What would you've done? 145.022-69 Brown Dial

Dear OF,

I was watching an auction for this lot, didn't bid and wonder if I should have. I’ll hopefully be in the market for a stepped (or not, still wondering) dial Speedmaster soon, so I’m still sharpening my hooks. I’d love to hear insights from Speedy enthusiasts, as I was until now mostly interested in radium-time-only watches.

The watch itself is a Speedmaster Professional, caseback 145.022-69ST, apparently brown dial, with a 26556898 serial number, on a 1039 bracelet. Pictures were blurry, but you know how it can spice the game (from either 😁 to ).

According to the auction house, the lot dragged a lot of interest, and it was available on a well-known french auction platform.

Here's the pictures that I had at the time :



At the time, my 2 cents about it were :

Movement serial number 26556898 is too early, and could match with a 145.022-68 if it’s a Speedmaster movement. Strangely, it seems that the brake was made of Delrin, making this movement pretty odd (or a super early prototype ). I asked the auction house to confirm the serial number, which they did.

The DON seemed to be at least in very good condition.

I am unsure about the case, as the lugs seemed to have lost sharpness. The caseback looked nice.

The 1039 seemed in poor condition.

So, I considered it as a franken, and thought that the (theoretical) value would be somewhere around the added value of all parts :

DON : 2000€

Bracelet : 500€

Dial : 2000€

Case : 1000€

Movement : 1000€

Wrist cheese : 1000€ / 100 grams, so around 30 euros total 🤮

Everything above is a personal interpretation, definitely from someone who's at the beginning of the learning journey.
So here I am for 6530€. Drum roll...

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It went for 5000€, plus 31% fees, making final price net buyer 6550€.

My timorousness (or FOO, call it whatever you want 😉) made me not fight for it, maybe connected to the fact that I've landed (IMHO) nice pieces in 2020, part of a collection cycle, that I was searching for years (will share later in another thread).

As I'm writing this post, I'm realizing two things : I may have missed a bargain (you never know, it takes two people to set a price at auction...), and that my english skills aren't good (spent an hour writing this). Not sure about which I'm more ashamed of.
Anyway, thanks for reading and eager to read your thoughts. What would you've done yourself? 🍿

Kindly,

This is really a lovely dial 🥰

I think it was yesterday...I placed a 4K bid but stopped there. The chance you’ll get a bargain at auction is pretty slim ImHO...but you can find original owner pieces untampered that you’ll pay a lot. And 28% fees to take such crappy pictures...Seriously, who still sells in auction houses??? Older people with older watches I guess...

@befobe

The auction took place yesterday, at Drouot (Chochon & Allardi).

@Dsplash

Bargains at auction depends on a lot of factors, but on desirable references and brands I tend to agree. About pictures, you're completely right, it's a shame in 2020...

I love watches that have gunk on them. It’s the best sign of a non prepared watch.

I’ll put my 2 cents in too. The 26 million serial number is not known for the brown dials. It’s pretty far away from the 29 million serial number which are known for the brown dials. Perhaps it has had a transplanted movement which you have alluded to?

At 6500 euros, I think the price was fair considering the condition of some of the parts. Heck, it could’ve have been sent to the chop shop and a few dollars could be made.