Yeah we are mere mortals. Do you think that some more well known collectors get theirs for free from a secret back channel?
I only have one in my meager collection. We really need a speedmaster101 for seamasters. I just bought this one and I had to go through old forums to find the acceptable serial ranges for each handset/ bezel/ subreference. In the end really had to lean on the guidance of the experts on OF. Would be nice to have one place to see all this information like sm101. 4/59 2913-3
Now that we know that Marc has a % of the straight lugged 300 in existence...just how rare are these? Seem to many more straight lugged Speedies out there and confirmed sold than 300s.
But not a single count down bezel . A common thought regarding early Moonwatch vs early SM300 availability is that SM300s were working tool diver watches. Subjected to much more abuse, many SM300s have not survived and today are rarer than Moonwatches.
Were the production numbers similar compared to the speedies and just less survived or were there less produced in general?
I reckon way less produced, just look at how many Speedmaster straight lugs are on the market at any one time, now compare that to straight lug SM300's. IMHO that discrepancy in numbers can't be put down to attrition. Back then there was plenty of cars, plenty of sports events, plenty of work related opportunities to use a chrono, so there were loads sold. I mean there are tons of chrono's out there from this period, be they Omega or from other manufacturers. Back then I don't think there was much recreational diving, maybe not even that much recreational snorkeling, and the term "desk diver" was not even a figment of somebody's imagination so the target market will have been very small, really only commercial divers and perhaps people who spent some time at sea and the suchlike. I know one of mine was sold to an English guy in Japan who worked for the British Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the early 1960's, one to the US Airforce and the other to the US 6th Fleet which was operating in the Med at this time. I think very many of these watches have pretty interesting back stories, it's only when bought from family members that these get heard and I guess for the majority most of the history has been lost over the decades as they have changed hands.
In my experience all the Seamaster 300 family are much, much rarer than the equivalent Speedmaster. Here's mine: 2913-1 serial 15706... extract 12/57 (1st Picture) 165.014-64 serial 22987... barn find. No extract yet. (2nd & 3rd pictures) Also have a (not pictured) 165.014-62 serial 20308... No extract yet.
Here's a picture of the 2913-1 case back, which is specific to the first 2913 examples in that it has the words 'Certified High Pressure Waterproof' engraved on the outside edge (angled part) of the case back, much the same as the 2915-1 has 'Speedmaster' engraved around the edge. I don't know when this was changed to the later case back with engraving on the flat part of the case back.
Does anybody know if I can fit my railmaster bezel onto my 14755? Brainstorming on how to solve the missing insert issue...
Did the pip tab get broken off? I think that you could have someone laserweld and lightly polish the bezel to clean it up. I would leave it on "as-is" and be on the lookout for a replacement bezel. I am in a similar boat!
When I purchased it, the pip tab was already missing. How do I laserweld something that didn't exist to begin with? Help!
I wasn't being clear...I would get someone to clean it up to make it look like it was never there...give it an even appearance and wear it plain jane...a la a Railmaster. That will tide you over until you source the correct bezel.