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| Joined: | Thu Apr 16th, 2009 |
| Location: | Arctic, Norway |
| Posts: | 5821 |
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So now I come with some crusty details.
I've been dreaming of owning this watch for a long time now and the whole jump started when I got the occasion to hook a new-old-stock 861 movement for a very nice price.
The first surprise was that it was wearing the Delryn break(in nylon) who's appearing normally only on the 1861 movement who comes later on from 1996. Before that, the part was in steel.
Shortly, the nylon proved itself to be smoother on the wheel's teeth and not needing any lubricant.
The second surprise is that the movement is "gold-plated"(?): Most of 861 was not and the 1861 is rhodium plated.
Don't mistake: The previous versions as the first one(321) and the 861, never been rose-gold plated...It was copper plated as Omega been doing it during many years.
The third surprise was that it's a 18 jewels movement as the 1861, instead of having only 17 as it should be for a regular 861.
Seems like it's a transition movement produced around 1995 but I'm still a bit lost there...
Anyway: Here are the pics!
Second step was to get the full case kit, dial, hands...All brand new and sealed.
This wasn't the hardest and with parts coming from England and the US it was all soon looking good.
I putted my watch-maker and friend on the job as it was a bit too delicate for my beginner's hands at the time: I may make it now but I will wait to have better practice as those original parts are not so cheap.
Now, for the trouble!
The stem of the start/stop pusher(at the top right of the case) was too short and didn't reach the movement.
Well, in fact, it was the movement who had an unusual deep receiver part there.
Why? Nobody knew: Even the Norwegian Omega center didn't know why...
I started to feel my joy coming down after days of research who just proved me that I was looking for a ghost part: The pusher's stem from hell
So one day, I went back to my watch-maker and told him that he could just dream of getting this part and I could just dream of having my Speedmaster completed apparently...
His answer was: "Well, it seems like I have to make it myself!"
WTF , jumped into my head: Can he really do that?
I knew that he had tools but to this point: I wasn't dreaming of it.
It was done and assembled the very same day: Looking like a genuine part and doing the job perfectly on the movement
This Speedmaster is surely something special and the whole operation came down to 2300$ with some pretty cold sweating I must say...
Now I can enjoy this legend on my wrist!
Some more info there!
http://www.chronomaddox.com/moonwatch_cal_background.html