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Tritium Speedmaster Professional Hands Help

Dan S
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If you don't trust the seller's knowledge, you would need to ask for a video and clearer images. Presumably these are service hands in any case.
 
1972Steve
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Dan S Dan S
If you don't trust the seller's knowledge, you would need to ask for a video and clearer images. Presumably these are service hands in any case.

Thank you Dan.
 
Foo2rama
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I’d want full light pictures. But if your not sure they need to be measured to see what they are.

Idk the guy has a good record selling in this area.
 
Foo2rama
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dennisthemenace dennisthemenace
What's the difference between original and service Tritium hands?
The same thing as 145.022 service dials duh!
 
wsfarrell
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But wait! It's not a thousand dollars, it's $999!

As Omega drifts inexorably into Rolex-Land.......
 
simonsays
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Thats the right card and it has enough fade to suggest pre luminova. So I very much doubt there are any issues with those hands being original and correct, but its not a set without the central secondhand.
 
simonsays
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Dan S Dan S
Apparently there are subtle differences that some experts can recognize. I've seen it explained a few times on the forum ... here is one description.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/145-012-67-hunt-over-found-one.76979/page-2#post-978561

I am not sure the explanation is quite correct. Long central second hands are visible on Speedmasters well into the 1990s, so that would suggest that any Tritium hand of the correct spec would be long.
Modern Speedmasters are not my area, but from a quick look, Omega do seem to finish the hand at the edge of the markers now. All these hands would be Luminova though.
Variations in hands on Omega watches were common in the 60s and 70s with variations from year to year based on external suppliers changing or just manufacturing variations. I am not sure there are any absolutes that can be drawn, except by inspecting the characteristics of the Lume.
 
Dan S
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simonsays simonsays
I am not sure the explanation is quite correct. Long central second hands are visible on Speedmasters well into the 1990s, so that would suggest that any Tritium hand of the correct spec would be long.
Modern Speedmasters are not my area, but from a quick look, Omega do seem to finish the hand at the edge of the markers now. All these hands would be Luminova though.
Variations in hands on Omega watches were common in the 60s and 70s with variations from year to year based on external suppliers changing or just manufacturing variations. I am not sure there are any absolutes that can be drawn, except by inspecting the characteristics of the Lume.

Well personally I'm totally agnostic about this and it would be nice to believe that hands were variable as you hypothesize - that way I could just say that all of mine are correct and original. 😁

However, I often see experts mentioning that hands are tritium service replacements, so I suspect they have ways to tell.
 
Foo2rama
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Dan S Dan S
Well personally I'm totally agnostic about this and it would be nice to believe that hands were variable as you hypothesize - that way I could just say that all of mine are correct and original. 😁

However, I often see experts mentioning that hands are tritium service replacements, so I suspect they have ways to tell.
Yes the lume doesn’t match the dial 😉
 
simonsays
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Foo2rama Foo2rama
Yes the lume doesn’t match the dial 😉

I would say this is a misnomer too. The hands and dials are made by different factories using different processes, so can age differently even if original. While it is preferable aesthetically there is no reason they should match.
I have watches where the second hand has aged differently from the hour/min. I think this is down to the second hand being made differently, rather than it being a replacement.
 
Foo2rama
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simonsays simonsays
I would say this is a misnomer too. The hands and dials are made by different factories using different processes, so can age differently even if original. While it is preferable aesthetically there is no reason they should match.
I have watches where the second hand has aged differently from the hour/min. I think this is down to the second hand being made differently, rather than it being a replacement.
Except the majority of speedmasters do match which logically follows that they do tend to match if not replaced.

Either way more value is placed on watches that match. A watched claimed all original and matches will get the same price at sale as a watch where the owner admits he sourced better hands that match the dial.

Normally when a piece is said to have service hands the hands look too new for the watch. Ie white hands off color sub hands. Or good lume on hands mossy on dial etc.

I promise you that there are a lot of -78’s that got a factory service in the mid 80’s that are claimed all original out there and no one is questioning it. As everything is correct. Additionally no one cares as it looks right and is still correct.
 
dennisthemenace
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Foo2rama Foo2rama
Except the majority of speedmasters do match which logically follows that they do tend to match if not replaced.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree here. Most Speedmaster experts here, from the posts I have read, would suspect a little intervention if hands and dial lume match perfectly.
 
Dan S
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dennisthemenace dennisthemenace
I'm sorry but I have to disagree here. Most Speedmaster experts here, from the posts I have read, would suspect a little intervention if hands and dial lume match perfectly.

Agreed. Modest variation between hands and dial (and even amongst the hands) is the norm.
 
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