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Should I buy the 321 Ed White or go Vintage

ninman
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So, I've realised that my ultimate Speedmaster goal is to get a Speedmaster with the historic 321 movement in it.

That to me feels like the final point in my Speedmaster journey.

Naturally, nowadays, there are 2 options. Get a modern 321, either second hand/grey market or from a boutique if possible, or buy vintage.

The reason I ask is that while the 321 from Omega is a fantastic watch, I'm not sure if it's quite "true" Speedmaster enough for me.

It certainly ticks a lot of the right boxes, vintage proportions, design, flatlink bracelet, the 321 movement of course. However, it has a few things that I'm not too enamoured with. Namely, the cermaic bezel and the display caseback.

An actual vintage Speedmaster 105003 would obviously solve that, but it comes with all the trappings and troubles of trying to get a completely original watch in reasonably good condition, and then obviously maintaining it is a bit of a challenge in and of itself.

What do you think I should do?
 
cristos71
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Go with vintage, it sounds like it's what you really want and the challenge in finding one is part of the journey to happy ownership
 
T
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In my mind only the 105.003 will satisfy your quest. But then after you have found the perfect one will you dare wear it just in case you damage it.

So you may end up with both ,one as a wearer the other a safe princess
 
padders
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T Tu13alcane
In my mind only the 105.003 will satisfy your quest. But then after you have found the perfect one will you dare wear it just in case you damage it.

So you may end up with both ,one as a wearer the other a safe princess

There is a very real risk of this outcome it is true. I have a lovely original Ed White but am more comfortable wearing a FOIS day to day. That said I got both watches for around the price of the modern 321 so it was the best route for me. YMMV.
Edited:
 
T
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all my 105.003 are very rarely worn. Which is a shame but my work is manual so no chance i wear at work and being self employed its 7 days a week 12 hour days.
 
Ron_W
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Read back your own posts on your FOIS adventures ....... and wait a while before deciding on adding another Speedmaster 😀
 
padders
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Ron_W Ron_W
Read back your own posts on your FOIS adventures ....... and wait a while before deciding on adding another Speedmaster 😀

Wow! Having caught up with some of the OPs earlier posts it seems we are dealing with someone with impulse control issues who changes his mind at the drop of a hat. Watch this space for his next expensive adventure…
 
Redondo444
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From my perspective I would always go for vintage for following reasons:

  • They carry a life and would have a lot to tell if they could talk
  • not replaceable as not produced anymore (most likely more scarce)
  • it is the original and I personally like to not have the copy
 
502 to right
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On your current trajectory, I don't think your watch journey will have an end point. I don't think any watch you buy will make you truly satisfied.

I think you need to learn to love what you already have and stop chasing the next amazing watch.
Edited:
 
Redondo444
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502 to right 502 to right
On your current trajectory, I don't think your watch journey will have an end point. I don't think any watch you buy will make you truly satisfied.

I think you need to learn to love what you already have and stop chasing the next amazing watch.
Amen - assuming counts for the majority of us.
 
502 to right
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Redondo444 Redondo444
Amen - assuming counts for the majority of us.
Yes, I'm speaking from personal experience.

Thankfully it's out of my system now (I hope!). The issue is no longer what watch to buy, but what watches to sell that I don't need.*


*I really shouldn't use the word need as I don't really NEED any watch. But as someone who has been collecting watches for 10+ years, it feels like a need.
 
T
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502 to right 502 to right
On your current trajectory, I don't think your watch journey will have an end point. I don't think any watch you buy will make you truly satisfied.

I think you need to learn to love what you already have and stop chasing the next amazing watch.
is that not exactly the same for every collector always striving to complete the range or get the best example of a specific model or year/
 
Gubbo
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On your current trajectory, I don't think your watch journey will have an end point. I don't think any watch you buy will make you truly satisfied.

I think you need to learn to love what you already have and stop chasing the next amazing watch.
This is obviously the correct advice, but I was enjoying the second hand drama of it all.
 
502 to right
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T Tu13alcane
is that not exactly the same for every collector always striving to complete the range or get the best example of a specific model or year/
No.

Scenario 1 - If I get [blank] watch, I will be satisfied. You buy the watch. It does not satisfy you. The cycle keeps repeating.

Scenario 2 - If I get [blank] watch, I will be satisfied. You don't buy the watch. You don't buy any more watches. You learn to be satisfied with what you already have. The cycle ends.

To be clear, I'm not trying to beat up on the OP. But I've read every thread he's started lately and there seems to be a problem. He said he probably should not have bought a FOIS and instead used the money for a new computer for his business. He clearly regretted buying the FOIS and wanted to sell it but discovered he could only sell at a pretty serious loss. Now he's talking about possibly buying a watch several thousand dollars more expensive than the FOIS. I'm trying to help the guy stop making mistakes with his watch collecting. He has two excellent Speedmasters. He needs to be content with what he has. But, it's his life and his money. He's free to do what he wants.
Edited:
 
Donn Chambers
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As someone who previously owned a vintage cal. 321 Speedmaster, I can attest with 100% certainty that it does not exude any more magical feeling than a standard Speedmaster. 😉

I was more than happy to sell it and move onto modern Speedmasters. Ironically, I sold it to fund my purchase of the original FOiS back in 2016.
 
YY77
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No.

Scenario 1 - If I get [blank] watch, I will be satisfied. You buy the watch. It does not satisfy you. The cycle keeps repeating.

Scenario 2 - If I get [blank] watch, I will be satisfied. You don't buy the watch. You don't buy any more watches. You learn to be satisfied with what you already have. The cycle ends.
I'm in scenario 3 - If I get the Speedmaster trilogy, I will be satisfied. I don't buy any more watches. I learn to be satisfied with what I now have. The cycle ended.
 
T
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No.

Scenario 1 - If I get [blank] watch, I will be satisfied. You buy the watch. It does not satisfy you. The cycle keeps repeating.

Scenario 2 - If I get [blank] watch, I will be satisfied. You don't buy the watch. You don't buy any more watches. You learn to be satisfied with what you already have. The cycle
 
padders
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Donn Chambers Donn Chambers
As someone who previously owned a vintage cal. 321 Speedmaster, I can attest with 100% certainty that it does not exude any more magical feeling than a standard Speedmaster. 😉

I was more than happy to sell it and move onto modern Speedmasters. Ironically, I sold it to fund my purchase of the original FOiS back in 2016.

Maybe you didn’t have a special enough example. Mine does!
 
502 to right
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YY77 YY77
I'm in scenario 3 - If I get the Speedmaster trilogy, I will be satisfied. I don't buy any more watches. I learn to be satisfied with what I now have. The cycle ended.
I respect that.
 
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