Hello everyone! I'm a newbie on this forum, and I need some advice, if anyone is kind enough to assist me. I'm trying to do research on vintage Omega Speedmaster Professional moonwatches, as I'm considering selling mine, to help pay for a new home. I'm getting very confused, as prices seem to be all over the place as this thread clearly shows. I purchased my watch in 1978, when I was an Air Force fighter pilot. I wore it for several years, and then opted for a Seiko quartz watch for daily use. Maybe ten years ago I decided to restore my original Moonwatch, which I now realize from my research, was probably not a good idea in terms of market value. I didn't realize that "collectors" highly value
all original vintage watches, regardless of condition. Here for example is a listing on ebay now for a watch that is the same age as mine, circa 1978, with a serial number very close to mine, and asking $11,995.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/OMEGA-SPEEDMASTER-145-022-76-BOX-AND-PAPERS-USAF-Cal-861-MOON-WATCH-CHRONOGRAPH/153694632921
From my limited research, I think that's an unreasonable expectation for price, but it clearly shows the value of having all the original components, i.e. watch parts, boxes, owner's manual, sales receipt, etc.
Here's my situation. When I had my watch restored, I had the original movement (caliber 861, reference ST145.022-76, serial number 399266XX) put in a complete new case with new bezel, crystal and dial. I also added a new Omega Speedmaster bracelet, and had the movement serviced. The hands are still original. So, my current Moonwatch looks brand new. I just ran it for two days, and amazingly, it was still accurate within 2 seconds, which is better than you should expect from a mechanical watch, at least a Moonwatch. I still have the original case with bezel and crystal, and the original dial. My original case, crystal and dial are in much better condition than the ones in the Listing I showed above. They case has scratches, but everything was cleaned and the crystal was polished by the person servicing my watch. Unfortunately, I can't find the original watch boxes, owner's manual, and the original bracelet. I know I didn't throw them away. I've made an initial search of my house, looking in the usual places, without success. They may well be in a box up in my attic or in a storage space under a staircase, which is blocked by a wall unit. So, that's my situation. I can list my restored Moonwatch for sale without the boxes and owner's manual and original bracelet and offer to include the original parts I do have, or I could sell the original parts separately, or I could just forget about it and keep my watch, which is currently more accurate than a new Omega Seamaster watch I purchased and a new Bremont Boeing F-15 watch I purchased. Can anyone please give me their advice/suggestions? I'd also like to know your views on the best way to sell a vintage watch, if you could. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. If this is the wrong place to post this message, I sure apologize. Regards, Marc
