Speedmaster with strange serial number

Archer · May 24, 2016

Watching
Some help would be great! Extract is refused on the Omega Website because the serial number is not long enough..... The serial number of this particular watch is: R. 38810.

These "R" serial numbers do not come up with any result when I try to look them up on the Omega Extranet, so that isn't much help.

I don't know what the process was back in the 70's (or before) but currently if you have a damaged part that is serialized, you send the old part back to Omega, and they engrave a new part with the same serial number, and send the new one back to you. The old one is not returned because they don't want duplicates out there. I am going through this process right now with an 1120 movement that needs a new barrel bridge, and that is the part on some older models that has the serial number on it. I can just buy a new bridge without the serial number, but having the serial number added doesn't cost anything extra - it just takes time so 6 weeks for the replacement bridge to arrive.

Cheers, Al

gatorcpa · May 24, 2016

I have seen other "R" serial number on older Omegas before. Mostly on the cal. 1120 series, which has the serial number on the rotors. I would suspect that because of this, more "R" serial number exist for that particular caliber.

Never seen a "R" on a Speedmaster before, but I've learned never to say never with vintage Omega.
gatorcpa

Archer · May 24, 2016

gatorcpa
I have seen other "R" serial number on older Omegas before. Mostly on the cal. 1120 series, which has the serial number on the rotors. I would suspect that because of this, more "R" serial number exist for that particular caliber.

Never seen a "R" on a Speedmaster before, but I've learned never to say never with vintage Omega.
gatorcpa

1120 would have it on the barrel bridge or the balance cock. Never seen one with a serial number on the rotor.

BTW when this thread came up last year, I emailed Omega here in Canada about these numbers - no answer. I just today emailed someone else from Omega in another country I know who has been with the company for many decades - we'll see what he says.

Cheers, Al

gatorcpa · May 24, 2016

Archer
1120 would have it on the barrel bridge or the balance cock. Never seen one with a serial number on the rotor.

Yes, you are right. I got my IRS forms mixed up. You see that the Form "1120" is the corporation tax form while the "1040" is the individual form. Hey, it happens sometimes.

Anyway, here is a post from a few months ago that discusses the differences between prototype and replacement rotor on the cal. 1040.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/the...-on-this-seamaster-chronograph-176-007.33678/

There are some pictures of "R" serial numbers there.
gatorcpa

Watching · May 25, 2016

I got an answer from Omega. Not what I hoped for but anyhow it solved the mystery!

Answer from Omega:
As far as the extract of the archive is concerned, it is likely that, at some point in time before you acquired the watch, the movement was exchanged with a replacement movement (movement number beginning with R.XXXXX) and therefore we regret to inform you that no extract of the archive can be ordered.

gatorcpa · May 26, 2016

More info on the "R" serial numbers here:

http://www.watchprosite.com/?page=w...95908&pzt=&dv=true&wf.responses.open_bLoB_s=0

Unfortunately, the pictures were taken down.
gatorcpa

jaguar11 · Oct 8, 2016

Strangely enough I have just found another of these.... Numerically speaking not a lot of difference between them....

seikoskar · Oct 10, 2016

jaguar11
Strangely enough I have just found another of these.... Numerically speaking not a lot of difference between them....

wow! How interesting. The movement looks not to be rhodium, as mine, (or is it?) but the R-number is very close, only 176 movements apart.
Can you see from the dial text aproximately when the watch is from? My dial is early 80´s I suppose
http://chronomaddox.com/speedy_dial_details.html

Northernman · Oct 10, 2016

Archer
1120 would have it on the barrel bridge or the balance cock. Never seen one with a serial number on the rotor.

BTW when this thread came up last year, I emailed Omega here in Canada about these numbers - no answer. I just today emailed someone else from Omega in another country I know who has been with the company for many decades - we'll see what he says.

Cheers, Al

Did you hear anything back on this?
The link by @gatorcpa is interesting (I think this must be the same post I recalled having read somtime in the past):
http://www.watchprosite.com/?page=w...95908&pzt=&dv=true&wf.responses.open_bLoB_s=0

jaguar11 · Oct 10, 2016

seikoskar
wow! How interesting. The movement looks not to be rhodium, as mine, (or is it?) but the R-number is very close, only 176 movements apart.
Can you see from the dial text aproximately when the watch is from? My dial is early 80´s I suppose
http://chronomaddox.com/speedy_dial_details.html

Hi, This is from ST145.022-69. This supports the theory that these are indeed replacement movements. To suggest that yours is a one off seems too much of a coincidence to me especially given the proximity of the numbers....

