Hey!
I have been looking to buy an Speedmaster Apollo XI 1969 20th and I finally found this watch:
https://www.kaplans.se/sv/auktioner/3374/vara/1429345

The first thing that looks a little bit weird is that it seems to be made in late 1995. According to the Moonwatch only book the US version was made between 1989-1991. But as you can see at the extract it looks legit. Maybe I'm missing something obvious.

I'm just wondering if someone else has seen something similar? Or is something fishy?

Thanks in advanced!

 

Mmm strange, the engraving matches the one on the 20th anniversary but everything else says it's the 25th anniversary. The 20th usually comes with the legendary 1450 bracelet and this one has the 1479 (legendary only for it's hair pulling capacitiy haha)

 

Im going to say stay away from this, its odd.... that extract does not look legit and the signature looks forged, I see a lot of these extracts and that signature does not look right

 

Extract looks fine to me, though I can't explain the date. Aeschlimann seems to have a few different signatures (or different people signing for him).

 

Just for comparison, pictured is my Apollo XI commemorative Speedmaster which I acquired brand new, from an AD, in 1991. One owner. Movement S# is 48269390, so a bit earlier than the subject watch. Bracelet model # is 1479 with 812 ends. Case S# is likewise 48269390. From the information posted elsewhere in this thread, it would seem that this bracelet was found on the 25th anniversary model, but I seriously doubt this one of mine could have been a 25th anniversary model. The abstract pertaining to the subject watch indicates it is a 20th anniversary model. The sales listing for the subject watch indicates the same model bracelet as mine. In the 27 years I have owned this watch, I can honestly say it has never pulled a hair. But then some wrists could be hairier than mine. Sounds like $5,700.00 (Cdn.). I’ve no idea whether that is a good price on not. The watch appears to be AOK with me, by direct comparison.

 

Dial is not correct.

 

Mine also has 1479 bracelet with 812 ends.

There are 3 versions of this watch, the American version which, if I remember correctly, come with three possible inscriptions: xxxx/2000, xxxx/2000 Apollo 11 1969 and xxxx/2000 Apollo 11. The one for the German market (250) and one version for the rest of the world.(4000)


There is an article on Fratello Watches about this watch for a comprehensive overview.

 

Mine must be one of the 4,000 for the rest of the world, as it isn”t marked with a limited edition inscription on the edge of the case.

Re: the incorrect dial. From comparing the dial on the subject watch and the dial on mine, from the pictures shown, I don’t see any difference. Pray tell, what about the dial on the subject watch is wrong? Or is the dial on mine wrong? It is the dial it came with.

 

@Canuck The S in Speedmaster is what is different. Should be a long S, like what you have on your watch.

 

Mine has a long S too.

 

I just looked at my Speedmaster reduced, and it has an S which is different to the S both on the subject watch, and the S on my Apollo II. A difference I am certain that only an aficionado would notice, or care about. What are the chances this might be a service dial? Two of the three Apollo IIs in this thread have the longer S. Mine is earlier than the subject watch. Might Illatroll’s also be an earlier one? Might this be the correct dial for a later production model?

 

The movement # for mine 48254 something so a bit earlier than Canucks, not sure by how much, it was bought as a birth year watch by the previous owner, Gemini4, for his son so I am guessing it was 89.

 

According to the moonwatch only book it could have the "Type C5. Short S" as shown in picture of the watch.
It is also saying:
"Pay attain that the series for the USA was produced until 1991, which explains why late production watches (from around 48.280.XXX) have a new C5 dial and a 1479/812 bracelet.

But 48.280.XXX and 1991 is far away from 48.332.226 and Oct 1995.

 

Interesting. That could just be the correct dial on the subject watch?

 

I wonder if the Extract was mistaken - they DO make mistakes sometimes, another member recently had a mistake made and their Extract replaced free of charge. This looks like a 25th Anniversary LE, and that would correspond with the production date. Even the included booklet is a 25th Anniversary document... I'm not so up on the differences between 20 & 25 in regards to the caseband inscription differences though

 

I checked with the MWO book and the case on this watch is correct for a 20th Anniversary LE. The mystery is still alive.

 

Serif over E ?.