77J77
路Hello-- The Speedmaster has been my long-time grail watch that I hoped to buy some distant year in the future. Over the past decade I've put together a little collection of Citizen, Seiko, Strela, Mido, Tissot and have often exclusively perused Speedmasters on Auction while drooling and planning. 馃榾
A few years ago my father-in-law took notice of once of my watches and mentioned that he bought a Speedmaster in Italy in the 60s, wore it as a true tool watch for many many years but had some issues with it and retired it to a drawer a few years back. He actually had it stolen sometime around 71-73 and his insurance company actually replaced it with a new one.
Fast-forward to last week-- I finally got to see this old Speedmaster when he handed it to me and said it is now mine, if I want it. I turned him down-- kidding, of course I want it.
So-- I'm looking to you all for comments or advice. The chrono hand was swinging loose and fell off after a couple days of wear. I immediately took it off, tilted the watch so the now detached hand wasn't running into the other hands and let the spring wind itself down over a couple days. My plan is to send it to a watchmaker for a full-service, replace the hesalite, replace the fallen off chronohand with the correct Omega hand, and have the hands stripped and repainted/lumed to match the dial lume color. My current thinking is to avoid having anything done to the dial, bezel, and case to retain the original "patina" and "age" (aka, wear) gained over decades of wear while living life and turning wrenches, etc. I have no intention to ever sell this or anything and will just pass it down to through the family again here in a few more decades.
It has been serviced a number of times over the years. The incorrect chrono hand was surely installed at the last service/repair when it went in after the chrono hand fell off last time. I think it went to Seattle that time-- so maybe Nesbit, but unsure-- and that was likely a decade ago.
I plan to wear this watch in every day life too-- I'm happy to have it look aged and a bit beat up or shiny and new. The original bracelet was broken and replaced a couple times-- he had it on a non-Omega bracelet that seems to have the stretch, jangliness, and age that my non-experienced hands/eyes associate with likely being from the 70s or 80s. I have it on a leather band in a couple photos here but bought an Uncle Seiko bracelet to put on it to wear once the service work is done.
So here's my question for you experienced Speedmaster folks:
1) To my untrained eye that has been aided with the power of the internet and e-Moonwatch Only app: this is a 145.022-71. Does that seem right to you?
2) Outside of the incorrect chrono hand, all parts should be original based on my FIL's memory. Does that match what you see too?
3) Do you think my plan on the work to have done seems to make sense? Any argument to touch more or less of it? Any reason to not refinish/polish the case if I'll never sell this anyway?
4)Anything else I'm not thinking of that you think I should ask you?
Oh-- also, based on an app on my phone, it is losing 9 to 16 seconds a day depending on how I position the watch (face up, down, crown up, down, etc). Before the chrono hand started swinging loose it would count normally but would always reset to about 1 o clock.
A few years ago my father-in-law took notice of once of my watches and mentioned that he bought a Speedmaster in Italy in the 60s, wore it as a true tool watch for many many years but had some issues with it and retired it to a drawer a few years back. He actually had it stolen sometime around 71-73 and his insurance company actually replaced it with a new one.
Fast-forward to last week-- I finally got to see this old Speedmaster when he handed it to me and said it is now mine, if I want it. I turned him down-- kidding, of course I want it.
So-- I'm looking to you all for comments or advice. The chrono hand was swinging loose and fell off after a couple days of wear. I immediately took it off, tilted the watch so the now detached hand wasn't running into the other hands and let the spring wind itself down over a couple days. My plan is to send it to a watchmaker for a full-service, replace the hesalite, replace the fallen off chronohand with the correct Omega hand, and have the hands stripped and repainted/lumed to match the dial lume color. My current thinking is to avoid having anything done to the dial, bezel, and case to retain the original "patina" and "age" (aka, wear) gained over decades of wear while living life and turning wrenches, etc. I have no intention to ever sell this or anything and will just pass it down to through the family again here in a few more decades.
It has been serviced a number of times over the years. The incorrect chrono hand was surely installed at the last service/repair when it went in after the chrono hand fell off last time. I think it went to Seattle that time-- so maybe Nesbit, but unsure-- and that was likely a decade ago.
I plan to wear this watch in every day life too-- I'm happy to have it look aged and a bit beat up or shiny and new. The original bracelet was broken and replaced a couple times-- he had it on a non-Omega bracelet that seems to have the stretch, jangliness, and age that my non-experienced hands/eyes associate with likely being from the 70s or 80s. I have it on a leather band in a couple photos here but bought an Uncle Seiko bracelet to put on it to wear once the service work is done.
So here's my question for you experienced Speedmaster folks:
1) To my untrained eye that has been aided with the power of the internet and e-Moonwatch Only app: this is a 145.022-71. Does that seem right to you?
2) Outside of the incorrect chrono hand, all parts should be original based on my FIL's memory. Does that match what you see too?
3) Do you think my plan on the work to have done seems to make sense? Any argument to touch more or less of it? Any reason to not refinish/polish the case if I'll never sell this anyway?
4)Anything else I'm not thinking of that you think I should ask you?
Oh-- also, based on an app on my phone, it is losing 9 to 16 seconds a day depending on how I position the watch (face up, down, crown up, down, etc). Before the chrono hand started swinging loose it would count normally but would always reset to about 1 o clock.