Bumper · Oct 10, 2016

It's off a Tissot....

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Tissot-Chron...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

seikoskar · Oct 11, 2016

Sorry, I´m mixing up things. My movement is not rhodium. It is a 861 movement pink gilt colored, so in case this is a replacement movement, it is pre-92

minutenrohr · Sep 1, 2018

...today I get a 135.003-62 SC (Seamaster 30 from 1962). My 1st R-movement...I thought "replacement", that seems to be correct?

gatorcpa · Sep 1, 2018

Having the R serial number doesn’t necessarily mean that the entire movement is a replacement.

It could be that only the piece containing the serial number was replaced. Some automatic Omegas has the serial number on the rotor and those get replaced quite often.
gatorcpa

minutenrohr · Sep 1, 2018

Thanks. Maybe there was a water damage on the crowns side. The patina on the dial is more distinct on the right (=crown) side...

Foo2rama · Sep 1, 2018

seikoskar
unfortunately not, but it is definitely a 861 movement, with all engravings (omega, swiss, 17.jewels)

No it may not be. The lemania 1873 is identical to the Omega 861. In fact I own a watch with this movement. The fear on this piece is that it’s a pieces together movement from multiple watches. Which is a perfectly fine movement but as this appears to be a 78 to mid 80’s watch your going to have resale issues down the road and they are easy to source with no questions asked. The pictures hide the baseplate engraving which is also suspect.

seikoskar · Sep 3, 2018

Foo2rama
No it may not be. The lemania 1873 is identical to the Omega 861. In fact I own a watch with this movement. The fear on this piece is that it’s a pieces together movement from multiple watches. Which is a perfectly fine movement but as this appears to be a 78 to mid 80’s watch your going to have resale issues down the road and they are easy to source with no questions asked. The pictures hide the baseplate engraving which is also suspect.

Well.. this got me curious ;-)
I popped off the case back and looked at the engravings through a loupe. the baseplate 861 engraving and Omega logo is definitely there.

Aludic · Jun 10, 2019

Hi all,

Apologies for reviving an old thread; just stumbled upon another R-serial Speedmaster (145.022-68 or 69). The owner is very frank about the fact that it has an odd serial number. To my eyes, it appears to be a bit of a Franken:

- R-serial movement
- AML dial (145.022-68 Transitional ?)
- 145.022-69 caseback
- Newer crown
- DNN bezel (but appears quite 'aged' for a 90's replacement)

To me, it appears to be another clue for an R-serial movement to be a non-original (i.e. Service) movement. Perhaps this new datapoints helps people.

Any new thoughts about this?

Cheers,

Sander

Some pics: hopefully the owner doesn't mind when I include a reference: https://www.ebay.de/itm/1969-Omega-Speedmaster-Professional-Moon-Watch-145-022-69/113777876465 😀

iamvr · Mar 29, 2023

Sorry for reviving this old thread but wanted to add another example. I‘m offered this 2576 with also a R serial number, which I was not familiar with. The seller also said it was a „prototype“, which sounded weird as it was a common movement by then. Reading through this thread, R for replacement makes most sense. I‘m „color blind“ but even I see the different color of the part with the serial number and the rest.

Northernman · Mar 29, 2023

iamvr
Sorry for reviving this old thread but wanted to add another example. I‘m offered this 2576 with also a R serial number, which I was not familiar with. The seller also said it was a „prototype“, which sounded weird as it was a common movement by then. Reading through this thread, R for replacement makes most sense. I‘m „color blind“ but even I see the different color of the part with the serial number and the rest.

I guess the most likely explanation to the "R" serial numbers is that they are numbered replacement parts.
Color blind too, but not that color blind to not see the difference between the stamped bridge and the other parts.
The bridge is holding the bumper rotor, so that this would be worn at some point, perhaps worse on an early design, seem very plausible IMO.
That again would explain it being replaced during a service. Using R-series for replacement parts would make a whole lot of sense as you could still ID the watch, but not having to make new engravings (with the original serial number) to a movement part when replacing it.

😀👍

Speedmaster with strange serial number

Archer

gatorcpa

Archer

gatorcpa

Watching

gatorcpa

jaguar11

seikoskar

Northernman

jaguar11

Bumper

seikoskar

minutenrohr

gatorcpa

minutenrohr

Foo2rama

seikoskar

Aludic

iamvr

Northernman

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