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  1. yoda888 Jun 9, 2015

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    Wanted to get some thoughts here from folks. First some background...

    I've been pining for a moonwatch for awhile now, but never brought myself to buy one. I saw some pictures of the Panda dial speedy, and had to have one. Since there were only 300 made officially I thought why not frankenstein one instead? I mean if you can buy the dials, it makes sense. (I've already acquired the dial, just need to get the hands, which should be straight forward.)

    My original plan was to buy a more "beat up" 3570.50, service the watch and have the panda dial/hands swapped over. I ended up getting a great condition 3570.50 that doesn't need a service.

    So the question now is, do I modify my current 3570.50? Or should I just try to find a redial'd panda where someone has done the work already? That way I can have a black and a white one.

    What say the group? Mod my current watch (means I'll only have one speedy), or find a panda already (means I'll have 2 speedies)?

    I'm pretty smitten with the hesalite crystal. Very classic watch with lots of history.
     
  2. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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    I think not very suitable your screen name is....
     
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  3. oddboy Zero to Grail+2998 In Six Months Jun 9, 2015

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    When the question is one speedy or two, the correct answer is two.

    As for modding, I'm not sure how others feel, but I'm not a fan of it. It is your watch, and you can do as you like - I won't hold it against you.. ;). But think of all the threads for vintage watches where people point out that a watch has a wrong dial or whatever. Do you want to be the guy that made one?

    ::stirthepot::
     
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  4. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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    Ok, sorry, couldn't resist.

    Franks are not very well perceived. I do think if it is for your own use and you don't mind a franked the more power to you, enjoy it in good health. I love Panda dials and given the choice I would get an original 1st of course, and within your scenario if it si to be a franken I would get a finished one I liked and keep your original untouched. Best of both worlds
     
    Edited Jun 9, 2015
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  5. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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    By the way, to ask in this forum if you should franken a watch is like asking Darth Maul to service your Lightsaber in the middle of a duel
     
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  6. yinzerniner Jun 9, 2015

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    Funny this thread just came up as I was about to make a post asking for opinions on a prospective Speedy custom build.

    I think that for "collectibility" obviously a Franken or a custom dial job is frowned upon, but if it's just for your personal use then why not? Also, if you can keep the original dial and hands and other parts then even better

    As for my own personal experience which I hope would help - I find that vintage pieces have that special "character" mostly due to the imperfections that come with age and/or outdated or old manufacturing methods. A lot of those great vintage pieces look good because of their plexi crystals, aged lume and the patina picked up from years of usage and experience.

    With that in mind I originally planned on modding a tritium-dialed, gilded 863 3572.50 I picked up from Kringkily, but decided against it because I love how the dial is aging and as it continues to yellow and darken it will perfectly match the movement. So I've been holding off on my Panda build until I sourced a 3573, which has the rhodium-plated movement which I think will better match the silver hands and white dial of a Panda.
     
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  7. repoman Jun 9, 2015

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    I'm with @oddboy and @Nobel Prize ; I'm personally not a fan of modding and thus wouldn't do it, but I have no problem at all with someone else doing it on their own piece for their own enjoyment. It's your watch, do what makes you happy. My advice, save up more and buy the real thing.

    Oh, one small thing I disagree with @oddboy on, when the question is one Speedy or two, the right answer is five :D
     
  8. DLT222 Double D @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 9, 2015

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    I say ask the forum - there are many members on here that have modded their speedys, some like it some don't, like yourself. I am also not a fan of it but each to their own.

    I say save the cash and buy a proper panda speedy like a 35th anniversary.

    Oh and one last thing,.. Please upload an avatar!
     
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  9. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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    echoing everyone else opinion I'll add that it is also extremely rewarding to get the right product after months of patient search, and at least to me, not as rewarding to compromise.
     
  10. yoda888 Jun 9, 2015

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    I know most people don't care for a franken watch. But to buy 1 of 300 is pretty darn hard. Those things don't come up for sale often. That of course would be my first choice. But it probably won't happen anytime soon. Of course, I could just wait for one to show up, I'm not in any type of rush at all.

    So I figured I could just mod one to have the correct omega dial and hands. It would be for me with no intentions of reselling. If anything, I just had a son, so now I have someone to pass all my watches down to. So ideally it would be a cool watch for him to have in the future.

    Someone mentioned that you don't want to mod the watch because it will become vintage. The 3570.50 will never become vintage. There are simply too many out there. It's just like buying a sub now, it's not going to be vintage, there are too many.
     
  11. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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    one of 300 is only for the Yellow Panda...there are other Panda speedmasters around.
     
  12. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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  13. DLT222 Double D @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 9, 2015

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    One of 300 is the Mitsukoshi dial from Japan.

    The Apollo 11 35th is 3500 pieces.
     
  14. DLT222 Double D @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 9, 2015

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    Yellow Panda?
     
  15. yoda888 Jun 9, 2015

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    I am specifically looking for the MITSUKOSHI panda. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have purchased a 3570.50 so soon. It was on my "nice to have list" but not something I had to have. After I saw the MITSUKOSHI dial, it became "must have!"

    My dilemma is that i'm really enjoying my original 3570.50 and it's in great condition so I don't want to hack it up.
     
  16. DLT222 Double D @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 9, 2015

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    you have just answered your own Q there.

    Save for the Mitsukoshi then!
     
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  17. DLT222 Double D @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 9, 2015

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    I'm tempted to change the title to 'To panda or not to panda... Ive answered my own question' lol
     
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  18. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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    Sorry, meant the "golden Panda" and had that wrong too, that is 40 pieces apparently. But Yellow panda is a cool name!!
     
    Screen Shot 2015-06-09 at 6.14.23 PM.png
  19. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Jun 9, 2015

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    Yes you have. no amount of tinkering is going to give you what you really want...just wait and save.
     
  20. Taddyangle Convicted Invicta Wearer Jun 9, 2015

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    I bought a 3572.50 in 2012. At that time I had no idea that Omega even made Limited Edition watches. I thought there was only one Speedmaster.

    I then discovered there were LE watches and the Panda (Apollo 11 35th) was on my list. Back then I was new to watch collecting and in my mind the Panda was incredibly rare. Around this time I was buying a Watchco SM300 and also discovered that Watchco sold these Panda dials. Since I was buying a SM300 I asked for a discount on the dial, and figured if he came low enough I would buy. I then was able to source hands at OFREI. I now had all the parts to make my Panda. I took it to an AD and he serviced the watch and made the transformation.

    With all this said.......

    I found out much later that the Apollo 11 35th is really not that rare, but the prices seems to vary widely. I have seem them sell for as low as $3200-3500 (three confirmed) but they also seem to be listed on eBay for crazy high prices at $5,000+. I suspect the going rate is $3500-$4500 depending on condition and if a complete set.

    I know that I will not sell this watch and the reality is I will ultimately end up buying a Panda so that I can put my 3572.50 back to its original state. I do not know when, it just depends on when I can find a suitable replacement in the $3,250 range.

    I can't recall the price it was to make the change, I am thinking I spent $350 in parts. My watch needed a service so I can't really count the $550 service fee. I do suspect a good watch maker would charge $50-100 to make the swap.

    And yes, the watch is awesome. And while I have no regrets, if I knew then what I know now, I would not have made the Panda.

    IMG_20150608_073236.jpg
     
    Edited Jun 9, 2015
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