376.0822 LE - Gold dial.

[andy_s]

A rare version - judging from the serial on the back it looks like an LE of 200 of the 5100/1045 Speedmaster with a gilt dial, pushers and tachy bezel.

Can't say I've seen this one before. Pucker or not? "18 carat for the Italian market"...

http://www.chrono24.com/en/omega/spe...num=0&tab=pics

[Pascal S]

This is indeed a limited edition of 200 released on the Italian market in 1990 by Omega in order to clear the remaining stock of Grails, as amazing as it may sound nowadays.

This version, which I usually refer to as the "Liberace Grail" thanks to its flamboyant looks, came on the heels of another Italian limited edition run, this one based on the Speedmaster Professional.



As you can see, the cosmetic changes are very similar: gold crown, pushers, registers and bezel. And just like the LE Grail, this watch only came on a leather strap.

[DaveS]

An interesting find Andy, though I have to say I prefer the original (grail).

One detail I noticed, the LE numbers are appallingly engraved/stampred.

Is this usual on this model, I don't recall having seen a caseback of one before...

dave

[Pascal S]

Originally Posted by DaveS

One detail I noticed, the LE numbers are appallingly engraved/stampred.

Is this usual on this model, I don't recall having seen a caseback of one before...

Yep, that's the usual engraving on this version. It shows that it was rushed onto the market, as Omega didn't even bother to change the case reference for this model.

Interestingly, I notice that the papers state that the watch was sold in 1988. I find that hard to believe since all the evidence I have regarding this watch points to an introduction in 1990. But given that the box is not the original for this version, it is not much of a stretch to believe that the paperwork might have been doctored as well (a cal. 861 user manual for a cal. 1045? Yeah, right!).

[andy_s]

Great info chaps, I too prefer the original version - I must have a spot of gold aversion.

I thought that too about the series number, but that sounds a reasonable explanation Pascal. Good spot on the paperwork.

I've been 'price watching' the regular ones, so out of interest -

Feb - German auction house 3400Eu (+22%)
Mar - Chrono24; one with service dial £4,400 and one with bad redial £3,000
Apr - TZ-UK £3,800 (Service dial)
May - Italian Watch shop - 3800Eu (quickly sold for cash )
May - WuS £4200 - unsold?
June - Private offer - £4,750
June - TZ-UK - £5,250

[Pascal S]

You can add a few that sold on eBay over the last 6 months:
- a good one with everything original for €4600
- one with service dial, service hands and a cheapo 1171 bracelet for €3500
- one withe service dial and hands, but with its original ref. 1450 bracelet for €3800

More and more of these watch have the incorrect service dial, and the shorter hands that are made for the other calibre 1045 chronographs. By committing such defacements, Omega is really screwing up the look of one of its most beautiful watches ever produced...

[Pascal S]

I know that many, myself included, prefer the plain black dial version of the 376.0822 chrono to its blingy Italian limited edition. But I'm sure quite a few of us would still be happy to pull the trigger for the latter given a good opportunity.

That's what happened to a collector friend of mine who contacted me to assess the authenticity of a badly listed watch he had spotted on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=380309156703

Yep, that's right. A "Liberace Grail" for sale as a BIN for less than half its current market value! And my friend actually got it for cheaper than the listed price after a quick negotiation with the seller! Since the bracelet is actually incorrect for this model (they were all sold on strap only) he might actually resell his to cover part of the purchase cost.

Hell, even broke as I am now, at this price I would have tried something myself had I stumbled upon this listing...

[DaveS]

Wow, quite a deal, as long as you want the watch.
Me?
Well, I am not sure that I would go for it.
Tempting, certainly. But, this is a very specialist market, and I have, too many times, ended up with what I later remind myself is "not quite the model that I wanted" because the price was attractive, or very attractive, as here.
I don't think that I would.
But a great find for that man.

D

[Pascal S]

Originally Posted by DaveS

Wow, quite a deal, as long as you want the watch.

At this price-point I would certainly have given this watch a chance to grow on me!

But I see what you mean about hastily pulling the trigger just because the price makes it very tempting to do so, only to end up with a watch you didn't really want. That's happened to me several times in the past, and probably will again on a few more occasions.

As far as I am concerned, I would have been ecstatic to score this Omega. It might be blingy enough to delight a modern rap performer but it remains the last of the 1045 chronos, a distinction that more than makes up for the 1980s Breitling-like appearance of this chronograph. And though I no longer own the TT Navitimer that introduced me to this horological madness a quarter of a century ago, a return to flamboyance is not out of the question when it comes to the "Liberace Grail"...

[DaveS]

I perfectly understand Pascal, and frankly, wouldn't expect you to say anything else.
And as you rightly say, at that price, there is certainly room to let the love grow.
D