Speedmaster 105.003-64, are these one year only case designs? Calling all 64 Ed White owners

evening all

I posted some thoughts on this a couple of days ago tacked on to another thread but thought it might warrant a seperate stand alone thread.

So..... I while back my beloved 105.003-64 came back to me, although I've owned a dozen or more Ed Whites this one just gelled with me and was so original and unspoiled when I was offered the opportunity to get it back I broke my humble overdraft and jumped (much to Mrs Dicks unhappiness)

The watch is completely original and although the case had perhaps had the lightest of refinishes it was pretty much original, which presented a dilemma as the case looked untouched and had lost no meat but had no facets on the case edge

This is where my research gene kicked in, I looked at ever image of the 64 and all had the same feature as mine, no facets and sharp lug definition between the lug top and sides.

So I have come to the conclusion that the 105.003-64 is a one year only case design. I do not know the why but all the 64's I've found (except those that have been over finished and had facets added in) have a very definite lack of facet edges.

When comparing a 64 side by side against a 2998-105003-63 or a 105.003-65 they have a very different profile

This is my own 105.003-64, it's just back from STS where Simon has given it the very lightest of hand refinishes.

I'd welcome people feedback and any images of fellow 64 owners watches for comparison. I could be completely wrong and would welcome challenge on this but the research I've done leads to one conclusion that for 1964 omega introduced a case design for a single year then for the 65 reverted back to the faceted case/ lug edge

Some more shots now she's home and on the wrist

I love this topic. Thanks for posting Tom! Any chance of a shot head on the lugs that shows the shape of the ends of the lugs?

edit: like the one in this blog post: http://speedmaster101.com/blog/what-are-factory-profile-lugs-on-a-straight-lug/

Interestingly the middle one in Williams post looks like a 64 profile

This is my 64 Ed.

My 2 Ed 64s next to each other. Tom, could you explain in more detail what you are highlighting!

beautiful watch, Tom.

Here is mine with very crisp similar lugs:

Ash

The profile of the case is slightly different to the 65. No different marking that I can see

Yep, so on the lugs for all speedies 57-63 and 65 they have a bevel edge between the top of the lug and the side of the lug, on the 64 only (from what I can see) there are no bevels and the top of the lug meet the case edge/ lug edge crisply and sharply

Yep. Here's my newly acquired 64. All consistent with your comments above, No bevel, and very sharp points at ends of lugs.

and these aren't just polished down beyond recognition? it seems very odd to change the case design, then change it back again.

is there any rational explanation for this?

Ha😀 Initially that's what I thought. But, having seen @Tom Dick previous comments here, and on another thread, I believe the thinking is that the 64 case was unique only to 105.003-64 and indeed the shape pointed end/no bevel was the original design. So not an end product as a result of an over polish.

I am convinced it was a one year only case, every single 64 I can find on google has the same feature.

Mine, whilst not obviously nos has absolutely no loss of mean and crisp carp case edges on the case sides and around the pushers indicating it's barely been touched, therefore polishing exessively the lugs simply wouldn't make sense.

All the 64's listed to date have the same feature as mine so on the simply basis of the most likely explanation it is a one year only production case!

Good enough conclusion for the late 'master' chuck Maddox then good enough for moi

were Chuck's observations on this topic captured somewhere? I can't find anything about this topic by him.

I don't discount the pics posted, but just baffled as to why they would do this...

My first thought was, that it is simply another of the several case manufactures. It is like with the bezels and the hands and the dials. Lemania had differend providers of that hardware from Lelocle, Orient, Bienne and otherwhere in the region and they all did the things a bit in their very own way.

I'd totally agree if I could find a few 64's with different cases but they all seem to have this trait

some general 64 google search finds.

Indeed! That was very much my conclusion from google too. I cannot explain away the single year case design, I've no idea, I've asked some friends in 'high places' and hopefully they can shed some light on my research but seems reasonably conclusive at the moment