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How to Buy a Vintage Speedmaster
Buying a Vintage Speedmaster is a challenging task because of the myriad of changes that took place throughout the production, from the initial Speedmaster 2915 produced in 1957, all the way through until today.
Since I first wrote this site, interest, and therefore prices, have risen. This in turns brings out the worst in people, as they try to sell altered watches as original, and generally poor watches as interesting. I hope that the information you learn here will help you avoid bad sellers.
Here we shall concern ourselves with watches manufactured before 1978, which was the last year Omega stamped the year of manufacture inside the case back. It is also the period that produces (for me!) the most interesting and attractive looking pieces, along with the widest variation in values. Post 78 watches are perfectly good watches but unlikely to vary in value or appearance, for the near future. (Note as of 2023 – I am seeing increased interest in all Tritium Speedmasters, up to the change to Superluminova in 1992)
This site is all about the assessment and valuation. We need to know if the watch is original, or at least know what is incorrect, in order to find a value. This site will help you to identify the right watch, for the right price, in the right condition.
The most important thing is to buy a watch that you like – dont worry about what others say, trust your judgement. That judgement will be supported by the knowledge you gain here, so that you know exactly the state of the watch you buy.
Buying a watch with problems that you identify before you purchase is perfectly fine – discovering them afterwards is a horrible feeling so lets avoid that by learning.
The site is divided as follows:
- An overview of what to look for (Read this first)
- An general assessment guide
- A detailed page for each reference (Follow the links in the Menu)
- Blog – go here for latest news in my Speedmaster world
Quicklinks: