Pre moon Speedmaster back on parade

[T5AUS]

Here we go, I posted photos of this one back in December after I first purchased it and it was looking a little tired with a Seiko bracelet, a missing pusher, a badly damaged bezel insert, a broken spring and cracking glass. (see first two photo's)
The story of it's life is quite interesting and is as follows.......
It was purchased new back in the late sixties by an Australian adventurer by the name of Dennis Bartell, from a shop in Adelaide. He was a bush pilot in those days and wanted something that was accurate and reliable. Several years later in 1985 he decided to do something totally different and thought a little walk in the desert from the North of Australia to the South, a distance of about 3000 K's (1900 Miles) might be fun, and so organised himself, starting off from the Gulf of Carpentaria. After a few days travel he started to get a pain in his leg so decided to use a trolley to carry all the extra food and water he would need for the long desert stretches between civilisation and replenishment. Here is a brief clip from the first leg of the journey and if you look closely towards the end of it, as he cooks up a bit of soup on the fire, you will see this very Speedmaster on his wrist. http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentari...er-gulf/clip1/
As can be seen from my photo's, the logo on the back of the watch is very worn, the result of the continuous wear from the desert sand sticking between the back cover and his sweaty wrist, it acted like sandpaper.
He couldn't remember when he broke the pusher off, just knowing that it happened some time on that long trek. Once back home he threw it in his tool box as it was no longer any good to him in that condition, he liked to time the sections of his walks so he knew roughly what mileage he had done, and he still had a few more treks planned.
Twenty five odd years later and with several other great walks under his belt (including the first white man to walk across the Simpson desert unaided and alone) he decided to have a bit of a clean out and found it again where he had thrown it in that old tool box and that was when he contacted me.
It is a great story and I have had immense pleasure bringing it back to life. I managed to find a pair of pushers and bezel insert which I replaced myself, getting my watch maker to repair the spring and replace the glass.
Also, the bracelet is another story itself, a vintage 1171 which was the one it would have come with, was given to me by a very generous forum member in the US, an amazing gesture and I thank him very much (he does not wish to be named) such incredible generosity and as can be seen, it works very well. As some will notice, the lume on the small register hands as well as between the hour hand has flaked a bit and the indices are patchy too but we are looking at it very magnified and it's hardly noticeable to the naked eye.
Dennis is in the process of publishing a book with a full video package of this and his other great solo trips across this huge continent. I am sure it will be a great read and I cant wait to see it.

[dddrees]

Amazing restoration job. Thanks for sharing.

[Ruche]

I enjoyed reading your post. Congrats on your Speedy! Looks great

[1675-David]

Lovely story, great watch and a job well done, thanks for sharing.

[Alcan]

Holy Moly Phil, looks like it received some serious spit 'n polish!!

Beautiful restoration.

[RFP]

Beautiful watch and an even better story!

[T5AUS]

Thanks guys

[swatty]

Wow, that looks great now Phil Enjoy it mate

[himmelblau]

Here you go:

[T5AUS]

Originally Posted by himmelblau

Here you go:

Nice work Brian, how did you slow that down enough, it realy shows it, very clever

[dieseldragon]

Wow, what an amazing story and a truly lovely watch. May I ask how it was he came to contact you when he rediscovered the watch?

[T5AUS]

Originally Posted by dieseldragon

Wow, what an amazing story and a truly lovely watch.
May I ask how it was he came to contact you when he rediscovered the watch?

Thanks Dieseldragon
I have a reputation for being the local vintage watch nut that pay's exorbitant over the top prices for these rarity's, in other words I am very addicted like most on here, I also run an add which helps

[dieseldragon]

Originally Posted by T5AUS

Thanks Dieseldragon
I have a reputation for being the local vintage watch nut that pay's exorbitant over the top prices for these rarity's, in other words I am very addicted like most on here, I also run an add which helps

Oh great, I thought you may have been related or something.

[dsio]

Very cool looking speedy, just out of interest, who did the servicing?

[T5AUS]

Hi Ashley
I use Paul in the city, he is a very good independent watch maker.