So, I finally got my hands on a hesalite Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. You know, the classic one. I’ve always been a bit of a watch nerd, and this one has been on my list forever. But here’s the thing – I’m also fascinated by the guts of these things, the movements. Always loved how those Omega movements look, all those tiny gears and springs working together.
Now, this particular model, it’s a bit older, discontinued, similar to the 3570.50 reference but it doesn’t have the sapphire case back, you know that see-through back that lets you peek inside. The current models, they have the sapphire back, but then they also have the sapphire crystal on the front, and I wanted that classic hesalite look. I think the Speedmaster is pretty tough. I’ve heard it can take a beating, which is good because I’m not exactly gentle with my watches, and also I think maybe someday it’ll be worth more. Anyway, I had this wild idea.
I remembered I had some experience with taking apart and fixing my old Breitling a while back. It wasn’t easy, but I managed it. And I guess I was feeling a bit confident, plus I wanted to impress my girlfriend. So, I thought, why not try to swap out the case back on my Speedmaster? I did a quick search online and saw a few people talking about opening Speedmasters, but nothing really detailed. I did see some discussions about which case back fits which model, though. I just wanted to see if the movement was real, you know? Make sure I didn’t get ripped off, especially since I could still return it if something was fishy.
I found a transparent case back online that was supposed to be compatible with my model. It wasn’t an official Omega part, but it looked decent. I figured, worst case, I’d just put the original back on if it didn’t work out.
Getting the original case back off was a bit nerve-wracking. I don’t have any fancy watchmaking tools, so I had to get creative. I ended up using this rubber ball thing I found in my toolbox. It actually worked pretty well! I just pressed it against the back and twisted. Slowly but surely, the case back started to loosen, and eventually, it popped off.
Putting the transparent case back on was a bit easier, but I still had to be careful not to overtighten it. Once it was on, I flipped the watch over and… there it was. The beautiful Omega movement, ticking away. It was mesmerizing. I could see all the little parts moving in perfect harmony.
Here are the steps I took:
- Got the watch, make sure it’s the right model for this kind of thing.
- Ordered the transparent case back online, making sure it was the right size.
- Used a rubber ball to grip the original case back and twist it off (carefully!).
- Lined up the new case back and screwed it on, making sure not to overtighten.
- Enjoyed the view of the movement!
I know it’s probably not something a professional watchmaker would recommend, and maybe I voided some warranty or something. But for me, it was totally worth it. Now I have a unique Speedmaster that lets me appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into these incredible machines. I even think it looks cooler now, and my girlfriend was definitely impressed. Plus, I confirmed that the movement is genuine, so that’s a relief!
Lessons Learned
This little project taught me a few things. First, even seemingly complicated tasks can be tackled with a bit of research and patience. Second, sometimes you just have to go for it, even if it’s a bit risky. And third, the inner workings of a mechanical watch are truly a thing of beauty.
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