2022 was a great acquisition year for me. Starting at the top …
THE GRAIL - 1958 Ranchero 2990
I killed two birds with one stone with this one. First, it’s my ultimate grail. Very difficult to find and with a dial, handset and case in beautiful condition. I replaced the crown and the crystal, but otherwise she’s fully original. Second, it’s my birth year watch, made just three weeks after I was and I have the extract from the archives to prove it.
😀
THE CONNIES
First up, this very rare 1959 14381. I’ve only seen a few of this particular version. It has rhodium plated solid white gold arrowhead indices and a luminous package that was a factory special order. It also has one of the 20,000 caliber 551 chronometer grade movements in the 17,000,000 serial range that achieved especially good results in Omega testing. Currently with my watchmaker for a movement service and to replace the crown and crystal with the correct parts. I’m working on sourcing an original set of hands.
Then there’s this lovely and quite rare 1956 2887 with a caliber 501 movement, a screw in case back and a crosshair dial with yellow gold arrowhead markers. Going into my watchmaker soon for a movement service and installation of the correct crown and crystal.
And most recently I picked up this 1969 168.005 with a caliber 564 in beautiful condition. It has a very cool quickset date feature - just pull the crown out to a full stop to advance the date!
THE TOOL WATCH - 1969 Speedmaster Professional Straight Writing
This one needs no promotion. Introduced immediately after the 1969 Moon landing, Less than 5% of the Speedmasters out there have straight writing case backs. Currently with my watchmaker for a movement service and some detail work:
THE SEAMASTERS
First up is this beautiful 1956 reference 2761 in gold cap with a perfect crosshair waffle dial:
Next we have a rare nonluminous 1959 Seachero 2996 that seems to have been intended for the Japanese market:
Then we have this nearly mint example of a Seamaster 166.009:
Last, but certainly not least, is this quite rare 1960 Seamaster 14761 with a “ribbon” or “curtain” dial. Currently with my watchmaker for some parts replacements and a movement service.
