This is a piece where
the price is a crucial component of the overall desirability.
It also offered by a business, and as such I believe it has been prepared for sale - this is not a bad thing necessarily, but its a indication of how it has been prepared. Often just the shiny things have been done, not the important things. We will see.
So lets go through the basics - It is a 105.002 with a serial close to others I have seen, but it has no extract. Nowadays buying an expensive speedmaster without an extract is for the very rich or the very experienced.
The dial is Non Pro, stepped, SWISS MADE. I think it is correct. The body is apparently solid without major blemish - but at this level, you need better sight of the dial, either in person, or (much) better photos. Dial print is intact. What lets the dial down a little is to me the plots are a little weak in that the colour is whitish yellow, and not very attractive. The plots are a little thin, and a little dirty, but not majorly, just enough to make me hesitate. For me the dial is "Good" but others might push it to "Very Good". For certain I would not go lower than Good.
The bezel is "Fair"
The case, while I initially was going to go off on a rant about describing Speedmasters as unpolished, is most of the way to "Very Good". The more I look at it the more I like it. It is worn but it is not ground down and the case back is very well defined with no loss of bevels. I like this case. It strikes me as honest and less worn than many. There is no corrosion that I can see. (Often seen in these early examples at the lip or between the lugs)
The hands. We have to be very careful with Alphas and make sure they are appropriate - in this case, an early example of the reference, it is good to see these hands. The Alphas show a transverse curve and a lume silhouette I am happy with when comparing to others, and the rest of the hands look original too. "Very Good"
Pushers and crown look Original
Dust cover looks Original (It is strange how important I find this - an original dust cover in good condition indicates the watch has been cared for, and they are very hard to source if you need one).
Movement, looks in range for a 105002 but I would like an extract at this level of price. The movement has the symmetrical clutch bridge and looks to be in "Excellent" condition with no screw marks (Apart from one slightly damaged screw). So it has been apart, but I cannot tell the consequences.
Crystal has the correct silver rehaut and I would assume it to be a replacement but you never know.
A word on the 7912 bracelet and No 6 end-links. If these are all original and correct then they are a significant part of the value. Just how much I am slightly uncertain, and the condition will make a huge difference in value.
So we have:
Dial: Good
Case: Very Good
Bezel: Fair
MVT: Excellent
On my price chart (remember it is a public offering of my own notes and ideas, based on previous experience and to be used as a supplemental tool not an edict) A VERY GOOD 105002 is $28,000. While GOOD is 14,000
I can either take the Very Good price and work down, or the Good price and work up.
Very Good: 28,000
LESS: Dial -8,000, Bezel, -5000
PLUS: Bracelet and No6 +6,000
Comes to 21,000
Lets try the other way:
Good $14,000
LESS: Bezel $3000
PLUS: Case : $5000, Movement $2000, Bracelet $6,000
Comes to 24,000
So as you can see not a scientific thing and there is some kind of margin for error and arbitrary judgement.
What I would say about this watch is this:
The dial is normally the heart of the attraction, or desirability of a watch, and this dial is original, intact in good condition BUT it leaves me a little cold, based on these photos. It may be that the dial in real life looks better - these light box photos never do any favors. Combined with the Fair bezel, this watch is falling down on the two areas I put at number one and number two. I know others might look at the case, but for me its dial and bezel. So working through my system, it is "Worth the money" at 21,000 to 24,000.
But do you actually like it?
