I can trace my interest in luxury watches and specifically in the Omega brand to a point in time a little less than 30 years ago when I took out my subscription to the then new International Wristwatch Magazine. That was 1990 to be more precise. How can I be so sure, because I still have the magazines from that time cluttering up my book shelves! Obviously that was not my first encounter with mechanical watches which was back in the mid-1970s when my Dad bought me an automatic from Watches of Switzerland. Unlike today, were we are constantly exposed to alternative timekeeping means (mobile phones, computer clocks etc) pretty much everyone that needed to be on time possessed a wristwatch and my watches of Switzerland Day-Date Auto was my only timekeeper. However, in 1990 that old thing attached to my wrist via a furry leather cuff that looked like half a dead squirrel and smelt just as bad was clearly ripe for replacement, hence the luxury watch magazine subscription. Those magazines really opened up my eyes to a world that, unfortunately, I could only dream of on my pitiful post-graduate UK engineering salary. But that was a long time ago and a fair few watches have graced the Longbow wrist since then (some of them posted here on OF) but none were the original object of my then desires, namely the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch; a watch that somehow I more or less forgot about or at least largely ignored. To be honest my “next watch” plan had been to save my pennies and maybe trade one or more of my Sinns to acquire the latest Rolex Polar Explorer II, but things have a habit of turning out differently than planned. Fast forward to last Sunday. I was taking a walk through my hometown and noticed out of the corner of my eye a Speedmaster Pro in a Jeweller’s shop window. "Oh, don't see those very often in this little backwater, better take a closer look". They were offering a 1990 Moonwatch with box and papers for a little under €2k. So I looked a bit closer and spotted a slightly unusual bracelet. Well, unusual in the sense that the few Speedies I ever bother to look at have modern service bracelet on them. But this one had a 1450 bracelet, which I thought looked rather nice. Another closer peek I saw that the dial was marked T Swiss Made T i.e. original Tritium and not a service dial, but still fairly white, so I guessed maybe a redial or the lume had been removed at some point – it’s a bit hard to judge through a shop window. In other words all a jolly interesting Omega, but could of course be a bag of Franken junk that I probably should investigate with some urgency. I rushed home, sent the shop owner a short email to see if we could meet up on Monday morning. I also tried his mobile number but no reply. I tried sleeping but just couldn't, woke up at 3am and ended up hanging around at his shop until 10am (missed work ouch!) to see if he would show up. He didn't; there was a message in his shop window saying he was on holiday. I suppose I was too distracted by the Speedy to notice the sign. Luckily the guy returned my call just after I had set off for work to ask if I was still interested (I think I managed to sound somewhat non-committal) and we agree to meet up on Monday evening. To cut a long story short, it turns out the Speedy is a one owner watch supplied back in 1990 in my home town by the local Jeweller that shortened the bracelet on my 1st Omega back in 2005. On close inspection the dial and hands are indeed Tritium with inactive lume (only active for a few seconds under UV light) hiding behind a Hesalite crystal. The bracelet is a 1450 with 808 end links. The original jeweller’s warranty booklet, grey inner and white outer boxes were also present and the watch functions seem to be working fine and keeping good time! I like it, especially the back story connections to my 1990 (theoretical) induction to the world of Omega as well as the idea that this beastie has been waiting for me in my home town for the last 28 years, so I bought it. What did I pay? 1800€. Is that good, bad, heck I dunno, it’s certainly cheaper than the €4.3K Omega ask for a new one. So I’m happy. A thread without pictures won’t do so here you go:-
Congrats, very nice catch! I can recognize me in your words, when I start to think of a new watch I can't sleep well till I get it. Wear in good health!
Maybe I’m just blind but I never did find any text to explain the story behind that gorgeous Breitling Top Time Chronograph on the cover of Issue 2.
Not sure if I should put this in another thread or not, but anyway it belongs to this story so I shall proceed here. On (much) closer inspection of my new acquisition I have discovered some rather ugly fatigue cracks in the 808 endlinks. The spring bars have also seen better days, they don't look like they were ever replaced. Has anyone else seen this sort of end link failure before and apart from simply replacing them, which I suspect is easier said than done, is there any way to repair them? Moving on to the Half-moon links themselves there are some features that are surprising to inexplicable The "pinched" construction is something I haven't seen before. The same technique is used on the centre links as well. I can't decide if those "star" pins belong or not. At least the clasp is secure and in decent shape
Congrats! Hopefully you'll get the end link issued sorted out but it's always great to obtain the watch you first set your eyes on!
Cant comment on the bracelet construction, but surely there must be a way to save (solder?) those end links? btw please replace those spring bars asap