This Speedmaster Professional wristwatch was purchased through the internet from a major auction site. Before the auction ended, I found that the watch was located in Vancouver Canada. After I won the bid, I contacted the seller to see if I could pick the watch up in person. Arrangements were made after the bidding was over and the seller and I met at a nice hotel.
The watch is in near-mint condition, appearing to have been carefully worn very little. Here you see the dial with three subregisters for constant seconds, elapsed hours, and elapsed minutes.
The crown is stamped with the Omega symbol.
The movement is the very nicely finished Omega Caliber 863 (base Lemania Caliber 1874) manual wind chronograph with 18 jewels. From what I have been able to piece together, the 860-series movement started life in the 1960's to replace the Caliber 321 originally installed in the Speedmaster Professional watch. These watches were supplied with either a display back like this one, or a solid back. The solid back version utilizes an Omega Caliber 861 (Lemania Caliber 1873) that contains a plastic center seconds stop block and the 863 uses a nicer looking steel block. The Omega 861/863 has been offered with both 17 and 18 jewels, with the switch coming sometime around 1993. My watch is a 1995 model, so it has 18 jewels. Another change Omega did was to go from gilt gold plating to rhodium plating. The Caliber 861/863 is gilt and the Caliber 1861/1863 is rhodium plated. I personally prefer the gilt finish, but I may be somewhat biased.
A shot of the clasp.
A shot of the box and watch.
Another shot of the box and watch.
Text and photos Copyright 2003-2006. Photos from the seller.
