What to watch out for when buying a speedy

Hi Everyone,

As you can tell by my post count, I am quite new to the game, but I would like to buy my first speedy (3570.50). I would like to know what to watch out for. I don't mind buying a used one As a matter of fact I would even prefer a vintage one around the years 1969/70. I am a bit battling between waiting for a good catch or buying one from the forum from some member with a good reputation. The thing is that I am not nearly not experienced enough to recognize a fake, a frankenwatch etc. Also, I can't tell if a price is a good price for a given time piece. I would like to skip an official retailer, since the prices seem to be quite steep compared to the ones in this or other forums. Besides that, vintage ones can't be found in official stores. So, that being said, what should I do? Do you have any tips, suggestions I could follow? How did you buy your first watch? Should I buy one with papers only?

I know for some of you these questions might be silly or obvious, but any help would be most welcome.

Thanks,
jokob

Check out http://www.speedmaster101.com/.
Gives you a lot of info.
Buying one here from a respectable member is usually a good option if you want to play it safe (and prices are not necesarrily on the high end).
If you dare to gamble, you can read through all the old threads and understand the finer details of these watches, so you are able to decide on your own.
Or you show watches you are considering here in the forum and get verdicts. This of course gives any bypassers the option to jump at a recommended watch as well.

Thanks for the replies. The website you mentioned is really great, I've already spent a few hours on it and have at least some basic understanding on what to look for.

I second tpatta this is where you want to look.

A couple of other suggestions - run an ebay search for speedie pro, then go to the advanced tab and then click sold items, this will give you a good idea of prices and if you look closely you may learn why some go for more than others. You can also check out this site - http://www.chronomaddox.com/ which will give you plenty of information. And I would strongly suggest you ask before you buy, the guys here will gladly share their knowledge and especially steer you clear of disasters. Patience is also very important and there are some more gems in this thread http://omegaforums.net/threads/3-things-you-need-as-a-collector.11421/page-2

good luck and enjoy the hunt

It is a hunt. 👍

I have a 3570.50 and an anti mag aqua terra. Personally I always loved the speedmaster and the manual wind always turned me off. I read a lot I mean a lot on line. I tried on every omega except the PLO prof and the aqua t XXL. I have to say that I wear my speedmaster more than my aqua t. My daughter used the speedmaster as a walking stick on the kitchen floor. Nothing happened to it. The hesalite looks awesome. Plus for the price you cannot beat it. George Kringley I might have misspelled here is reliable And honest. His sales are very fair. I have not bought one from him. But these gents on this forum are good. I messaged one guy and as long as you service the watch every five years you should be fine. The compliments I have received from my watch makes me feel good of course. Plus when you read the tests the watch went through you just know it's a keeper. It is not heavy on the wrist either. no regrets.

Yes agreed. Nice group of folks here. Jokob, I highly recommend you speak to George (Kringkily). He sourced mint examples of the 3570.50 and 2254.50 (Seamaster Pro) for me a few weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. I'm thrilled to own these two watches and have been wearing them daily since receiving them. He is great to deal with and will answer any of your questions. Let him know exactly what you are looking for and be patient 😀 . Wishing you the best in your search.

Hi, thank you very much for all the replies. Sorry for the delay, I am really busy the last few days.. I'll try to contact Kringley ASAP. Thanks again!

Go for the vintage step-dial speedy. Non-step dials will leave you flat when you see them side by side. Something to keep you busy while the hunt is on would be to start looking for a watchmaker to establish a relationship with. He/she is the key to curating a vintage piece.