands only? The first watchmaker said he saw no evidence the watch had ever been opened, though I have no idea if that even makes sense. I may write to the ones who did the work to ask their opinion on previous work; that's one thing I forgot to ask.

    But the bracelet got me thinking too when I started researching it yesterday. I also figured the bezel would have been replaced if serviced so that would have
    similar effect of age.

    Thanks Myron. Did yours have that date code, if that's what it is?
     
  13. Pianist A 12 inch WHAT?!?!? Dec 22, 2014

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    Beautiful !! The dial is amazing :)
     
  14. flyingout Dec 22, 2014

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  15. Andy K Dreaming about winning an OFfie one day. Dec 22, 2014

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    Very very nice!
     
  16. Spacefruit Prolific Speedmaster Hoarder Dec 22, 2014

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    2998-2 could have had a BASE1000 bezel
     
  17. marturx Dec 22, 2014

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    That's an helluva of a 2998! A truly magnificent piece!

    I'm especially thrilled (besides by the wonderful dial of course) to see a unique watch returned from service, and where it has so obviously escaped the bad faith of polishing! A big congrats on a very sympathetic renovation of a piece of watch history! Wear it in good health
     
  18. alfanator Dec 23, 2014

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    Nice intro!
     
  19. flyingout Dec 23, 2014

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    Naturally blabby, I guess.
     
  20. flyingout Dec 23, 2014

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    Ah, sorry I missed this Spacefruit. BASE 1000 is certainly correct, I'm just wondering if it would have survived servicing 10-15 years later, given its current state compared with the hands. And the crown too. I understand that the Mercedes/Naiad, whatever it's called, crown was early and short-lived. Would it have survived a service?