So, the 66CB is still stopping intermittently, no longer just on the minute click-over, so back it went to the spa today, trip three I think. Instead, a very reliable 145.012-68. With service, it keeps excellent time and functions perfectly. The case is a little more worn and polished than my -67 or .022-68. I wish the lume hadn’t turned so dark. In another thread, somebody talked about how important the condition of the back of a watch is to value — and he got kidded because he’d oversold its importance to the rest of us. Well, I confess. The backs of these Speedmasters matter a lot to me. Assuming the back has stayed with the watch, it speaks to how much the watch was worn and the care with which it was treated. A heavily worn or damaged back or a significantly polished one is a real turn off for me. This one’s nice, but not as good as some of my others. My best Ed White back: There, I got that off my chest. Oh yeah, almost forgot. The silliest thing is nobody can see the back when I’m wearing it, any more than they can see whether I’m wearing a 321 or an 861. Yet, it matters to me. Probably more than it should.
WW2 German military watch by Alpina used by Luftwaffe pilots. Dienstuhr 92742 (Service watch) even might be the original strap