I would like your opinion on this watch.

An aquaintance at the golf course was wearing a Speedmaster Alaska Project watch yesterday and we got into a conversation about watches when I noticed it. We discussed Speedmasters at length and he told me he had a pre-moon Speedmaster at home and would bring it in for me to see. Today he brought this watch in.

Between the dial and the chronograph hand I'm a bit thrown off. We didn't open it and it is innoperable. He paid €600 for it a few years ago. I'm not looking for a valuation on the watch but more about a possible reference for it.

He is curious about it and the watch is not for sale. I would just like to be able to give him a little more information about it.

Any opinions on the piece would be appreciated.

 

105.003 with wrong case back would be my guess.

However as it has these swapped parts, I would be wanting to make sure of the movement before I bought it - or my bid would be assuming an 861.

Even that can turn out bad for you if they put in a lemania movement!

(And yes, it has happened to me)

 

Well, it does have some issues. Ed White dial in an incorrect case. Wonder what the inside looks like?

 

Lots of possibilities there.

Given the single step case back, larger pushers and asymmetric case, I'd hazard a guess that it could be a 145.012-67 with an incorrect dial.

However, it's just as likely to be a franken. The case back is already scratched so if it were mine, I'd buy a 3 pronged case back opener online and check the serial and movement.

 

Yes I did mean to say wrong case not case back...oops.

 

That ship has already sailed.

 

Thanks all for the quick replies. I told him until he gets the back off no one can speak with confidence to what he has. For €600 it won't be a bad beater if and when he gets it running.

 

If it has a 321 inside it's valuable for just the parts.

 

Sure. The bezel and the dial are each worth more than €600.

 

Boy, there are gouges galore on the case back. Looks like someone didn't know what they were doing. Sounds like it's going to be worn as a beater though. I have a feeling he will have more than €600 in it by the time he gets it up and running.

 

I often wonder how case back's get so gouged up. Careless removal of the case back?

 

Have you ever seen a watchmaker pop a case open with a pair of scisors?

 

Not a watchmaker, no!

 

Anything worth more than $1000 is an expensive beater imo.

 

Ed White dial in a later model case...I wish these watches could talk and tell us what happened. I can't imagine having this sitting around not working!

 

This is a question I think of often whey I see vintage watches. If these watches could talk, I'm sure they would tell fascinating stories.

I have a feeling this watch will go back into the drawer this afternoon for many years to come.