Just seen that the seller had the same watch advertised twice before (says buyers didn't pay up which is entirely plausible) but also found the exact same advert wording used on a different site. I guess a dealer could verify (I work near hatton garden, london - so should be one nearby)? Any photos that I could post on here that might give one of you guys enough of a clue to hazard a guess at the authenticity? I'm quietly confident it's fine. Based purely on the fact I'm feeling lucky...
Speedmasters are relatively easy to verify, at least if it's fake or not. Put up some pictures and let us see. It's not uncommon I guess to "borrow" some text
@Kettiljo thank you. Here are some pictures. I'm still confident (...still feeling lucky) AND I like it even more when I see the close up view a zoomed photo gives. I even like the little dings: evidence of a previous life. I think the watch (if genuine...) is circa 1986 so its had 30 years of dinging... ...which also amazes me (more with the older watches I see you guys have on here) just how good and precise the engineering was so many years ago. Anyway.
It's in my hands now. It was post-purchase research that led me to question it...not too clever I know. Thank you for the positive thoughts on it being genuine! I'm already looking at getting another but would have absolutely no way of justifying it to the wife other than I'd need two watches to pass down to our little boys...
It's the real deal. It's one of the 'Reduced' models (175.0032 maybe?), meaning it's a few mm smaller than the regular Professional models - and it's an automatic. It has a DD chronograph module riveted to a standard ETA movement, which is why the crown (which connects to the standard movement) is on a different plane than the pushers (which are connected to the chronograph module).
Oh, and there's nothing wrong with a little wabi sabi on a watch. I prefer to add my own character (read: dings and scratches) but there's no shame in a few from a previous owner.
Wabi sabi - thanks for the link. I like that. I'm going to give the crystal a polish but I'm happy with the rest...all wabi sabi'd.