Dear OF - I started looking into vintage Speedmaster (perhaps I shouldn't) and ran across this from John Goldberger's Omega Sportwatches: 2998-1 built in 1958 w/ broad arrow hands, sn 1599xxx .... From reading MWO, Speedmaster101 and googling other sources I have always thought that 2998-1 was built starting in 1959. Have you seen any other reference to 1958 2998-1s? Thanks!
Well I feel a little remiss i never noticed that before in the book. The only thing 2998-1 is the case back. While 2998-1's also had the short subdial indices, and the Base1000 bezel, none that I have seen have the broad arrow hands, and none have the 1599xxxx serial, which is also the range I am most comfortable seeing in a 2915-1. I suspect this is a 2915 with a replaced back. As ever I remain open to evidence based suggestions otherwise, but I don't believe this watch left the factory like this. The theory that omega threw whatever parts they had to hand to make a watch does not have firm evidence to support it. However much I like the idea, I just don't believe a Swiss Manufacturing company would do it. Well not this one.
BTW, he's got specific delivery dates and destinations for the early Speedies in that book (as does @speedy4ever in MWO though not quite as precise). That information would be interesting for those of us, at least for me, with watches that don't have extracts available. I assume that Omega was the source.
No disagreement. I was just trying to flesh out the additional information Omega appears to have on these under-documented examples.