your opinion about this Speedmaster 105.012-66 CB

Posts
312
Likes
277
I have been offered this 105.012-66 CB and I would like to ask for your advice.

I wonder a lot about the lume which seems very flat to me. I'm more used to seeing it in relief. is this a mistake on my part?
I also wonder if the minute hand hasn't been reworked.
There must have been quite a bit of polishing given the lines of the rounded lugs and the caseback.
the bezel is tired in places.
The pushers are the original short version, aren't they?
The crown has been changed. This is no longer an element that I focus on anymore because it is a waterproofing part that was normal to change in the past to maintain the performance of the watch.

The bracelet is not provided. it reeked of Sunday tinkering: the 633 endlinks were mistreated (too bad, it was the version from the 70s), and the links of the 1039 bracelet were savagely removed with pliers.

 
Posts
482
Likes
398
There are several fantastic 105.012s for sale over on Speedmaster 101s sale site (speedmastersales.com I think)…. That’s where I would be looking if I were had the funds right now. The 105.012-65 (not a CB case) looks particularly enticing.
 
Posts
312
Likes
277
I followed this sale. watches are very interesting but Brexit has made them out of budget for Europeans.

c'est la vie
 
Posts
69
Likes
72
That looks like an honest example to me. A bit over polished but the dial looks lovely.
 
Posts
5,147
Likes
17,888
Depending the price, it's a nice looking watch. To me it has good looking lume with matching hands. The overall condition is consistent, even with the aforementioned polished case (that happens most of the time.) Many of the middle grade watches will have nice cases or nice bezels but green or degraded lume or replaced hands. This doesn't. I think a person would enjoy looking at this on the wrist. As long as you aren't paying top dollar.
 
Posts
312
Likes
277
The difficulty for me is to evaluate the honest price of this watch. Is it closer to the Fair or Good grade?
 
Posts
69
Likes
72
The difficulty for me is to evaluate the honest price of this watch. Is it closer to the Fair or Good grade?
I would say it’s Good.
 
Posts
11,734
Likes
20,459
It’s a difficult one to value for me.

The dial is good, possibly very good, the bezel is fair+, but the case is fair at best as it’s completely lost the CB facets and that’s a major factor in these watches.
I’d guess value is fair-good as a result, but I’m a stickler for cases and others place much, much more weight on the dial.
 
Posts
2,163
Likes
6,716
what is the asking price?

The watch is all there, it all comes down to price.
 
Posts
1,853
Likes
3,788
I do like the dial, but to grade it - we do need more pictures.
The bezel looks really beaten up, the crown and crystal are replaced.
And I am with David here - a CB´s most important feature are the facets,
and the ones you show have had lots of work done on them (sadly).
And the minute hand has had some work done also, maybe not a biggie?
But try and get better and sharper pictures?
 
Posts
21,260
Likes
48,420
Can you see the facets? I really can't even see them.
 
Posts
5,147
Likes
17,888
Can you see the facets? I really can't even see them.

There is a faint indication.

I can see brushing on the inside of the lug, which seems like it would be gone if it had been polished manually, unless it was polished and rebrushed, which doesn't seem likely to me.

Could be the facets were naturally worn down from wear. But I would expect the brushing to be more worn or scratched?

 
Posts
1,552
Likes
3,646
Nice dial but terrible case. Must be dirt-cheap to be interesting, otherwise, hard pass...

7500€ is a NO go.