Speedmaster pre-moon purchase! Help much appreciated.

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doggyvufvuf

·Feb 26, 2019

Looking to buy my first vintage piece, a 145.022-69

In great condition. Seller a reputable guy. Everything checks out perfectly except my research on the serial number.

Its a 32.8XX.XXX - it seems that serials this high supposedly should be SW speedmaster, and this is not the case, at is has a regular pre-moon caseback.

At first I won't post photos, as i do not have permission from the seller to to this.

Any thoughts?

 

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alam

·Feb 26, 2019

D doggyvufvuf

...Any thoughts?...

most of us can not think w/o pictures...

D doggyvufvuf

...as i do not have permission from the seller to to this..

what are his concerns?

 

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OWa

·Feb 26, 2019

Pictures would certainly help.

The serial appears to be a bit late for a 69 according to:

Did you check the serial there?

 

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doggyvufvuf

·Feb 26, 2019

Ill check with seller and be back with pictures. 😀

 

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doggyvufvuf

·Feb 26, 2019

 

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doggyvufvuf

·Feb 27, 2019

Now with pictures with pictures - seller did not have any concerns, I just hadnt asked. 😀

Any insight into this case would be highly appreciated. Again, serial is 32.8XX.XXX.

 

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OWa

·Feb 27, 2019

D doggyvufvuf

Now with pictures with pictures - seller did not have any concerns, I just hadnt asked. 😀

Any insight into this case would be highly appreciated. Again, serial is 32.8XX.XXX.

Is the serial above 32.857.XXX? MWO states the range for the 145.022-69 SW between 31.009.XXX and 32.857.XXX.

Cheers

 

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doggyvufvuf

·Feb 27, 2019

Nope, its 32.84X.XXX, so within the range of what the MWO book states. But still has a plain backcase as seen above.

 

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Spacefruit

·Feb 27, 2019·Prolific Speedmaster Hoarder

Well I personally would not buy a movement with this case back and feel comfortable, only because I personally have not handled a similar combination.
For me this is in the range of a Straight Writing Case Back, or perhaps later.
What does the seller say about where it is from?

 

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OWa

·Feb 27, 2019

I hope some more experienced member chime in. The caseback could have gotten exchanged at some point in time during a service. I have no clue. 🙁
You could try to clarify this with Omega Museum. Could be worth a try.

 

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eugeneandresson

·Feb 27, 2019

OWa

I hope some more experienced member chime in.

The bloke who wrote before you is about as experienced as they get 😉

 

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OWa

·Feb 27, 2019

eugeneandresson

The bloke who wrote before you is about as experienced as they get 😉

He just replied as I wrote. No offense. 😉

Edited: Feb 27, 2019

 

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Spacefruit

·Feb 27, 2019·Prolific Speedmaster Hoarder

OWa

I hope some more experienced member chime in. The caseback could have gotten exchanged at some point in time during a service. I have no clue. 🙁
You could try to clarify this with Omega Museum. Could be worth a try.

It is true that some watchmakers would service speedmasters as a bunch and put the wrong parts back together. I was told that by a watchmaker working in the 1970's

However what something like this does for me is raise a red flag, making me question the originality of every part. If one combination is incorrect, then what else? It just needs to be checked.

Of course it is also dependent on price. If its $2000 no one in this thread would care and we would all buy it.
If it is $4,000 5,000 then everyone is looking.
If it is $6000 then we are all looking at it like a spider, wondering if it is toxic.
If it is $7,000 then we would not have replied.

How far am i on price?

 

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doggyvufvuf

·Feb 27, 2019

Its in just over the $4k mark, and seller is reputable as mentioned, but does not know the history of the watch.

 

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Georgieboy58

·Feb 27, 2019

Is it commonly accepted that all Speedmasters after the moonlanding should have a case back refering to that fact?
I always understood that plain case backs were stll used after that point in time.
I personally own a 31 million 145.022-69 (8/70) that I bought in the late 80s with plain (Hippocampus) caseback

Edit: just noticed that my Speedmaster is 850 below the above mentioned straight writing start number.

 

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doggyvufvuf

·Feb 27, 2019

Also; comes with a very worn 1039 bracelet, though not at this price point. He'll want to sell this on by itself.

What do you think - hit it for 4200$ or let it pass?

 

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Texas Toast

·Feb 27, 2019

I understand the seeming "late-game" nature of a hippo back here with a 32.8M serial but the smooth interior (no perlage) is another aspect that caught my eye.

Don't know if helpful but here is a small sampling I did to determine what to hunt for with my own -69 ("Subject Watch"; still no luck). The last of the hippo backs before SW seemed to have perlage and SW took over earlier than 32.8M. Crude data with lots of gaping holes, and I'm sure there was some variation, but perhaps more consistent as a type B caseback from ~29M-30.58M range or other replacement?