Hi Guys, can someone please tell me when the first see through back on the Speedmaster professional was. Cheers Tone.
Think there is a small confusion here... the 4000 LE for the 20th anniversary of Apollo11 hasn't any display back. It has a marking on the side "APOLLO XI 1969" (and other markings for the other more limited productions of the same watch serie), and was launched in 1989. The first 3450808 was, you're right, the first speedy to have a display back, in 1985. And the 2 first "batches" were limited runs of 1000 units, the first with a xxxx marking on the back (with 863 "copper"), the second, with "Axxx" on the back (with 863 "gold"). The later 3450808 were not numbered (and have the 863 "gold"). That 3450808 was not for the anniversary of ApolloXI (because 1985 means nothing for ApolloXI...), but it was for the 20th anniversary of the flight qualification from NASA (source: MWO...)
Yep... But what is interesting with this 3450808, it is that even if there is absolutely no correlation between the flight qualification and the Apollo program, the marking appears suddenly with the first serie.... And nobody knows why... And this Apollo remains on the display backs, even if the manufacturing dates cannot justify any anniversary date... Marketing marketing probably... Apollo makes just sell!...