Can you put Omega Speedmaster 861 Dial on Omega Speedmaster 321 Movement?
Note:
In this post I am only going to reference the 861 movement. The dials for the 861 movement are interchangeable with the 1861 and 1863 movements.
Can you put Omega Speedmaster 861 Dial on Omega Speedmaster 321 Movement?
Can you put Omega Speedmaster 861 Dial on Omega Speedmaster 321 Movement? Or for that matter can you do the opposite, put an Omega speedmaster 321 dial on an 861 movement? I seem to be getting this question quite a bit lately. Maybe it’s because I have a few Omega Speedmaster raised logo dials for sale.
The individuals looking for an answer to the questions above seem to be going for that vintage Omega Speedmaster look. In doing this they will not have to pay the exorbitant prices the properly documented Vintage speedmasters are commanding. They also may be wanting to simply change the look of there speedmaster.
So, what is the answer?
The simple answer is no. You cannot use an Omega speedmaster 861 dial on the Omega speedmaster 321 movement or vice/versa. You cannot use a 321 dial on an 861 movement. Although the dimensions of the dials and position of dial feet are the same, the dial feet have different dimensions. The dial feet on the 321 dial have a thicker diameter and are longer than the dial feet on the 861. The different dimensions of the dial feet do not allow for the dials to be used on the different movements.
I am sure there are a quite a few people out there who have wanted to do either one of the options discussed above. Maybe even a few have been able accomplish the build in collaboration with a really good watchmaker. There are a few posts and discussions on forums addressing what I am referring to in this post. It seems that some of the posts are quite informative on this subject. Even some of the forum discussions are a good source of information if you can weed out the disagreements and focus on the forum members who are genuinely knowledgeable about the subject.
Can it be done? Yes
Modifying Dial
The only way to properly fit the dials is to modify the dial feet on either the 861 or 321 dials so the feet will lock in place properly into the movement. There are some hack options available such as the ever popular glue or dial dots which seem to be the go to for a watchmaker that does not have the skills, tools and/or expertise to accomplish the job properly.
The procedure for modifying the 861 dial to fit a 321 movement is to solder new, properly sized, feet/posts over the existing feet/posts. This is not very complicated, but needs to be done properly.
The procedure for modifying a 321 dial to fit a 861 movement is a little more complicated. Here you need to remove existing dial feet and solder new shorter and thinner feet to accommodate the 861 movement.
In both examples explained above there is always the risk of damaging the paint on the dials when heat is involved, namely the soldering. This is especially true when dealing with delicate vintage dials. If you have a very rare 321 dial you are wanting to use on on 861 movement proceed with caution.
Final Thoughts
I completely understand the desire for wanting one of the hard to find Vintage speedmasters. I personally have been searching for a 1966 321 105.012 Omega Speedmaster. However, I have been hard pressed to take the plunge without proper documentation and/or proof of provenance. Until I find my personal “Holy Grail” without having to get a second mortgage on my home, I am happy with a Speedmaster build or mod. On that note, I prefer to wear my watches, not just look at them. Having an extremely rare and expensive speedmaster does not lend itself to a daily wear.
Some of the Speedmaster purists probably despise this subject and are appalled by any type of build. That’s fine by me. I thoroughly enjoy what I do and am eager to pass on whatever information and knowledge that I have. If you too have the desire to explore either of the options discussed above, please contact me. I love to hear different ideas about builds.
